How To Get Free Flights to HK in 2023

Last year, the Hong Kong tourist board announced plans to give away half a million free plane tickets to encourage tourism in 2023 – and now it’s finally, officially happening. 

How to get free air tickets to Hong Kong

Details of the giveaway were unveiled on Thursday (February 2) by Hong Kong’s leader John Lee Ka-chiu, as part of the ‘Hello Hong Kong’ campaign.

Hong Kong’s free ticket giveaway will kick off from March 1. The 500,000 airline tickets up for grabs will be distributed to overseas travellers by airlines Cathay Pacific, Hong Kong Express and Hong Kong Airlines over the course of six months. Tickets will initially be allocated to visitors from south-east Asian countries, followed by those in mainland China and in north-east Asia. A portion of the tickets will also be handed out to visitors from Europe and the US. Keep an eye on the airlines’ websites for details.

What’s the story behind the scheme?

The Hong Kong Tourism Board already bought tickets from carriers back in 2020 as part of the government support package for the aviation sector.

A one-way flight to Hong Kong would normally cost upwards of £500 from London or $1,000 from the west coast of the USA, and in total, it’s estimated the giveaway scheme will cost the Hong Kong government HK$2 billion to run. But that’s clearly worth it for a destination that has seen its tourist industry more or less completely collapse over the past few years – first due to the civil unrest of 2019, then the pandemic and one of the world’s strictest travel lockdowns.

Sounds pretty good, right? We certainly think a free trip to check out Hong Kong’s incredible restaurants, best-in-class bars, distinctive local neighbourhoods and mountainous hiking trails would be too good to pass up. Watch this space for updates.

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