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Connecting / airport transit inside PEK Beijing Capital

Old Mar 12, 2017, 2:05 pm
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Connecting / airport transit inside PEK Beijing Capital

Old Apr 19, 2016, 1:41 pm
  #406  
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Welcome to FT, vtski!

I'll attempt to spare you of "lingo" in this post, but the lingo you see here honestly isn't that hard to decipher (e.g. if you see an airline code that you don't recognize, simply plug it into Google).

1. Your plan seems okay to me, as outlined, but if pulling off the return without hassle is a top priority, you might want to consider an overnight connection; this would have the added benefit of giving you a chance to see Beijing

2. But, Air China has two flights to Los Angeles, so if the 9p doesn't work out, they would protect you on their afternoon flight the following day

3. On the outbound, you would need to clear customs in Beijing, which necessitates picking up your bags

4. Business class doesn't entitle you to many special favors in either direction

5. Following are better routes between Los Angeles and Guangzhou
-China Southern (NONSTOP)
-Eva or China Airlines via Taipei
-Korean via Seoul
-Cathay Pacific via Hong Kong, though the return portion of this is a little dangerous if you fancy a reasonable connection

In closing, I want to reiterate that your original plan seems reasonably sound to me; just don't bet the farm on pulling off the return because if you happen to experience an 8 hour delay on Guangzhou Beijing, you will obviously miss the 9p flight from Beijing to Los Angeles.
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Old Apr 19, 2016, 2:04 pm
  #407  
 
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Originally Posted by vtski009
1. If I'm flying Air China straight through will I need to recheck bags both inbound and outbound journeys?
2. Are the signs clear for queuing at all the checkpoints?
3. Any perks or advances in queues due to having the business visa and/or flying business class?
Welcome to FT!

1a. On the outbound LAX-PEK-CAN, you will need to claim your checked luggage at PEK. After clearing immigration, take the train from T3-E to the baggage carousels. As you enter the baggage hall, look to your left and slightly behind you. There is a corridor leading to "domestic connections." Go there after claiming your luggage. If you exit customs the other way, you will be in the arrivals hall. This then means that you will need to find the check-in desks for domestic flights upstairs. It's a hassle, but not a major one, because either way, you still need to go through security screening in the same general area of T3-C.

1b. On the return, you can check your luggage all the way back to LAX. At PEK, your flight will come into either T3-C, T3-D, or a remote pad. Whichever way, follow signs for "international connections," and eventually you will be funneled to the immigration hall underneath T3-E.

2. Signage at PEK is excellent.

3. Other than the diplomatic level, IIRC there are no special queues for business visa holders and certainly not people traveling business class.

IMO, many of the horror stories about PEK stem delays that expose the shortcomings of interlining between two airlines. Those are minimized when you are traveling on one airline, and especially CA, since PEK is its major base and has ample resources, such as staffing and other facilities, for service recovery. Good luck!

Last edited by sinoflyer; Apr 19, 2016 at 2:11 pm Reason: emphasis
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Old Apr 20, 2016, 10:45 am
  #408  
 
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Originally Posted by qpr
If you transit through PEK by CA they will check through your bags in both ways (I think you are on 1 ticket?).
yes, qpr, it's on 1 ticket. thanks

Originally Posted by moondog
Welcome to FT, vtski!

5. Following are better routes between Los Angeles and Guangzhou
-China Southern (NONSTOP)
-Eva or China Airlines via Taipei
-Korean via Seoul
-Cathay Pacific via Hong Kong, though the return portion of this is a little dangerous if you fancy a reasonable connection
Thanks for the welcome and all the info, Moondog. I would prefer to take the CP LAX-HK direct a but since it's business I have to be mindful of the cost. On CP I would be limited to Premium Econ. so I have always opted for business with a connection. I definitely want to try the China Southern direct route next time. I guess at this point I would probably have accumulated miles to get upgrades on CP but I would want to save those for personal trips!

Originally Posted by sinoflyer
Welcome to FT!

