Building on their successful collaboration launched last year, IHG Hotels & Resorts (IHG) and Hainan Airlines have further deepened their strategic partnership in 2025 with the joint concept ‘Where Dreams Bloom, Journey to the Oasis’. Together, the two brands present a range of elevated travel touchpoints—including a co-branded airport lounge and business class menus—expanding the boundaries of culture and tourism collaboration. As IHG marks its 50th anniversary in Greater China, this strengthened partnership reflects a shared vision to deliver a seamless end-to-end travel experience with elevated product and service offerings.

Strengthening Ground-to-Air Travel Experiences

IHG and Hainan Airlines recently unveiled their new co-branded lounge at Terminal 2 of Shanghai Pudong International Airport with 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; and Ivan Chen, Vice President of Hotel Lifecycle & Growth, IHG Greater China, alongside senior leaders from Hainan Airlines. Guests also embarked on a journey aboard the branded ‘IHG Explorer’ aircraft to Sanya, where they attended the ‘Where Dreams Bloom, Journey to the Oasis’ themed gala dinner at the newly opened hotel Kimpton Aqeos Hainan. Zhu Tao, Vice President of HNA Aviation Group and Chairman of Hainan Airlines; Yu Chaojie, President of Hainan Airlines; Liu Jun, Vice President of Hainan Airlines also participated in the event. This immersive journey highlighted the full suite of experiences co-created by IHG and Hainan Airlines, seamlessly connecting departure, flight, and arrival to redefine premium travel.

Curating Multi-Touchpoint Premium Travel ExperiencesADVERTISEMENTThe co-branded lounge draws inspiration from a ‘Garden Oasis’, blending IHG’s timeless elegance with Hainan Airlines’ ‘Dream Feather’ design elements. The thoughtfully designed space features a buffet island, live cooking stations, and quiet dining and relaxation zones, crafting a serene pre-flight retreat. The hotel-inspired ‘Back Garden’ concept extends IHG’s signature hospitality into the airport environment, while also offering exclusive access and benefits to IHG One Rewards Diamond Elite members.

On the culinary front, the lounge menu is inspired by Cai Feng Lou, IHG’s signature Chinese restaurant, offering dishes from its ‘10 Bites of Cai Feng Lou’ menu, alongside local delicacies such as rich broth wontons and a bespoke coconut white tea. In the air, Cai Feng Lou presents the ‘The Flavours of Suzhou and Hainan’ business class menu, blending refined Cantonese cuisine with classic Huaiyang flavours and Hainan’s seasonal ingredients on domestic routes. Complementing this, CHAR Bar & Grill, IHG’s contemporary Western dining brand, has partnered with Hainan Airlines to launch a new business class menu titled ‘Grilled & Gliding’. Drawing on CHAR’s ‘new five senses’ philosophy, the menu features charcoal-grilled dishes using local ingredients and will be available on key intercontinental routes, offering guests a richer and more diverse in-flight dining experience.

Daniel Aylmer, CEO of IHG Greater China, said: “As we mark 50 years in Greater China, our commitment to understanding and exceeding guest expectations has never been stronger. This expanded partnership with Hainan Airlines reflects our shared ambition to integrate the travel journey and create inspiring, seamless experiences from departure to destination. Together, we are elevating the travel ecosystem through collaboration and innovation.”

At the press conference, Zhu Tao, Vice President of HNA Aviation Group and Chairman of Hainan Airlines, stated: “Since joining Liaoning Fangda Group on December 8th, 2021, HNA Aviation Group has embarked on a new chapter of development. Currently operating nearly 3,000 routes, HNA Aviation Group has accumulated over 22 million flight hours in domestic operations. Over the past three years, our performance has demonstrated consistent improvement, reflecting robust and positive growth momentum. Service excellence lies at the heart of Hainan Airlines’ competitive edge. This commitment has earned us the prestigious “SKYTRAX 5-Star Airline” for multiple consecutive years, along with retaining honors such as ’ Best Business Class Comfort Amenities’ this year. These achievements stem from our relentless pursuit of perfection in service details and continuous innovation, all dedicated to delivering an unexpectedly comfortable journey for our passengers. Hainan Airlines and InterContinental Hotels Group share a long-standing and productive partnership. This upgraded collaboration marks a new milestone in our relationship, pioneering an innovative model that integrates aviation and travel experiences. Moving forward, HNA Aviation Group and InterContinental Hotels Group will join forces to transcend the boundaries between air and ground, seamlessly connecting five-star inflight experiences with premium hotel services throughout passengers’ end-to-end journey. Together, we aim to redefine the essence of flight and provide an integrated, high-quality travel experience.”

This expanded partnership highlights IHG’s long-term commitment to Greater China and the shared drive of both brands to innovate beyond traditional travel models. Together, IHG and Hainan Airlines aim to deliver richer, more connected experiences for their members. Looking ahead, IHG will continue to uphold its purpose of ‘True Hospitality for Good’, driving product innovation through its diverse brand portfolio and setting new benchmarks in the travel industry.

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Source: breakingtravelnews.com