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£230 Find cheap flights to China

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a KAYAK user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight from the United Kingdom to China departing on 2/9. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel. Click the price to replicate the search for this deal.
1 adult
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Sun 25/8
Sun 1/9

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Best China Flight Deals

Cheapest return prices found by our users on KAYAK in the last 72 hours

Shanghai
Shanghai1 stop£384
Beijing
Beijing2 stops£367
Guangzhou
Guangzhou1 stop£409
Fuzhou
Fuzhou1 stop£488
Shenyang
Shenyang1 stop£396
Shenzhen
Shenzhen1 stop£409
Chengdu
Chengdu1 stop£401
Xiamen
Xiamen1 stop£679
Xi'an
Xi'an1 stop£404
Nanning
Nanning1 stop£388
Chongqing
Chongqing2 stops£509
Wuhan
Wuhan1 stop£467
Hangzhou
Hangzhou1 stop£416
Kunming
Kunming1 stop£403
Qingdao
Qingdao1 stop£496
Dalian
Dalian2 stops£526
Zhengzhou
Zhengzhou1 stop£389
Changsha
Changsha1 stop£415
Nanjing
Nanjing2 stops£508
Haikou
Haikou2 stops£774

Good to know - Cheap tickets to China

Low season

December

High season

July

Cheapest flight

£230
Best time to beat the crowds but there is an average 20% increase in price.
Most popular time to fly (30% more expensive on average)
Flight from London Stansted Airport to Shanghai Hongqiao Intl

FAQs - booking China flights

  • Are there direct flights to China?

    There are direct flights that you can take from the UK to China. For example, you can catch a flight with Air China from Heathrow Airport and arrive into Shanghai Pu Dong Airport (PVG). Alternatively, if you want to fly from the north of the UK, you could take-off from Manchester Airport (MAN) to fly to Beijing Airport (PEK). This tends to require two transfers along the way, most likely in Frankfurt Airport (FRA) and Vienna Airport (VIE).

  • What are popular stopovers on flights from UK to China?

    There are many indirect flights to China. Popular stopovers include Abu Dhabi Airport (AUH) on flights with Etihad from Manchester Airport (MAN) to Shanghai. Alternatively, a flight from London Heathrow Airport (LHR) to Beijing Airport (PEK) would require a stop at Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) if you were to fly with Air France.

  • Can I reduce my carbon emissions when flying?

    You can lower your carbon emissions by choosing an airline that emits less CO2 during the journey. For example, if you fly with Lufthansa from London City Airport (LCY) to Shanghai Pu Dong Airport you could complete the route emitting about 38% less than the industry standard. Rather than releasing 3217 kg CO2 per passenger, this flight emits about 2000 kg CO2 per person.

  • Is there internet on board flights from UK to China?

    Should you want to stay in touch with loved ones on flights to China, you should fly with an airline that provides internet. For example, if you fly with Air China, you will be able to access free Wi-Fi throughout the journey. Alternatively, flights with Air France or Egypt Air provide internet, but this comes at an additional cost.

  • Which UK airports have a fast-track service?

    You can save time and skip the queues when you depart from UK airports. At London Heathrow Airport you can pay around £12.50 for this service. Whilst at Manchester Airport this costs in the region of £5. It’s worth noting that London City Airport does not offer a fast track service, so you should get to this airport in good time to avoid delays.

  • Which airport in China should I fly to for easy access to see the Terracotta Army?

    If you want to visit one of China’s most popular attraction, the Terracotta Army, you would be best flying to Xi’an Airport (XIY), which is around 50 km (31 miles) away from the site. Alternatively, you can also fly to Yuncheng Airport (YCU), which is approximately 180 km (111 miles) away.

  • Which lounges can I use ahead of my flight to China?

    You can relax at airport lounges ahead of your long flight to China. At Heathrow Airport you could use the Plaza Premium Lounge. You can access the Escape Lounge at Manchester Airport. Whilst there is the Club Aspire Lounge at Gatwick Airport (LGW). London City Airport does not have lounge services for passengers to use.

  • Which airports are hubs for airlines that fly to China?

