Shangri-La to Lhasa Flight

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

Shangri-La Lhasa Flights Schedules, Airlines and Fares

At present, the China Eastern Airlines offers 1 non-stop Shangri-La to Lhasa flight exclusively. Passengers will leave in the morning and arrive at noon. Please note that both the Diqing Shangri-La Airport and Lhasa Gonggar Airport are at high elevation over 3,000 m. Making enough preparation against high altitude sickness is very essential.

Shangri-La to Lhasa Flights Timetable

The flight MU5939 operated by China Eastern Airlines sometime originally departs from Kunming Changshui International Airport and stop in Diqing Shangri-La Airport, and there is only 1 daily direct flight to Lhasa, so the ticket will be very limited. Please buy your air ticket as early as possible since it’s hard to get in every peak season.

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 Shangri-La Lhasa Flight

1. When is the best time to travel to Shangri-La and Lhasa?

The best time to visit Shangri-La is May to June and September to October. During this period, kinds of flowers complete for blossom, and the weather is warm with fewer rains. Winter is a good time to appreciate snow, while the temperature is relatively cold. For Lhasa tour, it is a good choice to travel to this holy city from May to October. During this time, the city of Lhasa is provided with warm sunshine and high oxygen content, good for sightseeing. From March to October, the climate becomes mild and humid and is the best season for travel in Tibet.

2. Which airport should I go for taking the flight to Lhasa in Shangri-La?

As a civil airport of Yunnan Province, Diqing Shangri-la Airport (DIG) is situated in the southwest of the Shangri-La County, Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. It is five kilometers away from Zhongdian County, the captical of Diqing. Currently, there is no bus or airport shuttle service there. Thus, tourists who are ready to take Shangri-La to Lhasa flight can only go to the airport by taxi from the central town. It mainly costs around 30 CNY.

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

Apart from Shangri-La, tourists can also take flights to Tibet from Kunming or Lijiang, two popular cities of Yunnan. As the capital of Yunnan Province, Kunming is provided with an international airport, Kunming Changshui International Airport (KMG), located at an altitude of 2,102m. The airport offers 6 direct Kunming to Lhasa flights each day during the peak season, including two non-stop flights. It is also one of the most important airports in Southwest China, offering airlines connecting to a large number of international destinations.

Besides, 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.

4. Will I suffer from altitude sickness when taking the Shangri-La flight?

Since both Shangri-La and Lhasa are at high elevation above 3,000 m, tourists may suffer from altitude sickness of different degrees in both cities. You may suffer from headache, chest congestion, polypnea, nausea, emesis, and even insomnia etc. But usually, these symptoms 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 start your journey. 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.

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

Lhasa Gonggar Airport is about 65 kilometers southwest of Lhasa city, and there are several ways to get to the downtown. First, you can take the 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.

6. What are the necessary documents required to take flights to Tibet?

All tourists from foreign countries should hand the passport, Chinese Visa and the original Tibet Travel Permit for the check, before boarding the flights to Tibet. The passport and Chinese Visa are the primary documents required for traveling to China from abroad. As for the Tibet Travel Permit, which is also called Tibet Visa, it is the required document for all foreign tourists to enter to Lhasa and travel around Tibet. To avoid the troublesome application procedure, we can help to obtain your Tibet travel permit on behalf of you, please feel free to contact us for details.

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 websites, 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 Shangri-La, where can I also take a flight to Tibet?

Apart from Shangri-La, you can also fly to Tibet from Chengdu, Beijing, Shanghai, Xian, Kunming, 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 Chengdu with a child aging at 10 and the full price for the economy class is 1680 CNY, the ticket fare for the child is 840 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.