Donghai Airlines (DZ, Shenzhen) is set to launch a new service connecting Wanzhou with Utapao in Thailand, the first international service out of the airport in central China, on May 31, 2018, China Daily has reported.

The route will be operated 3x weekly with B737-800 aircraft, of which the carrier currently operates nineteen units.

According to the ch-aviation capacity module, Wanzhou currently sees 87 weekly departures exclusively on domestic routes. The largest operators at the airport are Shenzhen Airlines and Donghai Airlines' parent, Sichuan Airlines.

Donghai Airlines already serves Utapao out of Shenzhen.

Utapao airport serves as the main gateway to one of Thailand's most popular holiday resorts, Pattaya. It already sees substantial scheduled traffic to China operated by Nok Air, Thai AirAsia, Thai Lion Air, Hainan Airlines, and Donghai Airlines, as well as numerous charter flights to the country.