Southwest Airlines has made headlines for all the wrong reasons in 2025, but amidst the turmoil, they have announced a positive development by adding international partners to their network. Their latest partnership is with China Airlines, Taiwan’s largest carrier, following their initial partnership with Icelandair earlier this year.
The collaboration with China Airlines, revealed on June 2, 2025, is set to commence in early 2026, with joint itineraries expected to be available for purchase later this year. The aim of this partnership is to facilitate seamless connections for China Airlines passengers arriving in U.S. gateway cities to travel throughout the United States on a single ticket.
I reached out to Southwest for more information on the partnership, and while they confirmed the connectivity provided to China Airlines customers, further details were not disclosed.
Here’s what we know about the partnership so far and what it could potentially offer:
What we know: Two airlines, one itinerary
China Airlines will be Southwest’s second interline partner. This agreement allows for the management of passengers and baggage on a single itinerary, enabling travelers to connect across multiple airlines without the need to recheck bags or hold multiple tickets.
The interline agreement between Southwest and China Airlines will offer connection opportunities for China Airlines passengers through shared cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, and Ontario, California. The agreement may also open up connections to Asia from the U.S., although specifics have not been released.
Interline tickets are expected to be available in the third quarter of 2025 for travel starting in early 2026. These tickets can be purchased through the China Airlines website and third-party platforms like Expedia and Kayak, according to a Southwest representative. However, details on earning miles or booking award travel are still pending.
What we don’t know
- Will Southwest Rapid Rewards points be redeemable for China Airlines flights?
- Will passengers be able to earn China Airlines miles when flying on Southwest, and vice versa?
- Will China Airlines miles be usable to book Southwest flights?
- How Rapid Rewards redemptions with the airline could potentially operate
The partnership between Southwest and China Airlines presents an exciting opportunity, providing travelers with enhanced access to both regions. However, the lack of specific details regarding pricing, availability, and loyalty program integration leaves some questions unanswered. Despite this, the addition of another partner amid recent negative changes by Southwest is a promising development.
Top photo courtesy of Southwest Airlines.