Cheap flights from Warsaw to Xi'an

November is the cheapest month here, and the price calendar covers September, October and November, then January through April, plus June. Late autumn and early spring are the quietest windows; summer and the weeks around Chinese New Year and the autumn national holiday push fares up, as does the run-up to Christmas in Poland. Midweek departures, Tuesday to Thursday, usually cost less than weekend ones, and a longer layover often buys a lower fare. Book a few months ahead for the busy periods and watch the calendar for drops.

There is no non-stop service, so every itinerary pairs a European or Gulf carrier with a Chinese one. LOT Polish Airlines, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Air France, Swiss, Finnair and Brussels Airlines cover the European end, while Air China and Etihad Airways appear on the long haul, with Etihad routing through the Gulf rather than Europe. Cityjet and Braathens Regional Aviation tend to show up on short feeder legs, not the ocean crossing. All of these are full-service carriers, so there is no budget option on this route, but what is included still depends on the fare family — read the baggage line for each leg before you pay.

You land at Xianyang, the airport serving Xi'an, and it sits well outside the city, so build in time for the transfer. The airport express train is the quickest way in when it is running, shuttle buses serve several points in town, and taxis and ride-hailing wait at the terminal. If you change planes in Europe or the Gulf, check whether your bags are checked through to Xi'an or whether you collect and re-check them. Have your onward address written in Chinese characters for the driver, and remember that a late arrival leaves you fewer transport options.

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 Warsaw airport your ticket uses, because F. Chopin and Modlin are far apart and not interchangeable.
• Confirm whether the whole trip is on one ticket or on separate bookings, since separate tickets mean you carry the risk of a missed connection.
• Read the baggage allowance for each leg, as a short feeder flight and a long-haul flight can have different rules.
• Sort your visa or entry documents for China before you pay for anything.
• Make sure your layover is long enough to change terminals and clear security again.
• Compare November with the months around it if your dates are flexible.