Beijing has two international airports, and which one you land at makes a significant difference to how you get into the city. Most visitors arrive at Capital Airport (PEK), 25 km northeast of the city center — the busiest and most established option. But an increasing number of flights now use Daxing International (PKX), 46 km south of Beijing, a Zaha Hadid-designed starfish of a building that genuinely looks like the future. Knowing the difference matters before you land.
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Beijing Capital Airport (PEK) — The One Most People Use
Capital Airport has three terminals. T1 handles a small number of domestic flights (mainly Shandong Airlines). T2 is the main domestic terminal and handles China Southern and some international carriers. T3 is the big one — completed for the 2008 Olympics and one of the largest terminal buildings in the world — handling most international flights including Air China, British Airways, Lufthansa, and others.
T2 and T3 are connected by a free shuttle bus (about 15 minutes) and also linked via the Airport Express train. T1 is separate and not connected airside — if you’re somehow transiting between T1 and another terminal, allow plenty of time.
When you land at T3, expect a long walk. The building is cavernous. Immigration queues for foreign passport holders can run 30–60 minutes during peak arrival banks (particularly afternoon/evening flights from Europe and North America). The automated e-gates are expanding for eligible nationalities — check before you fly if your passport might qualify.
Getting from PEK to the City
Airport Express Train is the fastest and most straightforward option. Trains run from T3 and T2 (stopping in that order going into the city) to two stations: Sanyuanqiao (which connects to subway Line 10) and Dongzhimen (Line 2 and Line 13). Journey time is around 20 minutes to Dongzhimen. Fares are ¥25 flat. Trains run roughly every 10 minutes from about 6am to 11pm.
From Dongzhimen you can transfer onto the regular subway network to reach most of central Beijing. If your hotel is near a subway station, this is the best option. If you’re headed to the western parts of the city (near Summer Palace, Fragrant Hills) or northern suburbs, it’s a longer subway ride.
Taxis from PEK to central Beijing (e.g., Wangfujing, Sanlitun) typically cost ¥90–¥120 depending on traffic, using the meter. The taxi queue at T3 can be long — allow 20–40 minutes just for the queue on busy days. Legitimate taxis are yellow or have clear markings; avoid the men inside the arrivals hall offering “taxi” — they’re touts charging 3–5x the metered rate.
DiDi works from the airport. Go to the designated ride-hailing pickup zones (clearly marked; different from the taxi queue). Wait times vary. Having a Chinese SIM card or reliable data makes this easier to arrange.
Bus: Multiple airport bus routes connect to different parts of the city for ¥16–¥30. They take longer than the Express train but drop you directly at major hotels and transport hubs in various districts. Look for the airport bus counters outside arrivals — routes are posted in English.
Beijing Daxing Airport (PKX) — The New One
Opened in September 2019, Daxing International is architecturally extraordinary. Designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, it looks like a six-pointed metallic starfish from above, and the interior is all sweeping curves and natural light. It also happens to be very efficient once you know it — it was designed with walking distances in mind, and the gate areas aren’t as sprawling as PEK T3.
Airlines using Daxing include China Southern (which moved its Beijing hub here), China Eastern, and a growing number of international carriers. Always check your ticket — it’s easy to assume you’re flying from Capital Airport and end up at the wrong end of the city.
Getting from PKX to the City
Daxing Airport Express is the key connection. A dedicated high-speed rail line connects Daxing to Caoqiao station (Line 10) in about 20 minutes and continues to Lize Financial Street (Line 14/16). The full journey to the city-center interchange is roughly 20–25 minutes. Trains run frequently and the fare is ¥35. From Caoqiao you’re well-connected to the southern subway network.
Taxis from Daxing to central Beijing cost ¥120–¥180 depending on destination and traffic — it’s further from most hotel districts than Capital Airport. There are dedicated taxi queues outside the terminal.
Intercity Bus routes connect Daxing to major transit points including Beijing South Railway Station (for high-speed trains to Shanghai, Tianjin, etc.), which is useful if you’re arriving and need to make an onward HSR connection.
Transit Visas and Layover Tips
If you’re doing the 144-hour transit visa-free program, note that this applies to specific port pairs — both PEK and PKX are entry/exit ports, but your itinerary must conform to the rules (entering one international port, leaving via another international port or Beijing, and the entry/exit flights must be international). Full details on qualifying itineraries in our dedicated transit visa guide.
For long layovers (8+ hours) at Capital Airport, there are day rooms available in T3, plus showers, and the duty-free and restaurant areas are extensive. Daxing similarly has good lounges and facilities.
If you have 5+ hours and aren’t interested in entering the city, T3’s domestic gates area has a solid selection of restaurants and a few shops. For anything shorter than 2 hours between connecting flights, don’t plan on leaving the airport — immigration, city transit, and re-entry would eat your entire buffer.