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Flights to Tibet

Flights to Tibet

With the development of transportation, more and more vehicles are available for travelers who want to travel to Tibet, such as trains, airplanes, bikes, etc. Among the multiple means of transportation, taking flights to Tibet is the most convenient way. Although the plane ticket fare is not cheap, it can save a lot of time. If you come from United States, Singapore, UK, Australia, Canada, India, Hong Kong, etc., you need to arrive in mainland China or Kathmandu first, then transfer to another flight to Tibet.

The first entrance is via China. There are more than 18 cities for travelers to get to Tibet from mainland China by air, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Chongqing, Xian, Kunming, Shangri-La, Xining, Nanjing, Xiamen, etc. In some major cities like Chengdu, Beijing, and Xian, the number of daily flights ranges from 6 to 17. Chengdu is the gateway city of Southwest China, with the most daily flights(12~17) to Tibet from May to October. Beijing, Chongqing, Xi’an, and Kunming come next. It's advisable to stay one night in the mainland city, either to pick up your Tibet Travel Permit or to buffer potential delays of your international flights.

The second entrance is via Kathmandu - the capital city of Nepal. You can take the direct flight to Lhasa - the capital city of Tibet from Kathmandu. Usually, there are three direct daily flights from Kathmandu to Lhasa on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. It takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes to reach Lhasa from Kathmandu by airplane. As a traveler, if you prefer to enter Lhasa from Kathmandu, please plan at least three days here for your China Group Visa. If possible, you can choose your seats on the left side of the plane to enjoy the summit of Mt. Everest.

No matter where you are from, you have to enter Tibet from the gateway cities of China or Kathmandu. Although the number of flights is plenty, travelers still need to book plane tickets in advance. Because the supplies of air tickets to Tibet always fail to meet the demand during the peak tourist season.

For your reference: Domestic Flights | Airports in Tibet | International Flights | FAQ

Domestic Flights

The
                                        Badaling Great Wall in Beijing.

Beijing to Lhasa

4hrs~5hrs direct
There are four direct daily flights between Beijing and Lhasa. The ticket price is about USD478p.p.
The
                                        Oriental Pearl Tower in Shanghai

Shanghai to Lhasa

7~8 hrs direct
There are four direct daily flights between Shanghai and Lhasa. The ticket price is about USD480 p.p.
Canton Tower in Guangdong.

Guangzhou to Lhasa

6hrs direct with a layover
There are two direct daily flights between Guangzhou to Lhasa. The ticket price is about USD418.
Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda

Chengdu to Lhasa

2hrs ~2hrs 40mins direct
There are around 40 direct daily flights between Chengdu and Lhasa. The ticket price is about USD305.
Nyingchi scenery

Chengdu to Nyingchi

1hr 55mins~2hrs 10mins direct
There are 8 daily flights between Chengdu to Nyingchi. The ticket price is about USD210.
Everest Base Camp in Shigatse.

Chengdu to Shigatse

2hrs 40mins~2hrs 55mins direct
There are 3 direct flights between Chengdu and Shigatse. The ticket price is about USD260.
Museum of Terra Cotta Warriors in
                                        Xián.

Xi’an to Lhasa

3hrs~4hrs direct
There are multiple direct flights between Xian and Lhasa. The ticket price is about USD319 p.p.
The
                                        Yangtze Three Gorges

Chongqing to Lhasa

2hrs 30mins~3hrs direct
There are multiple daily direct flights between Chongqing and Lhasa. The ticket price is about USD324.
Lake
                                        Dian in Kunming

Kunming to Lhasa

2hrs 40mins~3hrs direct
There are six direct flights between Kunming and Lhasa. The ticket price is about USD351.
Songzanlin Lamasery in Shangri-La.

Shangri-La to Lhasa

2hrs direct
There are two daily flights between Shangri-La and Lhasa. The ticket price is about USD230 p.p.
Night
                                        scene of Hongkong

Hongkong to Lhasa

15hrs 25mins~17hrs connecting
Recommend you take connecting flights with a stopover in Chengdu. The ticket price is about USD403.
Ming
                                        Xiaoling Mausoleum in Nanjing.

Nanjing to Lhasa

6hrs 25mins connecting
Recommend you take a connecting flight with a transit in Chengdu. The ticket price is about USD472.

