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Beijing Capital International Airport
Beijing, China
Beijing Capital International Airport
China's premier gateway, one of the world's busiest airports.
- ›Terminal 3, opened in 2008, was designed by architect Norman Foster and is one of the largest buildings in the world by floor area.
- ›The airport was significantly expanded ahead of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
- ›Beijing Capital held the rank of second-busiest airport in the world by passenger traffic for several years in the 2010s.
- ›The Airport Express rail link opened in 2008 and runs directly to Dongzhimen and Sanyuanqiao stations in central Beijing.
- ›Beijing now has two major international airports, with Daxing (PKX) opening in 2019 to relieve capacity pressure on Capital.
Beijing Capital International Airport, opened in 1958 and massively expanded for the 2008 Olympic Games, is one of the busiest airports in the world and China's premier international hub. Its landmark Terminal 3, designed by Norman Foster, remains one of the largest airport buildings on Earth by floor area. The airport serves as the primary base for Air China and connects Beijing to hundreds of destinations across Asia, Europe, the Americas, and beyond.
- Terminal 1 — The original terminal handling select domestic carriers with limited facilities and a smaller footprint.
- Terminal 2 — A mid-sized terminal serving international and domestic routes, home to several Star Alliance and partner carriers.
- Terminal 3 — The vast, architecturally iconic terminal opened for the 2008 Olympics, handling Air China flagship routes and most international traffic.
- Airport Express rail line to Dongzhimen and Sanyuanqiao metro stations (approximately 30 minutes to city center)
- Beijing Subway connections via Dongzhimen interchange to Lines 2 and 13
- Official airport taxi rank with metered cabs to central Beijing
- Ride-hailing services via Didi app available at designated pickup zones
- Long-distance coach buses serving multiple city districts and neighboring provinces
- Car rental desks from major providers including SAIC Anji, Hertz, and Avis in arrivals halls
- Novotel Beijing Capital Airport
- Hilton Beijing Capital Airport
- Holiday Inn Express Beijing Airport Zone
- Langham Place Beijing Capital Airport
- Yotel Beijing Capital Airport
Terminal 3 offers a wide variety of Chinese regional cuisines alongside international fast-food chains and sit-down restaurants spread across its departure lounges. Travelers can find Peking duck, dim sum, noodle bars, and Western options at multiple price points before and after security. Outside the airport, the Shunyi district surrounding PEK has numerous local restaurants and hotel dining venues a short taxi ride away.
- Allow extra time for immigration and security at Terminal 3, especially during Chinese public holidays when queues can be extremely long.
- The Airport Express train is the fastest and most cost-effective way to reach the city center, but note it does not run 24 hours.
- Only use officially marked taxi ranks inside the terminals — unlicensed drivers frequently approach arriving passengers in the arrivals hall.
- Wi-Fi is available throughout the airport but access to many foreign websites is restricted in China; download a VPN before arrival if needed.
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Beijing Capital International Airport is the busier of the two international airports serving Beijing, the capital city of China. The airport is located 32 km (20 mi) northeast of downtown Beijing, in an exclave of Chaoyang and the surroundings of that exclave in suburban Shunyi. The airport is owned and operated by the Beijing Capital International Airport Company Limited, a state-controlled company. The airport's IATA Airport code, PEK, is based on the city's former romanized name, Peking. The facility covers an area of 1,480 hectares of airport property. It was opened in 1958.
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