Kunming to Lhasa Flight

Kunming Lhasa Flights - Route, Schedule, Fares, Permit, Ticket Booking 2020/2021

Kunming Lhasa Flights Schedules, Airlines and Fares

If you happen to be in Yunnan and will go on with a Tibet tour, even suppose you are planning a reverse travel, the direct Kunming Lhasa flights help you a lot. Served for the most import tourist city in west China, Kunming Changshui International Airport has 4 daily round-trip flights scheduled from 7:30 am to 20:15 pm.

While the air ticket is hard to get in Beijing, Shanghai, departure from Kunming is another option. Depending on the flying distance, the Kunming Lhasa Flight ticket is cheaper than Beijing and eastern cities, but more expensive than Chengdu and Chongqing. You can start your China Tour from Yunnan after Tibet tour or fly back to your home country once the international routes can reach to..

Kunming to Lhasa Flights Timetable

Every day, there are about 4 flights usually departing from Kunming Changshui International Airport to Lhasa Gonggar Airport. The 2 morning flights will stop in Lijiang or Diqing costing extra 1h. The rest 2 will directly fly to Lhasa from Kunming within 3hrs. You are suggested to book flight ticket in the morning so that you can have enough time to acclimatize yourself to the high altitude in Lhasa. Check out following latest updated Kunming to Lhasa flights schedules:

Tibet Travel Permit and Flight Travel

A Tibet Travel Permit (Tibet Entry Permit) is the MUST-DOCUMENT to take a flight to Tibet. It is firstly needed to book flight from the airport or ticket agent. When you check in and check out the airports, the original Tibet Travel Permit also will be checked. (Note: if you take flight to Lhasa from Kathmandu, you only have to have the scanned copy of Tibet Travel Permit.) Please remember to duplicate at least 3 copies of Tibet Travel Permit because the permits are required for many occasions. The permit can only be issued in Tibet by the Tibet Tourism Bureau, and also can be only applied by travel agency behalf of travelers. It needs about 15~20 days to obtain the permit.

How to Apply for Tibet Travel Permit

1. Contact us to work out and confirm an itinerary in Tibet;

2. Send us the scanned copies of your passport, and provide an available address in China(hotel or local agency) to receive your permit;

3. We apply for the Tibet Travel Permit from Tibet Tourism Bureau in Lhasa;

4. Once the permit is issued, we will send the original permit to you by post.

>> Learn more detail about Tibet Travel Permit Application

Most Frequently Asked Questions about Kunming Lhasa Flight

1. Why take flights to Lhasa from Kunming?

Currently, there are 5 direct flights from Kunming to Lhasa every day, departing from morning to late afternoon, making free and flexible choices for tourists. As one of the major hub airports in China, Kunming Changshui International Airport offers flight routes connecting many domestic and international cities, providing different transfers for tourists.

Taking Kunming to Lhasa flight is a good choice for tourists to experience a Yunnan and Tibet tour, if they do not want to go through the challenging and exhausting overland trip via Yunnan-Tibet Highway. Besides, there is no train available to Lhasa from Kunming. With only 3 to 4 hours’ flight time on the way, tourists can have enough time to tour either Kunming or Lhasa.

2. How to get cheap flight ticket from Kunming to Lhasa?

Owing to its short flying distance, the ticket price of flight to Lhasa from Kunming is less expensive than those from Beijing, Shanghai or other eastern cities in China. However, if you want to further cut down your travel cost by booking a cheaper flight, you do have options. It is suggested to avoid the high tourists season, since the airfare will be undoubtedly much higher during this time, with few discounts.

The most crowded seasons in China are Chinese Spring Festival and National Day. For Tibet tours, the most popular time is from April to June and September to October. While during the time between July and August, there are still a lot of people rush to Tibet since it is in the summer vacation for students in China. Therefore, try to plan your Tibet trip in low seasons, like winter, and then you can have more chance to get a cheap Kunming Lhasa flight.

3. Which airport should I go for taking the flight to Lhasa in Kunming?

The Kunming to Lhasa flight takes off at Kunming Changshui International Airport, which is 24.5 kilometers to the northeast of Kunming city. As one of the world’s Top 100 Airports, Kunming Changshui International Airport can also be regarded as one of the busiest airports in China, since air transportation is the major way for different transfer due to lack of railways in many places of Yunnan province. With modern and fashion design, the airport is also provided with complete facilities.

For the convenience of passengers, shuttle buses are provided to connect each district of Kunming downtown and the airport. The bus sets off every 20 to 30 minutes and costs around 25 CNY per person. Or, you can take the Metro Line 6, the special subway line for airport transfer, which runs from 9:00 am to 18:00 pm every day.

4. Can I take flights to Tibet from other cities in Yunnan Province?

There are totally three cities offering flights to Lhasa in Yunnan province. Apart from the capital city of Kunming, tourists can also take flights to Tibet from Shangri-la or Lijiang. Shangri-La is a small city of Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in northwestern Yunnan, featuring fascinating natural landscape. There are two nonstop flights from Shangri-La to Lhasa every day during the peak travel time, and it only takes about 2 hours on the way.

Lijiang is another city in Yunnan providing flights to Lhasa. As the second largest airport in Yunnan province, the Lijiang Sanyi International Airport offers one direct flight to Lhasa every day during peak travel season. The airport is only 30 kilometers away from Lijiang city. With unique cultural and natural landscapes, Lijiang enjoys high popularity among mainland tourists. It will be a good idea to travel around Lijiang for several days, before starting your Tibet tour.

