Budget airline Tigerair has launched direct flights between Singapore and the port city of Ningbo in China, starting Thursday.

The flights depart thrice every fortnight, on alternate Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. One-way fares are available from $214, inclusive of taxes and other charges. With this latest addition, Tigerair now serves eight destinations in China - Hong Kong, Macau, Shenzhen, Taipei, Guangzhou, Haikou, Lijiang and Ningbo.

"We are proud to be the only airline making a direct Ningbo call from Singapore, and look forward to better serving our customers with this new Tigerair destination," said the airline's chief operating officer, Mr Ho Yuen Sang.

Ningbo was named seventh in Forbes China's 2012 Best Cities for Business, and is connected to major cities like Nanjing and Hangzhou via high-speed rail. It is also part of China's 'Golden Industrial Triangle' economic zone with Shanghai and Hangzhou.