Info Center > All About Flights

Generally, your transpacific air tickets including U.S. domestic add-on segments (if applicable) should reach you approximately two weeks prior to your China Tour departure date. Air tickets for China domestic portion(s) are either attached to the transpacific segments, or will be given to you when you are in China. Upon receipt of your tickets, you must check them very carefully to ensure all name spellings match exactly that on your passport. Any discrepancy should be reported to our office immediately.

Contact the airline concerned to verify your flight schedule prior to leaving for the airport. Connecting passengers should verify, at check-in, that luggage can be checked through to their China destination. For transpacific flights, you must check in at least 3 hours prior to the scheduled departure time. Domestic flights require you to allow 2 hours to check-in.

U.S. Air Travelers
You should check with TSA (Transportation Security Administration) MUST READ prior to your travel. Following those crucial instructions will streamline your check-in procedure.

Air Tickets
Most airline tickets are issued using special fare which cannot be changed or canceled without incurring additional cost. Should you lose or misplace your tickets while traveling, you should immediately notify the airline. In most cases they will have you complete a Lost Ticket Indemnity Form, and for a fee, issue replacement tickets.

Add-on Flights
All China Spree China Tours depart from San Francisco (SFO), New York (JFK), or Los Angeles (LAX) per departure date. Optional add-on air service from your home city via SFO/JFK/LAX is available upon request. All rates quoted are roundtrip airfare including taxes. If you cannot locate your home city in the following chart, please choose the nearest available city in the list, or call our office for more information. Please be advised that if you choose to stop over in SFO/JFK/LAX and your lay over time is more than 24 hours, a $30 stopover tax each way will incur and will be added to the add-on fare.

Add-on airfare via Los Angeles (LAX) / San Francisco (SFO)

Select Departure City Allentown, PA Charleston, SC Washington, DC Knoxville, TN Palm Springs, CA Santa Barbara, CA Tucson, AZ Little Rock, AR Dulles, DC Chicago, IL Charlotte, NC Albany, NY Easton, PA Pittsburgh, PA Tulsa, OK Savannah, GA Augusta, GA Greenville/Spartanburg, SC Lexington, KY Orange County, CA Burlington, VT College Station, TX Corpus Christi, TX Daytona Beach, FL Gulfport, MS Hartford, CT Harlingen, TX Lake Charles, LA Wichita, KS Lubbock, TX Lafayette, LA Manchester, NH Portland, ME Sarasota, FL Anchorage, AK Lihue, HI Norfolk, VA Cincinnati, OH Cleveland, OH Colorado Springs, CO Columbus, OH Dallas, TX Dayton, OH Atlanta, GA Denver, CO Detroit, MI Fresno, CA Fort Lauderdale, FL Fort Myers, FL Greensboro, NC Houston, TX Huntsville, AL Indianapolis, IN Jackson, MS Jacksonville, FL Kansas City, MO Austin, TX Laguardia, NY Las Vegas, NV Los Angeles, CA Louisville, KY Memphis, TN Miami, FL Midland/Odessa, TX Baltimore, MD Milwaukee, WI Minneapolis, MN Monroe, LA Montgomery, AL Nashville, TN New Orleans, LA New York, NY Newark, NJ Baton Rouge, LA Oakland, CA Oklahoma City, OK Omaha, NE Orlando, FL--International Pensacola, FL Philadelphia, PA Phoenix, AZ Portland, OR Birmingham, AL Providence, RI Reno, NV Raleigh/Durham, NC Richmond, VA Rochester, NY Sacramento, CA Salt Lake City, UT San Antonio, TX San Diego, CA Boston, MA San Francisco, CA Seattle, WA Saint Louis, MO Syracuse, NY Buffalo, NY Tallahassee, FL Tampa, FL West Palm Beach, FL El Paso, TX

 

Add-on airfare via New York (JFK)

Select Departure City Boston, MA Atlanta, GA Fort Lauderdale, FL Miami, FL (MIA) Raleigh/Durham, NC Tampa, FL Jacksonville, FL Indianapolis, IN Orlando, FL - International Columbus, OH Dayton, OH Philadelphia, PA Charlotte, NC Columbia, SC Providence, RI St. Louis, MO Melbourne, FL West Palm Beach, FL Savannah, GA Louisville, KY Sarasota, FL Knoxville, TN Pittsburgh, PA Charleston, SC Greenville, SC Baltimore, MD Buffalo, NY Cleveland, OH Washington, DC Chicago, IL Detroit, MI (Roundtrip including taxes)

 

Add-on airfare via Seattle (SEA)

Select Departure City Vancouver, BC Eugene, OR Portland, Oregon Kamloops, BC Victoria, BC Kelowna, BC Calgary, AB Edmonton, AB Prince George, BC (Roundtrip including taxes)

For a smooth connection between flights, there are minimum allowable connection times. When Air China arranges the add-on air from your home city via the designated gateway, their booking system will automatically pick the flights with adequate connection times and filter the flights otherwise.

