Emirates Expands Codeshare with Star Alliance Members

DALLAS — Emirates (EK) and United Airlines (UA) have agreed to expand their codeshare partnership to increase their presence in air travel to and from Mexico.

United hubs across the US will serve as key connecting points for passengers traveling between the UAE and Mexico, the first foreign UA destination included in the partnership with EK.

The extended codeshare agreement will offer more flexibility and options for travelers, allowing them to seamlessly connect to popular leisure destinations in Mexico such as Cancun, Cozumel, Monterrey, Puerto Vallarta, Guadalajara, San Jose del Cabo, Leon, and Queretaro.

This expansion of the codeshare agreement enables the two airlines to offer a total of 134 shared routes across the United States, Canada, Central and South America, and the Caribbean. EK operates a daily fifth-freedom flight between Dubai and Mexico via Barcelona, utilizing Boeing 777-200LR aircraft.

More Flexibility For Emirates Customers

Previously, EK had only established a direct connection with Mexico through its daily flight between Dubai (DXB) and Mexico City (MEX), with a stop in Barcelona (BCN) for refueling.

The Boeing 777-200LR aircraft operates the route and can accommodate a maximum of 302 passengers in a two-class layout, but does not have First Class or Premium Economy seating options. The BCN-MEX segment of this route can be booked separately, thanks to the fifth freedom of the air, making it the sole nonstop link between Barcelona and Mexico.

With the expanded partnership with UA, EK customers now have access to 14 weekly flights to Chicago (ORD) and Houston (IAH) from Dubai. They can then seamlessly transfer to UA flights, which offer connections to 28 destinations in Mexico. This enhanced alliance provides EK customers with more options and convenience when traveling between Dubai and various cities in Mexico.

Closer Approach to Star Alliance

Instead of forming an alliance with Aeromexico (AM), the national carrier of Mexico, EK chose to expand its presence in the Central American country through a partnership with UA. The decision highlights EK's' confidence in the Star Alliance, which is the largest airline alliance and includes major carriers such as UA, Lufthansa (LH), All Nippon Airways (NH), and Singapore Airlines (SQ), among others.

Additionally, EK has established a new partnership with Aegean Airlines (A3), the national carrier of Greece, for codesharing on the daily flight between Dubai and Newark via Athens. This allows A3 passengers to access long-haul destinations after a long period without such options.

Furthermore, with the recent tourism agreement between the UAE and Canada, EK has launched new routes from Dubai to major Canadian cities in collaboration with Air Canada (AC). In turn, AC has also introduced non-stop flights from Toronto (YYZ) and Vancouver (YVR) to Dubai.

Featured image: Emirates A6-EWE Boeing 777-200LR. Photo: Nick Sheeder/Airways

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