Domestic flights in China

Where to buy

Trip.com and its Chinese version Ctrip are the easiest option for a foreigner: an English interface, foreign cards go through and the passport is entered as the passenger’s document.

The airlines’ own sites are sometimes cheaper, but a foreign card does not always go through there. The difference is rarely worth the risk of ending up with no ticket.

Domestic fares move more than rail fares, and “earlier” does not always mean “cheaper”. Look at neighbouring dates and neighbouring airports — large cities often have two.

At the airport

1. 1

   Arrive two hours ahead

   For a domestic flight that is generous, but Chinese airports are large and sometimes a separate train runs to your terminal. Check-in usually closes 45 minutes before departure.

2. 2

   Check in at the desk

   The self-service kiosks work with a Chinese ID card and mostly will not accept a foreign passport. Go straight to the desk — it will take no longer.

3. 3

   Check the terminal in advance

   One airline’s flights can leave from different terminals. Moving between terminals at a large airport takes 20–40 minutes, and that has to be allowed for separately.

4. 4

   Security

   The rules are stricter than you are used to: a power bank only in the cabin and with legible capacity marking; lighters and matches are banned outright. An unmarked battery will be confiscated.

Luggage and delays

The free baggage allowance on domestic flights is usually smaller than on international ones, and on cheap fares there may be none at all. Check when you buy, not at the desk.

Domestic flight delays in China are routine, especially in summer and the storm season. If a connection is critical, take the train: it runs to timetable almost always.

From the centre there is usually a metro or an airport express to the airport, and at rush hour it beats a taxi. Coming back, remember the last metro train leaves before midnight.