Chengdu, home to Pandas, is the capital of Sichuan Province and a popular tourist destination with over 2000 years history. As the important transport hub in the southwest China, it’s also the most convenient gateway city to Tibet with a large number of flights everyday.
Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport is the major airport in Chengdu. At present, there are around 12 flights between Chengdu and Lhasa running daily by different air companies throughout the country.
The special note is you’ll need a Tibet Travel Permit issued by Tibet Tourism in Lhasa to board the flight from any city in China to Tibet. Please feel free to contact us for more information on the Tibet Travel Permit.
| Flight No. | Airport & Time | Duration & Stopover | Frequency | Plane Model | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TV9803 Tibet Airlines |
CTU(06:00)-LXA(08:30) | 2h30 Nonstop |
Everyday | Airbus A330 | |
| CA4403 Air China |
CTU(06:15)-LXA(08:45) | 2h30 Nonstop |
Everyday | Airbus A319 | |
| 3U8657 Sichuan Airlines |
CTU(06:45)-LXA(09:30) | 2h45 Nonstop |
Everyday | Airbus A319 | |
| CA4401 Air China |
CTU(06:50)-LXA(09:30) | 2h40m Nonstop |
Everyday | Airbus A330 | |
| 3U8697 Sichuan Airlines |
CTU(08:30)-LXA(11:05) | 2h35m Nonstop |
Everyday | Airbus A319 | |
| TV9853 Tibet Airlines |
CTU(08:35)-LXA(11:15) | 2h40m Nonstop |
Everyday | Airbus A330 | |
| CA407 Air China |
CTU(08:55)-LXA(11:35) | 2h40m Nonstop |
Everyday | Airbus A319 | |
| MU5825 Eastern Airlines |
CTU(10:35)-LXA(13:10) | 2h35m Nonstop |
Everyday | Boeing 737 | |
| 3U8695 Sichuan Airlines |
CTU(11:30)-LXA(14:15) | 2h45m Nonstop |
Everyday | Airbus A319 | |
| CA4112 Air China |
CTU(12:40)-LXA(15:15) | 2h35m Nonstop |
Everyday | Airbus A319 | |
| TV9848 Tibet Airlines |
CTU(20:45)-LXA(23:20) | 2h35m Nonstop |
Everyday | Airbus A319 | |
| TV9882 Tibet Airlines |
CTU(22:10)-LXA(00:35) | 2h25m Nonstop |
Everyday | Airbus A330 |
| Flight No. | Airport & Time | Duration & Stopover | Frequency | Plane Model | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TV9881 Tibet Airlines |
LXA(07:15)-CTU(09:15) | 2h Nonstop |
Everyday | Airbus A330 | |
| TV9847 Tibet Airlines |
LXA(09:35)-CTU(11:30) | 1h55m Nonstop |
Everyday | Airbus A330 | |
| TV9804 Tibet Airlines |
LXA(10:05)-CTU(12:00) | 1h55m Nonstop |
Everyday | Airbus A330 | |
| 3U8658 Sichuan Airlines |
LXA(10:40)-CTU(12:35) | 1h55m Nonstop |
Everyday | Airbus A319 | |
| CA4402 Air China |
LXA(11:05)-CTU(13:05) | 2h Nonstop |
Everyday | Airbus A330 | |
| 3U8698 Sichuan Airlines |
LXA(12:05)-CTU(14:10) | 2h5m Nonstop |
Everyday | Airbus A319 | |
| MU5826 Eastern Airlines |
LXA(14:00)-CTU(15:55) | 1h55m Nonstop |
Everyday | Boeing 737 | |
| 3U8696 Sichuan Airlines |
LXA(15:30)-CTU(17:35) | 2h5m Nonstop |
Everyday | Airbus A319 | |
| CA4111 Air China |
LXA(16:15)-CTU(18:15) | 2h5m Nonstop |
Everyday | Airbus A319 | |
| CA4404 Air China |
LXA(17:55)-CTU(19:55) | 2h Nonstop |
Everyday | Airbus A319 | |
| CA408 Air China |
LXA(18:30)-CTU(20:40) | 2h10m Nonstop |
Everyday | Airbus A319 | |
| TV9854 Tibet Airlines |
LXA(22:10)-CTU(00:10) | 2h Nonstop |
Everyday | Airbus A319 |
Please note:
1. Check-in counter will be closed 45 minutes before departure.
2. Due to the seasonal difference, the flight schedules above are for reference only, please contact us for the latest details.
