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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're one or two direct daily flights from Kathmandu to Lhasa. It takes about 1hr and 30mins 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're 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're 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're 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're 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 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

Since there are multiple flights from the USA to Chinese cities like Chengdu, Beijing, Shanghai, etc., and Kathmandu, Nepal, you can easily transfer your flights to Lhasa directly.
Durbar Square

Flights to Tibet from Kathmandu

Taking a flight from Kathmandu to Lhasa is a good option as it's quick and convenient. You can choose direct flights from Tribhuvan International Airport to Gonggar Airport. Check the list of the flight schedules, price, required documents, duration, and so on.
Flights to Tibet from Singapore

Flights to Tibet from Singapore

Taking a flight to Tibet has become a popular way for Singaporeans who plan a trip to Tibet. The majority of tourists like to fly to mainland China, such as Chengdu, Chongqing, Beijing/Shanghai, or Kathmandu in Nepal and then transfer to Lhasa.
Big Ben of UK

Flights to Tibet from UK

Traveling to Tibet becomes more and more popular in Britain nowadays. Great Tibet Tour lists useful information about the flights to Tibet from the UK. Hope to help British travelers find the best way to get to Tibet.
Fujiyama of Japan

Flights to Tibet from Japan

How to get to Tibet from Japan? We list the guidance for all the details including the documents for entering Tibet, equipment and gear, and various flight routes. You have lots of choices.
Dublin Castle

Flights to Tibet from Ireland

It takes about 24hrs to fly from Dublin to Tibet, taking a flight from Ireland to Tibet has become more and more popular for visitors. You can experience its beauty because flying to Lhasa is now easier than ever.
Bangkok

Flights to Tibet from Bangkok

Taking flights to Tibet from Bangkok seems to be the greatest way to travel to Tibet for Thai people. You will not only visit holy Buddhism sites but also enjoy the unique natural scenery. Check the detailed flight info and choose your suitable one.
Burj Al Arab Hotel of Dubai

Flights to Tibet from Dubai

It's convenient to travel from Dubai to Tibet by plane. Flights usually take 11 or more hours in total and have two layovers at DEL Airport in New Delhi and KTM Airport in Kathmandu.
Quebec Old Town

Flights to Tibet from Canada

You can go to Tibet from Canada via plane to Beijing, Hongkong, Shanghai and other mainland cities in China and take the connecting flights to Lhasa. Or you can take the connecting flights to Kathmandu but it's more expensive.
Taj Mahal of India

Flights To Tibet from India

Flights to Tibet from India. Some ways to reach Tibet from India. Some cities you can choose in India to reach Kathmandu and then fly to Tibet.

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.

Tibet Plane Tickets Booking Online

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