The UAE flagship airline Emirates and United have just announced a new partnership which will allow passengers to travel to almost 200 destinations in the Americas and around the world on a single ticket.
Starting in November, passengers flying with Emirates to popular U.S. destinations Houston, Chicago and San Francisco will be able to connect to United flights travelling to other destinations without the need for separate airline tickets.
An interline arrangement will be in place at the other eight U.S. Airports that are served by Emirates. New York’s JFK, Boston’s Logan International, Dallas-Fort Worth International, Orlando International, Miami International, Seattle-Tacoma, Los Angeles LAX, and Washington DC’s Dulles International.
A ceremonial event was held at Dulles International Airport which was hosted by Emirates President Sir Tim Clark and United CEO Scott Kirby to officially announce the new partnership.
“Two of the biggest, and best-known airlines in the world are joining hands to fly people better to more places, at a time when travel demand is rebounding with a vengeance. It’s a significant partnership that will unlock tremendous consumer benefit and bring the United Arab Emirates and the United States even closer.” said Sir Tim Clark.
New direct flights
As of right now, people in the UAE can fly with United Airlines to various destinations in the United States but need to board a connecting flight in another country’s airport along the way.
Next year in March 2023, United will be a offering a new direct flight between Newark (EWR) and Dubai (DXB). Once in the United States, customers will be able to travel on Emirates or its sister airline flydubai to more than 100 cities.
Customers of both Emirates and United can soon book connecting flights on a single ticket. For example, passengers will be able to visit United.com or use the United app to book a flight from New York/Newark to Karachi, Pakistan or go to Emirates.com or their app to book a flight from Dubai to Atlanta or Honolulu.
“We welcome United’s return to Dubai next year, where our hub Dubai essentially becomes a gateway for United to reach Asia, Africa and the Middle East via the combined network of Emirates and flydubai. We look forward to developing our partnership with United for the long term.” said Sir Tim Clark.
Emirates and United loyalty program benefits
Another perk to this agreement is that passengers who are a part of either airline’s loyalty programs, Emirates Skywards or United Mileage Plus will soon be able to earn and redeem miles even when flying on the partner airline and flydubai.
Speaking about the impact of the new Emirates and United partnership, CEO of United Airlines, Scott Kirby said:
“This agreement unites two iconic, flag carrier airlines who share a common commitment to creating the best customer experience in the skies. United’s new flight to Dubai and our complementary networks will make global travel easier for millions of our customers, helping boost local economies and strengthen cultural ties. This is a proud moment for both United and Emirates employees, and I look forward to our journey together.”
Eligible passengers who are travelling on codeshare flights will also be able to access both the Emirates and United lounges. However, codeshare guidelines are subject to government approval and further details on lounge sharing and frequent flyer awards are expected to be revealed in the coming weeks.
In similar fashion, Qatar Airways expanded their partnership with American Airlines in order create flights to 16 new countries back in June. At the time, American Airlines was proud to state that it was “the only US carrier to serve the Gulf region, seamlessly connecting through Doha with Qatar Airways”.
Now with Emirates’s new partnership with United, American Airlines now have to state that they were the first U.S. carrier to serve the Gulf region and no longer the only.