Emirates: Dubai carrier Emirates and Portugal’s TAP Air have signed an initial agreement to expand their code share partnership currently in place between the pair.

The deal will boost both airlines’ operations on routes across the Americas, North Africa, and East Asia.

It will also allow them to explore ways to enhance cooperation on their rewards programs.

“Emirates and TAP Air Portugal have enjoyed a mutually successful codes hare partnership for the past eight years. We are delighted to expand this relationship and look forward to delivering even more benefits to our customers,” Adnan Kazim, chief commercial officer at Emirates, said in a release.

The partnership was announced as airlines across the world find ways to cope with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic which shuttered global borders, and collapsed people’s confidence in international travel.

TAP Air Portugal will place its code on Emirates’ flights to several destinations in East Asia, including Taipei, Tokyo, Osaka, Mumbai and Manila.

In turn, Emirates customers will be able to seamlessly access additional domestic destinations in Portugal, as well as TAP Air Portugal’s flights to cities in the USA, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea-Conakry, Morocco, Tunisia, Gambia, and Cape Verde.

The agreement will take effect on May 1.