Xining Caojiabao Airport is the closest airport to Lhasa and offers several direct flights to Tibet every day as well as several connecting flights, making it one of the best choices to fly to Xizang. At an altitude of 2,275 m, Xining is conducive for tourists to adapt to the high-altitude plateau environment. Therefore, it is recommended that you visit Xining for a few days before taking a flight to Lhasa (3,650 m), which will enable you to better acclimatize to the high altitude of Tibet and alleviate the discomfort caused by altitude sickness.

1. Xining Caojiabao International Airport

Xining Caojiabao International Airport is located 28 km away from Xining City in Mutual Assistance County, Gaozhai Town. It is convenient to take taxi or airport bus from Xining city center.

Airport Shuttle Bus - a convenient way

You can use WeChat to search for the mini program "Western Airport Passenger Service":

Step1. Open it and select "Enable Now" to register your identity information.
Step2. After completing the authentication, if the upper left corner is not the city where you need to buy tickets, you can switch.
Step3. After selecting the city, click on the "airport bus" and the place of arrival to buy can be selected. If you are traveling with more than one person, it is recommended that you add passenger information in advance to facilitate the purchase of tickets.
Step4. Confirm your information and select the bottom ”I agree to pay the money” to purchase tickets successfully.
Step5. You can select "My Tickets" in "Airport Bus" on the homepage to check the recent ticket purchasing status.

There are four buses from the city to Caojiabao Airport, running at roughly the same time. It takes about 40 minutes to take the bus from downtown to Caoxian Jiabao Airport. Regarding the ticket price, the adult ticket is a unified ticket price at all stations, and the adult ticket is 3.3USD. Children's tickets are uniformly priced at all stations at $2 for children from 1.2 meters to 1.5 meters, and children under 1.2 meters are free of charge. Each adult can only carry one child less than 1.20 meters tall on the bus. If you are carrying two children of 1.2 meters, one of them may need to buy a child ticket.

Xining Bus Terminal at Railway Station:
Departure time: 07:30 ~ 18:30
Frequency: every 1 hour
Departure location: Railway Station Bus Terminal (No. 8, No. 9 ticket gate)

Triangle Garden Station on Changjiang Road:
Departure time: the first shift is 05:30, the second shift is 07:00, and after that, the bus departs every 1 hour till 19:00.
Departure position: at the crosswalk of Triangle Garden on Changjiang Road (20 meters northwest of the Taxation Bureau of Chengzhong District)

Fuli Wanda Mandarin Hotel Station:
Departure time: 08:00 - 17:00
Frequency: every 90 minutes
Departure Location: In front of Fuli Wanda Mandarin Hotel

Sofitel Hotel Station:
Departure time: 8:00 - 17:00
Frequency: every 1 hour
Departure position: in front of Sofitel Hotel Apartment (20 meters east of the main entrance of the hotel)

A taxi ride - a feasible option

From the city center of Xining, you can get a cab to Xining Caojiabao International Airport.It takes 30 to 40 minutes, and the taxi fee can be between 15 and 20 USD. You might also be looking at a ride-hailing application such as DiDi, which provides lower, more transparent pricing, GPS tracking, and more options for cars.

2. Lhasa Gonggar Airport

Lhasa Gonggar Airport (IATA: LXA, ICAO: ZULS) is situated in the town of Kadzhulin, Gonggar County, Shannan Region, Tibet Autonomous Region. With an altitude of 3,600 meters, it is one of the highest civil airports in the world. Located on the south bank of the Yarlung Tsangpo River, Gonggar Airport encompasses a relatively limited area, with a comparatively limited number of flights to destinations across the country. It has a single entrance and a single arrival gate. This structure ensures that tourists will not encounter difficulties in locating their tours.

3. Xining Lhasa Flights

Compared with the scenic Qinghai Tibet train ride, the Xining Lhasa flight offers you a shorter and more comfortable travel experience to Tibet. Lhasa, Tibet's capital and biggest city, is famous for being its spiritual center. Sit at 3,650 meters, the city is bathed in the sun. It has more than 13 centuries of history, and there are a lot of cultural and historic sites waiting to be explored.

Xining to Lhasa Flight Schedule and Price

There are two daily flights from Xining to Lhasa, with departure times usually at 12:00 a.m and 1:10 p.m. The other two departures are every other day at 6:45 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. respectively. Economy class fares are usually around $132 and first class fares are usually 236 USD. The flight distance is 1,558 kilometers and usually takes 2 hours and 20 minutes.

