Information on Air China Flights

Air China is one of the largest airlines in the world serving one of the most populous countries. As domestic tourism booms in China, so do its many airlines, and this carrier is the third largest in China in terms of passengers carried.

If you visit almost any airport in China, there is a good chance that Air China or one of its partners flies there. While it may not be the most luxurious carrier, it does offer several passenger-friendly amenities (and pitfalls) worth knowing about before booking a ticket. This information can help you make the right choice for your trip.

Airline fleet

Air China operates a wide fleet of planes from both Airbus and Boeing, but also from Chinese manufacturer Comac. The latter aircraft are typically only used on domestic flights.

On flights to the U.S., you will see either the Airbus A330 or Boeing 787 Dreamliner, B777-300ER or B747-8. Yes, that’s right, Air China is one of the few airlines to still fly the Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet, and it operates the newest model of the double-decker plane.

Cabins

Most of these widebody planes have four cabins: first, business, premium economy and economy. The A330s and some B777-300ERs leave out Premium Economy; the A330s do not have first class either.

First class

First class is the most premium cabin on Air China, and I am a fan. It is not as exceptional as Lufthansa or Swiss, but it does the trick (and offers more mileage redemption opportunities than its partners). In a 1-2-1 configuration, the seats have privacy walls, plush cushions and blankets (the best seats are on the B747-8).

There is plenty of storage, including a small closet for jackets at each seat. None has a sliding door for privacy, which is a disappointment. There are Western and Chinese dining options, and while the service is attentive, the airline’s first class cabins are large, extending the service time.

Business class

Business class seats on all widebody, long-haul flights lie fully flat. While the layout is 2-2-2, there is still plenty of stretching room, large entertainment screens and multi-course meals.

The only drawback is that window seat passengers have to climb over their neighbor to reach the aisle. My favorite business class with Air China is on the B747-8 since it is in the nose of the plane (or even better, upstairs!), which is a unique flight experience.

Premium economy

Premium economy is the airline’s newest cabin, which elaborates a bit on standard economy class by offering greater legroom and recline plus a bit more food and beverage choice. The service experience is not that much more intimate or friendly than economy, however, and English is not always widely spoken.

On the B747-8, for example, premium economy is in a 3-4-3 layout, ouch! That is no different from the economy layout although the leg room is still better.

Where does Air China fly from the U.S.?

As a Star Alliance member, Air China benefits from connecting feed to its long-haul flights from and to the United States. It can connect travelers to a wide range of cities across China, Asia and elsewhere.

From the United States, Air China flies from its Beijing hub to Honolulu, Houston Bush Intercontinental, Los Angeles, Newark, New York JFK, San Francisco and Washington Dulles. The airline also flies a fifth-freedom route from Houston to Panama City. All of these except for Honolulu are Star Alliance-founding member United hubs.

Air China also has a hub at Beijing’s new Daxing airport, Shanghai Pudong and both of Chengdu’s airports. It also has secondary hubs in a half dozen Chinese cities, but these generally connect passengers between destinations within China or to other cities in Asia.

Pros and cons of flying with Air China

Flying with Air China offers great convenience if heading to China given its vast network of domestic and international destinations. What it lacks in Western-style customer service, it makes up for in international coverage and decent fares. These are some of the most positive comments and typical complaints of the airline.

Positive comments

Air China makes a lot of award space available to partner airlines in Star Alliance. If you collect miles in programs like Air Canada Aeroplan or United MileagePlus, you have a decent chance at finding award tickets for first, business and economy class on many of its flights.

If you do not have miles with those carriers, you can transfer them from credit card programs like Chase Ultimate Rewards. Other Star Alliance loyalty programs that have credit card transfer partners include Avianca LifeMiles and ANA Mileage Club, both of which partner with American Express Membership Rewards.

If you do not have miles, I should point out that Air China flights are often cheaper than those of its Western counterparts. For example, if the airline competes with United from San Francisco to Beijing, for example, the Chinese carrier will often be the cheaper option.

Air China has its own loyalty program, PhoenixMiles, but I prefer to earn miles in a more rewarding program like United MileagePlus or Air Canada Aeroplan. But, Star Alliance Gold members from any program are eligible for perks like priority check-in, boarding, lounge access and preferred seating when flying with Air China.

Its lounges in China may not be the most spectacular around the globe, but they almost always have a wide selection of hot and cold buffet food. Some have noodle bars where you can customize a noodle soup to your liking (I love adding all the interesting condiments and spicy toppings to try something new).

The airline has invested in technology so that premium passengers can pre-order their preferred inflight dining option before the flight. This means you can lock in what you want in advance.

Common complaints about Air China

American travelers should not seek out the same hospitality and customer service from Air China that you might expect from other Asian carriers like Korean Air, Japan Airlines, Thai International or Singapore Airlines. Instead, the Chinese staff and crew can be welcoming, but their limited English (especially once in China) can be a hurdle to their service.

On board, the inflight entertainment system only has a limited number of Western TV shows and music. It has more international movies, however, but on such long flights to Asia, I suggest coming prepared with a backup plan.

Another disappointment is that economy class passengers must pay a fee to assign most of the best seats in advance unless they have status with a Star Alliance carrier.

Unless you book your flight directly with Air China, you will need to call the airline to assign a seat as the airline’s website will not recognize other airline ticket numbers. Even when calling, however, Air China’s computer systems are not the best, and there have been times when I have been unable to assign a seat, even when I was entitled to one.

Economy class flights do not usually have complimentary alcohol. In the premium cabin, wine, beer and some spirits are free (but not served generously). Let me be completely honest: some of the wine is undrinkable. On longer flights, however, the airline taps the services of a sommelier to select better labels from France, Italy, Argentina and Australia among others for business and first class.

Remember that for many nationalities, a visa is required to enter China. If traveling between two different countries via China, you are eligible for a 24-hour visa-free transit, but you cannot leave the airport. Be aware that if you have a problem with your flight (a delay or cancellation) you will be stuck in the airport and not able to go to a hotel.

Do not confuse Air China with the Taiwanese carrier China Airlines. This happens from time to time, and I have seen people racing around to a different terminal because they used the incorrect airline name and ended up in the wrong place. If you are Taipei-bound or want to fly with a SkyTeam airline, then China Airlines is a great option.

Passenger-friendly amenities

As other airlines start to chip away at free perks, Air China still offers a few benefits for free. This includes a sizable allowance for checked bags (two per person weighing up to 50lbs on international flights except for its cheapest fare class) and one carry-on bag.

Once in flight, it offers free onboard entertainment (albeit limited) and complimentary hot meals on all flights of at least two hours in all cabins.

It offers a variety of special meals that are available for pre-order, including low-calorie, gluten-free, seafood, vegetarian and even a fruit platter. There are special meals for children and infants, too. On long-haul sectors, the flight attendants offer extra snacks like sandwiches, fruit and chocolates between services.

I recommend ordering a special meal as the quality of the food on Air China is average at best, sometimes with weak flavor. I like to order Asian Vegetarian meals because they tend to be better (often an Indian dish).