Emirates is widening its Chinese footprint without adding a single new aircraft route of its own.
The Dubai carrier has inked an interline agreement with Loong Air, unlocking access to 22 additional destinations across China through shared itineraries routed via Hangzhou, Shenzhen and Hong Kong. For travellers, that translates into one booking, one ticket, and one baggage policy—no logistical gymnastics required.
The newly accessible cities stretch across East, Northeast, South, Central and Southwest China, strengthening Emirates’ appeal to both corporate flyers and leisure travellers chasing deeper regional connectivity. Domestic hubs such as Zhengzhou, Changchun, Haikou, Xiangyang and Dazhou now fall within easier reach for international passengers arriving on Emirates flights.
The move builds on a year of steady expansion for Emirates in mainland China. The airline recently added Shenzhen and Hangzhou to its network and introduced its Premium Economy cabin on those routes. Meanwhile, its flagship A380 has returned to Shanghai, reinforcing capacity on one of its busiest corridors.
Emirates has served mainland China since 2004. Today, it operates 49 weekly flights linking Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hangzhou with Dubai, deploying a mix of A380s, A350s and Boeing 777 aircraft.
Beyond Loong Air, Emirates already maintains partnerships with Air China, China Southern Airlines and Sichuan Airlines, giving passengers onward access to more than 110 additional Chinese destinations beyond its five primary gateways.
With this latest tie-up, Emirates is sharpening its competitive edge in one of the world’s most dynamic aviation markets—expanding reach not by stretching its own network, but by weaving itself more tightly into China’s domestic air grid.
