Etihad Airways and Hong Kong Airlines have expanded their partnership with a codeshare agreement and a reciprocal loyalty programme.
The airlines signed the loyalty agreement at a ceremony in Hong Kong on November 4, 2025, timed with the arrival of Etihad’s first flight from Abu Dhabi to Hong Kong International Airport.
Passengers can now book Hong Kong Airlines flights between Hong Kong and Abu Dhabi as Etihad ‘EY’ services.
“This partnership delivers meaningful value to Etihad Guest members through full earn-and-redeem access across Hong Kong Airlines’ network, complemented by codeshare connectivity to high-demand Japanese destinations. It underscores our commitment to providing our loyal guests with greater flexibility, broader reach, and superior rewards,” Arik De, Chief Revenue and Commercial Officer, Etihad Airways said in a statement.
Codeshare agreement enables single-ticket bookings between Hong Kong and Abu Dhabi
Travellers flying with Etihad can reach Japanese destinations including Fukuoka, Hokkaido-Sapporo, Osaka, and Okinawa on Hong Kong Airlines-operated flights under the ‘HX’ code.
The arrangement provides passengers with one ticket for their journey, a single check-in process, and automatic baggage transfers. Abu Dhabi serves as a connection point between Greater China and Japan to the Middle East, Europe and Africa.
Once operational, members of Hong Kong Airlines’ Fortune Wings Club and Etihad Guest will have access to earn-and-redeem functions across both airline networks.
This extends Etihad’s partnership with Hainan Airlines and allows Fortune Wings Club members to collect and redeem points on Etihad’s Hong Kong service. The addition positions Etihad Guest as the non-alliance loyalty programme with the largest airline partner portfolio globally.
“This partnership marks an important milestone in Hong Kong Airlines’ return to the international market. The expansion of our codeshare and the launch of a reciprocal loyalty programme not only benefit travellers from both airlines but also lay the foundation for deepened commercial collaboration,” Louis Li, Executive Vice President of Hong Kong Airlines added.
Partnership history and market opportunity
Li noted that the relationship between the two airlines began in 2014 through codeshare cooperation.
“In recent years, we have observed growing travel demand from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region to Hong Kong and other major Asian cities. As the capital of the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi plays a vital role in facilitating trade and economic ties between Hong Kong and the Middle East. We are confident that this renewed partnership will create significant commercial opportunities for both airlines and deliver greater convenience and value to business and leisure travellers alike” he added.
The ceremony was attended by Mark Potter, Managing Director of Etihad Guest, and Ryan Ren, Commercial Director at Hong Kong Airlines, who signed the agreement. Witnesses included Majed Al Marzouqi, Etihad Chief Operations and Guest Officer, Louis Li, Executive Vice President at Hong Kong Airlines, and Peter Gong, General Manager of Fortune Wings Club at Hainan Airlines.