    If you choose to fly with China Air, you will benefit from the fact its hub airport is Beijing Airport (PEK). As a result, you are likely to benefit from more regular and direct flights to this airport from UK airports, such as Heathrow (LHR). Another advantage is that flights should be cheaper to and from a hub airport.

  • How much luggage can you take on board flights to China?

    Airlines have different baggage policies, so you should always ensure you are well-versed with your baggage allowance before travelling. For instance, flights with Air China from Heathrow to Beijing permit one item of cabin baggage and one item of checked luggage on standard tickets. Air France flights on the same route allow one item of cabin baggage, but you need to pay extra for checked luggage, whereas Egypt Air permit one item of cabin baggage and two checked bags on flights from Heathrow to Beijing.

  • Are flights likely to be more expensive around Chinese National Day?

    In spite of the name, celebrations for Chinese National Day in fact span the course of a week around 1st October. As this is an important holiday in China, it’s likely that flight prices will increase. If you aren’t visiting China for this event, you should travel either side for better priced fares.

  • How long is the flight to China?

    An average direct flight from the United Kingdom to China takes 16h 19m, covering a distance of 5453 miles. The most popular route is London - Shanghai with an average flight time of 11h 20m.

  • What is the cheapest flight to China?

    The cheapest ticket to China from the United Kingdom found in the last 72 hours was £228 one-way, and £368 round-trip. The most popular route is London Heathrow to Shanghai Hongqiao Intl and the cheapest round-trip airline ticket found on this route in the last 72 hours was £388.

  • Which airlines fly to China?

    Air China, China Southern & China Eastern fly the most frequently from the United Kingdom to China.

  • What are the most popular destinations in China?

    Based on KAYAK flight searches, the most popular destination is Shanghai (51% of total searches to China). The next most popular destinations are Beijing (19%) and Guangzhou (6%). Searches for flights to Shenzhen (4%), to Nanjing (2%) and to Fuzhou (2%) are also popular.

  • How does KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool help me choose the right time to buy?

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a given destination and date is likely to change within 7 days, so travellers know whether to wait or book now.

See more FAQs

Top tips for finding cheap flights to China

  • Enter your preferred departure airport and travel dates into the search form above to unlock the latest China flight deals.
  • If you are a British citizen then you will need to have a visa to enter China. This needs to be obtained in person at a visa application centre. It’s also important that your passport has at least six months left on it from the day you enter the country.
  • As China is a very large country in comparison to most, you might want to fly to a hub airport if you want to travel to various cities. For instance, Beijing Airport (PEK) is a hub for airlines such as Air China, which provides various domestic flight options, such as to Shanghai Airport (SHA).
  • If you’re travelling to China to visit the Snow and Ice Festival, which takes place for a month during the months of January and February, then you should be aware that flights normally cost more during this period. If you don’t plan to visit the country for this reason, then you should look to book alternative dates to save on money.
  • London has many airports, so which one you depart from might depend on where you are travelling from. For example, Stansted Airport (STN) and Luton Airport (LTN) are located to the north of the city, Gatwick Airport (LGW) is located to the south of London, whilst Heathrow Airport (LHR) and London City Airport (LCY) are easy to reach from the city centre.
  • If you are planning on hiring a car when you arrive at a Chinese Airport, then you should be aware of the rules of the road before you depart the airport. For instance, everyone in the car must wear a seat belt. In certain provinces, such as Shanghai, children under four years of age are also required to be in a child seat. However, it is recommended that children should be in a suitable restraint no matter the province that you are driving in.
  • Business Class passengers can make use of the chauffeur services offered by some airlines. For example, if you fly with British Airways, you can use your Business Points to get a chauffeur from your doorstep to the terminal. This service is available for those that live within a 100-mile radius of certain airports, such as Manchester Airport (MAN) or Edinburgh Airport (EDI).
  • For passengers that are flying from London Heathrow Airport (LHR), you can save time travelling through the airport by using the Reserve and Collect service that the airport offers. This means that you can buy your duty free items online before you get to the airport and collect them once you arrive.
  • Flights to China before Chinese New Year are likely to be more expensive than other periods of the year. So, if you don’t need to travel during this time period, you should look to book around these dates.
See more tips

Top 5 airlines flying to China

Need help choosing which airline to fly with from the United Kingdom to China? KAYAK airline reviews give an overall score for each airline based on loads of factors, including comfort, boarding, in-flight entertainment and more, to make your decision easier. See airline scores according to verified KAYAK customer reviews.
8.0
Hainan AirlinesOverall score based on 74 reviews
8.0Boarding
7.9Food
8.4Crew
8.1Entertainment
8.0Comfort
Airline reviews

Such amazing service! Wonderful flight attendants who actually care about the passengers and go out of their way to make our journey easier!!

