North American Travelers Can Now Join Hong Kong Tourism's Huge Flight Giveaway—Here’s How to Participate

In a bid to boost tourism after nearly three years of limited access due to the pandemic, Hong Kong is offering 500,000 complimentary flights to visitors. The tickets have been released in stages, first for Southeast Asian residents, then for those in mainland China, and now North Americans can finally apply.

This giveaway is part of a new Hong Kong Tourism initiative called “Hello, Hong Kong”, aimed at welcoming back the 56 million annual visitors the city enjoyed before the pandemic.

Here’s what you need to know to secure a free airline ticket to Hong Kong.

Guide to Obtaining Free and Discounted Airline Tickets to Hong Kong

On May 17 at 5:00 p.m. PST/8:00 p.m. EST, U.S. participants can enter for a chance to win one of the round-trip economy class tickets to Hong Kong. Tickets will be allocated via Cathay Pacific’s website on a first-come, first-served basis. If not already a member, customers must register for a free Cathay account and visit the airline’s promotional page to obtain a promo code for booking. (We recommend signing up for a Cathay account ahead of the giveaway.)

Flights to Hong Kong will be offered from Boston, New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. It’s uncertain how many tickets are set aside for Americans, as the press release states that “a limited number” will be available.

Additional conditions include:

• Passengers are responsible for paying airport fees, surcharges, and taxes on the tickets.
• Only one ticket can be redeemed per transaction.
• Travel must occur within the next nine months, with a minimum stay of two days and a maximum stay of one month.
• All tickets are non-transferable and non-exchangeable (only taxes and surcharges are refundable).

Other promotions

Alongside the flight giveaway, Hong Kong is providing travelers with “Hong Kong goodies,” a selection of freebies and vouchers that includes their choice of:

• A complimentary welcome drink at over 100 participating restaurants, bars, and hotels
• A cash voucher valued at HK$100 (approximately USD$12.75), usable for dining and shopping
• An “exclusive gift” available to visitors at various attractions and museums around the city

These vouchers are being handed out at the visitor center of Hong Kong International Airport, Kowloon visitor center, and the West Kowloon station visitor center throughout 2023.

The impact of the pandemic on Hong Kong’s tourism industry

The airline ticket giveaway is part of a broader COVID relief initiative for Hong Kong. In the pandemic's early days, the city allocated $255 million to support airlines, and some of these funds are now being utilized to enhance the flight offerings.

Although only 500,000 flights will be distributed, Fred Lam, CEO of the Hong Kong Airport Authority, stated, “We hope those who obtain the tickets can bring two or three additional relatives and friends to the city... We believe this will help attract over 1.5 million visitors to Hong Kong.”

From 2020 through the end of 2022, Hong Kong closely followed mainland China’s “zero-COVID” strategy, aiming to keep COVID case numbers as low as possible. While it eventually began to ease entry restrictions, this process was slower than in other Asian nations like Singapore, Japan, and Taiwan. The city only eliminated its last COVID travel regulations in late December 2022, though indoor masking and mask-wearing on public transport remains mandatory.

In 2019, Hong Kong welcomed 56 million visitors—over seven times its population—before the pandemic struck. However, the strict COVID-19 measures significantly reduced visitor numbers over the past three years, severely impacting the tourism industry and the economy. According to government data, Hong Kong’s visitor numbers in 2022 were just 1 percent of those in 2019, and the city’s GDP declined by percent compared to 2021.

At the beginning of this year, Hong Kong finally lifted its mandatory hotel quarantine and PCR testing requirements for incoming travelers, leading to a modest increase in arrival numbers.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.