China Southern Airlines will begin flying to Guangzhou from Auckland three times a week from next April.
Auckland Airport made the announcement at a news conference on Sunday afternoon.
Guangzhou is China's second largest airport and one of China's leading commercial and manufacturing regions and the airport is the second largest in the country.
Auckland Airport's chief executive Simon Moutter says better connections to the city are critical for trade and tourism.
He expects the new services to inject $50 million into the local visitor economy alone.
