Originally Posted by
Jonesdds
thanks tb!
yes Visa in hand.
Chinese options preferred over Western option. Can see getting to GW between 9 and 10 on my day of departure on a Saturday upcoming, spending 3-4 hrs max then to airport, leaving a bag with the driver. Puts me at airport between 14-15:00 before my 17:20 flight. AA flights all depart T2?
CA lounge? Cathay Pacific? EXP with AA, hopefully my SWU clears for inbound like outbound did but check in easier no matter.
1/2 Duck reserved already at Made in China, made sense to stay in house for that. Arrival night playing by ear, interested in recommendations nearby my hotel if not other restaurants in my hotel.
In an earlier post you didn't sound too adventurous wrt Beijing Duck: which is the least adventurous food item in Beijing. As such, it's possible that eating at the GW may be "a little" challenging. I wouldn't worry about it: just play it by ear. Prices will be extremely reasonable. I think fitting in Mutianyu on your departure day makes perfect sense and you will have plenty of time assuming you leave the hotel at a decent time.
As EXP you will be fine wrt lines for check-in etc. There's no status-based security fast-track, but T2 is generally fine anyway. The lounge is an Air China lounge: it's nothing special, but better than the average Chinese lounge.
For your first day/ arrival, I recommend walking to Tian'anmen in the afternoon and around Wangfujing in the evening if you're not too tired, but not much more than that. You'll then have a couple of days to plan out the rest of your visit. Enjoy!
tb