I f you are a regular user of the lounge experience offered by All Nippon Airways and also enjoy the hospitality offered by Hilton Worldwide, you are in luck: a new global “ground-breaking” partnership between the lodging company and the biggest airline in Japan was announced earlier today which will “raise the bar for the travel and hospitality industries worldwide.”
The Hilton X ANA “Experience More” partnership — which will last until 2017 and is designed for both Japanese and international travelers — is the start of a three-phase collaboration between Hilton Worldwide and All Nippon Airways, with the initial phase expected to run between Monday,June 1, 2015, and Monday, August 31, 2015, according to this press release. Hawaii was selected as the first destination to launch this program, as it is one of the most popular holiday destinations for the Japanese and the campaign period occurs within the summer peak season travel period.
You can “Experience More” and look forward to enriched travel experiences, which include the following:
Lounge Experience
- After you check in at the airport, your journey begins as you enter the lounges operated by All Nippon Airways at either Haneda or Narita airports in Japan
- Menu food offerings for the lounge were specially created by chefs at Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort and promise an authentic taste of Hawaii
- You can also view a destination video on Hawaii, which will be played on the television screens in the lounges, providing inspiration for your next vacation
In-Flight Experience
- Whether you are seated in either the economy class cabin or the business class cabin on any flight operated by All Nippon Airways between Tokyo and Honolulu, you can look forward to Hawaiian-inspired food from menus exclusively designed by chefs at Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort
- You can sit back, relax and enjoy a 30-minute Hawaii destination video
- You may also take a copy of a mini guidebook which was specially commissioned for this partnership, and which features recommendations for sightseeing and food — as well as an introduction to the Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort property
Although its scope is initially somewhat narrow, this is an interesting beginning of a concept which I believe has potential. Imagine a more seamless travel experience between lodging companies and airlines; and imagine if this experience were to be extended to other airlines with an expansion and integration of products and services.
What if a joint frequent travel loyalty program concept — similar to that of the Crossover Rewards partnership launched by Delta Air Lines and Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide with benefits such as unlimited complementary upgrades — was integrated into this Experience More concept?
Now that would be ground-breaking, in my opinion.
What are your thoughts?
Photograph courtesy of Hilton Worldwide and All Nippon Airways.