10.0 ExcellentAlice, Jul 2024PVG - BRU
Read more about Hainan Airlines reviews

Such amazing service! Wonderful flight attendants who actually care about the passengers and go out of their way to make our journey easier!!

They asked how much cash i have . I said no cash they said bring cash from atm . Why they even care about my cash.

Flight was scheduled to depart at 1210 hrs. It was delayed 1 hour 20 minutes (maybe for air traffic control reasons). The seats were worn out and very uncomfortable. Lunch was typical for airline. Flight free were friendly.

Pros: "Na"
Cons: "Over one and an half hours delay - sitting on the airplane"
Pros: "Lots of movie options, the food was good (had multiple food dish options for each meal)"
Pros: "Good and pleasant service, new plane very clean including regular WC cleanups"
Cons: "Boarding could have been done in groups"
Pros: "I would like to never fly through China again"
Cons: "I had a 9 hour layover in Beijing and they still couldn’t get my bag on the plane to Seattle"
Pros: "Everything was great, service on flight was really nice."
Cons: "Transferring suitcases between 3 flights was not great, with security check etc. Would fly with them again. Anytime, no hesitation."
Pros: "I had a very bad experience on checking in. I went to check in at Beijing Capital airport over 1 hour (about at least 65-70 minutes) earlier than the time of taking off on Nov. 2, However, I wasn’t allowed to check in. The staff said I was late and asked me to spend extra $200 to reschedule my flight. Therefore I had to spend $200 on changing my flight to next day on November 3, which was one day late back to Boston than I expected. That’s too bad and incredible!"
Cons: "There are a couple of things need to be improved. First of all, the food were not fresh, especially the salad dish. In mean dish, the beef cooked with too much dark source and tasted salty. Hope you could improve the food quality near future! Secondly, the luggages came out too late. All passengers had waited for their luggages for more than 1hour, which was really too long. Please consider about the concerns! Thanks!"
Pros: "New aircraft used like their 787-800s"
Cons: "Since Hainan is a Chinese airline, a lot Ig Ygritte move and music choices are Chinese, but I wish they had more non-Chinese content and choices"

We bought an upgrade to Business Class at the airport but did not realise that it was not the regular Business Class. The 787 Dreamliner was very dated with the seats not as comfortable as other airlines and some things were almost coming off. We were then told that because it was an upgrade at the airport, we get to sit in the BC cabin but will be served economy class food. So when everyone else got served in china ware, we were given the tray you got in economy class. The wifi does not work. It only connects to watch movies (which is the same as what you find in the ICE) but the internet does not work. The cabin crew while were friendly, were not responsive. Overall, I will never fly China Southern again.

I love flying Chinese airlines in general but China Southern is probably the worst of the lot. The service is poor and food is below par.

Flight canceled, but they didn't notify me. They arranged a nearby hotel and 4 meals for me to stay for 24 hours before I could board.

Had some luggage loading delays but it was still a good experience

We bought the business class tickets. The check-in staff and onboard crew were excellent, providing commendable service throughout. However, it was disappointing to find that China Southern Airlines does not have a lounge at SFO. Instead, passengers were provided with a $35 per person food voucher, which fell short of expectations. Furthermore, the quality of the onboard food left much to be desired, marking a significant decline compared to our previous flight experience in 2019, prior to the pandemic.

Wuhan - Dubai. Old plane: 1. Only USB charger. No power outlet to plug in.. 2. Super narrow seat layout 3. Toilet cover consistently fell down and hit my back when sitting on it.. :( 4. Entertainment system touch screen not sensitive, and need to press hard or use finger tips to hit. Crew were very nice and accommodating though.

