CHINA'S Spring Airlines will launch its second overseas route in two months when it flies daily between Shanghai and Hong Kong from September 28 to tap the demand for overseas travel.

The Shanghai-based carrier will use an 180-seater Airbus A320 jet on the route linking Shanghai Pudong International Airport and Hong Kong.

A one-way ticket will cost as low as 199 yuan (US$29.52) compared with the full price of 2,070 yuan.

"We will sell 173 tickets at 199 yuan every day weekly starting September 18 on our website, and 1,211 tickets from September 28 to October 30," said Zhang Lei, marketing manager of China's first budget airline.

The number of discounted tickets will account for 30 percent of total tickets during the off-season and 10 percent during the peak season.

"We will make efforts to increase flight frequencies between the two destinations, as well as open more overseas routes especially linking northeastern Asia because competition is strong in southeastern Asia where Air Asia has the lion share (of the market)," Zhang said, referring to Malaysia's budget carrier.

Privately-owned Spring Airlines launched its first international route on July 28 between Shanghai and Ibaraki Airport, about 80 kilometers from Tokyo. Zhang said the airline is also in talks with other Japanese airports on possible routes.

The carrier, which operates 21 A320 jets, aims to grow its fleet to 100 jets by 2015. It plans an initial public offering next year.