How to Book Travel on Shaanxi Airlines

With ancient treasures like the monumental Great Wall, China has a lot to offer travelers with a love for awe-inspiring sights. Those seeking to book travel on Shaanxi Airlines should know that this carrier offers domestic flights within China.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Valid credit card.
• Passport.
• Visa.
• Computer with Internet access.

Book Travel on Shaanxi Airlines

1. Save money by booking your tickets for Chinese domestic air travel on Shaanxi Airlines after you've arrived in China. The best bargains are to be found with Chinese travel agents. The Chinese aviation authority officially caps discounts at 40 percent; nevertheless, many Chinese travel agents offer discounts of 50 percent or more.

2. Get the best price by shopping around for your Shaanxi Airlines tickets. Prices vary significantly from travel agent to travel agent, and you'll have to do some research to score a bargain.

3. Bargain like a local to optimize your price on Shaanxi Airlines tickets. The first price quoted by the travel agent is never the best price. You'll have to negotiate to get the best savings on your tickets.

Prepare for Travel on Shaanxi Airlines

4. Get a Chinese visa, which is necessary for visitors entering China. Obtain your visa by applying with your country's Chinese embassy before departing for China.

5. Budget your trip knowing that Chinese visas tend to be more expensive than visas from other nations. If you're from the United States, you can plan on spending $50 for your Chinese visa.

6. Optimize your safety by checking with the U.S. State Department to see if any travel warnings or public announcements have been issued regarding China. China has been relatively peaceful in recent years, but the State Department's Web site will be your best source for information should China's environment change.

Tips & Warnings

• Prior to arriving in China, it's a good idea to check out the newspapers of Chinese communities in your home town. These newspapers often feature advertisements posted by Chinese travel agencies; these advertisements will give you a sense of which agencies offer the best deals on Chinese domestic air travel. You can then contact these agencies once you arrive in China.
• Shaanxi Airlines is a tiny domestic carrier, and doesn't offer a Web site or an English phone number. English speakers are advised to book their tickets with the aid of a travel agent.
• Some travel Web sites sell tickets for Chinese domestic air travel, allowing you to book your tickets from your home country. However, this is never a good move, since the prices offered on these Web sites are invariably steeper than those you'd encounter if you purchased your tickets through a travel agent.