Why Take Flight to Lhasa from Chongqing

1. Airport in Chongqing provides 10-13 daily direct flights to Tibet, some flights fly in every other day. There are three ways of flying to Tibet region: Chongqing to Lhasa, to Nyingchi and to Qamdo. Chongqing to Lhasa flights are the most and easiest option to choose if you leave for Lhasa from Chongqing.

2. Chongqing is one of the busiest airports in China, not only because its connections with popular domestic stops, like Beijing, Shanghai, Xian, Chengdu, Kunming,etc. but also for its numerous international routes to overseas countries. Served as an important gateway in southeast China regions, Chongqing is really a good place to/out of Tibet for tourists.

3. Taking the Chongqing to Lhasa flight directly will save your time and offers more options since train from Chongqing to Lhasa takes about 40 hours and train ticket is very hard to be bought in high season. But it takes just less than 3 hours to fly from Chongqing to Lhasa.

4. Usually, flight tickets from Chongqing to Lhasa have more discount than Chengdu and other inland cities in summer holidays and peak seasons.

5. Chongqing is a national famous historic and cultural city with more than 3,000 years history. Being the Cradle of Ba Yu Culture, Chongqing owns over 300 scenic spots for various travel needs.

Chongqing Lhasa Flights
Gorgeous Night Scene of Chongqing Hongyadong

Chongqing Lhasa Flights
World Cultural Heritage-Dazu Rock Carvings

Chongqing Lhasa Flights Schedules

14 December 2022 Last updated at 13:47

Totally, Chongqing mainly connects Tibet with three airports in Lhasa, Nyingchi and Qamdo. Just choose the proper airport according to your tour arrangement. Currently, flying from Chongqing to Lhasa has more flights to choose and is cheaper than flying from Chongqing to Nyingchi or Qamdo. Once you want to start Tibet tour in Lhasa area, it’s quite convenient and economical.

There are more than 10 round-trip direct flights between Chongqing and Lhasa, mainly opened by Sichuan Airlines, Tibet Airlines, West Air and China Southern Airlines.

Chongqing to Lhasa Flights Timetable

There are six flights departing from Chongqing to Lhasa in the morning and four in the afternoon. Please pay attention to flights dates, don’t miss anything important.
Chongqing|CKGLhasa|LXA

Important Notice: 1) Above flight schedules and fares are only for reference, please contact us to catch up on the latest information. But we usually will keep them updated; 2) The airlines companies usually will cut down the flight schedules during winter and spring seasons. There may be no daily flight in some months.

About Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport

Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport (CKG-重庆江北国际机场, elevation: 420m) is one of the eight major domestic hub airports and busiest airports in China. It is about 19 kilometers to the downtown area of Chongqing.

Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport is a major aviation hub in southwest China, providing lots of domestic flights and international flights to worldwide destinations. After its completion in 1990, the airport handles an increasing number of passenger capacity and cargo traffic, playing an essential role in southwest China year by year.

Until December 2018, there are totally 329 flights routes to/off Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport connecting with 203.

International Flights to Chongqing

So far travelers can take flights to Chongqing directly from following destinations:

1) Europe: London, Rome, Helsinki, Frankfurt, Amsterdam

2) Australia: Sydney, Auckland

3) North America: San Francisco, Los Angeles

4) Africa: Cairo, Aswan

5) Middle East: Dubai

6) East Asia:Tokyo, Seoul, Osaka, Chiengmai, Daegu

7) Southeast Asia: Singapore, Bangkok, Krabi, Phuket, Male, Jeju, Sien Reap, Kuala Lumpur, Nha Trang, Koh Samui, Da Nang, Kalibo

8) West Asia: Doha

9) North Asia: Moscow

10)Other regions: Hong Kong, Macao, Taipei, Kaohsiung can reach Chongqing directly by flight.

Domestic Flights to Chongqing

Chongqing has linked to most cities in China. Frequent non-stop flights between Chongqing and famous tourist destinations, like: Beijing, Shanghai, Xian, Lhasa, Kunming and Lijiang, are available. But tickets are in great demand especially in peak tourist season, so try to book your plane ticket as early as possible.

