Air Macau is one of those airlines that rarely gets much attention outside East Asia. Based at Macau International Airport, the airline connects Macau with destinations across mainland China and other parts of Asia.
I had the opportunity to fly with Air Macau four times in September 2016, using Macau as a connecting point between Beijing and Taipei. All four flights were operated by the Airbus A321, giving me a good introduction to the airline and its role as a regional carrier.
About Air Macau
Air Macau, officially known as Air Macau Company Limited, is the flag carrier of Macau. The airline uses the IATA code NX and ICAO code AMU, with its main hub at Macau International Airport (MFM).
Its network has traditionally focused heavily on mainland China, supplemented by routes to destinations elsewhere in East and Southeast Asia. This makes Macau more than simply a destination: for some journeys, it can also work as an alternative connecting point between major Asian cities.
My Air Macau Flights
My experience with Air Macau took place over three days in September 2016.
| Date | Flight | Route | Duration | Aircraft | Registration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 Septembe r 2016 | NX7 | Beijing (PEK) → Macau (MFM) | 3h55 | Airbus A321 | B-MCC |
| 27 September 2016 | NX618 | Macau (MFM) → Taipei (TPE) | 1h40 | Airbus A321 | B-MCD |
| 29 September 2016 | NX609 | Taipei (TPE) → Macau (MFM) | 1h50 | Airbus A321 | B-MBB |
| 29 September 2016 | NX8 | Macau (MFM) → Beijing (PEK) | 3h15 | Airbus A321 | B-MCE |
That gave me a total of 10 hours and 40 minutes flying with Air Macau.
Interestingly, although every flight was operated by an Airbus A321, I flew on four different aircraft.
Beijing to Macau: NX7
My first Air Macau flight was NX7 from Beijing Capital Airport to Macau on 27 September 2016.
The scheduled departure was at 08:25, with arrival in Macau at 12:20. At 3 hours and 55 minutes, this was the longest of my four Air Macau flights.
The aircraft was an Airbus A321 registered B-MCC.
Flying from Beijing to Macau also demonstrated the geographical range of Air Macau’s network. While Macau is relatively small, its airline provides important connections with major cities across mainland China.
Connecting in Macau
After arriving from Beijing, I continued to Taiwan later that afternoon.
Flight NX618 departed Macau at 17:35 and arrived at Taipei Taoyuan at 19:15, giving a flight time of 1 hour and 40 minutes.
This time I flew aboard another Airbus A321, B-MCD.
Using Macau as a connecting airport was an interesting alternative to travelling directly between Beijing and Taipei. It also gave me the opportunity to experience Air Macau on both a longer mainland Chinese sector and a shorter international regional flight on the same day.
Taipei to Macau and Back to Beijing
Two days later, on 29 September, I retraced the journey.
Flight NX609 took me from Taipei back to Macau. The 1-hour-50-minute flight was operated by Airbus A321 B-MBB.
After another connection in Macau, it was time for my fourth and final Air Macau flight.
NX8 departed Macau at 19:15 for Beijing, arriving at 22:30 after a flight of 3 hours and 15 minutes. The aircraft on this sector was B-MCE, meaning that all four of my Air Macau flights had been operated by different A321s.
My Impression of Air Macau
What I remember most about this journey is not a spectacular onboard product or an unusual aircraft type. Instead, Air Macau was simply an interesting airline to have in my flight log.
Four flights, four Airbus A321s and three airports gave me a good snapshot of the carrier’s regional operation.
Air Macau is also an airline that fits the character of Macau itself. Macau may be tiny compared with neighbouring mainland China, but its position in the Pearl River Delta gives it an importance far beyond its physical size.
For travellers interested in aviation, taking a connection through Macau can therefore be more interesting than simply choosing the most obvious nonstop route.
Air Macau in My Flight Log
My four Air Macau flights were:
NX7: Beijing → Macau
NX618: Macau → Taipei
NX609: Taipei → Macau
NX8: Macau → Beijing
Flights: 4
Aircraft type: Airbus A321
Different aircraft: 4
Airports: Beijing Capital, Macau and Taipei Taoyuan
Total flying time: 10 hours 40 minutes
Air Macau might not be one of Asia’s most famous airlines, but that is partly what makes it interesting. For me, those four flights in September 2016 added another airline, another hub and four different Airbus A321s to my aviation memories.