Greater Bay Airlines is a low-cost airline from Hong Kong, flying Boeing 737s from Hong Kong International since 2022. It serves Thailand, Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam, mainland China and the Maldives, suited to short leisure trips out of Hong Kong. There is no alliance. Every seat is Economy, the cabin bag is one 7 kg piece plus an under-seat item, and checked bags come as a bundle or add-on.
Greater Bay Airlines is a young Hong Kong budget carrier flying Boeing 737s around Asia.
Please note: bookingMentor is an independent travel service and is not affiliated with Greater Bay Airlines. Routes, schedules and baggage rules change, so always confirm the details of your booking with the airline.
Greater Bay Airlines is a low-cost airline based at Hong Kong International Airport, with its head office at One Citygate in Tung Chung on Lantau Island. The company took its current name in July 2020, received its Hong Kong Air Transport Licence in February 2022 and flew its first scheduled passenger service in July 2022. It is controlled by East Pacific (Holdings) and chaired by its founder, Bill Wong Cho-bau.
Bangkok holds a special place in the airline’s short history: its first charter in November 2021 and its first scheduled flight were both Hong Kong to Bangkok Suvarnabhumi. The route was cut back sharply in 2026, though. Citing rising fuel costs, the airline suspended most Bangkok flights from 11 May, with only occasional services through the summer, and said it expected to resume the route on 1 October 2026. A limited-time Phuket service ran in spring 2026 and was also suspended in May. Before you plan around it, check the live schedule on Hong Kong to Bangkok flights or Bangkok to Hong Kong flights, where Cathay Pacific and Hong Kong Airlines also appear.
Hong Kong is a long-haul hub in its own right (Cathay Pacific flies there from much of the world, including on Dhaka to Hong Kong flights), and from there the Greater Bay network reaches Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam, the Philippines and a growing list of mainland Chinese cities. A traveller in Bangkok can also reach Hong Kong on the airline and change there.
Recent additions show where the airline is heading: Okinawa from July 2026, Chongqing, Kunming and Urumqi from September 2026, Surabaya from late September, and more Sapporo and Maldives flights for the 2026 to 2027 winter.
The company was founded on 24 May 2010 as Donghai Airlines, a subsidiary of East Pacific (Holdings), and was renamed twice, to Hong Kong Bauhinia Airlines in December 2019 and to Greater Bay Airlines on 8 July 2020. Cathay Pacific, Hong Kong Airlines and HK Express raised concerns during its licensing, which were settled in February 2021. The first aircraft, a 2017-built Boeing 737-800 that had flown for Norwegian, arrived in September 2021, the operator's certificate followed in October 2021 and the first charter was a same-day Hong Kong to Bangkok round trip on 29 November 2021. Scheduled flights began on 23 July 2022.
The airline has had four chief executives in its short life: Algernon Yau, Stanley Hui, Liza Ng and, since June 2025, Hou Wei. Tokyo Narita and Seoul started in January 2023, while Singapore lasted about a month in 2024 and Ho Chi Minh City ended in February 2024. In 2024 it launched a sea-to-air arrangement with ferry operator Chu Kong Passenger Transport.
Checked against trusted sources:
Greater Bay Airlines official website
Greater Bay Airlines (IATA: HB, ICAO: HGB) is a Hong Kong low-cost airline that took its current name in 2020 and started scheduled flights in 2022 with Hong Kong–Bangkok. It flies Boeing 737-800 and 737 MAX 9 aircraft to Thailand, Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam, the Philippines, mainland China and the Maldives.
| Headquarters | One Citygate, Tung Chung, Hong Kong |
|---|---|
| Fleet types | Boeing 737-800, Boeing 737 MAX 9 |
| Official website | greaterbay-airlines.com |
Flight routes
Hong Kong (HKG) departures1 destination
Hong Kong (HKG) departures6 destinations
Hong Kong (HKG) departures5 destinations
Hong Kong (HKG) departures5 destinations
As of July 2026 the airline flew six Boeing 737-800s and two 737 MAX 9s, with 13 more MAX 9s due by 2030. The ICAO code is HGB.
One cabin, several fare bundles.
Fare bundles from cabin-only upwards
Your allowance depends on your fare bundle and any add-ons. The exact amount is printed on your booking.
Most fares include one 7 kg cabin bag (115 cm total) plus a personal item. Checked baggage comes with the higher fare bundles or as an add-on.
Getting through check-in for Greater Bay Airlines is simpler in this order. Start online and finish at bag drop.
Online check-in for HB flights is on the official Greater Bay Airlines website or app. You need the HB booking reference or e-ticket number and the passenger’s surname.
Booking ref + surnameBefore leaving for the airport, check that your passport is valid and that you hold any visa or entry document needed at the other end of your Greater Bay Airlines flight.
Passport · visa · IDGet to the airport with time for Greater Bay Airlines check-in, bag drop and security. The airline sets a deadline for each airport, shown in your booking, and late arrivals can lose their seat.
Well before departureHand in checked luggage at the Greater Bay Airlines counter or bag drop, then keep your boarding pass and passport ready for security and the gate.
Greater Bay Airlines counterPractical advice for flying Greater Bay Airlines.
After the 2026 suspension, make sure flights actually show for your dates on the airline’s booking engine before booking hotels around them.
Route statusEvery Greater Bay Airlines flight starts or ends in Hong Kong. Leave a generous gap before a Greater Bay departure if your flight into Hong Kong is on a separate ticket.
Hong Kong hubCabin bags can be checked at the counter or the gate, and one over 7 kg may have to go in the hold for a fee.
7 kg limitFrom Bangkok, a Hong Kong stop on Greater Bay Airlines opens up Sendai, Fukuoka and Sapporo on one airline, once the Bangkok route is running again.
Hong Kong stopoverThe lowest Greater Bay fare usually includes just a 7 kg cabin bag. If you need a checked bag, compare the higher fare bundles with buying a bag separately, and do it online, because airport rates are higher.
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HB.
Hong Kong International Airport (HKG).
Hong Kong to Bangkok, flown in July 2022.
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Answers checked against Greater Bay Airlines’ official sources and public aviation references, and reviewed each season.
Getting there
Greater Bay Airlines uses the IATA code HB and the ICAO code HGB. Its radio callsign is GREATER BAY.
Greater Bay Airlines is headquartered in One Citygate, Tung Chung, Hong Kong. Its main hub is Hong Kong International.
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