Volatile components of nine litchi cultivars (10 samples) with high commercial value from Southern China were investigated by means of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry combined with headspace solid phase microextraction. A total of 96 volatiles were detected, of which 43 were identified. Seventeen common volatiles in all the samples included linalool, cis-rose oxide, alpha-terpineol, beta-citronellol, geraniol, p-cymene, ethanol, 3-methyl-3-buten-1-ol, 3-methyl-2-buten-1-ol, 1-hexanol, (E)-2-hexen-1-ol, 2-ethyl-1-hexanol, 1-octen-3-ol, 1-octanol, ethyl acetate, p,alpha-dimethylstyrene and 3-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyanisole. Although the volatile composition and concentration varied between these cultivars, the components with the highest OAVs in most cultivars were still cis-rose oxide, trans-rose oxide, 1-octen-3-ol, and geraniol. Two Huaizhi samples from two producing areas exhibited similar volatile profiles, and significantly different from other cultivars according to cluster analysis performed on amounts of major volatile components.