American Airlines and China Southern are growing their partnership starting this week to codeshare on additional routes beyond key gateways in China and the United States. The expanded codeshare will also include nine trans-Pacific routes between China and the U.S. starting Feb. 15, 2019. When this expansion is complete, American and China Southern will codeshare on flights to 20 destinations in China beyond Beijing and Shanghai and 21 destinations in the U.S. beyond Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York, as well as all of the carriers’ long-haul flights between China and the U.S.

 

In the coming weeks, American and China Southern will begin offering customers reciprocal loyalty program benefits, with reciprocal lounge access planned for later in the year. 

 

“This latest step forward with China Southern gives our customers better access to interior China and China Southern’s customers better access to the U.S.,” said Shane Hodges, Vice President of Asia Pacific Sales for American. “We will also soon begin recognizing our most valuable customers, allowing AAdvantage and Sky Pearl Club members to earn and redeem miles on all flights in our two extensive networks. We will further enhance our loyalty offering later this year to include lounge access for eligible customers at selected Admirals Club and Sky Pearl lounges around the world.” 

 

Customers of both airlines will soon enjoy reciprocal loyalty program benefits. When these frequent flyer benefits launch, American Airlines AAdvantage® members will be able to earn and redeem miles on China Southern’s more than 3,000 daily flights to 224 destinations in 40 countries. China Southern Sky Pearl Club members will have the ability to earn and redeem miles throughout American’s network of 6,700 daily flights to nearly 350 destinations in more than 50 countries. Later this year, American and China Southern will begin offering reciprocal lounge access at selected Admirals Club and Sky Pearl lounges. 

 

The carriers announced initial plans for this partnership expansion at a signing ceremony in Guangzhou, China, in November 2018. American and China Southern began their relationship in March 2017 and started codeshare service in January 2018.