1. I got very poor check in experience with the counter lady . This is the first airline I ever experienced that no combine check in weight allow . Even we have 4 of us but weight counter by piece . So we wasted lot of time argue and repack . This is super crazy 2. Next I left my Samsung tablet on the plane . And I started to escalate and finally spoke to southern airline lost and found in Malaysia and the amazing answer she give is : system nothing found and please try to call southern airline in china 🧐 . I have been flying many other airlines but this is my first encounterment with such irresponsible airline response and no empathy given to customer . My feeling is nobody bother whether how customer like me feel and I’m just too small for the management to take note .

No red vine, no whiskey, no vodka. No that I wanted all of them at once but still...

During flight, some passengers perform stomping leg exercises which disturb the comfort (I.e. sleep) of other passengers.

No good but was short flight. Both of our China Southern flights were on time. No surprises.

Flight was delayed for more than 3 hours, food was mediocre, seat didn’t recline

I think it’s time that somebody set a standard for the temperature in the cabins. I would rather it be colder than anybody that wants to have a blanket have a blanket to keep it so warm at times is unbearable and quite uncomfortable. That’s the only thing I would add.

For the price we paid, we had a really good flight. The seats and bed (business class) was extremely comfortable. I have no complaints. The crew were very attentive and helpful. They spoke English and there were no misunderstanding although their English wasn’t perfect or fluent. You will never go hungry as there was ample food and drinks but their food for mediocre. The entertainment was limited to older movies and the wifi didn’t allow you to access some Social media. Apart from the above, it was a very pleasant flight. Would highly recommend them.

Cheapest option from Gatwick £400 cheaper than Emirates and Qatar. Entertainment no where near as good as Emirates and Qatar, but saved £400 so all good.

Great staff and food. Seats pretty uncomfortable but plenty of legroom. Entertainment system outdated.

The flight was cancelled without any reason. But the next flight to Shanghai has to be cancelled to pay penalty.

Gatwick London-Shanghai -Bangkok.. Would have liked entertainment screens, but I know these planes are not that new. Cheap flights at the time of booking, Emirates wanted double so you get what you paid for. I would fly again with them, but if Emirates was the same price I would go with them.

We were cutting it close on our connecting flight and notified all staff at departing gate and flight attendants. From the start, we were told to check in with the international transfer desk by everyone, except for one lady who wanted to argue the time difference that was already taken into account. We also asked if we could try to exit the plane first (our family of 4 and 8 others on the same connecting flight). They just told us to check in with international transfers. We landed and had very little time to make our next flight. We were not offered any assistance or communication to the receiving gate. We ran all the way to the international transfers gate only to be turned away. I think we could have made it if we were allowed to exit and a call was made to other check in counter. After that we spent 6 grueling hours with our kids trying to rebook a flight. No food of any type of compensation was offered besides a dirty hotel room. The ladies with China Eastern at the Shanghai International counter were rude an unhelpful. We were directed to 3 different counters and waited before they said they forgot about a hotel. It was a long, miserable day. I believe this could have all been avoided.

The landings were smooth . Being unable to check-in online was terribly stressful and the queue at Haneda exemely long. We paid extra for window seats and did not get them.

Flight was fine, however we were not able to check in online, this adds to travel stress. Luckily check-in at Heathrow was quick, but we did not get the seats we paid extra for. We paid for a window and 2 aisle seats from Shanghai to Tokyo leg, but they changed us to middle seats. Not good :(

The flight is not bad, but the Business Lounge is not big enough for the quantity of people they accept and there is a limited options for food and beverages.

It was simply bad and on top of that my luggage hasn't been delivered until now. They can't even localize it which is just unacceptable when they are supposed to scan the bar code they put when we check in

We bought premium Economy, thinking it would be more comfortable, but the seat is so narrow ,that my legs and feet are swollen , I can't wear shoes !

