IHG Hotels & Resorts and Hainan Airlines Deepen Partnership - Get updated on what's happening in tourism!

Together, the two brands have created a range of premium travel experiences—such as a co-branded airport lounge and exclusive business class menus—pushing the boundaries of cultural and tourism collaboration. As IHG celebrates its 50th anniversary in Greater China, this expanded alliance reflects a shared vision to offer seamless, high-quality journeys from ground to air.

IHG and Hainan Airlines recently unveiled their co-branded lounge at Terminal 2 of Shanghai Pudong International Airport. Attendees included Daniel Aylmer (CEO, IHG Greater China), Jerome Qiu (COO), Rita Jiang (Chief Commercial & Marketing Officer), and Ivan Chen (VP Hotel Lifecycle & Growth), alongside senior executives from Hainan Airlines. Guests later boarded the specially branded IHG Explorer flight to Sanya, where they attended a themed gala dinner at the newly opened Kimpton Aqeos Hainan. The event highlighted the fully integrated travel experience co-created by IHG and Hainan Airlines, connecting pre-flight, in-flight, and post-flight experiences into a unified premium journey.

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The co-branded lounge draws inspiration from a “Garden Oasis,” combining IHG’s signature elegance with Hainan Airlines’ “Dream Feather” design. The lounge features a central buffet, live cooking stations, and separate dining and relaxation zones—crafting a hotel-like retreat within the airport. The "Back Garden" concept extends IHG’s hospitality ethos into the travel experience, with exclusive benefits for IHG One Rewards Diamond Elite members.

On the culinary side, the lounge menu is inspired by Cai Feng Lou, IHG’s acclaimed Chinese dining brand. Dishes from the “10 Bites of Cai Feng Lou” menu are served alongside regional specialties such as rich broth wontons and coconut white tea. In the air, Cai Feng Lou presents “The Flavours of Suzhou and Hainan” business class menu—merging refined Cantonese cuisine with classic Huaiyang flavours and seasonal Hainanese ingredients on domestic flights.

Additionally, IHG’s Western dining brand CHAR Bar & Grill has teamed up with Hainan Airlines to introduce a new business class menu titled “Grilled & Gliding”. Embracing CHAR’s “new five senses” philosophy, the menu features charcoal-grilled dishes using regional ingredients and will be served on select long-haul routes.

This expanded alliance reaffirms IHG’s long-term commitment to Greater China and underscores the shared goal of both partners to innovate beyond conventional travel. Looking ahead, IHG will continue to pursue its mission of True Hospitality for Good, advancing product and service excellence across its diverse brand portfolio and setting new benchmarks in global travel.

Image Credit: © IHG Hotels & Resorts