Airports in Tibet

tibet                    airports
At present, there are 5 major airports in Tibet- Gonggar Airport in Lhasa, Mainling Airport in Nyingchi, Peace Airport in Shigatse, Bangda Airport in Qamdo, and Gunsa Airport in Ngari. Among them, Lhasa Gonggar Airport is the most important one because Lhasa is the capital city of Tibet Autonomous Region, and it’s the only international airport that offers flights to all the mentioned 18 cities in China and flights between Lhasa and Kathmandu. Besides, there are two newly built airports, namely Shigatse Tingri Airport and Shangnan Longzi Airport. >>See more about Airport in Tibet

International Flights

Golden Gate Bridge of US

Flights to Tibet from US

Many Americans take flights to Beijing, Shanghai, or Kathmandu, then to Lhasa directly.
Durbar Square

Flights to Tibet from Kathmandu

Taking a flight from Kathmandu to Lhasa is a good option but it requires a China group visa.
Flights to Tibet from Singapore

Flights to Tibet from Singapore

Most Singaporeans like to fly to mainland China, such as Chengdu, Shanghai, etc. and then transfer to Lhasa.
Big Ben of UK

Flights to Tibet from UK

For Brits, the best way is to fly via mainland China such as Shanghai, Guangzhou, etc., then to Lhasa.
Fujiyama of Japan

Flights to Tibet from Japan

Japanese can take a flight from Tokyo or Osaka to Shanghai, Beijing, Chengdu, etc., then to Lhasa.
Dublin Castle

Flights to Tibet from Ireland

It takes about 25 hours for Irish people to fly from Dublin to Tibet, with three stops.
Bangkok

Flights to Tibet from Bangkok

Thais can fly to Lhasa via Kunming, which it's the most effecient and cost effective route.
Burj Al Arab Hotel of Dubai

Flights to Tibet from Dubai

Emiratis can fly to Chinese cities like Xián, Kunming, etc. then to Lhasa.
Quebec Old Town

Flights to Tibet from Canada

Canadians can fly to Tibet from Vancouver via Hongkong, or Shanghai.
Taj Mahal of India

Flights To Tibet from India

Indians can fly to Lhasa via Kathmandu or via the Chinese city Chengdu.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to get to Tibet, by train or by air?

Based on years of experience, Great Tibet Tour would recommend you take a plane instead of a train to Tibet. First of all, the Tibet train is always in high demand, not very easy to purchase unless you can book months in advance with us to guarantee it. Secondly, train ride usually takes long hours, 21-hour is the shortest duration from Xining to Lhasa, and the journey itself is tiresome. Thirdly, the train cabin is filled with artificial air which doesn't really help you acclimatize the altitude. Whereas the flight takes about 2hrs usually, and after you land in Tibet, there is still a lot of oxygen in your body.

Not really. Inside the Tibet train, the air is filled with manmade oxygen starting from Xining Station, of which can't help you acclimatize the high altitude gradually as you being led to believe.

Compared with taking a train, saving much time is the biggest advantage of taking a flight to Tibet, especially for those travelers who have a tight schedule. Nowadays, “time is money”, is true for most people. After working ass-off for only a one-week or 10-day vacation, you want to get to Tibet directly rather than spending much time on the way. Taking a train to Lhasa usually takes 21~40 hours from a Chinese gateway city. In response to market demands, 18 cities in China have offered direct flights to Tibet. Most of them are the mighty gateways of China, such as Beijing- the capital of China, Shanghai- the financial center, Chengdu- the land of abundance, Xi’an- the starting city of the Silk Road, etc. There're many direct flights per day to Tibet in those top cities. So, it’s convenient to reach Tibet by air wherever you are in China. And if you travel to Tibet from Nepal, you can also take the direct flight from Tribhuvan International Airport, which is 6km away from the downtown of Kathmandu. There are 1 or 2 direct flights to Lhasa each day.

Of course, your original passport is the first important document.

Secondly, you must get some necessary permits for your Tibet tours, such as Tibet Travel Permit, Alien’s Travel Permit, Tibet Military Permit, etc. Except for the Tibet Travel Permit, which is a basic document, the other permits depend on your travel destinations. For Tibet Travel Permit, the request is different from the place where you enter Tibet. To obey the regulation of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), foreigners must provide the original Tibet Travel Permit when boarding the domestic flights to Tibet. But the scanned copy of Tibet Travel Permit is acceptable when taking flight from Kathmandu. Your Tibetan tour guide will bring the original one to get you released from the Lhasa airport.

Thirdly, Chinese Visa. Here are two situations as well. One, flying to Tibet from inbound China, you have to apply for a Chinese Visa in your country. Two, flying to Tibet from Kathmandu, in this case, you don’t need to apply for Chinese Visa by yourself but China Group Visa. Because according to the government’s policy, you have to get China Group Visa issued in Nepal to enter Tibet.  Even if you have already obtained China Visa, it will be canceled in Nepal. What you should do is to give your passport to the Nepali agent when arriving in Kathmandu and waiting for 2-3 days to get the China Group Visa. 

The answer is no doubt a YES. With the development of tourism, Tibet has become a hot destination for travelers. The demands of marketing have been increasing a lot that makes the tickets hard to buy, even if the price is relatively high. Therefore, you'd better book the flight tickets in advance, especially during the peak season, generally from July to October. Great Tibet Tour will help you book flights once you are engaged with us. Please do not hesitate to contact us for flight information.

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