Starting mid-2017, Virgin Australia will begin flying directly to Hong Kong (HKG) following the announcement of a proposed alliance agreement with HNA Aviation. The carrier submitted an application for authorization to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to gain approval for the alliance.

The agreement will introduce codeshare agreements and direct flights between Hong Kong and Australia, as well as Mainland China and Australia. Currently all airline flights to Hong Kong and mainland China travel from Australia are operated by Singapore Airlines, via Singapore (SIN).

“This new alliance will be a game changer for travel between Australia and China, providing significantly more competition and choice for travelers,” said John Borghetti, chief executive officer, Virgin Australia Group. “The alliance will accelerate and support our access to the Chinese market, which is Australia’s fastest growing and most valuable inbound travel market. HNA Aviation fly nearly 100 million passengers each year and we look forward to working collaboratively with them to drive inbound visitation to Australia, resulting in significant benefits for the Australian tourism industry and broader economy.”

An Airbus A330 aircraft, equipped with business-class offerings, will service the direct Hong Kong flights. Those traveling with Beijing Capital Airlines, Hainan Airlines, Hong Kong Airlines and Tianjin Airlines will be able to connect to Virgin Australia’s domestic and trans-Tasman flights.

In addition to new routes and codeshares, the alliance will see members of Virgin Australia’s and Hong Kong Airline’s frequent-flyer programs able to accrue miles on alliance routes, along with receiving reciprocal access to benefits like lounge access, priority check-in and boarding and additional baggage allowance.