The flight was delayed for almost 5 hours, but I understand that it was not up to the company, however how they could handle the situation better, they never apologized for that delay, moreover despite passengers being there for 7 hours only thing they did was to give a bowl of instant noodles, afterwards on the plane tiny snacks, people were there starting from lunch time and we’ve arrived to destination at almost midnight

Flight was delayed for 2 hours for no reason, then we spent almost an hour after boarding because of the weather conditions. If we left on time we could avoid that 😾

Cons: "Everything was great. Very nice and friendly crew, clean plane, great food. Excellent overall"
Pros: "Friendly crew and helpful staff"
Cons: "Missed connection from PEK to XIY due to delayed arrival and early departure. From XIY to PEK, booked and confirmed 11 departure, changed to 12:30 without notification or explaination. Rushed connections at PEK, pretty much ran from the minute left plan to another terminal, through custom, through all the health check points, security check. Just keep the fights on time and keep the original schedules, not arbitrarily change them."
Pros: "Because of our delay, we flew with Air Thai instead of Air China....much better airline"
Pros: "The crew was accommodating during the flight but spoke very little English and could not help with information on connecting flight."
Cons: "We missed our connecting flight due to a delay and the airline would not let us through because we could have made our second flight...."
Pros: "The price"
Cons: "Staff was not helpful and kind of rude unless you spoke their language. Food options were terrible and not very comfortable seat for 13+ hr flight."

We were never contacted that our flight from Glasgow to London was delayed. Got to airport six hours early to find that we were going to miss our connecting flight to BWI. Our flight is scheduled for two days later and they only gave us a voucher for one night hotel. E we’re delayed on the front end too and had to fly to Edinburgh instead of Glasgow arriving six hours and taking a $200 cab!

Usual friendly BA crew who were helpful and so kind to the kids. New business class cabin combined with 787 makes for a really enjoyable experience.

Overall flight experience was good. Unfortunately our process getting to our flight was a hit or miss. Our flight was delayed perhaps for the best as getting from terminal to terminal is very long and security had problems with the machines that delayed us getting to our flight. Heathrow security could care-less that you have a flight you are about to miss!

Horrible. Crew is not helpful. Lounge is sub standard and overcrowded. Getting to your plane is underwhelming “via a bus”. Worst experience I have had.

I liked nothing, my connection was missed after a 6hr delay, 3 of those hours were spent trapped on the tarmac going nowhere. They rebooked me with a different airline for the next day but never confirmed my seat, so I had to wait another entire day… after walking around an airport for the whole first day waiting for the front desk to open to get my ticket. A 19hr trip turned into an 80+hr trip. Of course, British airways has no actual customer complaint phone line, so I have heard nothing at all from the airline. Oh, and they lost my bag. This trip cost an additional $3000, several days of missed free time, and some agonizing discomfort from so much wandering around airports and venice trying to find replacement clothing. This sucked.

The online flight scheduler only assigned 3 hours to get from Gatwick to heathrow. This is not enough time for a normal transit between the two airports. I had to run and hire a taxi because the bus and train would take too long. After paying a 150 Taxi I arrived at the gate just before it closed.

Our flight BA638 was cancelled with very short notice. It was supposed to depart at 7:25am. We had left Chichester at 3:30am in order to make the flight, and we were notified of the cancellation while en route to LHR. We were told the cancellation was necessary because a plane had not been scheduled to be at LHR for this flight! We were rescheduled to BA636. This flight was supposed to depart at 11:00am but didn't actually take off until ~12:30pm. Consequently we arrived in Athens several hours late, missing out on half a day of our sightseeing time. We had booked transport with MyTransfers to pick us up at the Athens airport and drive us to our Hotel Adonis. I was unable to get a refund for this service because our flight was so delayed. They required 24 hour notice of pick up time changes. I instead had to pay for a taxi at the airport. I have tried to fill out a request for compensation online but have been unsuccessful. How can I get help for filing a claim?

I had to wait for 10 hours at the airport and no hotel accommodation was provided. That sucks big time.

They can't seem to deliver a delayed bag in less than a week. Is this the 19th century?

There was no entertainment offered or expected, so please disregard my readings of that component. The flight was fantastic. Efficient boarding, takeoff, and even early arrival!

