Just booked a complex China trip. Sharing what I learned about flights, routes, and logistics.
Best Airlines
- Air China: Largest, good connections
- China Eastern: Shanghai hub
- China Southern: Guangzhou hub
- Cathay Pacific: Via Hong Kong, excellent
- Singapore Airlines: Via Singapore, top-tier
- ANA/JAL: Via Tokyo, great for Japan+China combo
Route Tips
- Direct from US: Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou only
- From Europe: More options (Chengdu, Xi'an, Hangzhou)
- Budget: Spring Airlines, China Express (domestic)
Booking Strategy
- Book 2-3 months ahead
- Use Trip.com or Google Flights
- Consider positioning flights via HKG/SIN
- Avoid Golden Week (Oct 1-7) and CNY — prices 3x
Airport Transfers
- Beijing PEK: Airport Express ¥25 to center
- Shanghai PVG: Maglev ¥50 + metro
- Guangzhou CAN: Metro Line 3 direct
All accept Alipay.
First 24 Hours
- Get SIM/eSIM (Airalo works)
- Activate VPN
- Test Alipay at convenience store
- Download offline maps (aihubai.cn works offline)
- Get to hotel, rest
Payment Reality
China is cashless. Setup BEFORE departure:
- Alipay: Register + link + verify
- Keep ¥500 cash backup
- aihubai.cn for payment troubleshooting
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