Helpful Info for Australian Travelers

Flights

The China National Tourism Administration shows that almost 800,000 Australians travelled to China in 2017. This means, there are many more flight options now than just 20 years ago. It’s a 10-hour flight from Sydney to Guangzhou and 12 hours up to Beijing. Sometimes you can find very good deals on international flights; for example, from Sydney to Beijing for only about AUD450 round trip.

Here are the flight times and flight availability from several Australian cities to various destinations in China.

Departure City Arrival City Flying time Non-Stop / Direct Flights
Sydney Beijing 12hrs Daily
Shanghai 11hrs Daily
Guangzhou 9hrs 40mins Daily
Hong Kong 9hrs 40mins Daily
Melbourne Shanghai 10hrs 40mins Daily
Hong Kong 9hrs 40mins Daily
Guangzhou 9hrs 45mins Daily
Beijing 11hrs 45mins Not daily
Perth Hong Kong 7hrs 50mins Daily
Shanghai 13 hrs Not daily
Beijing 13 hrs
Guangzhou 8hrs
Adelaide Guangzhou 9hrs 15mins Not daily
Hong Kong 9hrs
Brisbane Guangzhou 9hrs 5mins Not daily
Beijing 14 hrs
Shanghai 10hrs 25mins
Hong Kong 9hrs 15mins

Flights from Australia to China

* The information above is for reference only. The actual flight time is based on the specific flight schedule on the travel date.

Tips on how to get a good deal on international flights

  • Book your international flight at least 30 days before departure.
  • Generally, the earlier you book, the better deal you can get. But, sometimes, there are last minute deals (within 30 days of departure).
  • Flights with at least one stopover are usually cheaper than direct flights and on average take about 3 to 5 hours longer.
  • Make sure you check not just the STATED online TICKET price, but the FULL online price including baggage fees, departure taxes, etc.

Our most recommended online flight booking websites are: Expedia, SkyScanner, and Kayak.

We also recommend checking the following airline’s official websites: Qantas, China Southern Airline, China Eastern Airline, and Air China.

China Visa

Holders of Australian passports can visit China without a visa for business, tourism, family visits, and transit for periods of up to 15 days.

For more information, like 144-hour and 72-hour visa-free transit.

Sample Costs for Traveling in China

Meal for 1 person – inexpensive restaurant Meal for 2 people - mid-range restaurant McDonalds (per person) Domestic Beer (500ml) Bottled water (550ml)
3-7AUD 20-50 AUD 6-9 AUD 2-3 AUD 0.5-2 AUD
Milk (250ml) Banana (per kilo) Apple (per kilo) Flag-Down fare for taxis
1-2 AUD 1-2 AUD 2-5 AUD 2-3 AUD