Originally Posted by
AlanInDC
Hi. I have a question about an international-domestic connection. I'll be arriving on UA 807 into PEK at 15:40 and departing on Air China 1309 at 18:00 for Guangzhou. Obviously, I'll be entering China here, so customs and immigration. I think I need to pick up checked bag and re-check, right? I presume this is a reasonable connection, but thought I'd ask. I'm star gold and travelling business on UA and first on Air China, if that matters (any preferential immigration/customs lanes?). Any other advice re: lounges, etc.? UA 807 arrived at E51 yesterday.
I think you will arrive at T3E and depart at T3C, but I suggest you check. As long as you are departing in T3, I think you have enough time. As I pass through immigration as a Chinese national, I could only observe what happened to the foreigners' side. That line is sometimes long and slow. I think there is a ABTC lane, but I never get to use my ABTC card in China.
If I haven't mixed up the PEK terminals, CA has at least a business and a first lounge next to each other. When I was there last time, I was with two colleagues. Colleague A used his priority pass card to get into the first lounge. I used my CA Gold to guest Colleague B into CA business lounge. Colleague A came back to join us, but the business lounge was so packed we couldn't even find two adjacent empty seats. I ended up leaving Colleague B in the business lounge, and joined Colleague A in the first lounge (I also have priority pass). The first lounge was busy, but not as bad as the business lounge. The lounges were just crowded.