Airports in Tibet

• by Ghita
• Last Updated: 2018-04-11

For tourists who travelling to Tibet by air, it necessary to know the general info of the airport in Tibet so as to find a better airport that meet your demand. Presently, there are five main airports in Tibet. Among those five airports, Lhasa Gonngar International Airports 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 another two important airport in Tibet-- Mainling Airport and Ngari Gunsa Airport.

Lhasa Gonngar International Airport

Lhasa Gonggar International Airport, located at 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. As a 4E level Airport with a runway of 4000m long and 45 m wide,  Lhasa Gonggar Airport can be used for taking-off and landing of Boeing 747, Airbus and other large aircrafts which makes it as the first choice for the majority of the tourists.

Nyingchi Mainling Airport

Located in the Yarlung Zangbo River, in Nyingchi county, Mainling Airport, with an altitude of only 2,949 meters (9675 feet). Nyingchi Mainling Airport is the lowest airport in Tibet. While due to its unique topography, changeable weather and dense clouds lush forest and ample precipitation, it was considered to be the most challengeable airport. As the third civil airport in Tibet,  taking a nonstop flight to Nyingchi from Chengdu, Chongqing, Lhasa and Guangzhou, or connecting flights from Beijing, Shanghai, Xian, Guilin, Lanzhou with a transfer at Chengdu or Chongqing are both available.

Shigatse Peace Airport
As the fifth civil airport in Tibet, Shigatse Peace Airport serves both for civilian and military use. The airport, located in Jiangdong Village, 43 km away from Shigatse downtown is a significant link between Tibet and Chengdu, a metropolis in the south-west of China. Meanwhile, it is much more convenient for tourists fly to Shigatse to visit Mt. Everest, Tashilhunpo Monastery and many other famous spots than taking a train.

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 of which the altitude is about 4300m. Considered as one of the most challengeable airports, the climate in Qamdo Banda Airport is terrible that the wind seep reaches 30m/second in winter and the temperature is under -20 degree centigrade in each winter and spring. Besides, the air density is only 50% of the sea level.  With the current flights to Lhasa, Chengdu, Chongqing, Tianjin and Anhui Fuyang, It offers a convenient way to visit famous spots, like Ranwu Lake and Karuo Relics in Qamdo.

Ngari Gunsa Airport
As another significant entrance to Tibet, Nagri Gunsa Airport situated 45km from southwest Shiquanhe next to Lhasa Gonggar Airport, Chamdo Bangda Airpor and Nyingchi Mainling Airport， which put into operation since 2010. As one of the high plateau airports, it is able to serve the takeoff and landing of the High-plateau-typed aeroplanes. Up to now, tourists can get to Ngari from Lhasa, Urumqi and Kashgar by flight. With a 4500 meters long and 60 meters wide runway, the airport can meet the fly and landing requirement of planes like Airbus A319.