Main airports
Beijing has two gateways. Beijing Capital (PEK) is the long-established airport. Beijing Daxing (PKX) opened on 25 September 2019 and is operated by Beijing Capital International Airport Company Limited. It lies in the south of the city, on the border with Langfang in Hebei, and serves Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei.
- Other large international and regional hubs: Chengdu Shuangliu (CTU), Chongqing Jiangbei (CKG), Hangzhou Xiaoshan (HGH), Nanjing Lukou (NKG), Zhengzhou Xinzheng (CGO), Tianjin Binhai (TSN), Qingdao Liuting (TAO), Dalian Zhoushuizi (DLC) and Fuzhou Changle (FOC).
- Regional capitals: Ürümqi Diwopu (URC), Nanning Wuxu (NNG), Guiyang Longdongbao (KWE), Taiyuan Wusu (TYN), Hohhot Baita (HET), Nanchang Changbei (KHN), plus Shenyang Taoxian (SHE), Changchun Longjia (CGQ) and Harbin Taiping (HRB) in the north-east.
- Leisure airports: Sanya Phoenix (SYX), Haikou Meilan (HAK) and Guilin Liangjiang (KWL).
Which airport for which airline
In Beijing the airline decides the airport. Daxing is a hub for China Eastern, China Southern, China United, XiamenAir, Beijing Capital Airlines and Air China. Capital remains the base for Air China and Hainan Airlines. China Eastern moved part of its Beijing operation, together with Shanghai Airlines, to Daxing, and Xiamen Airlines also moved flights there.
- At Capital, Terminal 2 serves Hainan Airlines and most SkyTeam members, while Terminal 3 serves Air China and Star Alliance members.
- Trap: check the airport code (PEK or PKX), not just "Beijing", on every ticket, including connections. Some foreign airlines, such as Delta and American, moved to Daxing.
- Changing airports between two separate tickets needs a long gap, as the airports are far apart.
Getting between airports and into the city
Daxing is about 46 km south of Tiananmen Square, so allow generous time to reach the centre. Capital and Daxing are on opposite sides of Beijing, so a same-day change between them is a long cross-city trip. Check current times and fares with the airport operator before travelling.
- At Capital, shuttle buses connect the three terminals.
- Most large Chinese airports have metro, airport express or intercity bus links. Use the airport's own website or a local map app for the current route.
- Foreign visitors on a connecting itinerary may qualify for 240-hour visa-free transit. The policy covers 57 countries and requires an onward ticket to a third country or region. It does not cover some regions, including Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia and Jilin, so it will not apply if you fly into Ürümqi, Hohhot or Changchun. Check the rules before you travel.
Airlines: full-service and low-cost
The main full-service carriers are Air China, China Eastern, China Southern and Hainan Airlines. Subsidiaries and regional airlines include Shanghai Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, Xiamen Airlines, Tianjin Airlines, Sichuan Airlines and Shandong Airlines. Air China is a Star Alliance member, as its terminal placement at Capital shows; Hainan Airlines is based at the SkyTeam-side Terminal 2.
Low-cost: Spring Airlines is the main low-cost carrier here, and Juneyao Air is a lower-priced airline with its own fares. On Spring Airlines' standard website fares, one 7 kg carry-on bag (30 x 20 x 40 cm) is free and no checked baggage is included. SpringPlus fares include a 10 kg carry-on and 20 kg of checked baggage.
- Fares get added through checked bags, seat selection and meals, so buy baggage online before travelling. The airline says pre-purchased allowance cannot be refunded separately from the ticket.
- Carry-on bags are checked against the weight limit at the airport, so compare fares with and without baggage.
Lounges
Lounges at Chinese airports are mostly run by the airlines, with some independent pay-in lounges. Which lounge you can use depends on your airline, cabin and alliance status, so start with the terminal your airline uses. At Beijing Capital, for example, Air China and Star Alliance flights use Terminal 3, while Hainan Airlines and most SkyTeam flights use Terminal 2.
- Travellers without status can usually buy a day pass at independent lounges or use a lounge-access card or programme. Entry rules, prices and which lounges accept which cards change, so check the lounge operator or card provider before travelling.
- Lounges may be on the airside part of a terminal only. Allow extra time for security and immigration, particularly on international departures.
When to fly
The busiest travel periods are national holidays. Spring Festival in 2026 runs 15 to 23 February and National Day Golden Week runs 1 to 7 October, with hundreds of millions of people travelling across the country. Book early and expect high fares and full flights, especially on domestic routes and to leisure destinations. The Mid-Autumn Festival and the dragon boat holiday also add smaller peaks.
- Typhoons: in August 2026, Typhoon Dolphin led to nearly 1,400 cancellations at Shanghai's two main airports and 270 at Hangzhou. Airlines including Air China, China Eastern, China Southern, Hainan, Spring and Juneyao waived change and refund fees for eligible tickets.
- Allow buffer days in the south and east coast in late summer.
