Meituan Launches Airline Membership Benefits with Major Chinese Carriers
On 20 September, Meituan launched airline membership benefits with Air China, China Eastern, China Southern, Hainan Airlines and others. Black Gold and Black Diamond members can access exclusive fares and a 'price-match guarantee' on designated routes, plus a coupon pack with six RMB 5 no-threshold vouchers usable for dining, lodging and activities at destinations, expected to cover tens of millions of members. Meituan data showed National Day flight bookings by Black Diamond and Black Gold members rose 138% and 66% year on year as of 20 September, while long-haul bookings for the combined Mid-Autumn and National Day holidays grew 55%.
Impact and considerations
Platform-airline membership benefits combining fare guarantees with destination spending vouchers could shift how Chinese business and leisure travellers choose booking channels, intensifying competition for members between OTAs and airline direct channels.
Key points
- Meituan launched airline membership benefits with Air China, China Eastern, China Southern, Hainan Airlines and others, expected to cover tens of millions of Black Gold and Black Diamond members.
- Black Gold and Black Diamond members can access exclusive fares and a 'price-match guarantee' on designated routes.
- Each ticket comes with a coupon pack of six RMB 5 no-threshold vouchers, each expandable up to RMB 300, usable for dining, lodging and activities at destinations.
- Meituan previously offered Black Diamond members airport fast-track and airport lounge benefits.
- As of 20 September, National Day flight bookings by Black Diamond and Black Gold members rose 138% and 66% year on year respectively.
- Long-haul flight bookings on the platform during the combined holidays grew 55% year on year, with Nanjing-Urumqi and Hangzhou-Urumqi bookings up 190% and 149%.
- Meituan previously launched a 'Youth Benefits Card' for 16-28 year olds, covering 260,000 young users cumulatively.
Sources and time
- Primary source
- 环球旅讯
- Other sources
- 0
- First source publication
- 21 Sept 2026, 08:00
- Page published
- 21 Sept 2026, 18:00
- Last updated
- 21 Sept 2026, 08:00
- Original links
- TravelDaily China：美团联合多家头部航司上线机票会员权益，黑金黑钻会员购票可享“买贵赔” - 环球旅讯 (opens in a new tab)Primary source · zh · Published 21 Sept 2026, 08:00