£299+ Cheap flights to Beijing, China

Beijing climate

Beijing has four distinct seasons, a short windy spring, long hot summer, cool pleasant autumn and long cold winter. The ideal conditions during autumn and spring make these popular times to visit, which in turn results in increased prices for flights to Beijing and accommodation at these times.

Getting around Beijing

There are plenty of ways to get around this enormous city. Beijing has an extensive bus and subway network to get you where you need to go. The subway is fastest and easiest, but will be very crowded during rush hour. Buses are always crowded. The taxis run off of meters, and are very easy to find, but many drivers don’t speak English, so it helps to have your destination written in Chinese. Cycle rickshaws are another option, but you will have to bargain your rate, and some drivers demand more when you arrive at your destination. You can also rent a car and driver for the day, or rent your own car. Be aware that you won’t be able to leave the city limits if you’re driving. 

The city is too large to walk, but you can certainly take public transport or a taxi to a particular area and then explore on foot. If you are brave enough, rent a bicycle and ride alongside the busy traffic. 

Biking is very popular in Beijing and bike lanes are clearly marked. If you get overwhelmed, go with the flow of cycling traffic, especially when crossing streets.

Getting downtown from the airport

The closest airport to Beijing is Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) and is situated 17 miles north of Beijing. Shuttle buses run regularly to the city centre and major hotels. Metered taxis are also available, but it is recommended that passengers have their destination written in Chinese to avoid confusion. Travelling time to the city is about an hour.

What is good to know if travelling to Beijing?

• Sampling the Chinese food in Beijing is an absolute must. But don’t just to stick to Western favourites (albeit also Beijing specialities) such as roast duck, dumplings or hotpot. A Cantonese proverb says that if something walks, swims or flies with its back to the sun it is edible – and you’ll find anything and everything in Beijing, especially from the street markets. Be brave and sample something you wouldn’t dream of eating back home, such as silkworms, scorpions, sparrows, pigeons or cicadas. Try the street traders at Wangfujing (which you can reach by the metro) for a taste of the exotic.
• If you’re visiting the Forbidden City (which almost every tourist will), take a detour to the roads to the north around the lakes. The houses here give a good sense of the way Beijing used to be. Rickshaws are available to hire if the walk seems too much.
• The Underground City in Beijing is said to be better known by tourists than by Beijing residents. Built as a bomb shelter during the 1970s, it has been open to the public since 2000 and is a maze of 18 miles (30 km) worth of tunnels. The tunnels were originally dug by volunteers and local citizens, even school children, on Chairman Mao Zedong’s orders and were intended to house at least 40 per cent of the city’s population if needed. Today they are an eerie reminder of the past conflict, standing deserted with more than 1,000 air raid shelters and spaces intended for shops, hospitals, schools and restaurants.
• Don’t just visit Tiananmen Square in the day. At night, the entire square is lit up and the atmosphere changes completely to the bustle of the day. Worth watching is the lowering of the flag at sunset by the army. However, don’t stay too late. At 10.30pm on the dot, the army moves everyone out of the square and locks it up for the night.

Beijing airport overview

Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) is one of the world’s largest and busiest airports, which is to be expected in the world’s most populous country. The airport was revamped and upgraded for the Olympic Games in 2008 and now it is the second-busiest international air-hub, after Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International.

Beijing Airport has three terminals all of which have a wide selection of shopping, food and beverage options to keep even the most difficult traveller entertained during stopovers or while waiting to board.

China Southern Airlines, Hainan Airlines and Air China all use Beijing Capital International Airport as a hub. There are direct flights to Beijing Capital International Airport from almost all the airports in China as well as many Asian, European, African and North and South American airports.

Passengers using Beijing’s airport are certain to notice the beauty of the airport. As with many Chinese constructions the art of Feng Shui is employed to give the building, and the business it houses, good luck and positive energy. The red colour of the roof in terminal three is the Chinese colour of good luck.