Jun 12, 2016, 4:00 pm

FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides

Last edit by: GoSh4rks

Unofficial List of FFPs eligible for e-Channel as of January 21, 2017:

1. oneworld

American Airlines (AA) - Gold/Platinum/Platinum Pro*/Executive Platinum/ConciergeKey
British Airways (BA) - Silver/Gold/Premier
Cathay Pacific/DragonAir (CX/KA) – Green#/Silver/Gold/Diamond
Finnair (AY) - Silver/Gold/Platinum/VIP
Japan Airlines (JL) - Crystal/Sapphire/Diamond/JGC Card/JGC Sapphire/JGC Premier
Malaysia Airlines (MH) - Silver/Gold/Platinum
Qantas Airways (QF) - Gold/Platinum/Platinum One*/Chairman’s Lounge
Qatar Airways (QR) - Gold/Platinum*
S7 Airlines (S7) - Silver/Gold/Platinum

2. SkyTeam

Air France/KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (AF/KL) - Silver/Gold/Platinum/Club 2000/Club 2000 Skipper
China Airlines (CI) - Gold/Emerald/Paragon
China Southern Airlines (CZ) – Silver Card/Gold Card
Delta Air Lines (DL) - Silver Medallion!/Gold Medallion!/Platinum Medallion!/Diamond Medallion!
Garuda Indonesia Airlines (GA) - Silver/Gold/Platinum
Korean Air (KE) - Morning Calm/Morning Calm Premium/Million Miler

3. Star Alliance

Air Canada (AC) - Prestige 25K!/Elite 35K!/Elite 50K*/Elite 75K*/Super Elite 100K!
Air China (CA) - Silver/Gold/Platinum
Air New Zealand (NZ) - Silver/Gold/Elite
All Nippon Airways (NH) - Bronze/Platinum/Diamond/Super Flyer Club
Asiana Airlines (OZ) - Gold/Diamond/Diamond Plus/Platinum
Ethiopian Airlines (ET) - Silver/Gold
EVA Airways (BR) – Silver/Gold/Diamond
Lufthansa/Swiss International Air Lines (LH/LX)@ - Frequent Traveler/Senator/HON Circle
Singapore Airlines (SQ) – KrisFlyer Gold/PPS/Solitaire PPS
South African Airways (SA)– Gold/Platinum/Lifetime Platinum
Thai Airways (TG)- Silver/Gold/Platinum
Turkish Airlines (TK) - Classic Plus/Elite/Elite Plus
United Airlines (UA) - Premier Silver/Premier Gold/Premier 1K/ Global Services

4. Non-alliance

Hainan Airlines/Hong Kong Airlines/Hong Kong Express (HU/HX/UO) - Silver Card/Gold Card/Platinum Card*
Jet Airways (9W)- Silver/Gold/Platinum
Philippines Airlines (PR) - Classic#!/Elite/Premier Elite/Million Miler
Royal Brunei Airlines (BI) - Gold Elite
Virgin Atlantic Airways (VS)- Silver/Gold

Key:

# - Base level (non-status)
* - New levels not included in ID's list but should be qualified.
! - Current name for the status levels
@ - Miles & More is also the FFP for Adria/Austrian Airlines/Brussels Airlines/Croatia Airlines/LOT Polish Airlines. They are not included in ID's list but should be qualified.

Note:

Please refer to Immigration Department's website for the enrollment eligibility (Select "e-Channel Service for Frequent Visitors"), as well as the hours and locations of the enrollment offices. As of October 2, 2018, airport hours are North Hall: 7:30a-11:00p and South Hall: 10:00a-6:00p, and Immigration Building, Wan Chai, M-F 8:45a-5p.
If your FFP is not included above, assume that you are not qualified to enroll "e-Channel Service for Frequent Visitors" through your FFP membership. You may be still eligible to enroll "e-Channel Service for Frequent Visitors" if 1) you are a visitor using either HKSAR Travel Pass or APEC Business Travel Card with HKG endorsement; 2) you have entered and exited via HKG more than 3 times within last 12 months of the enrollment;
If you are not qualified to enroll "e-Channel Service for Frequent Visitors", you may be still eligible to enroll e-Channel Service through a qualified travel document (Australian Passport/German Passport/Singaporean Passport/ROK Passport/Mainland Exit-Entry Permit with qualified endorsements/Macau ID);
Kingfisher Airlines (IT) is included in ID's list but excluded above as it has ceased operation.
~~Anecdotal reports suggest a physical (i.e. non-digital) FFP membership card is REQUIRED to enroll "e-Channel Service for Frequent Visitors" through your FFP membership.~~
Electronic FF cards are accepted.
E-Channel renewals/transfers onto a new passport involve taking your old sticker off your expired passport and transferring it to the new passport. New stickers are still issued for first time enrollees.

Apply for E-Channel with FF status

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May 30, 2019, 6:18 am

#241

Hvr

Join Date: Aug 2007

Programs: QF LTG:

Posts: 1,859

I registered on Monday, took maybe 5 minutes maximum. No asking about my FF status.

Departing the next day was a breeze. I'll be back on Sunday and am so looking forward o the quick process and no paper card requirement.

May 31, 2019, 4:44 am

#242

CarefreeBA

Join Date: Aug 2015

Location: Hong Kong

Programs: Hilton Honors Gold, Marriott Gold, BA Silver, Hertz President's Club

Posts: 483

Registered for the e-channel 2 weeks ago, on a Saturday, 1:30pm. No particular public holidays, but there were 5 people ahead of me. Took 20mins waiting (5 mins per person) - the process is straight-forward and you're done in just under 5mins.

