Don’t know the difference between codeshare and interline flights? Want to know how you check in, what the baggage allowance is or other FAQs? Read Alternative Airlines' guide to codeshare and interline flights.
A codeshare agreement is when two or more airlines share the same flight, allowing you to book a ticket with one airline but fly on another. This means you might buy your flight under one airline’s code, even though the aircraft and crew belong to a different airline. Codeshare flights often operate within airline alliances like oneworld or SkyTeam, but they can also exist outside of these groups.
Codeshare flights make travel easier by letting you book connecting flights on a single ticket, rather than booking multiple flights separately.
You’ll usually check in with the operating airline, the airline actually flying the aircraft, not the airline you booked with. Your booking confirmation will clearly show which airline operates each flight.
Baggage rules are typically set by the operating airline. Your baggage allowance will always be shown on your ticket, so it’s best to follow the details provided there.
An interline agreement is when two or more airlines work together to make travelling on multiple airlines smoother. If your trip includes an interline flight, you’ll usually be able to check in once and have your baggage transferred automatically to your final destination.
Interline flights are different from codeshare flights. With a codeshare, the entire flight is shared between airlines, while an interline agreement applies to one flight within a longer journey. For example, Etihad isn’t part of a major airline alliance but has interline agreements with airlines like British Airways and American Airlines.
What to expect on interline flights:
Some airlines don’t offer interline agreements, which means you may need to collect your luggage and re-check it with the next airline. If you’re ever unsure, it’s always best to check with the airline before you fly.
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You will know if your flight will be part of a codeshare as it will show as ‘Operated by’ in the search results on Alternative Airlines. An example of a codeshare agreement is shown below, a FinnAir flight operated by British Airways and an American Airlines flight operated by British Airways. Therefore there is a codeshare between FinnAir and British Airways, and between American Airlines and British Airways.
An interline flight is an agreement between airlines to coordinate passengers with an itinerary that uses multiple airlines, without having to check in again or deal with their baggage at the stopover. Codeshare agreements is where airlines operate flights on behalf of another airline, using their flight code. For example, a ticket you purchased from Finnair but is operated on a British Airways plane, by British Airways.
Codeshares are beneficial to the airlines as it allows customers to reach new destinations that are not served by their own aircraft, meaning they can offer a larger variety of destinations, without actually flying there. This also means they can focus their services on the destinations they already offer, meaning more frequent services.
There are currently no airlines that permit smoking on their planes, regardless of being part of a codeshare or not.
Emirates partners with many airlines, including Air Malta, Malaysian Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Qantas, Copa Airlines, Flybe, Japan Airlines, WestJet and Jetstar Airways. The airline also partner with flydubai, expanding its network to flydubai’s 91 destinations.
If a flight is part of a codeshare, you'll usually find flight numbers from different airlines. During the booking process, it will be stated if the flight has a codeshare e.g. a ticket you brought from Finnair but is operated on a British Airways plane, by British Airways.
When you book flights through Alternative Airlines you can easily pre-select your seat on our site before or after booking. Whether you love sitting by the window or looking for extra legroom you can pre-select your seat through Manage My Booking. You can even choose your seat using our interactive seat map.
A codeshare agreement which is also known as a codeshare is an agreement in the aviation sector to work in conjunction. Usually, a flight is operated by one airline while seats are sold for the flight by another airline using their flight number. It's common for major airlines to have codeshare agreements with other airlines.
