Cheap flights from London to Xi'an

September is the cheapest month on this route, and it sits in a comfortable window: the summer rush is over, the October holiday crowds have not arrived, and Xi'an is pleasant to walk. Prices are dated from September through June, so the page shows what each of those months costs. Spring and autumn are the sweet spots for weather and seat choice. Two periods push fares up — the Chinese New Year travel rush in winter and the holiday week at the start of October. Midweek departures, especially Tuesday and Wednesday, tend to price lower than Friday and Sunday flights. Book a few weeks ahead for spring and autumn, and earlier around the New Year.

Airlines on this route include China Eastern, China Southern, Hainan, Tianjin, Shenzhen and Beijing Capital from China, plus Finnair, Cathay Pacific and BA CityFlyer from Europe, with AirAsiaX as the low-cost name in the list. Some fly nonstop and others sell one-stop itineraries through their own hubs, which often trades a longer journey for a lower fare. AirAsiaX runs on a low-cost model, so its fare covers less than a full-service ticket; add bags and meals before you compare totals. The full-service carriers differ from one another in baggage allowance, seat selection and change rules, so read the conditions attached to the fare you are looking at.

Every flight from London lands at Xi'an Xianyang International Airport, the only airport serving the city. It sits in neighbouring Xianyang rather than inside Xi'an itself, so allow time for the transfer into town instead of planning a tight onward connection. The airport express train, shuttle buses and taxis are the usual ways in, and signs are in Chinese as well as English. Immigration at Xianyang can be slow when several long-haul arrivals land together, so do not count on being out of the terminal quickly. If you land late at night, check that your bus or train still runs at that hour before you decide against a taxi.

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 Xi'an

13.0 M (2020)

Time zone

UTC+08 (Asia/Shanghai)

Country facts: Wikidata

• Check which London airport your fare leaves from, since Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton and London City are not interchangeable.
• Confirm whether your itinerary is nonstop or connects, and how long each layover is.
• On two separate tickets, a missed connection is yours to fix, not the airline's.
• On low-cost fares, add checked bags and meals before comparing with a full-service ticket.
• Check your entry and transit rules for China, including any that apply when you change planes in a third country.
• Fly in September if your dates are flexible, and book early for the New Year and October holiday periods.