Can I remain in transit at PEK?
Jan 30, 2015, 6:07 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Cayman, San Diego, London
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold, AA 4MM Lifetime Platinum, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond Amb, Bonvoy Lifetime Gold
Posts: 1,054
Can I remain in transit at PEK?
I need to do some short-haul mileage runs from HKG. HND and PEK would appear to be the only destinations that guarantee F.
HND is easy. Get off the plane, proceed through in transit security and back to the gate.
Does anyone have experience of doing this at Beijing (PEK)? Is it as easy as HND, i.e. no need to deal with immigration issues, visas, etc
HND is easy. Get off the plane, proceed through in transit security and back to the gate.
Does anyone have experience of doing this at Beijing (PEK)? Is it as easy as HND, i.e. no need to deal with immigration issues, visas, etc
Jan 31, 2015, 12:59 am
#3
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Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,012
Definitely need a visa unless in transit or hold a passport that doesn't require visas to visit China (e.g. Japan) or another exempting document such as APEC/hrp.
Jan 31, 2015, 3:01 am
#5
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: HKG
Programs: CX DM, SPG Pt, Le Club Accor GO, Shangri-La GC Jade
Posts: 1,327
Based on my observation in PEK (either no one (including staff) at the transit counter, or an extremely long queue with just two staff there, and just limited number (2?) of transfer desk) I won't do MR at PEK...
Why not do HND and then go out for a walk?
p.s. It's the first time I heard someone do MR in F....
Why not do HND and then go out for a walk?
p.s. It's the first time I heard someone do MR in F....
Jan 31, 2015, 3:09 am
#6
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Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,012
ETA: The OP might not have to go out to the departures lobby and back again, but will certainly require valid travel documents to ENTER China in order to fly in the first place.
Last edited by moondog; Jan 31, 2015 at 3:52 am
Jan 31, 2015, 3:59 pm
#7
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Jan 31, 2015, 6:32 pm
#8
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Beijing
Posts: 349
No need for a visa, if stay in Beijing is less than 72hrs. If you already have the onward ticket (or return in your case, then you will be fine)
read more here: http://www.travelchinaguide.com/emba...a/free-72hour/
read more here: http://www.travelchinaguide.com/emba...a/free-72hour/
Jan 31, 2015, 7:05 pm
#9
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Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,012
No need for a visa, if stay in Beijing is less than 72hrs. If you already have the onward ticket (or return in your case, then you will be fine)
read more here: http://www.travelchinaguide.com/emba...a/free-72hour/
read more here: http://www.travelchinaguide.com/emba...a/free-72hour/
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/china...er-thread.html
Feb 1, 2015, 12:45 am
#10
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 755
in case OP isnt aware of, F to PEK on KA is the same as J on CX unless you are on the CX metal to PEK. The possible combination for turnaround is CX390 CX391 which arrives at 12:15 and departs at 13:30. I am not sure if there is sufficient time for "transit".
Another consideration is that the HND lounge is significantly better than the PEK lounge
Another consideration is that the HND lounge is significantly better than the PEK lounge
Feb 2, 2015, 1:05 am
#11
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: HKG
Programs: MPC, Marriott, Hyatt
Posts: 407
Ah, I see. I've never used the 72 hour visa for China, but I just thought it was a valid visa as long as you had an outbound ticket within 72 hours (rather than just a transit visa so you must be stopping in a mainland city on your way somewhere else).
Feb 2, 2015, 1:54 am
#12
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Location: Shanghai
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24 hour TWOV is a bit more lenient (i.e. can come and go from different cities), but the third country requirement still holds (so HKG-PEK-HKG could never work though HKG-PEK-MFM is fine).
Feb 2, 2015, 9:41 am
#13
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Saint Andrews, Scotland
Posts: 53
I flew HKG-PEK-MUC about two years ago and I did not have to enter China. There is an immigration check for transferring passengers, which is not always staffed. The last time I transferred in PEK I had to wait a while for an officer to come. Security checks for transferring passengers is separate from that for departing passengers, so no long lines there. All in all a not unpleasant experience. Shopping in the airport is very limited and one can only use the wifi after registering with one's passport. Not the best transfer airport I have been in, but not the worse either.
Feb 2, 2015, 10:11 am
#14
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: HKG
Posts: 1,505
I tried international to international transit at PEK before and would not recommend it. The immigration counters for transit passengers are not always staffed and it may take a while to get through to the transit security check. By then, it should be a breeze but why go through the stress?
Feb 3, 2015, 7:23 pm
#15
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Please read carefully, all! A return ticket does NOT meet the criteria for visa free transit in China. The "onward" segment must go directly (as in nonstop) to a 3rd country.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/china...er-thread.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/china...er-thread.html