SINGAPORE - Singapore Airlines (SIA) has inked an agreement with Alaska Airlines to launch codeshare flights and a frequent flyer programme partnership.

The agreement takes effect from Sept 27, subject to regulatory approvals, SIA said on Thursday (Aug 31).

Members of each airline's frequent flyer programme would be able to earn and redeem miles on flights operated by either airline, although members of Alaska Airlines' frequent flyer programme will only be able to redeem miles for SIA flights at a later date.

Under the agreement, SIA would also add its "SQ" designator code to Alaska Airlines-operated flights on routes serving 18 destinations within the United States and to Mexico, including Seattle and Portland.

Mr Andrew Harrison, chief commercial officer for Alaska Airlines, said: "We're very proud to add an airline of the calibre of Singapore Airlines to our portfolio of global partners."

Existing codeshare flights operated by Virgin America on routes serving 19 destinations within the US, such as Boston and Las Vegas, would also be included in the agreement. Virgin America was acquired by Alaska Air Group in 2016.

The codeshare flights will be progressively made available through SIA's booking channels.

"Our new partnership with Alaska Airlines enables us to improve connectivity between Singapore and the important North American market...and offer our customers greater flexibility," said Mr Tan Kai Ping, senior vice president market planning for SIA.