5. Will I suffer from altitude sickness when traveling to Tibet by flight?

When taking the flight to Tibet from Kunming, you will go through big altitude change from less than 2000 meters to over 3600 meters, in just several hours. Due to its high elevation in Lhasa, tourists may suffer from altitude sickness of different degrees, like headache, chest congestion, polypnea, nausea, emesis, insomnia etc. Usually, the symptoms of altitude sickness as mentioned above will gradually decrease after 1 to 2 days’ acclimation.

It is suggested to take some medicine, like Rhodiola Rosea, several days before you leave for Tibet. Do not get too excited and never rush to visit attractions shortly after your arrival in Lhasa. Stay quietly and drink more water. In this way, you will be less likely to suffer from acute altitude sickness.

6. How to get to my hotel after I arrived in Lhasa Airport?

The Kunming to Lhasa flight will arrive at Lhasa Gonggar Airport, which is about 65 kilometers southwest of Lhasa city, and there are several ways to get to the downtown. First, you can take shuttle buses, which always wait right at the exit of the airport and leave every 30 minutes until 21:30 at night. Upon arrival at the terminus, Lhasa Civil Aviation Bureau on Niangre Road 1, you can take other buses to your hotel. Besides, if you miss the shuttle bus, you can also take a taxi. By this way, you can go anywhere you want in Lhasa city, while the price is much higher as you can possibly imagine.

As a better option, you can use our shuttle service between your hotel and the airport for free, as long as you book your Tibet tour with us. In this case, when you arrive in Lhasa, your tour guide will meet you at the exit and transfer you to the reserved hotel.

Useful Notes on Tibet Flight Travel

1. Necessary documents required to take a flight to/off Tibet

- Chinese Visa is always needed no matter you are taking a flight or a train to Tibet. The office man in the airport will check your Chinese visa when your go to board the plane.

- The Passport will be needed for many situations: booking flight ticket, checking in flight, checking in hotel, checking in the Border Station in Tibet, etc. Make sure your passport is valid and original.

- Original Tibet Travel Permit will be checked when you board your plane at the airports.

2. How to book flight ticket?

The flight ticket can be booked at online website, such as Booking.com, Expedia, Ctrip, Qunar, etc. You can also buy the ticket from the airports in China or flight resellers. You are also welcomed to let us book your flight. We are always keeping up with the latest flight news and usually can book the ticket at a cheaper price. During summer and autumn, it is usually difficult to book the flights to Lhasa. While using our booking service, we will not only book the ticket, but also arrange a valuable tour package.

3. When is the best time to fly to Tibet?

Generally speaking, months from April to October are recommended for traveling in Tibet. Other months are usually very cold, and possibly have heavy snow, especially in regions like Mount Everest, Mount Kailash, Namtso Lake, etc. The flights schedules are also more frequent during April to October. During December to March, the airline companies will cut down the flight schedules, usually from daily weekly, even to none. But top cities like Chengdu and Xian still operate daily flights during the shoulder season. It is recommended to take the morning flight so that you can get to Lhasa before late afternoon, and have enough time to acclimatize yourself to the altitude and thin air in Lhasa. The morning flights also cut down the risk that your flights would be delayed or canceled.

4. Apart from Kunming, where can I also take a flight to Tibet?

Apart from Kunming, you can also fly to Tibet from Chengdu, Beijing, Shanghai, Xian, Shangri-La, etc.

5. International flights to Lhasa

So far, there is only one international air line connecting Lhasa: Kathmandu – Lhasa. During summer days, there are daily direct flights operated, sometimes two flights and sometimes just one flight. Only Air China and Sichuan Airlines are operating the Kathmandu - Lhasa flights. To take a flight from Kathmandu to Lhasa, one will need a Group Visa, Tibet Travel Permit and Tibet Border Pass.

6. What else airports I can fly to except for Lhasa Gonggar International Airport?

Tibet has five airports in total. Besides Lhasa Gonggar Airport, you can also take a flight to Shigatse, Nyingchi, Ngari and Qamdo. But only certain cities in China operate flights to these smaller cities.

- Shigatse - there is daily flight flying between Chengdu and Shigatse each day. The airport name is Shigatse Peace Airport, which is about 46km from Shigatse city.

- Nyingchi - Chengdu usually offers 4 morning flights to Nyingchi Mainling Airport. While its neighboring city Chongqing also has 3 morning flights to Nyingchi each day. If you travel from Nyingchi to Lhasa, you are recommended to take a flight to Nyingchi firstly from Chengdu or Chongqing. It is also available to fly out Tibet directly from Nyingchi.

- Qamdo - Both Chongqing and Chengdu operate a daily flight to Qamdo in Tibet. But there are few travelers have chosen this line because Qamdo is not a popular tourist destination in Tibet.

- Ngari - Urumqi (capital of Xinjiang) offers a daily direct flight to Ngari with a stop at Kashgar on every Tuesday and Friday. Taking this flight, passengers need Military Permit and Border Pass as well as Tibet Travel Permit.

7. The regulation on the luggage allowance on the plane

8. Will my kids get a discounted flight ticket?

Kids aging 2 to 12 years old (including 12) will get a discount of 50% of the full price of the flight fare. If an adult take a flight to Lhasa from Shanghai with a child aging at 10 and the full price for the economy class is 2260 CNY, the ticket fare for the child is 1130 CNY. The child also doesn’t have to pay for Airport Construction Fee while the adult has to. Infant under 2 years old only has to pay 10% of the full price, but the separate seat is not provided.

9. How do I collect (receive) the flight ticket?

Since most flight tickets are booked online, so firstly you will receive an e-ticket. You will change a paper ticket when you checking in your flight at a counter in the airport.