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Hainan Airlines free Beijing tour

Hi, I am looking at booking a flight to Japan with a stop over in Beijing.

Hainan airlines mention that you can book a free city tour, any idea how long it takes and if it drops you back at the airport for the connecting flight?

Plus anyone who has been on it say if it’s worth it?

Just worried about timings, my flight lands at 5.30ish roughly and connecting flight is 9pm, doe the timing work?

Thanks.

Hainan Airlines offers a complimentary transit tour in Beijing for passengers with a layover of more than a few hours. This program is designed to give transit passengers a short experience of the city without having to arrange visas if they qualify for the 24/72/144-hour transit visa exemption.

Here are the key details:

  • The tour typically lasts around 4–5 hours, including travel time to and from the airport. It usually visits major sights such as Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, or the Summer Palace depending on the tour type.
  • The airline ensures that passengers are returned to Beijing Capital Airport in time for their connecting flight. They coordinate with the flight schedule, so you should be back at the airport well before your boarding time.
  • The tours are guided and you don’t have to organize transportation yourself, which makes it convenient for short layovers.

Regarding your timing:

  • If your flight lands at around 5:30 PM and your connecting flight is at 9:00 PM, that gives you roughly 3.5 hours. This is very tight for a transit city tour, considering deboarding, immigration, transfer to the city, and return. Most organized tours require at least 6–7 hours for safety.
  • Given your evening arrival, it is likely too short to participate safely in the free tour. The airline may not accept bookings for tours that risk passengers missing their connecting flight.
  • If you still want to explore Beijing during a short layover, a better option might be staying within the airport or exploring nearby airport areas rather than taking the full city tour.

In summary, Hainan Airlines’ free Beijing tour is a good experience for longer layovers, but with your current schedule (5:30 PM arrival, 9 PM departure), it is too short to safely join the tour.

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Hainan
Beijing
Forbidden City
Summer Palace
Japan
Tiananmen Square
Tiananmen Square

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