Travel

Searching for Flights

1. How many tickets can I book in one transaction?

You can book up to 9 adult tickets at a time. However, please be aware that reserving the maximum number of tickets will limit the availability to flights to those that have at least 9 seats. For flight deals, we also cannot guarantee that all passengers in a single booking will be able to take advantage of the special discounted price, because of airline limits on the number of tickets available at the these low prices.

2. How do I find the lowest fares?

You can find the lowest fares by using our Best Deals in 7 Days feature, searching for alternative routes, booking roundtrip tickets, and signing up for our email newsletter. Note also that fares on weekdays are usually lower than those on weekends, and fares during the early morning or late evening are usually lower than during the rest of the day. Please remember, however, that these low fare tickets usually have the most restrictions. This means that cancellations and changes are either not allowed or will incur penalty fees that are higher than with other tickets.

To find the lowest fare within 7 days of your planned departure date, click on our Best Deals in 7 Days feature, which can usually be found on the domestic flight page, or click on any of the Popular Destinations on the home page.

To search for alternative routes, plan early and consider your trip flexibility. Calculate how much time you are willing to give up in exchange for savings. If you have time to spare for stopovers, search for popular routes that have a wide selection of discounted fares. Check carefully whether the arrival airport of your first flight is the departure airport of your connecting flight. For flights within mainland China, you may also be able to spend 1 or more nights at your stopover destination with no additional flight cost. For international flights, you should check visa requirements and flight restrictions if you want to leave an airport in another country during your stopover.

To book roundtrip tickets, simply indicate your return ticket details during the booking process. You are able often to save a significant amount this way, especially when reserving international flights.

To sign up for our newsletter, simply click here and submit your email address. You will be one of the first to know about special deals with our airline partners.

3. How far in advance should I book my flight tickets to get the lowest fares?

As a general rule, in China you pay the full price of flight tickets if you book too far in advance. This is because airlines often start offering discounts only when most of the booking volume can be anticipated. To find the best fares for domestic flights, start booking 2 to 3 weeks before your departure date. To find the best fares for international flights, start booking 4 weeks before your departure date. These guidelines change during peak travel seasons, such as holiday periods. For international peak seasons like Christmas and New Year, for example, we recommend you start booking international flights 2 to 3 months in advance.

Although Hong Kong and Macau destinations are considered international flights, pricing trends follow China domestic seasons more closely. Please also remember that low-fare tickets sell fast. Therefore, after the 2 to 3 week-period (in the case of domestic flights) or 4-week period (in the case of international flights) has passed, many low-fare tickets will be sold out and the ticket prices may again become more expensive. Of course, these are only general guidelines. Actual pricing will vary according to pricing rules set by each airline.

4. Which months of the year offer the lowest fare flight tickets?

Lowest fare domestic flight tickets are usually available during off-peak season. These are March, mid-May to June, and November. You may expect fares to drop 2 to 3 weeks after the Spring holiday, the May Holiday, and the October holiday. Again, these are general guidelines, and actual pricing will vary according to rules set by the airlines.

5. Which days of the week offer the lowest fare flight tickets?

For domestic flights, routes that are considered business routes (e.g. Beijing to Shanghai) are usually very busy on Fridays and Sundays. Therefore, the lowest fare flight tickets would typically be available from mid-day Monday through Thursday.

6. Which times of the day offer the lowest fare flight tickets?

The majority of demand is for flights in mid-morning and mid-evening because many travelers like to maximize their daytime stay in one city. Because of this, the lowest fares would typically be available during more awkward hours such as early morning (before 06:00 am), late evening (after 21:00 pm), and also around mid-day.

7. Does the price shown on the search results page include taxes and fees?

No, and we're glad you asked, because this can sometimes be confusing. The initial search results show all possible tickets currently available in our system. However, the prices shown do not include the airport construction fee, fuel tax and additional fees charged by the airlines, since these are sometimes different for various locations. Once you have selected your flights, you will then be able to see the fees and the corresponding categories to which they belong. Please note, though, that the most accurate total price is subject to final confirmation.