Air in China

Traveling by air is the most convenient and the fastest way from international cities to most cities of China. Civil aviation provides warm, safe and high-quality services for tourist. China has  3261 airplanes for civil aviation, airplanes of Boeing 737 series and A320 series account for 81.51% of the total number. As a result of the rapidly expanding civil aviation industry, more airports are to build in the future, more airplanes and flight courses are to be put into service. All aircrafts have reached the world advanced level and major airports are equipped with modern facilities.

China Airlines

The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), also called the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China, was established as a government agency in 1949 to operate China's commercial air fleet. In 1988 CAAC's operational fleet was transferred to new, semiautonomous airlines and has served since as a regulatory agency. By the end of 2017, there were 365 general airlines with general aviation operating licenses, among them 92 in north China, 77 in south central China, 80 in east China, 32 in northeast China, 40 in the southwest, 32 in the northwest and 12 in Xinjiang.

At present, there are 6 state operated airlines in China, among which Air China, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines and Hainan Airlines are the “Big Four” airlines in China. Hainan Airlines(HU), the fourth largest airlines in China measured in terms of fleet size, is the second airline in China to be ranked as one of the seven 5-star airlines in the world by Skytrax, after Cathay Pacific Airways. There are also some civilian-run airways, such as Shenzhen Airlines, Spring Airlines, Okay Airways, etc. Shenzhen Airlines is the fifth largest airlines in China in terms of passengers carried. These offer quality service in advanced, world-class aircrafts. 

For more details, please read Airlines in China.

China Airports

By the end of 2017, China had more than 200 airports, and the number is increasing every year. At present, there are a total of 76 international airports in use in China, including 70 in mainland China and 6 in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan. Among them, Beijing Capital International Airport, Shanghai Pudong International Airport and Hong Kong International Airport are the world’s top 10 busiest airports in 2017. In September 2019, Beijing Daxing International Airport will begin trial operation, which aims to ease the pressure of overcrowding at Beijing capital international airport. It will become the country's biggest airport and the World's busiest airport by international passenger traffic surpassing London-Heathrow and will have more passengers than Atlanta, which is currently the world's busiest airport.

At present, there are two cities in China that have two airports: Beijing (Capital International Airport and Nanyuan Airport which will be replaced by Beijing Daxing International Airport) and Shanghai(Pudong International Airport and Hongqiao International Airport). In addition to this, other major airports in China are Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport, Xian Xianyang International Airport, Kunming Changshui International Airport, Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport, etc.

For more details, please read Airports in China.

Flight Routes

The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), a governmental department for administration of China’s civil aviation and transportation services, takes charge of about 1,279 regular air routes. 1,035 of these are domestic flights (including the routes to Hong Kong and Macau), while 244 are international. Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Guangzhou are considered as the gateway cities and air hubs with many international daily flights. Travelers can take flight to many cities of China, including Chengdu, Xian, Guilin, Lhasa, Chongqing, Kunming, Shenzhen, Urumqi, etc.

Popular Flight Routes:

• Beijing-Xian
• Beijing-Shanghai
• Xian-Shanghai
• Xian-Chengdu
• Chengdu-Lhasa
• Xining-Lhasa
• Chengdu-Kunming
• Kunming-Guilin

Flight Booking

It's easy to book flights in China. You can buy tickets directly at the airport or through a hotel, ticket office or travel agency like China Dragon. Booking a ticket online is also available. To facilitate your travel arrangements, we provide China air tickets and online booking services. When booking a ticket, please keep in mind that all the flights are subject to additional taxes. In addition, foreign passengers must provide a valid passport and identity card when buying tickets. 

The seat assignment on flights cannot be booked when purchasing the tickets, which can only be assigned when you receive your boarding pass at the airport. Now, some flights has opened the seat selection service and passengers can select your seat online or by phone several days before your flight. 

If you would like to change the flight route or departure date, even cancel the ticket, please contact your travel consultants/flight booking office/airlines to change or cancel it. Some extra fare maybe charged according to different airlines, time of cancellation or the discount you take when you booking the ticket.

Keeping Reading:

• Flights in China
• International Flights to China

For more information on China Flights FAQs & Tips.