Star Alliance carrier SAS is offering cheap fares from Oslo to Beijing right now. Prices for a return flight from Europe to China start around €280 (~NOK 3,295). The fare includes one piece of checked baggage of up to 23kg per passenger.
The connecting flight will be operated by SAS’ Airbus A321. The long-haul flight will either be operated by an Airbus A330 or A340. Some of the connections (after January) show a long-haul flight operated by an Airbus A350-900. SAS recently ordered 8 Airbus A350 which will be delivered in 2020. Therefore, if you are lucky, you can experience SAS’ new cabin!
Search & Book
The fare rules state a minimum stay requirement of 6 days or a night from Saturday to Sunday. Travel has to commence between January 8 and June 10, 2020. There is no maximum stay requirement but the latest back flight as part of this offer can be June 13th, 2020. The deal expires December 2, 2019. Availability is great from January through June!
You can find these fares via Google Flights (instructions). You can then either book directly at SAS for a few bucks more, or use our Travel-Dealz search for the cheapest online travel agent rates.
Mileage
The tickets are issued in booking class T. If you are collecting with Aegean Miles+Bonus, you can get these flights credited at 100% which is definitely a sweet spot in that program! Here is the overall accrual with these flights in various programs (unfortunately Aegean Miles+Bonus credit is not shown here but according to the Aegean website it definitely credits at 100%):
- 4,662 Award Miles + 774 PQP on United MileagePlus
- 2,670 Award Miles + 50 Tier Points on Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
- 2,420 Miles on Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles
- 2,420 Award Miles + 160 Points on Miles&More
- 650 Extra Points + 600 Basic Points on SAS EuroBonus
Hotels
The standard of hotels in China is definitely lower than in Europe. Checking reviews and comparing prices and the level of standard is therefore essential. We would recommend using booking.com for that:
When finally booking, maybe one of our hotel vouchers ma be useful too:
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 Beijing
China’s capital Beijing is full of historically and contemporary important buildings. Most of them concentrate arround Tian’anmen square – which is sorrounded by government buildings and the entrance to the Forbidden City, the palace that hosted China’s emperors for more than 500 years. Beijing itself is full of attraction that take weeks to discover, but the fun doesn’t end there. Just a 90-minute bus ride away is The Great Wall at Badaling, the best known section of the Great Wall of China.
The Best Time to Visit
Beijing is located in a continental climate zone and is known for its hot, humid summers and its harsh, cold winters. Therefore, the best times to visit are from late March through May and late August through November.
Please be aware that during the Chinese National holidays, usually two weeks after October 1st, the city is overcrowded with Chinese tourists and should be avoided.
From the airport to the city
Beijing Capital Airport, the second busiest worldwide, is very well-connected by public transport. It is served by a regular subway line and an express rail way to the edge of the city centre, which takes 20 Minutes and costs about €3 one way. Further, there are 18 bus lines to different parts of the city (costing €3-5). Of course, taxis are an option as well. A trip to the city centre costs around €12-15, but often take over an hour.
It is not possible to rent a car in China without a Chinese drivers licence.
→ All Dealz for Beijing
Cover Picture: © chungking - fotolia.com