Eastern China - Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Xiamen, Nanjing, etc.;

Northern China - Xian, Hohot, Dunhuang, Tianjing, Taiyuan, Lanzhou, Xining, Harbin, etc.;

Southern China - Guilin, Sanya, Kunming, Guiyang, Yichang, etc.;

Western China - Lhasa, Chengdu, Daocheng, Jiuzhaigou, Kangting, Kunming, Lijiang ,Nyingchi, Panzhihua, Dali, Shangrila, Urumqi, etc.;

Middle China - Changsha, Wuhan, Nanchang, Luoyang, Hefei, etc.

Transfer to/off Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport

Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport is only 19 km to the central city. You can take one of the airport expresses (about 1.5h) to the downtown area, costing around 15 CNY. Also you can take a light rail train starting from Chongqing North Railway Station (No.3 Light Rail Train) to urban district, spending 5 - 7 CNY, extra charge for more transfer routes. Taxis are available too, but fees at night are a little bit higher than daytime, nearly 60 CNY. The Metro Line 10 and Line 3 can also get you to downtown/airport.

About Lhasa Gonggar International Airport

Lhasa Gonggar International Airport (LXA - 拉萨贡嘎国际机场) is the largest and most important airport in Tibet Autonomous Region. In 2016, the airport has greeted more than 3 million passengers, most of whom are travelers, including thousands of foreigner travelers. The airport is about 62 kilometers (39 mi) southwest of the city in Gonggar County of Shannan and the airport is one of the highest airports in the world with an elevation of 3,570 meters (11,710 ft). Airbus A340 and Boeing 757 aircrafts are allowed to park in the airport.

International Flights to Lhasa

So far, there is only one international air line connecting Lhasa: Kathmandu - Lhasa. During summer days, there are daily direct flights operated, sometimes two flights and sometimes just one flight. Only Air China and Sichuan Airlines are operating the Kathmandu - Lhasa flights. To take a flight from Kathmandu to Lhasa, one will need a Group Visa, Tibet Travel Permit and Tibet Border Pass.

Domestic Flights to Lhasa

Lhasa Gonggar Airport is well connected to many cities in China, including Beijing, Chengdu, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Xian, Kunming, Chongqing, Xining, Shangri-La, etc. Among all these cities, Chongqing is the one of the most popular hubs for taking flights to/off Tibet. There are more than 10 flights flying between Chongqing and Lhasa each day. Xian also operates about 4~6 flights to Lhasa each day.

Transfer to/off Lhasa Gonggar International Airport

Lhasa Gonggar International Airport is about 60km from Lhasa downtown. It costs about 100~200 CNY to the Barkhor Street area of Lhasa city by taxi. Airport shuttle bus is also available, and costs only about 25 CNY. It usually takes about 1~1.5 hours to transfer between the airport and Lhasa downtown.

Tibet Discovery also provides you convenient and comfortable airport pick-up and drop-off services which are usually included in our Tibet tour packages. If you take our group tours, you will enjoy our free airport pick-up and drop-off services which are offered at contain hours:

Free Airport Transfer to Hotel in Lhasa

  • - Around 10:00 pick up travelers who arrive at Lhasa Gonggar Airport before 09:30 AM;
  • - Around 14:00 pick up travelers who arrive at Lhasa Gonggar Airport before 13:30 PM;
  • - Around 17:00 pick up travelers who arrive at Lhasa Gonggar Airport before 16:30 PM.

Free Transfer to Airport from Hotel in Lhasa

  • - Around 07:00 pick up travelers who departs from Lhasa Gonggar Airport between 09:00 ~ 11:30 AM;
  • - Around 09:30 pick up travelers who departs from Lhasa Gonggar Airport between 11:30 AM ~ 14:30 PM;
  • - Around 12:30 pick up travelers who departs from Lhasa Gonggar Airport after 14:30 PM.

- Learn more about Lhasa Gonggar International Airport.

