Chinese carrier Capital Airlines, a subsidiary of Skytrax-5-star company Hainan Airlines, begins its nonstop service from Lisbon to Xi’an in August 2019. They offer economy and business class tickets for their three inaugral flights at greatly reduced prices. Economy fares start at €398 and include a checked bag up to 23 kg. Business Class flights are as cheap as €1,330 for a roundtrip to China. A unique chance to visit the famous Terracotta Army on a rare nonstop flight from southern Europe.
Capital Airlines sends one of its eleven Airbus A330 from Xi’an to Lisbon. All planes are reasonably new, as the oldest was delivered in 2015. They feature a 2-4-2 seating in economy and 2-2-2 in business class with lief-flat-seats. Their business class hard product is compareable to parent company Hainan Airlines.
Search & Book
This offer is set to expire on September 4, 2019, but is already running out of availability. It covers all flights between the inaugral service on August 30, 2019 up until September 5, 2019. While fare rules mention no minimum stay, your maximum stay may not exceed six months.
Google Flights doesn’t give away flight dates. Since the offer covers a small period, we’ve listed all possible departure dates for you:
- August 30
- September 1
- September 4 (starts at €425)
Information & Tips for China
China is the most populous and the third largest country in the world, so naturally, there is a lot to see. The most touristically important cities are the capital of China, Beijing and the financial and trade center Shanghai.
Best Time to Travel
Since the country is vast and extends over several climate zones, there is no best travel time for China. China is connected to Europe through numerous direct flights and the travel time is about 11-13 hours. Flights to China can be found for less than 400€ throughout the year, and there are also often excellent Business Class fares.
A general advice is that travel should be avoided during the Chinese national holidays, which span over the first two weeks of October. During these time tourist destinations are overcrowded with Chinese tourists on their domestic vacation.
Visa for China
Most European citizens will need a visa to enter China.
You can apply for a tourist visa at a Visa Application Service Center (CVASC) in your country. There you’ll hand in your visa application personally and can pick it up again after a few days. There is no faster and cheaper way.
Alternatively, you can apply for a visa by mail. The processing time will be up to two weeks, and you’ll have to pay for extra for shipping.
There are also so-called Visa services available that sometimes offer a faster (and maybe even cheaper) way to get your Visa. Check local sites to find out more.
→ All Dealz for China
Information & Tips for Xi’An
No city has been China’s capital for a longer time than Xi’an – or its predecessor Chang’an. Beginning with the first emperor Qin Shihuang, over a thousand years China has been governed from this secure place in the midst of a mountain range. Said first emperor gave the city its greatest attraction, the marvelous Terracotta Army. But Xi’an has a lot more to offer than soldiers made of clay. It is one of the culturally most diverse cities in the country, being home to many Hui, an ethnicy of Chinese Muslims.
Best time to travel
Xi’an is subject to extreme climate conditions. The summers are usually hot and humid, while winters can get unpleasently cold. In April, May, September and October, temperatures are pleasant and percepation is low. Please be awara that during the Chinese National Holidays (usually the first two weeks of October) the city is overcrowded with Chinese tourists. If possible, you should avoid the city during this time frame.
From the airport to the city
Xi’an Xianyang International Airport lies 41 km outside of Xi’an’s city centre. It has yet to receive a metro connection to the city. Until then, a large number of buses operate services to different parts of the city. A oneway ticket costs 25 RMB (around €3) and trips can take up to 2 hours, but are usually 60 minutes or shorter, depending on your destination. A taxiride downtown will take about 45 minutes. The fare should be around 120 RMB (approx. €15).
→ All Dealz for Xi’An
Cover Picture: Thanks to pixabay user artemtation