American Airlines and China Southern Airlines to expand partnership

Dec 03, 2018: American Airlines has announced a significant expansion of codeshare cooperation with Gaungzhou-based China Southern Airlines.

Also, both the airlines are launching reciprocal frequent flyer benefits and lounge access.

At the signing ceremony in Guangzhou, China on November 28, the airlines informed that their reciprocal codeshare, which launched in January, gives American’s customers better access to interior China and China Southern’s customers better access to the US.

In addition to the 14 cities currently served beyond Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK), American will place its AA code on flights to additional cities from PEK and introduce codeshare service beyond Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG). With this expansion, American will have its AA code on flights operated by China Southern to 20 cities in China beyond PEK and PVG.

In addition to the six cities in the US currently served by China Southern on American, China Southern will place its CZ code on additional flights beyond Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and New York’s John F Kennedy International Airport (JFK).

“With the opening of Beijing Daxing International Airport in 2019, and the ability to cooperate fully with China Southern, we are incredibly excited about American’s future in the Chinese market,” said Robert Isom, president of American Airlines.

“Our partnership with American is an important move in China Southern’s initiative to build new international relationships,” said Zhang Lin, Assistant president of China Southern Air Holding Company Limited.

Also, American and China Southern will also begin codesharing on each other’s trans-Pacific flights between the US and China.