If you choose to arrange your own add-on flights, you must pay attention to the connection time. Flights without adequate connection time should not be booked. Please take the following fact into consideration. China Spree is not responsible for any missed connections and/or penalties/loss as a result.

• For transpacific flights, you must allow a minimum of 3 hours check-in time.
• For U.S. domestic flights, you must allow a minimum of 2 hours check-in time.
• The minimum transfer time between U.S. domestic and international connecting flight is 3 hours.
• It takes at least 1 hour to clear the Customs and claim your checked baggage.

Air China
Air China was found in 1955 and is the national airline of Peoples' Republic of China. Air China is currently code sharing with United Airlines and operates nonstop flights between Los Angeles (12 hrs), San Francisco (12 hrs), New York (13 hrs, 30 min) and Beijing.

Contact Information

Flight schedule is subject to change; please refer to your air ticket for accurate information and phone Air China to confirm the final departure schedule.

Flight Reconfirmation
Air China return flight need to be reconfirmed; your tour director will take care of that while you are in China.

Baggage
We strongly recommend you limit your baggage to one piece of checked luggage and one carry-on bag per person.

Baggage Allowance
Baggage allowance differs for transpacific flights and China domestic segments of your trip. Baggage allowance for transpacific flights is two pieces of checked baggage per person. Total dimensions (Length + Width + Height) of the two pieces must not exceed 107 inches (273cm); maximum dimensions of single piece shall not exceed 62 inches (158cm). Maximum weight per piece is 50 lbs (32kilos). Each passenger may carry one hand baggage, the combined dimensions of which shall not exceed 45 inches (115cm).

China domestic flights have stringent luggage restrictions allowing one piece of checked baggage that must not exceed 44 lbs per person, plus a carry-on bag not to exceed 11 lbs. The carry-on must fit in the overhead bin or under the seat.

Baggage in excess of allowances will incur excess baggage charge payable on site by the passenger.

Baggage Precautions
Make sure you have luggage tags for each checked suitcase. A copy of your itinerary and contact information should also go in an outside pocket of your luggage to aid the airline personnel to locate you in case you and your luggage become separated. Never check luggage containing prohibited items (i.e. lighters), valuables (i.e. cash, jewelry, and cameras), fragile items (i.e. undeveloped film, bottles, eyeglasses) or critical items (i.e. medicines, travel vouchers). You should read more information about TSA Permitted and Prohibited Items.

Baggage Damage/Lost
China Spree will not be responsible for loss or damage to your luggage and/or personal belongings. You must report any loss or damage immediately at the time of the incident and obtain a written report from the local authority for submission to your insurance provider. If you luggage is lost or damaged by the airlines, a baggage claim form must be filled with the carrier before leaving the airport.

Baggage Lock
Your checked luggage must be locked during transportation while in China. This is a Chinese regulation. Due to increased security measures in U.S. airports, if you wish to lock your baggage, you MUST use a TSA recognized lock. These allow TSA screeners open and re-lock your bags for security screening. Ordinary locks will be cut when physical inspection is required.

Frequent Flyer Miles
Currently, Air China is code sharing with United Airlines. Your transpacific flight air miles could be credited to your UA Mileage Plus account. China domestic flights don't count. It is your responsibility to call Air China or present your UA Mileage account number at airport check-in.

Seat assignment
Seat assignment with Air China can ONLY be arranged upon check-in. If you request specific seat because of a medical condition you should phone Air China office per departure gateway no sooner than 5 days prior to departure:

Jet Lag Considerations
Jet lag happens when your body's inner clock falls out of sync with daily cycles of light, rest, meals, and as you cross time zones to reach your destination. Symptoms are fatigue, irritability and vague disorientation. You cannot totally avoid jet lag, but you can minimize its effects. Here are some suggestions:

1) Get several good nights of sleep before your China Tour departure.
2) Set your watch to your destination time when you board the plane, and adjust sleep and
meals accordingly.
3) Try to sleep on the plane.
4) Walk around the plane occasionally, do isometric exercises at your seat.
5) Drink plenty of water and fruit juice while flying.
6) Avoid alcoholic and caffeinated drinks during and after the flight
7) On arrival, throw yourself into your new schedule, avoid naps, and try to stay awake until
your normal sleeping time at home.

Useful Resources

• Transportation Security Administration (TSA)
  
• Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
  
• Flight Arrival & Departure Information
  
• Airline Toll-free Numbers
  
• World Airport Guide
  
• Flight Delays Map