Malaysia Airlines has announced a strategic partnership with Trip.com to offer passengers a more seamless and flexible upgrade experience. This collaboration marks a significant milestone, as Trip.com becomes the first third-party platform to integrate Malaysia Airlines’ MHupgrade programme, previously available only on the airline’s website.
Through this partnership, travellers booking Malaysia Airlines flights via Trip.com can now access and bid for upgrades with greater convenience. The MHupgrade programme allows eligible Economy and Business Class ticket holders to place offers for upgrades to the next cabin class, providing an enhanced travel experience.
Dersenish Aresandiran, Chief Commercial Officer of Airlines at Malaysia Aviation Group, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration, stating: “We are delighted to collaborate with Trip.com to extend the reach of our MHupgrade service. This strategic partnership will enable us to offer our valued passengers an elevated travel experience with our signature Malaysian Hospitality while expanding our presence in the global market through a trusted partner in Trip.com.”
Malaysia Airlines, known for its world-class service, sees this partnership as an opportunity to reach a wider audience and offer more travellers the chance to experience its premium cabins. CT Ooi, Associate Vice President of Trip.com Group, highlighted the significance of the collaboration: “We are thrilled to partner with Malaysia Airlines to bring the MHupgrade service to our customers. This aligns with our commitment to enhancing the travel experience by providing more options and greater convenience to our users. It also demonstrates the trust that our partners, such as Malaysia Airlines, have in us to build innovative new products together.”
The integration of MHupgrade on Trip.com went live yesterday, enabling passengers to easily bid for upgrades, including on the recently introduced A330neo aircraft. Customers can look forward to experiencing the luxury of Malaysia Airlines’ Business Class and Business Suite, featuring priority boarding, exclusive lounge access, gourmet dining, and other premium amenities.
The demand for premium travel continues to grow, with Business Class bookings on Trip.com showing triple-digit growth in 2024 compared to the previous year. This trend underscores the increasing willingness of travellers to invest in added comfort and luxury for their journeys.
With this partnership, Malaysia Airlines and Trip.com aim to provide an enhanced travel experience, making premium flying more accessible to passengers worldwide.