IMO, many of the horror stories about PEK stem delays that expose the shortcomings of interlining between two airlines. Those are minimized when you are traveling on one airline, and especially CA, since PEK is its major base and has ample resources, such as staffing and other facilities, for service recovery. Good luck!
Sinoflyer, thanks for the welcome! The airport details you provided is very helpful, thank you. Glad that I am booked through on 1 ticket.
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Old Apr 22, 2016, 11:23 am
  #409  
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Originally Posted by sinoflyer
Welcome to FT!

1a. On the outbound LAX-PEK-CAN, you will need to claim your checked luggage at PEK.
Theres no need to claim the baggage.

https://www.airchina.us/US/GB/info/b...check-through/
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Old Nov 3, 2016, 7:27 am
  #410  
 
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I am thinking of booking a ord-pek-icn where ord-pek is on AA (arrives in T3) and pek-icn is on KE (T2).

Would 2 hours be enough to do this transfer? Thank you for your opinions.
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Old Nov 3, 2016, 8:36 am
  #411  
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Originally Posted by lovexylitol
I am thinking of booking a ord-pek-icn where ord-pek is on AA (arrives in T3) and pek-icn is on KE (T2).

Would 2 hours be enough to do this transfer? Thank you for your opinions.
No. Use CA or OZ for PEK-ICN, and you should be okay though.
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Old Nov 3, 2016, 9:35 am
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I am looking at ORD-PEK-BKK on HU. They have a good business class fare (just under $2100 rt ai).

It involves a 90 minute connection at PEK but at T2 and not T3 according to my research. Is the correct and if so is it doable?
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Old Nov 3, 2016, 10:03 am
  #413  
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Originally Posted by cheltzel
I am looking at ORD-PEK-BKK on HU. They have a good business class fare (just under $2100 rt ai).

It involves a 90 minute connection at PEK but at T2 and not T3 according to my research. Is the correct and if so is it doable?
Yea. That's doable.
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Old Nov 3, 2016, 10:14 am
  #414  
 
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Originally Posted by moondog
No. Use CA or OZ for PEK-ICN, and you should be okay though.
Thanks!

I have done T3-T3 connections before, thus was willing to do that. However was dubious on the T3-T2 connection. Looks likes OZ or CA will be the way I will be going!
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Old Nov 3, 2016, 10:24 am
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Originally Posted by moondog
Yea. That's doable.
I was looking at T2. Looks like a pretty small place (especially as compared to T3).
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Old Nov 4, 2016, 3:25 am
  #416  
 
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Connections in PEK on same ticket, same airline (and obviously thus same terminal) aren't much of a problem in general. I'd plan a bit extra time (not just the MCT) as obviously there are more pleasant airports to get stuck, but if there isn't really any other option available, it's something I'd pick without too much worry.
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Old Nov 4, 2016, 4:55 pm
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Originally Posted by YuropFlyer
Connections in PEK on same ticket, same airline (and obviously thus same terminal) aren't much of a problem in general. I'd plan a bit extra time (not just the MCT) as obviously there are more pleasant airports to get stuck, but if there isn't really any other option available, it's something I'd pick without too much worry.
Same airline does not always mean the same terminal, but if on the same ticket, I think the passenger should be protected.

T3 is totally out of the way from T2 and T1. If there is no airside transfer (I don't know if there is), it is very time-consuming passing through immigration twice and security once and travel between the terminals several km apart.
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Old Nov 4, 2016, 5:18 pm
  #418  
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Originally Posted by cxfan1960
Same airline does not always mean the same terminal, but if on the same ticket, I think the passenger should be protected
Only HU uses more than one terminal (T1 isn't set up for international operations at present).
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Old Nov 5, 2016, 1:34 pm
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Originally Posted by cxfan1960
Same airline does not always mean the same terminal, but if on the same ticket, I think the passenger should be protected.

T3 is totally out of the way from T2 and T1. If there is no airside transfer (I don't know if there is), it is very time-consuming passing through immigration twice and security once and travel between the terminals several km apart.
As moondog said already - only HU has two-terminal operations, and that's T1+T2, the ones which are connected next to each other.
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Old Dec 20, 2016, 10:15 am
  #420  
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Which lounge is closest to where TG-615 usually departs from PEK to BKK?

Thanks!
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