Hi Everyone,

I have a PEK-NRT flight on JL leaving at 3:20pm, however I have to get to Beijing that day from Shanghai. I see that Air China and China Southern both offer pretty frequent flights between the cities, so it looks like there are many options to choose from.

I am hoping the group's experience can help me with a few questions:

1. Is there any appreciable difference between the two airlines? From what I've read, both seem fine for a quick trip like Shanghai-Beijing.

2. Does either airline interline luggage with JL? It would be a big perk to not have to re-check luggage.

3. How much time should I expect to need once I land? As my flight isn't until 3:20, I didn't know if I'd need to be there at say, noon, or perhaps later (1pm?).

4. This may be a newbie question, but I assume I'll have to clear customs when leaving China - is this a slow process?

Thanks very much for your help!
Phipps

It's immigration, not customs, but it is relatively rapid. They just look for your visa, take the half of the card you filled out on arrival (they have extras, so the "delay" that is threatened should be pretty minimal), and stamp your passport, boarding pass, etc. a bunch of times. 10-15 minutes.

I haven't transferred outbound at Beijing, so can't answer the rest, but I haven't encountered departure delays. 2 hours seemed ample.

First of all, you should try to catch a JL flight between Shanghai and Narita. Chances are, the change/refund fee will be comparable to the price of a ticket to PEK.

Failing that, you should try to book CA or FM because both use T3 in PEK (same as JL).

Lastly, consider an overnight in Beijing.

Thanks for the replies!

I really wanted the PVG-NRT flight, however when I tried to book it there was no award availability.

My plan now is to take a late night flight on Air China from PVG the night before, then stay at the Crowne Plaza by the airport. I'll then take an earlier JL flight around 8:30am, so I will have more time in Tokyo.

Sort of an odd routing, but the best I can come up with.

If I were you, I'd stick with the afternoon flight to NRT (better food, if nothing else) and fly into PEK a bit earlier on the preceding day. This will give you a full evening and half a day in Beijing, which is well worth the effort. BTW, if you're not connecting immediately out of T3, my recommendation shifts to the T1/2 airlines: MU, CZ, HU. T2 is much easier to escape and is only one stop away from Sanyuan Qiao on the train (on the way to the airport, T3 is the first stop).

I'd also advocate for either the day-before or night-before flight to PEK to lessen stress. Not sure if you are flying anytime soon, but the delays getting into and out of PEK are this summer getting intolerable--more so than usual--and everybody is frustrated and complaining. It's not due to weather, it's due to PEK air traffic control. Seems like most flights are getting delayed between 1 and 2 hours or longer. Usually domestic flights are ground stopped at their originating airport. Be cognizant of this when scheduling connections at PEK, esp domestic to PEK to international outbound.

Are you sure that the PLA isn't doing its regular summer exercises on the PEK-SHA and PEK-HKG routes? (PEK ATC actually wants flights to operate on schedule.)

Hi Phipps,
Good luck~

A contentious topic around here.

Sorry, should've said CA is the best carrier I've experienced on SHA-PEK route...I mean, nice FA's and a meal instead of some packaged dried fish and peanut mix, and you know, willling to speak English.

Thanks for all of the responses, I really appreciate them!

I ended up with Air China in biz class - had the best fit with my schedule/timing. I land in T2 (I believe), however I'll be spending the night at the Crowne Plaza at the airport, then leaving the next day. So I think the interline/terminal transfer issues should be solved!

I am curious to see PEK though, from the pictures/articles I've read it sounds pretty wild.

It is unlikely that your CA flight will arrive at T2 instead of T3.

Unlikely is an understatement.... I'll start the betting at 100,000:1.