Dubai-based aviation giant Emirates has signed a new interline agreement with Loong Air, significantly expanding connectivity into China’s domestic market.

The agreement takes effect immediately and provides Emirates passengers access to 22 additional destinations across China via:

• Hangzhou
• Shenzhen
• Hong Kong

1. What This Means for Passengers

Under the new interline arrangement:

• Single-ticket booking across both airlines
• Unified baggage policy
• Consistent fare conditions
• Multi-city itineraries simplified
• Access via Emirates website & GDS platforms

Passengers can also use:

• WeChat Pay
• Alipay

This simplifies payment options for China-bound travellers.

2. Expanded Chinese Destinations

New access includes major domestic hubs such as:

• Zhengzhou
• Changchun
• Haikou
• Xiangyang
• Dazhou

The expansion covers:

• East China
• Northeast China
• South China
• Central China
• Southwest China

This strengthens Emirates’ access to key population and economic centres.

3. Emirates’ China Operations - Current Scale

Emirates has operated in mainland China since 2004.

Current footprint:

• 5 major Chinese cities
• 49 weekly flights
• Fleet mix: A380, A350, Boeing 777

Cities served:

• Beijing
• Shanghai
• Guangzhou
• Shenzhen
• Hangzhou

The airline recently reinstated A380 operations to Shanghai, signaling high-capacity demand recovery.

4. Strategic Aviation Context

China remains:

• One of the world’s largest aviation markets
• A key outbound tourism driver
• A major business & trade hub

This move positions Emirates to:

• Capture secondary-city traffic
• Enhance business corridor connectivity
• Strengthen Middle East–China trade routes
• Support UAE-China economic relations

5. Existing Airline Partnerships in China

Emirates already partners with:

• Air China
• China Southern Airlines
• Sichuan Airlines

These partnerships give access to 110+ domestic destinations beyond Emirates’ own network.

The Loong Air agreement deepens this integration layer.

6. Aviation Market Growth Indicators

China’s aviation recovery trends:

• Strong domestic demand rebound
• Increased premium cabin demand
• Cross-border traffic normalization
• Growing Middle East–Asia travel corridors

Emirates’ recent actions reflect confidence in:

• High-capacity routes (A380 redeployment)
• Premium Economy expansion
• Secondary city connectivity

7. Competitive Positioning

This move strengthens Emirates against:

• European carriers targeting China
• Regional Gulf competitors
• Direct China-Middle East operators

The interline structure allows rapid expansion without deploying additional Emirates aircraft domestically.

8. Business & Tourism Impact

Enhanced connectivity supports:

• Corporate travel corridors
• UAE-China trade growth
• Tourism inflows
• E-commerce and logistics flows
• Premium travel demand

China remains one of the most strategic aviation markets globally.

 Key Numbers Snapshot