Book Cheap China Plane Tickets

Cheapest flights to China from the United Kingdom found in 2024

Recent return flight deals

29/9Sun
1 stopChina Southern
31h 45mLHR-PVG
19/10Sat
1 stopChina Southern
26h 15mPVG-LHR
£384
28/9Sat
1 stop
18h 10mLHR-PEK
12/10Sat
1 stop
30h 45mPEK-LHR
£387
18/9Wed
1 stopHainan Airlines
18h 10mLHR-PEK
2/10Wed
1 stopHainan Airlines
19h 15mPEK-LHR
£408
16/9Mon
1 stopHainan Airlines
18h 10mLHR-PEK
22/9Sun
1 stopHainan Airlines
38h 35mPEK-LHR
£411
28/9Sat
1 stopChina Eastern
15h 50mLHR-PKX
6/10Sun
1 stopChina Eastern
29h 55mPKX-LHR
£451
28/9Sat
directBritish Airways
11h 30mLHR-PKX
13/10Sun
directBritish Airways
13h 20mPKX-LHR
£474
28/9Sat
directBritish Airways
11h 30mLHR-PKX
6/10Sun
directBritish Airways
13h 20mPKX-LHR
£480
28/9Sat
directAir China
9h 50mLHR-PEK
14/10Mon
directAir China
11h 15mPEK-LHR
£481
2/10Wed
directAir China
11h 10mLGW-PVG
12/10Sat
directAir China
12h 00mPVG-LGW
£483
4/10Fri
directChina Eastern
11h 05mLGW-PVG
22/10Tue
directChina Eastern
11h 50mPVG-LGW
£484

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Recent one-way flight deals

2/9Mon
2 stops
33h 55mSTN-SHA
£230
28/8Wed
3 stops
51h 00mLHR-PVG
£259
3/10Thu
1 stopChina Southern
18h 35mLGW-SHA
£293
31/8Sat
1 stopChina Southern
18h 25mLGW-SHA
£298
10/9Tue
1 stopHainan Airlines
14h 15mLHR-PVG
£325
23/10Wed
directAir China
11h 10mLGW-PVG
£326
23/8Fri
1 stopHainan Airlines
14h 25mLHR-PEK
£329
30/8Fri
1 stopChina Eastern
37h 40mLHR-PEK
£332
10/10Thu
1 stopChina Eastern
17h 50mLHR-PEK
£335
13/10Sun
1 stopAir China
27h 00mLGW-PVG
£337

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Last minute flights to China

Last minute flight, train and bus deals

28/7Sun
multi-stopAir France
36h 40mLHR-PEK
2/10Wed
multi-stopAir France
21h 45mPEK-LHR
£595
28/7Sun
multi-stop
36h 40mLHR-PEK
2/10Wed
multi-stop
29h 05mPEK-LHR
£605
27/7Sat
multi-stopHainan Airlines
14h 15mLHR-PVG
11/8Sun
multi-stopHainan Airlines
27h 25mPVG-LHR
£703
27/7Sat
multi-stopHainan Airlines
14h 15mLHR-PVG
11/8Sun
multi-stopHainan Airlines
30h 00mPVG-LHR
£818
28/7Sun
multi-stopChina Southern
31h 50mLHR-PKX
17/8Sat
multi-stopChina Southern
28h 40mPKX-LHR
£1,002
29/7Mon
multi-stopChina Southern
34h 00mLHR-PKX
6/8Tue
multi-stopChina Southern
27h 45mPKX-LHR
£1,011
26/7Fri
directAir China
11h 10mLGW-PVG
5/9Thu
directAir China
12h 00mPVG-LGW
£1,159
29/7Mon
directAir China
10h 55mLGW-PVG
6/8Tue
directAir China
12h 00mPVG-LGW
£1,192
26/7Fri
directChina Eastern
11h 05mLGW-PVG
6/9Fri
directChina Eastern
12h 25mPVG-LGW
£1,551
26/7Fri
directChina Eastern
11h 20mLGW-PVG
6/9Fri
directChina Eastern
12h 25mPVG-LGW
£1,565

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Flights to China

Return flight deals:

China - United Kingdom

Cabin classes:

£1,686
£1,381
£564
£405