Flights to Tibet

Frequently Asked Questions about Flights to Tibet

How long is the flight to Tibet?

There are several kinds of situations depending on from where you will fly to Tibet. It can be as short as no more than 2 hours, or as long as more than one day.

Firstly, if you have entered China or Nepal, and plan to fly to Tibet, then you can take a direct flight forward. The shortest time is around 1.5 h for the flight from Kathmandu to Lhasa. And the longest time will be around 8 hours, for the flight from Shanghai to Lhasa, which has a stopover in Xi’an.

But if you depart from overseas or distant cities in US, UK, or Australia etc., then you will need to have a connecting flight, to first fly to Mainland China or Kathmandu in Nepal. You flight time will cover two parts of the flights, plus the time for transferring at the airport.

How much does it cost to fly to Tibet?

Depending on departure city and departure time, airfares to Tibet can vary considerably. And there will be special cases that influence the ticket fare also, like local policy, or the COVID-19 in the moment.

In a normal year of general case, for the short flight journey from Kathmandu to Lhasa, the ticket fare of economy-class starts from $214. And the flight from Beijing to Lhasa starts from around $500 for economy class.

It is recommended to check the online flight booking site from time to time, so as to follow the latest updates. Or, you can contact us to help you check the flights and schedules based on your travel plan.

How to find cheap flights to Tibet?

1. Try to avoid the high travel season. For a Tibet tour, the peak travel time is from April to October, especially in May, June, July, and August. So you can book your flight in winter season, when there are also discounts offered by many airlines.

2. Choose the connecting flight instead. If you have sufficient time, you can ignore the direct flights that usually charge high prices. For example, the connecting flight from Shanghai to Lhasa will cost around $112, which is only a third of a direct flight price, although it will stop for 8 hours in Chongqing on the way.

3. Book your flight in advance. You can usually get the cheapest rates by booking your flights in advance, usually a month in advance is best.

4. Compare more booking websites. Make more inquiries and comparisons before you decide your booking. Also, sometimes, the official site of the airlines will offer price guarantee.

Is it better to take the train or flight to Tibet?

There is no sheer saying that take a train is better than the flight or the other way around. Flight is more suitable for time-limited travelers, or who want to spend more days in Tibet after arrival. Whereas, the train can cost less for budget travelers, and one can also view different scenery passing by the railway.

It is a wise choice to combine both train and flight for your Tibet trip. For example, if you fly from Guangzhou to Lhasa, which has far-away distance, you can first fly to Xining, and then board the train to Tibet.

You can also choose to enter Tibet by train, and exit by flight. Since it will help to acclimate the high altitude, taking the train is fabricable for many who have never been to high-elevation places like Tibet. After your whole trip, you can quickly go home or your next destination by taking the flight.