China Duty Free Group and Hainan Airlines partner on inflight whisky experience

China Duty Free Group (CDFG) and Hainan Airlines have launched a partnership to integrate duty-free retail with inflight services through a specialized whisky experience. The initiative, part of CDFG’s ‘Whisky Cheers’ program, introduces co-branded whiskies and signature cocktails to the aviation environment.

In collaboration with Diageo and Pernod Ricard, the partnership features four limited-edition whiskies, including travel retail exclusives such as Johnnie Walker Black Label Ruby and Diechuan Pure Malt Whisky. Additionally, three whisky-based cocktails will be served in Business Class on selected long-haul international flights departing from Haikou and Beijing.

The collaboration aims to test an integrated ‘duty-free + tourism’ model within the Hainan Free Trade Port framework, shifting toward an experience-driven tourism strategy. Passengers can use inflight Wi-Fi to view product information and place orders via CDFG’s shopping platforms through a ‘Whisky in the Clouds’ menu.