Emirates partners with Air China to enhance travel connectivity

Yan Fei commented on the importance of this collaboration: “Air China highly values the cooperation with Emirates. The signing of this memorandum is an important milestone for the deepening of the cooperation between the two sides.” He emphasized that this partnership aligns with Air China's implementation of the "Belt and Road Initiative."

The MoU outlines plans for a reciprocal codeshare on select routes across each airline's network. This would enable both airlines to place their codes on flights between China-UAE trunk routes as well as beyond Beijing and Dubai. Additionally, they plan to develop a framework for cooperation in cargo operations and frequent flyer loyalty programs.

To improve customer experience, Emirates and Air China will explore coordinating flight schedules or adjusting minimum connecting times. This initiative aims to offer seamless booking processes, single ticket itineraries, and wider lounge access.

Beyond commercial cooperation, both airlines intend to exchange best practices in areas such as revenue management, data analytics, digitalization, brand management, and Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).

Starting July 30th, Emirates will operate 49 weekly flights to Chinese mainland cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Hangzhou. This expansion reflects growing UAE-China bilateral ties.