Chongqing Lhasa Flights
Lhasa Gonggar International Airport

Flights from Chongqing to other Prefectures in Tibet

Chongqing - Nyingchi

Nyingchi is praised as “Eastern Switzerland” with many beautiful landscapes. The relatively low altitude in Nyingchi is good for tourists who first visit Tibet to acclimatize themselves to high elevation.

If Nyingchi is the first stop of your Tibet tour, daily flights from Sichuan Airlines and Tibet Airlines will be considered your valid options. Notice that flights to Nyingchi Mainling Airport (LZY- 林芝米林机场, elevation: 2949m) are in the early morning, please prepare enough time for boarding and luggage checking. The inbound routes to Chongqing are both in the forenoon, timing is very proper to make everything well prepared.

Chongqing Lhasa Flight
Airplane in Nyingchi Airport

Chongqing to Nyingchi Flights Timetable

Flight No. Departure Arrival Duration Frequency Plane
06:40
Jiangbei International Airport T2A
09:30
Nyingchi Mainling Airport
2h 50m SMTWTFS Airbus A319
06:20
Jiangbei International Airport T2B
08:55
Nyingchi Mainling Airport
2h 35m SMTWTFS Airbus A319

Nyingchi to Chongqing Flights Timetable

Flight No. Departure Arrival Duration Frequency Plane
09:50
Nyingchi Mainling Airport
11:5512:30
Jiangbei International Airport T2B
2h 5m SMTWTFS Airbus A319
10:40
Nyingchi Mainling Airport
12:50
Jiangbei International Airport T2A
2h 10m SMTWTFS Airbus A319

Chongqing - Qamdo

The dreamlike Ranwu Lake and masses of ancient cultural relics in Qamdo region are worth seeing. It’s just two hours’ navigation from Chongqing to Pearl of East Tibet, Qamdo Bamdo Airport ( BPX-昌都邦达机场, elevation:4334m). There is only one daily flight flying between Qamdo and Chongqing, executed by Tibet Airlines.

Though this route is the least one, it is the cheapest one compared with Lhasa and Nyingchi for its shortest distance with Chongqing. Both the back and forth flights are in the morning, later you can transfer to Lhasa and other destinations, or end your Tibet visit in Qamdo and fly back to Chongqing for inland China tour.

Chongqing Lhasa Flights
Tibet Airplane in Qamdo Airport

Chongqing to Qamdo Flight Timetable

Flight No. Departure Arrival Duration Frequency Plane
07:15
Jiangbei International Airport T2B
09:25
Qamdo Bamdo Airport
2h 10m SMTWTFS Airbus A319

Qamdo to Chongqing Flight Timetable

Flight No. Departure Arrival Duration Frequency Plane Ticket
10:05
Qamdo Bamdo Airport
11:50
Jiangbei International Airport T2B
2h 10m SMTWTFS Airbus A319

Tibet Travel Permit and Flight Travel

A Tibet Travel Permit is the MUST-DOCUMENT to take a flight to Tibet. It is firstly needed to book flight at the airport. When you check in and check out the airports, the original Tibet Travel Permit also will be checked. Please remember to duplicate at least 3 copies of Tibet Travel Permit because the permits are required for many occasions. The permit can only be issued in Tibet by the Tibet Tourism Bureau, and also can be only applied by travel agency behalf of travelers. It needs about 15~20 days to obtain the permit.

How to Apply for Tibet Travel Permit

1. Contact us to work out and confirm an itinerary in Tibet;

2. Send us the scanned copies of your passport, and provide an available address in China (hotel or local agency) to receive your permit;

3. We apply for the Tibet Travel Permit from Tibet Tourism Bureau in Lhasa;

4. Once the permit is issued, we will send the original permit to you by post.

> Learn more detail about Tibet Travel Permit Application

Chongqing Lhasa Flights
Tibet Travel Permit

Useful Notes on Tibet Flight Travel

1. Necessary documents required to take a flight to/off Tibet

- Chinese visa is always needed no matter you are taking a flight or a train to Tibet. The office man in the airport will check your Chinese visa when your go to board the plane.

- The passport will be needed for many situations: booking flight ticket, checking in flight, checking in hotel, checking in the Border Station in Tibet, etc. Make sure your passport is valid and original.