Flight Type: Nonstop flights
Flying Distance: 768 miles (1286km)
Altitude Difference: 500m (Chengdu) - 3650m (Lhasa)
Airport Information: Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport (CTU) - Lhasa Gonggar Airport (LXA)
| Transportation Means | Metro Line | Taxi | Airport Shuttle Bus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Route | Terminal 2→ Terminal 1 →Taipingyuan (connet to Line 3 & 7) | Quite flexible | 8 routes from airport to train stations, shopping mall, tourist sites etc |
| Run-time | 6:00am-11:00pm | 24 hours | Downtown: 06:00am-10:00pm Airport: 06:30am-the latest flight arrival |
| Price | 1USD | 10USD | 0.3-2.2USD |
| Advantages | Fastest, no traffic jam | Good choice for night travelers or with big luggage | Cheap, many routes of buses |
As for now, there is only one airport in Chengdu, Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport. The new Tianfu International Airport is still under construction and will be in use from 2020. There are two terminals in Shuangliu Airport. Terminal 1 is for International flights and Sichuan Airlines while terminal 2 is for all domestic flights except Sichuan Airlines.
Yes, you can fly to Chengdu directly from abroad. Chengdu, as the capital city of Sichuan province, is an importance development district of high-tech in China as well as a popular tourist destination. Here you can see the cute Panda, taste the spicy hotpot, enjoy the fantastic Sichuan Opera. There are many international lines including Sydney, Paris, Frankfurt, Singapore, Prague, Los Angeles, Melbourne, Vancouver etc.
You can choose to take a taxi, public bus or metro line. It costs around 7-10USD from downtown to the airport by taxi and 3USD by bus and 0.8-1.5USD by metro. Among them, metro line is the best choice if do not have too many suitcases. It is fast and cheap. You can take the metro in city center, many scenic spots area or shopping centers.
Do not worry about it since we have an office in Chengdu. We can always send the permit to the airport for you if you do not stay overnight in Chengdu.
In order to get the best price, it is good to avoid the peak season for Tibet tour and book the tickets early for discounted price. The high season for Tibet tour is from April to October and the flights are always expensive unless you seize the opportunity of special offer. Besides, the flight prices during Chinese National Holiday and Lunar New Year Period are in large demand and very expensive. If your travel date is flexible, it is better to avoid this period.
For flights flying between Lhasa and Chengdu, the total dimensions (length + width + height, including wheels and handles) of each piece of luggage must not exceed 100cm (40*60*40cm). Passengers with adult ticket or child ticket, the free baggage allowance is 40kg for First Class, 30kg for Business Class and 20kg for Economy Class. For infant passengers, it is allowed to take a free checked-in luggage of no more than 10kg as well as a folding baby stroller.
As for carry-on luggage, each first-class passenger can bring two pieces of carry-on baggage, with each weighing no more than eight 8kg (5kg for Sichuan Airlines). Each business and economy lass passenger can bring one piece of carry-on baggage that weighs no more than 5kg. The linear dimensions of each piece cannot exceed 20x40x55cm.
Note: The luggage allowance is based on Air China and Sichuan Airlines. For other airlines, the carry-on and checked luggage allowance might be slightly different. Please kindly check with the certain airline when you book the ticket.
Yes, Chengdu is the transportation hub for Tibet tour. Besides of flights from Chengdu to Lhasa, there are also flights from Chengdu to Shigatse, Nyingchi, and Chamdo. For tourists who have been to Lhasa but never visited other places of Tibet, they can fly directly to Shigatse and then make a tour to the Everest Base Camp or Mt. Kailash, etc. Furthermore, the altitude in Nyingchi is relatively low and the scenery in Nyingchi is so much different from the other parts of Tibet, it is a wise idea to fly to Nyingchi first and then forward to Lhasa and other areas. Chamdo district is not open for foreign tourists for now.
All the international flights land and fly from Terminal 1 of Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport while all domestic flights except Sichuan Airlines land and fly from Terminal 2. It takes about 15 minutes by walk from one terminal to another. You can also take the shuttle bus which runs every 5 minutes from 7:00am to 10:00pm. Normally you need to claim your luggage (this should be determined by flights you book)and then check in with your Tibet Permit to the next flight to Tibet. It will be better if there are at least 2 hours for the transfer.
