Tibet Airport

What is the best way to travel to Tibet? For foreign travelers, flying to Tibet is a much better option, not only faster but also cost-effective, since the train tickets have to be booked in advance, and overland travel has to be accompanied by a local guide & vehicle. There are 5 major airports in Tibet, namely, Lhasa Gonggar Airport, Nyingchi Mainling Airport, Shigatse Peace Airport, Qamdo Bangda Airport, and Ngari Gunsa Airport. Besides, there are two seldom-used airports, namely, Shigatse Tingri Airport and Shannan Longzi Airport. For tourists who travel to Tibet by air, it's necessary to know the general info about airports in Tibet so as to find a better airport that meets your demand.

Domestic Flights

Since there are no direct long-haul flights to Lhasa, travelers usually have a stopover in mainland China, to receive their original Tibet Travel Permit, then carry it on to fly to Lhasa. In China, there are non-stop flights connecting Lhasa with Chengdu, Chongqing, Diqing (Shangri-La), Xining, and Xian, while direct flights connecting Lhasa with Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou make stops at Chengdu, Chongqing, Diqing, or Xian. Flying from Chengdu will be most convenient, as more than 15 flights leave Chengdu for Lhasa. Besides, direct flights from other cities often go through Chengdu.

International Flight

There is only one international airline getting to Tibet - Kathmandu to Lhasa Flight. Travelers often arrive at Kathmandu and then transfer to Lhasa, but departures are limited.

Tibet Airport List

Presently, there are five main airports in Tibet. Among those five airports, Lhasa Gonggar International Airport is the most significant airport in Tibet and Qamdo Bangda Airport is the highest airport in Tibet. Although Nyingchi Mainling Airport is the lowest airport in Tibet, it is more difficult to fly than any other airport in Tibet. In addition, there are two important airports in Tibet-- Shigatse Peace Airport and Ngari Gunsa Airport.

Lhasa Gonggar International Airport

Lhasa Gonggar International Airport is located in Gyazuling Town of Gonggar County of Shannan Prefecture. It's one of the highest airports in the world, with an elevation of 3,570 meters. Undoubtedly, it is also the major air hub for entry and exit of Tibet, both domestically and internationally, with non-stop flights connecting Lhasa with Chengdu, Chongqing, Diqing, Xian, Bamda (a town of Chamdo, Tibet), and Kathmandu (capital of Nepal).

As a 4E level Airport with a runway of 4,000m long and 45m wide, Lhasa Gonggar Airport can be used for taking off and landing of Boeing 747, Airbus, and other large aircraft, which makes it the first choice for the majority of the tourists.

Airport Code: LXA
Airport Altitude: 3,600m
How far from the downtown: around 60km's drive from the airport to Lhasa city

>>See more about Lhasa Gonggar Airport

Nyingchi Mainling Airport

Located in the Yarlung Zangbo River, in Nyingchi County, Mainling Airport, with an altitude of only 2,949 meters (9,675 feet). Nyingchi Mainling Airport is the lowest airport in Tibet. Due to its unique topography, changeable weather and dense clouds, lush forest and ample precipitation, it was considered to be the most challenging airport. Nyingchi Airport, the 3rd civil airport in Tibet, formally went into operation in 2006, providing more conveniences to domestic and overseas tourists to Tibet. It provides a nonstop flight to Nyingchi from Chengdu, Chongqing, Lhasa, and Guangzhou, or connecting flights from Beijing, Shanghai, Xian, Guilin, and Lanzhou with a transfer at Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport or Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport are both available.

Nyingchi Airport may become many tourists' first stop in Tibet because its altitude is less than 3,000 meters, allowing visitors to acclimate themselves gradually to higher altitudes.

Airport Code: LZY
Airport Altitude: 2,949m
How far from the downtown: around a 50km drive to Bayi County, the capital of Nyingchi County.

Shigatse Peace Airport

Opening from October 30, 2010, Shigatse is located 250km from Lhasa and it normally takes 3-4 hours to get with good road conditions. Flights now only take 2 hours and 15 minutes from Chengdu to Shigatse and 30 minutes from Lhasa to Shigatse.

As the fifth civil airport in Tibet, Shigatse Peace Airport serves both civilian and military use. The airport, located in Jiangdong Village, 43km away from Shigatse downtown, is an important link between Tibet and Chengdu, a metropolis in the southwest of China. Meanwhile, built near the world's tallest peak, Mount Everest, it is much more convenient for tourists to fly to Shigatse to visit Mt. Everest, Tashilhunpo Monastery and many other famous spots than taking a train.

Airport Code: RKZ
Airport Altitude: 3,782m
How far from the downtown: around a 50km drive to Shigatse City.

Qamdo Bangda Airport

Qamdo Bangda Airport, located at the Bangda prairie in the narrow and long valley of the west bank of Yuqu River, is the farthest airport to downtown. Qamdo Bangda Airport is also one of the highest airports in the world, and its altitude is about 4,300m. Considered one of the most challenging airports, the climate in Qamdo Banda Airport is terrible that the wind seep reaches 30m/second in winter and the temperature is under -20 degrees centigrade in winter and spring. Besides, the air density is only 50% of the sea level. Flights here are frequently delayed due to the harsh weather in the plateau. Therefore, most tourists prefer Lhasa Airport to Qamdo Bangda Airport. With the current flights to Lhasa, Chengdu, Chongqing, Tianjin, and Anhui Fuyang, Qamdo Bangda Airport offers a convenient way to visit famous spots, like Ranwu Lake and Karuo Relics in Qamdo.

Airport Code: BPC
Airport Altitude: 4,334m
How far from the downtown: around a 130km drive to Chamdo City.

>>See more about Qamdo Bangda Airport

Ngari Gunsa Airport

As another entrance to Tibet, Nagri Gunsa Airport, situated 45km from southwest Shiquanhe, was put into operation in 2010. As one of the high-plateau airports, it is able to serve the takeoff and landing of High-plateau-typed airplanes. Up to now, tourists can get to Ngari from Lhasa, Urumqi, and Kashgar by flight. With a 4500-meter-long and 60-meter-wide runway, the airport can meet the flying and landing requirements of planes like the Airbus A319.

Farthest from Lhasa among all Tibetan prefectures, Ngari is difficult for tourists to get to due to the long distances and poor road conditions. Before the airport, Ngari was linked to Lhasa only by road and it took 3 days to cover the 1,600-km route. Luckily, Ngari is now easily accessible. It will take only one and a half hours to reach Ngari from Lhasa. What’s more, Ngari Airport will make less-than-4-hour traffic possible from Chengdu to Ngari.

Airport Code: NGQ
Airport Altitude: 4,274m
How far from the downtown: around a 50km drive to Shiquanhe.