Cheap Flights from Dublin to Chengdu

The expensive stretch runs from the Christmas holidays into the Chinese New Year weeks, when fares climb and planes fill on both ends of the route. Summer is the other busy period, and June is the only summer month the calendar prices.

Work back from there and November is the cheapest month on the calendar, after the autumn rush and before the holidays. September, October and March also price gently. Midweek departures usually beat weekend ones, and booking a couple of months ahead leaves room to watch fares instead of grabbing the first one.

What the fare includes comes first: on a single through booking, Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways, Hainan Airlines and China Eastern Airlines usually cover meals, a cabin bag and a checked bag, with seat selection as the paid extra. The short hop is where extras creep in, because Emerald Airlines and Nordic Regional Airlines can sell the regional leg as a lighter fare.

Aer Lingus, British Airways, Scandinavian Airlines and Finnair sell their own connecting fares out of Ireland. They are full-service carriers rather than low-cost ones, so the differences that matter are journey time, where you change planes and how each ticket handles baggage.

Before you land, get two things straight: the entry documents China asks of Irish passport holders, and which of the city's two airports your itinerary uses. Keep your return details handy for the arrival formalities.

The older Chengdu airport sits closer to the centre, while Tianfu International Airport, the newer one, lies well out of town. Both reach the city by metro and airport bus, with taxis waiting outside arrivals. Read the airport name on any onward booking, because the two airports sit far apart.

Currency

CNY (¥)

Power sockets

Type A, C, I · 220 V

Language

Putonghua

Emergency number

110, 119, 120

Driving side

right

Calling code

+86

Internet domain

.cn, .中国

Population of Chengdu

20.9 M (2020)

Time zone

UTC+08 (Asia/Shanghai)

Country facts: Wikidata

• Check whether a checked bag is included on both legs, since the regional first leg can be sold lighter than the long-haul one.
• Ask what seat selection and meals cost when two airlines share one booking.
• Confirm which Chengdu airport your ticket uses, because Tianfu International Airport is farther from the centre.
• Aim for November if your dates are flexible, and book early around Christmas and Chinese New Year.
• Leave a generous gap between flights if you book separate tickets, since a missed connection is yours to sort out.
• Check the entry documents China requires and how long your passport must stay valid.