May 31, 2019, 7:54 am

#243

889

Join Date: Oct 2014

Posts: 3,096

"No asking about my FF status."

Not sure I understand. Did you otherwise qualify on the basis of sufficient flights in the past year?

May 31, 2019, 8:43 am

#244

christep

Suspended

Join Date: Jun 2002

Location: Hong Kong

Programs: None any more

Posts: 11,017

My guess is that China is happy to collect your biometrics without being too fussy about whether you are eligible to be profiled.

May 31, 2019, 9:15 am

#245

889

Join Date: Oct 2014

Posts: 3,096

But we're talking here about Hong Kong, aren't we? So far as I know, E-channel registration isn't yet open to everyone just for the asking (except for holders of German and a few other qualifying passports).

May 31, 2019, 10:18 am

#246

christep

Suspended

Join Date: Jun 2002

Location: Hong Kong

Programs: None any more

Posts: 11,017

Do you really think that HK and China don't share this sort of information?

May 31, 2019, 4:44 pm

#247

889

Join Date: Oct 2014

Posts: 3,096

What's the point, since China requires fingerprints from everyone on entry anyway.

And still mystified at the relevance of your response to my question.

Jun 3, 2019, 8:18 am

#248

Hvr

Join Date: Aug 2007

Programs: QF LTG:

Posts: 1,859

Quote:

Originally Posted by 889

"No asking about my FF status."

Not sure I understand. Did you otherwise qualify on the basis of sufficient flights in the past year?

Yes I have had several flights in/out of HKG in the previous 12 months and am sure the officer saw this but they weren't mentioned.

When I arrived back from BKK yesterday morning I had a checked bag so pass through immigration, get bag and caught train to city. Checked in bag for evening flight and returned to the airport and straight back through immigration to visit several CX lounges until my flight. No problem at all.

Jun 3, 2019, 8:33 am

#249

889

Join Date: Oct 2014

Posts: 3,096

If the computer OKs you automatically on the basis of sufficient flights, no need to bother with anything concerning FF status.

Aug 26, 2019, 10:52 pm

#250

abraxis

Join Date: Apr 2005

Location: SFO

Programs: UA MM, SQ KrisFlyer, SPG/Marriott Titanium

Posts: 1,232

Has anyone gone to Immigration Tower in Wan Chai to do the E-channel thing? How bad are the queues there?

I need to get a new sticker because I have a new passport. I would do it at HKG except my flight is supposed to arrive at 1830 and they're closed then...

Has anyone here had to do the same?

Aug 27, 2019, 1:13 am

#251

abraxis

Join Date: Apr 2005

Location: SFO

Programs: UA MM, SQ KrisFlyer, SPG/Marriott Titanium

Posts: 1,232

Quote:

Originally Posted by kirkwoodj

but can be requested.

Nope. Not anymore. Am gold and called in to MP to get physical card. Agent had no option to send card but could send luggage tags.

Aug 27, 2019, 1:30 am

#252

garykung

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Aug 2009

Location: ZOA, SFO, HKG

Programs: UA 1K 0.9MM, Marriott Gold, HHonors Gold, Hertz PC, SBux Gold, TSA Pre✓

Posts: 13,811

Quote:

Originally Posted by abraxis

Has anyone gone to Immigration Tower in Wan Chai to do the E-channel thing? How bad are the queues there?

It does not take long.

However, whether you can get into the building is another story, due to recent issues in Hong Kong.

Aug 27, 2019, 3:25 am

#253

LASNRT

Join Date: Mar 2015

Location: Las Vegas

Programs: United Platinum, IHG Spire Ambassador, Hilton Diamond

Posts: 284

Quote:

Originally Posted by abraxis

Yeah I did it for a first time application and there’s a dedicated window for it. I was in and out in about 8 minutes. Super easy.

Aug 27, 2019, 9:40 am

#254

Gongzuokuang

Join Date: Sep 2014

Location: DTW - Rochester Hills, MI

Programs: Cathay MPC, IHG Diamond Ambassador, Domestic Airline Nobody

Posts: 715

Quote:

Originally Posted by abraxis

The office in the "North Hall" is open until 23:00. You will need to go through the line with your new passport. (I think that is the case. I was tempted to bring my old passport and give eChannel a try, but I ultimately decided it would not be a good idea for several reasons.) When you go through the line, just need to make sure that you go through an immigration counter that will ultimately allow passage to the eChannel office. In other words, don't wait in line on the south side because you can't get to the North office.

And the Immigration Tower is super easy. It was a small office with NO waiting, at least when I went. I went for the same reason (updated passport).

abraxis likes this.

Aug 28, 2019, 1:07 am

#255

EMIC

Join Date: Nov 2018

Programs: CX, BA

Posts: 91

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gongzuokuang

DON'T ever use your 'cancelled / old' passport to go through immigration.
I did once - a genuine accident - and got the most unpleasant ear bashing from 2 different officers - one in an enclosed room - before being allowed to go and get a sticker for my new passport.
Blamed jet lag / lack of sleep - and old age...... all the things i could think of to escape the boll***ing from them.
Worse part of accusations were that i was trying to enter HK illegally etc etc.
This happened about 2 years ago.
Not worth it, especially as the queues for immigration never take that long at HKIA

abraxis, Gongzuokuang and oopl like this.