IHG Hotels & Resorts and Hainan Airlines are expanding their strategic collaboration with the launch of a fully integrated travel experience themed “Where Dreams Bloom, Journey to the Oasis.” This elevated partnership reflects a joint ambition to redefine premium travel by blending luxury hotel services with in-flight excellence and co-branded experiences.
The announcement comes as IHG celebrates its 50th anniversary in Greater China, marking a new era of hospitality innovation. The expanded alliance highlights how leading brands are converging to deliver curated end-to-end travel journeys that begin at the airport and extend through to the hotel destination.
Luxury Lounges and Branded Aircraft Experiences
The partnership’s flagship innovation is the unveiling of a new co-branded airport lounge at Terminal 2 of Shanghai Pudong International Airport. Designed as a “Garden Oasis,” the lounge combines IHG’s hospitality signature with Hainan Airlines’ ‘Dream Feather’ concept. Key features include a buffet island, live cooking stations, and serene dining areas, offering travelers a tranquil pre-flight retreat.
The hotel-inspired “Back Garden” concept also offers exclusive benefits to IHG One Rewards Diamond Elite members. Alongside this, the “IHG Explorer” aircraft, jointly branded by both companies, embarks on dedicated routes like Shanghai to Sanya, showcasing the fully immersive experience from gate to arrival.
Top Executives Behind the Launch
- Daniel Aylmer, Chief Executive Officer, IHG Greater China
- Jerome Qiu, Chief Operating Officer, IHG Greater China
- Rita Jiang, Chief Commercial & Marketing Officer, IHG Greater China
- Ivan Chen, Vice President of Hotel Lifecycle & Growth, IHG Greater China
- Zhu Tao, Vice President, HNA Aviation Group & Chairman, Hainan Airlines
- Yu Chaojie, President, Hainan Airlines
- Liu Jun, Vice President, Hainan Airlines
Curated Culinary Concepts for Ground and Air
Dining is central to the collaboration. The airport lounge menu draws inspiration from IHG’s acclaimed Chinese restaurant, Cai Feng Lou. Guests can enjoy highlights from the “10 Bites of Cai Feng Lou” collection, local favorites like broth wontons, and a custom coconut white tea blend.
In the skies, business class menus have been revamped. Cai Feng Lou now delivers “The Flavours of Suzhou and Hainan,” merging Cantonese and Huaiyang culinary traditions with seasonal Hainan ingredients. Meanwhile, Western dining brand CHAR Bar & Grill introduces its “Grilled & Gliding” business class menu on intercontinental flights. This offering aligns with CHAR’s “new five senses” philosophy and features charcoal-grilled regional ingredients.
Service Excellence and Vision
Zhu Tao emphasized that Hainan Airlines has logged over 22 million flight hours across nearly 3,000 domestic routes and has earned consistent SKYTRAX 5-Star ratings. This performance, he noted, showcases the airline’s dedication to service innovation and passenger comfort.
He added that this renewed partnership sets a pioneering standard by fusing five-star inflight service with luxury hotel hospitality. The goal is to create a seamless luxury ecosystem that transcends traditional travel models.
IHG’s Commitment to Greater China
As IHG marks five decades in Greater China, the alliance with Hainan Airlines underscores its long-term commitment to innovation in the region. The hospitality giant continues to build on its purpose of “True Hospitality for Good” through brand collaborations, guest-centric technology, and curated experiences.
The co-branded journey from Shanghai to Hainan is expected to become a template for similar integrations across Asia-Pacific. This collaboration not only enhances member benefits but also redefines what it means to travel luxuriously in today’s evolving global landscape.
