Xi'an to Lhasa Flights

Located in the middle of China, Xian is an important birthplace of Chinese civilization and the Chinese nation. Since ancient times, Xian has been the capital of 13 dynasties including Xizhou, Qin, Xihan, Sui, Tang, etc. By 2016, there are 6 sites in Xian that have been listed in the world heritage, such as Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum, Bell and Drum Towers, Big Wild Goose Pagoda. Xian has its own charm for tourists.

Besides, Xian is an important transportation hub. Xian is well-connected with several international cities and most major cities in China. It is also one of the main flight hubs for those who are traveling to Tibet. Because of the short flight distance from Xi'an to Lhasa, a lot of tourists choose Xi'an as their jumping board to Tibet. In addition, Xi'an is only 1,230 kilometers away from Lhasa, and Lhasa is reachable from Xi'an in just three hours and twenty minutes. Moreover, a combination of the Xi'an-Lhasa Tour is a sure hit among tourists who want to explore both the ancient city of Xi'an and the holy city of Lhasa.

Currently, there are 6 daily flights from Xian to Lhasa and another 6 flights from Lhasa to Xian. The number of flights is much more than that of other domestic cities.

Xian-Lhasa Flight Facts in Brief

Why Choose the Xi'an-Lhasa Air Route?

Reasons abound as to why you should opt for Xi'an-Lhasa Air Route and here are the convincing reasons why you should:

1. First, at Xi'an, you have plenty of flight options to Tibet. At least, there are up to 6 flights to Tibet from Xi'an.
2. Second, Xi'an is strategically located in the heart of China, and it is reachable by high-speed trains from the major cities of China like Shanghai and Beijing.
3. Third, the city of Xi'an is a legitimate tourist spot. It is one of the ancient cities of China and was once an ancient capital of several important dynasties. There, you'll find the Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang along with his famous Terracotta Army, burial mounds and tombs from the Zhou dynasty kings, 800 Han dynasty's royal mausoleums, pagodas, and many more.
4. Tibet is only three hours and twenty minutes by plane from Xi'an. Thus, Tibet is conveniently accessible from this city.

Xi'an Xianyang International Airport

The Xian Xianyang International Airport (XIY) is the major airport that serves Xi'an, Shaanxi Province's capital and the Guanzhong area. It covers around 5 square kilometers and is the largest airport in the northwest region of China. This airport is the hub for Hainan Airlines and Joy Air. It was also once the hub of Northwest Airlines before it merged with China Eastern Airlines. It is a Skytrax 4-star airport.

The Xi'an Xianyang International Airport handled around 44,650,000 passengers in 2018, making it the 7th busiest airport in China and the busiest airport in northwest China. In terms of cargo traffic, it is the 14th busiest airport in China. It is situated in Xianyang administrative area; hence, it is called Xianyang International Airport. It is 13 km away from the Xianyang downtown area and 25 km away from downtown Xi'an.

As a transportation hub, you can take a direct flight to Xi'an Xianyang International Airport from the different continents of the world like Europe, Australia, Africa, North America, and other parts of Asia. You can also readily access Xi'an from the different domestic cities of China like Shanghai, Hangzhou, Xiamen, Beijing, Nanjing, Xining, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Lhasa, etc.

From Xi'an, you can take a shuttle bus to the airport. There are shuttle buses that frequently ply the Xi'an-to-Xianyang International Airport route. You can reach the airport from Xi'an within an hour and a half. Moreover, there are 8 airport bus routes that connect Xian and Xianyang cities to the airport. You can also take the Xi'an Metro Airport Line from the Beikezhan (Beiguangchang) station to the airport. This Metro Line was opened in September 2019.

Xi'an-Lhasa Flight Schedule and Vice Versa

Xian to Lhasa Flights

Lhasa to Xian Flights​

As the flight is highly affected by the weather and climate, the timetable is just for reference. When you plan to book a flight ticket, you can search for the latest information on the internet or contact us. We can offer the ticket booking and permits application. Some discounts might be given even during the peak travel season. So, choosing a flight to Tibet from Xian is a smart choice for travelers.

