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Updated March 2023

As part of its Hello Hong Kong campaign to revitalize the tourism industry and draw visitors back to the city, Hong Kong is giving away 500,000 airline tickets, which were purchased by the Airport Authority Hong Kong in 2020 as part of a HK$ 2 billion rescue package for the aviation sector.

The giveaway began on 1 March 2023 and is expected to encourage more people to visit Hong Kong and help support the city’s economy. Read to find out how you can score a free ticket.

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How to apply for the free flight tickets to Hong Kong?

If you are interested in applying for the free flight tickets to Hong Kong, each airline will have a different procedure for the handout. However, at this time, HK Express and Greater Bay Airlines have not yet revealed their process. Free tickets will become available for Mainland China in April and Hong Kong residents in July, but the airline in charge is yet to be revealed for both.

Cathay Pacific

Cathay Pacific began distributing 17,400 free tickets in Thailand on 1 March, with the following schedule for Southeast Asia:

12,500 tickets between 2-8 March in Singapore
20,400 tickets between 3-9 March in the Philippines
11,510 tickets between 15-21 March in Indonesia
7,000 tickets between 16-22 March in Malaysia
8,800 tickets between 17-23 March in Vietnam
2,390 tickets between 18-24 March in Cambodia

To get a free ticket with Cathay Pacific:

sign up to become a member with the airline
during the registration period, sign in to your account
fill in the application form. The form will be pre-filled using the name registered in your Cathay member profile and will not be editable. Make sure that your profile name matches the name on your passport before registering
review the information on your form, then submit

The application will also include a 3-question quiz. The tickets will be distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis to those who answer the quiz questions correctly.

HK Express

HK Express has not yet disclosed details on when it will roll out its free tickets, but it is expected to begin in April.

Hong Kong Airlines

Hong Kong Airlines began giving away free tickets in Thailand, the Philippines, and Vietnam on 1 March with 2,000 tickets available for each country.

To get a free ticket with Hong Kong Airlines:

apply for the tickets through the booking system on the airline’s official website
make sure that your selected dates are within the travel period permitted by the airline
tickets will be given out on a first-come, first-served basis

You can apply for the tickets through the booking system on the airline’s official website. Just make sure your selected dates are between the travel period permitted by the airline.

Greater Bay Airlines

Greater Bay Airlines will start distributing its free tickets in Taipei, Taiwan, in May 2023, followed by Seoul, South Korea, in July 2023.

Hong Kong International Airport

You can also start your application for the free flight tickets to Hong Kong campaign through the Hong Kong International Airport’s lottery system. Steps are as follows:

visit the airport’s official website
scroll down to select the country of departure
select your preferred airline for travel – Cathay Pacific or Hong Kong Airlines
if the lottery for your country has not opened yet, the website will only show when the tickets are expected to become available
you will then be redirected to the selected airline’s booking page automatically

Note that the Hong Kong International Airport’s lottery system only facilitates the application process. You will ultimately be redirected to the booking system of either Cathay Pacific or Hong Kong Airlines.

Free flight tickets to Hong Kong terms & conditions

only individuals above the age of 18 can apply for the free flight tickets
each applicant can submit only one application for a single ticket. If selected, the applicant will still be required to pay for any applicable taxes and surcharges
tickets are non-refundable, not redeemable for cash, and not transferable for cash. Upgrades to seats cannot be made using cash or frequent-flyer miles
the minimum stay in Hong Kong is two days, and the maximum stay is seven days
the free flight tickets winners will receive a unique code via email, and they will need to use it within one month to redeem their ticket.
winners must travel within nine months of receiving the email containing the redemption code. Rebooking charges will be HK$1,200 ($150)