China Airlines signs network deal with Southwest

Taiwan-based China Airlines has launched a new collaboration with Southwest Airlines in the United States to establish a trans-Pacific transfer network. Interline tickets are now officially on sale and offering travelers with seamless connecting flights to more than 100 cities across the United States starting January 2026. On August 20 (CST), China Airlines President Kevin Chen and Southwest Airlines Vice Chairman of the Board, President & CEO Bob Jordan signed a memorandum of understanding at Southwest Airlines headquarters in Dallas to strengthen and expand cooperation. The MOU will serve as a blueprint for future collaborations on frequent flyer mileage and points accrual, code-sharing, and co-branding that will generate new synergies from the partnership of top Taiwanese-American airlines. China Airlines boasts a comprehensive North American network offering travelers non-stop flights to five West Coast gateway cities in the United States, including Los Angeles, Ontario, San Francisco, Seattle, and most recently, Phoenix, whose inaugural service is scheduled on December 3. From there, transpacific business travelers and tourists can catch connecting Southwest Airlines flights to Chicago, Houston, Dallas, Washington, Orlando, Las Vegas, Denver, San Diego, and Austin. Interline tickets (one itinerary) can now be booked through the China Airlines web for China Airlines flights to the West Coast starting January 19, 2026 along with domestic legs on Southwest Airlines. The one-stop ticketing process will enable travelers to enjoy convenient connecting flights with interline check-ins and baggage check-through. China Airlines President Kevin Chen said that Southwest Airlines is one of the most trusted airline brands among American travelers and a key partner in China Airlines’ North American network. China Airlines has joined forces with Southwest Airlines to support its expansion into the Asian market. This partnership presents a significant milestone in the Taiwan-US interline strategy. The connection services are just the beginning, with future plans including mutual membership rewards programs, code-shared flights and potential initiatives of co-branding to fully leverage the synergies between the two airlines. Southwest Airlines CEO Bob Jordan said he felt honoured to establish this partnership with China Airlines. This will not only be Southwest Airlines’ first strategic alliance with a leading Asian international carrier but will also provide travelers with a different trans-Pacific travel experience. Air Lease delivers 2 A321-200neos to China Airlines Air Lease announced the lease and delivery of two additional new Airbus A321-200neo aircraft to China Airlines, marking the seventh and eighth new A321neos to deliver to the airline on long-term lease from Air Lease’s orderbook with Airbus. The two new aircraft delivered to the Taiwan-based carrier on August 16 and August 20. “We are pleased to lease and deliver these two additional new A321neos to our valued long-term customer, China Airlines, to help with their further fleet development and expansion,” said John L. Plueger, Chief Executive Officer and President of Air Lease. China Airlines stated that in response to growing travel demand, the airline continues to steadily expand fleet capacity and optimise its route network. By introducing leased A321neo aircraft, China Airlines is implementing the strategy for steady global network development and fleet modernization, delivering exceptional inflight services and maintaining market competitiveness. For Editorial Inquiries Contact: Editor Matt Driskill at [email protected] For Advertising Inquiries Contact: Head of Sales Kay Rolland at [email protected]