Necessary Permits for this Travel

Any traveler who wants to travel to Tibet needs to have a Tibet Travel Permit. This permit will be checked as you get in and out of the airport. You need to have three photocopies of this document because you will be required to present this permit on several occasions. Your travel agency will process this travel permit. Yet, you need to apply earlier for this permit because the processing of this permit would usually take up to 20 days.

You can contact a certified tour agency in Tibet if you want to apply for this permit. Then, you should send a photocopy or scanned copy of your passport to this agency. Afterward, this agency will apply on your behalf for a Tibet Travel Permit at the Tibet Tourism Bureau in Lhasa. Once this permit is issued, your tour agency will send it to you by post.

You will also need to have a Chinese Visa. This visa is necessary before you can enter China. This visa will be checked before you board a flight or train to Tibet. You should also have your passport with you because, on many occasions, you will need to present your passport, especially when checking in a flight, booking a flight, checking in a hotel, and many other situations.

Arrival at Lhasa Gonggar International Airport

After 2.5 hours of air travel, you will arrive at the largest airport called "Lhasa Gonggar International Airport" (LXA). This airport is 62 kilometers from Lhasa, being located in Gonggar County, Shannan Prefecture. It is situated 11,710 ft above sea level and only Boeing 747 and Airbus A340 can lad in this airport.

This airport is serviced only by one international flight from Kathmandu. During peak season, there are one or two daily direct flights that ply the Kathmandu-Lhasa air route. These flights are operated by Sichuan Airlines and Air China.

Being the most important airport in Tibet, the Lhasa Gonggar Airport caters to many domestic flights from the other cities of China that include Chengdu, Shanghai, Xian, Guangzhou, Kunming, Xining, Chongqing, Shangri-La, and many other domestic cities. Chengdu is one of these domestic cities that offers direct flights to Lhasa.

How to Reach Downtown Lhasa from the Airport?

Since Lhasa Gonggar Airport is around 60km from downtown, you will need to travel from the airport to downtown Lhasa. The travel time from the airport to downtown Lhasa usually takes only one to two hours. There are different modes of transport that you can use to reach downtown Lhasa, and here are the modes of transport you can take:

Airport Shuttle

Regular buses ply the Airport-Lhasa route. There are also airport shuttle buses that you can take, and the fare will cost you 30 RMB. It usually takes one to two hours to reach downtown Lhasa. The seats in the airport shuttle are usually in high demand, hence, it is better to get a guaranteed seat. The downside of riding an airport shuttle is that you have to wait for the bus to be full before the shuttle travel.

Taxis

You can also opt to hail a taxi upon arrival at the Lhasa Gonggar Airport. It may be a bit difficult to hail a taxi at the airport and taxi fares usually cost 160RMB up to 200RMB. A taxi ride from the airport is faster and it usually takes only an hour to reach downtown. One caveat when riding a taxi is this—make sure you agree about the fare before you get into a taxi.

Private Transfer Service

If you are traveling to Tibet with the help of a tour agency, they usually would provide you with a private transfer service. Your private driver will usually wait for you outside the airport to pick you up. This transfer service is more convenient because it would bring you directly to your

FAQs

We have collated here some of the frequently asked questions about the Xi'an-Lhasa Flight. These may be your questions too, so it would be good to check them out:

When is the best season to travel from Xi'an to Lhasa?

Spring and autumn are the best seasons to travel to Xi'an if you plan to tour the city. The spring season corresponds to the months of March, April, and May. During this period, the weather is dry and warm with a lot of sunshine. This is also the time for cherry and peach blossoms.

Autumn, on the other hand, occurs during the months of September, October, and November. This season lets you witness Xi'an being bedecked with yellow leaves. You would also surely appreciate Xi'an during this season. September is the wettest month in Xi'an.