- Original Tibet Travel Permit will be checked when you board your plane at the airports.

2. How to book flight ticket?

The flight ticket can be booked at online websites, such as Booking.com, Expedia, Ctrip, Qunar, etc. You can also buy the ticket from the airports in China or flight resellers. You are also welcomed to let us book your flight. We are always keeping up with the latest flight news and usually can book the ticket at a cheaper price. During summer and autumn, it is usually difficult to book the flights to Lhasa. While using our booking service, we will not only book the ticket, but also arrange a valuable tour package.

3. When is the best time to fly to Tibet?

Generally speaking, months from April to October are recommended for traveling in Tibet. Other months are usually very cold, and possibly have heavy snow, especially in regions like Mount Everest, Mount Kailash, Namtso Lake, etc. The flights schedules are also more frequent during April to October. During December to March, the airline companies will cut down the flight schedules, usually from daily weekly, even to none. But top cities like Chengdu and Xian still operate daily flights during the shoulder season. It is recommended to take the morning flight so that you can get to Lhasa before late afternoon, and have enough time to acclimatize yourself to the altitude and thin air in Lhasa. The morning flights also cut down the risk that your flights would be delayed or canceled.

4. Apart from Chongqing, where can I also take a flight to Tibet?

Apart from Chongqing, you can also fly to Tibet from Chengdu, Beijing, Shanghai, Xian, Kunming, Shangri-La, etc.

5. International flights to Lhasa

So far, there is only one international air line connecting Lhasa: Kathmandu – Lhasa. During summer days, there are daily direct flights operated, sometimes two flights and sometimes just one flight. Only Air China and Sichuan Airlines are operating the Kathmandu - Lhasa flights. To take a flight from Kathmandu to Lhasa, one will need a Group Visa, Tibet Travel Permit and Tibet Border Pass.

6. What else airports I can fly to except for Lhasa Gonggar International Airport?

Tibet has five airports in total. Besides Lhasa Gonggar Airport, you can also take a flight to Shigatse, Nyingchi, Ngari and Qamdo. But only certain cities in China operate flights to these smaller cities.

- Shigatse - there is daily flight flying between Chengdu and Shigatse each day. The airport name is Shigatse Peace Airport, which is about 46km from Shigatse city.

- Nyingchi - Chengdu usually offers 4 morning flights to Nyingchi Mainling Airport. While its neighboring city Chongqing also has 3 morning flights to Nyingchi each day. If you travel from Nyingchi to Lhasa, you are recommended to take a flight to Nyingchi firstly from Chengdu or Chongqing. It is also available to fly out Tibet directly from Nyingchi.

- Qamdo - Both Chongqing and Chengdu operate a daily flight to Qamdo in Tibet. But there are few travelers have chosen this line because Qamdo is not a popular tourist destination in Tibet.

- Ngari - Urumqi (capital of Xinjiang) offers a daily direct flight to Ngari with a stop at Kashgar on every Tuesday and Friday. Taking this flight, passengers need Military Permit and Border Pass as well as Tibet Travel Permit.

7. The regulation on the luggage allowance on the plane

Luggage TypeFirst ClassBusiness ClassEconomy ClassAllowed Baggage Size
Allowed Carry-on Baggage 5kg * 2 pieces 5kg 5kg 55cm/20cm/40cm(L/B/H)
Allowed Checked-in Baggage 40kg 30kg 20kg 100cm/60cm/40cm(L/B/H)

8. Will my kids get a discounted flight ticket?

Kids aging 2 to 12 years old (including 12) will get a discount of 50% of the full price of the flight fare. If an adult take a flight to Lhasa from Beijing with a child aging at 10 and the full price for the economy class is 3260 CNY, the ticket fare for the child is 1630 CNY. The child also doesn’t have to pay for Airport Construction Fee while the adult has to. Infant under 2 years old only has to pay 10% of the full price, but the separate seat is not provided.

9. How do I collect (receive) the flight ticket?

Since most flight tickets are booked online, so firstly you will receive an e-ticket. You will change a paper ticket when you checking in your flight at a counter in the airport.