Hong Kong Airlines and Etihad Airways announced the relaunch of their codeshare partnership, alongside the signing of their first-ever loyalty programme reciprocity agreement.
The revived alliance bolsters the strategic ties between the two carriers, offering travelers a broader and more flexible array of travel options.
With the inaugural codeshare flight from Abu Dhabi to Hong Kong taking off on November 3rd, both airlines are capitalizing on their complementary network strengths to provide seamless connectivity.
Passengers can now easily connect via Hong Kong on Hong Kong Airlines to popular Asian destinations, or through Abu Dhabi on Etihad Airways to locations across the Middle East and beyond, enhancing travel links between Asia, the Middle East, and the globe.
Hong Kong Airlines’ Executive Vice-President Louis Li stated: “This partnership marks an important milestone in our return to the international market. The expansion of our codeshare agreement and the introduction of a reciprocal loyalty programme not only benefits travelers from both airlines but also establishes a foundation for deeper commercial cooperation.”
Li noted that Hong Kong Airlines’ collaboration with Etihad Airways commenced in 2014 and has remained robust.
He further added: “Recently, we have seen rising travel demand from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region to Hong Kong and other major Asian cities. As the capital of the UAE, Abu Dhabi plays a key role in promoting trade and economic relationships between Hong Kong and the Middle East. We are optimistic that this renewed partnership will open up significant commercial opportunities for both airlines and enhance convenience and value for both business and leisure travelers.”
Etihad’s Chief Revenue and Commercial Officer Arik De commented: “This partnership provides real value to our Etihad Guest members by enabling full earn-and-redeem access across Hong Kong Airlines’ network, supplemented with codeshare connectivity to high-demand Japanese destinations. It demonstrates our dedication to offering our loyal customers greater flexibility, wider reach, and enhanced rewards.”
Under the new codeshare setup, Hong Kong Airlines will place its HX code on Etihad-operated flights between Hong Kong and Abu Dhabi, while Etihad will place its EY code on Hong Kong Airlines flights connecting Hong Kong and Japan, covering key leisure destinations such as Fukuoka, Sapporo, Okinawa, and Osaka.
Additionally, both airlines will implement a reciprocal loyalty program in the months to come, allowing members of Hong Kong Airlines’ Fortune Wings Club (FWC) and Etihad’s Etihad Guest to accrue and redeem miles when traveling on either airline’s network.
FWC members will earn rewards and status points when traveling on Etihad services between Hong Kong and Abu Dhabi, while Etihad Guest members on prescribed Hong Kong Airlines flights will accrue Etihad Guest miles and tier miles.