Cambodia Secures Emirates, Turkish Airlines Routes Amid Slower Recovery

Cambodia’s aviation sector is picking up pace with the introduction of new international routes from Emirates and Turkish Airlines, signaling growing confidence in the market despite a slower recovery compared to regional counterparts.

Emirates will launch a 3X-weekly service to Siem Reap on June 3, operating via Bangkok from Dubai with Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. This marks the airline’s second destination in Cambodia, complementing its existing flights to Phnom Penh. The Siem Reap route is expected to attract more long-haul leisure travelers to Angkor Wat, one of Asia’s most visited UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Meanwhile, Turkish Airlines is strengthening its presence in Southeast Asia with the launch of flights to Phnom Penh on Dec. 10. The Istanbul-based carrier will operate three weekly flights, also via Bangkok, making Phnom Penh its 11^th destination in the region.

The expansion by Emirates and the entry of Turkish Airlines come at a crucial time for Cambodia’s aviation market, which has been recovering more slowly than its neighbors, largely due to a drop in Chinese visitors—formerly the country’s largest source market.

In 2024, Cambodia welcomed 6.7 million international tourists, with Thailand (2.1 million), Vietnam (1.3 million) and China (848,952) as the top markets. While Chinese arrivals surged 55% year on year, they remain well below the 2.36 million recorded in 2019.

According to OAG Schedules Analyser data, Cambodia’s total seat capacity in 2024 reached just 53% of 2019 levels—the weakest recovery in the region. However, the 4.57 million departure seats recorded last year still reflect a 120% increase from 2023. Thailand was Cambodia’s largest international market in 2024, accounting for 27% of all international seats, followed by Vietnam and China.

While capacity on Cambodia-China routes remained 71% below pre-pandemic levels in 2024, several Chinese airlines have ramped up operations to Cambodia in recent weeks in an effort to rebuild demand. Spring Airlines launched daily Chengdu Tianfu–Phnom Penh flights on Jan. 7, while Xiamen Airlines introduced a thrice-weekly Fuzhou–Phnom Penh service on Feb. 15. Spring Airlines also upgraded its Shanghai Pudong–Phnom Penh and Guangzhou–Phnom Penh routes to daily in mid-February.

Cambodian carriers are also expanding their China network. Air Cambodia, formerly Cambodia Angkor Air, will launch a 3X-weekly Phnom Penh–Shenzhen route on May 27, complementing existing services by Cambodia Airways and Shenzhen Airlines. The airline has also broadened its regional footprint, adding Bangkok and Phu Quoc to its route map. Meanwhile, AirAsia Cambodia, which launched in May 2024, is making its first moves into international expansion, introducing routes to Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.

Emirates' plans to add Siem Reap were announced as the Dubai-based carrier unveiled two more Asia routes. Service to Da Nang, Vietnam, will be offered four times per week from June 2, while a daily route to Shenzhen, China, will commence on July 1.