Lhasa to Xining Flight Schedule and Price

There are 2 daily flights from Lhasa to Xining, usually departing at 4:25 p.m. and 7:55p.m. The other 3 flights are every other day, departing at 10:00 a.m. and 3:55 p.m. Prices vary by time of day, with economy class fares usually ranging from $171 and first class fares are $236. The flight distance is 1,558 kilometers and usually takes 2 hours.

4. Travel Documents for Flying from Xining to Lhasa

Foreign Tourists to visit Tibet shall bring a valid passport, Chinese Visa, and Tibet Travel Permit. When you get boarding passes, go through security check, and board the flight, the airport staff will check those travel document.
Residents from Hong Kong and Macao to travel Tibet shall take their Home Return Permit.
Residents from Taiwan to explore Tibet shall carry their Taiwan Compatriot Card and Tibet Travel Permit.

5. Faqs on Traveling to Lhasa from Xining by Air

a. How to book my Xining to Lhasa flight ticket?

Tourists can buy air ticket via the official websites of airlines or through third-party vendors such as Ctrip, Qunar, and Fliggy. Additionally, Tibet Horizon offers Xining Lhasa flight ticket booking service. It is highly recommended that air tickets be purchased approximately one month in advance, as this allows for the most optimal pricing.

b. How about the baggage check-in requirements for Xining Lhasa flight?

Normally, the permitted weight of free carry-on baggage is 10 kg in first class and 5 kg in both business and economy class. The dimensions of a single item may not exceed 20 cm (width), 40 cm (height) and 55 cm (length). For free checked baggage, the permitted weight is 40kg in First Class, 30kg in Business Class and 20kg in Economy Class. The dimensions of individual items should not exceed 60cm (width), 100cm (length) and 40cm (height). Please remember to keep away from any prohibited items such as batteries, paints, gasoline, powders and liquids.

c. How to board Xining to Lhasa flight?

Once a ticket has been purchased, either online or on-site, the next step is to proceed to the designated counter, as indicated on the ticket. During this period, you shall present your Tibet Travel Permit with your ticket. Should you have luggage that needs checking in, you may do so during this period. It should be noted that domestic check-in counters will close 45 minutes before takeoff. Therefore, to ensure a timely check-in, it is advisable to arrive at the airport at least 50 minutes in advance. Additionally, the ticket information will typically indicate the weight limit for checked baggage on flights. If your baggage exceeds this limit, you shall pay an overweight fee.

The next step is the personal security check and the border clearance. Once you have your boarding pass, you can head to the security checkpoint for inspection. Electronics such as cell phones, rechargeable batteries, computers, etc. need to be taken out separately, and jackets need to be removed. Different airports will also ask for hats, shoes, and watches to be taken off. It’s not allowed to bring more than 100 milliliters of liquids on an airplane, and flammable and explosive items such as lighters shall also be taken away. If you want to bring liquids such as lotion, you can choose to check.

Then it's time to find your gate and board according to your boarding pass. It is also important to keep an eye on airport announcements and airport TV, as sometimes there are temporary gate changes and delayed boarding of planes. Once you have boarded and taken your seat, please follow the flight crew's instructions for flight cooperation. This is where the perfect journey begins.

d. How to get to my hotel from Lhasa Gonggar Airport?

Upon reaching Lhasa Gonggar Airport, please follow the directions to the baggage claim area to retrieve your checked luggage. If you choose Tibet Horizon, our tour guide and driver will meet you in the hall on time, holding a sign with your name. Then you’ll be transferred to your hotel downtown by the experienced driver. It only takes less than an hour through the Airport Expressway to your hotel. After arriving at the hotel, our tour guide will help you check in. You can have a good rest to get used to the altitude.

Tourists arrive at Lhasa Gonggar Airport.

6. Conclusion

Xining Tibet flight travel guide provides detailed information on how to fly from Xining to Lhasa, covering airport traffic, flight schedule, ticket prices, travel documents, luggage policies, and boarding procedures. All of these are designed to help you get a smooth, trouble-free trip to Tibet from Xining. Following the above steps, you will be able to travel from Xining to Lhasa by plane without any effort. Have a pleasant trip!