Lhasa, on the other hand, is best toured from March to October. During these months, you'll enjoy the warm sunshine in Lhasa and the weather is humid but mild. Moreover, during these months, you'll have plenty of flight options from Xi'an to Lhasa. Lhasa, however, is situated at a high altitude. So, it is advisable to take the early morning flight from Xi'an to Lhasa to allow your body to have enough time during the day to acclimate yourself to the high-altitude weather of Lhasa.

Why Choose the Xi'an-Lhasa Flight and Route?

Xi'an, aside from being a major transportation hub, is strategically located at the heart of China. This means it is almost halfway between Lhasa, Tibet and the eastern coast cities of Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Beijing. Hence, the flights from Xi'an to Lhasa are shorter.

Moreover, there are international flights to Xi'an from major international cities like Tokyo, Rome, Sydney, San Francisco, etc. This makes it convenient for travelers to make a stop at Xi'an before heading to Lhasa.

Plus, Xi'an is a major railway hub. Thus, if you don't like to board a plane, for example, from other domestic cities in China, you can opt to board a high-speed train to Xi'an, and then, board a plane from Xi'an to Lhasa.

Another convincing reason why you should choose Xi'an as a jumping board to Lhasa is that it is a very historical place. Remember it is one of the four ancient capitals of China. Hence, it is replete with ancient sites that you would surely love to visit. Lastly, it offers a convenient and short flight to Lhasa.

What is the “72-Hour Free Visa Policy?”

To encourage tourists to visit the country, China allows nationals of some countries to enter specified regions of China for 72 hours if they are simply transiting through China to another country. This allows travelers to tour a Chinese City within 72 hours. Passengers from 53 selected countries can transit and stay up to 72 hours in eighteen Chinese cities.

Xi'an is one of these 18 Chinese cities. Thus, you can stay in Xi'an for 72 hours while transiting to another country. Xi'an Xianyang International Airport is also one of the first ones to carry out this 72-hour Free Visa Policy.

Are there other airports near Xi'an from where I could board a flight to Tibet?

Yes, there are airports in Xining and Xiahe and these airports also offer flights to Tibet. But I doubt if you would opt to go to Xining or Xiahe if you are already in Xi'an because you got plenty of flight options at Xi'an.

Will I experience altitude sickness when I arrive at Lhasa from Xi'an?

Xi'an is 405 meters or 1,329 feet above sea level while Lhasa is 3,656 meters or 11,995 feet above sea level. Since the flight duration is only 3 hours and 20 minutes from Xi'an to Lhasa, you are more likely to experience altitude sickness because of the great difference in the altitudes of both cities. Thus, you need to prepare yourself for the possible onset of altitude sickness. But as long as you are in good physical condition, you can easily overcome the symptoms of altitude sickness.

What documents should I have to make my Xi'an-to-Lhasa flight hassle-free?

Well, you should carry with you your passport, Chinese Visa, and Tibet Travel Permit. You can't travel to China if you don't have your passport and a Chinese Visa. However, you will also need a Tibet Travel Permit if you are going to enter the Tibet Autonomous Region.

Your passport should be original and valid. You can process a Chinese Visa in your country of origin, while the Tibet Travel Permit can be processed on your behalf by your chosen travel agency.

When I arrive at Lhasa, what will I ride to reach downtown Lhasa?

The airport of Lhasa is the Lhasa Gonggar Airport. Yet, this airport is located around 65 kilometers from downtown Lhasa. If you have availed of a tour package, you would likely have a private car provided you by your travel agency. This car will be waiting for you at the airport exit upon your arrival. With this private car, you can reach downtown Lhasa within an hour.

You can also take a shuttle bus that plies the route between Lhasa and the airport. Shuttle buses usually wait at the airport's exit and leave every thirty minutes. The last trip of these shuttle buses is until 9:30 in the evening. Lastly, you can also hail a taxi outside the airport. You should, however, haggle first with the taxi driver about the price of the fare before you ride a taxi.