Etihad Airways and China Eastern Airlines have launched a joint venture, initially announced in June 2024, Etihad said Wednesday. The JV allows the airlines to jointly develop and plan routes between the United Arab Emirates and China.
The JV launch follows the April 28 start of China Eastern's new service between Shanghai and Abu Dhabi, which currently operates four times weekly and on Sept. 12 will increase to daily.
The carriers also signed a new agreement this week for reciprocal loyalty program benefits. Beginning June 1, members of Etihad Guest and Eastern Miles programs can earn and redeem miles across both airlines' global networks, according to Etihad.
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