United Airlines' Future Plans For Beijing's Daxing Airport

will united airlines use daxing airport

Beijing Daxing International Airport, located 50km south of Beijing, is a mega airport with the world's largest single-building terminal. It was completed on June 30, 2019, and began operations on September 26, 2019. The airport serves as the hub for China United Airlines, which was its first operator, and other airlines like China Eastern Airlines and China Southern Airlines. However, it seems that United Airlines will not be operating from Daxing Airport for the time being, although some sources speculate that they will eventually have a presence there.

Characteristics Values
First operator China United Airlines
Opening date 26 September 2019
Number of runways 4 civilian runways, 1 military runway
Distance from Beijing Capital International Airport 65km
Distance from Beijing City Center 46km
Distance from Langfang City Center 26km
Distance from Tianjin 81km
Distance from Tiananmen Square 46km
Distance from Xiong'an New Area 50km
Terminal size 700,000 m2 (7,500,000 sq ft)
Total land area 47 km2 (18 sq mi)
Alliance SkyTeam, Oneworld
Number of airlines operating 28
Notable airlines operating China Southern Airlines, Aeroflot, British Airways, Delta Air Lines, China Eastern Airlines
United Airlines presence Unlikely in the near future, but may eventually have a presence

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China United Airlines was Beijing Daxing's first operator

The airline has 60 aircraft and 4,000 employees that needed to be moved from Beijing Nanyuan Airport to Beijing Daxing. This process took place over the course of one night. China United Airlines is now headquartered at Beijing Daxing International Airport.

Beijing Daxing Airport, located 50km south of Beijing, opened its doors on September 26, 2019. The airport is designed to act as a mega airport, with the world's largest single-building terminal. The terminal building is over 1,000,000 square meters in size.

The airport serves as a hub for SkyTeam alliance airlines and some Oneworld members. The top 11 airlines operating at the airport are all Chinese. The biggest non-Chinese carrier using the facility is Aeroflot, with 35 services planned for August 2023.

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Beijing Daxing is a hub for SkyTeam alliance airlines

Beijing Daxing International Airport, located 50 km south of Beijing, is one of two international airports serving the city. It is a hub for SkyTeam alliance airlines, which include China Southern Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, XiamenAir, Aeroflot, and Delta Air Lines.

SkyTeam is one of the world's three major airline alliances, founded in June 2000. As of May 2025, SkyTeam consists of 18 active carriers and operates a cargo alliance named SkyTeam Cargo, partnering with seven carriers, all SkyTeam members. SkyTeam was founded by Delta Air Lines, Aeroméxico, Air France, and Korean Air, and other members include CSA Czech Airlines, Alitalia, KLM, and Aeroflot, which joined in 2006 as the first Russian airline to be associated with any airline alliance.

Beijing Daxing opened on September 26, 2019, and was designed to replace Beijing Nanyuan Airport, which was previously occupied only by China United Airlines. China United Airlines was the first operator of Beijing Daxing, and other airlines gradually transitioned from Beijing Capital Airport. The airport features the world's largest single-building airport terminal, covering 700,000 square meters (7,500,000 square feet) and sitting on 47 square kilometers (18 square miles) of land.

SkyTeam members have been slowly moving their services to Beijing Daxing. XiamenAir has relocated its routes to the airport, and China Eastern Airlines has shifted all of its operations there, except for flights to Shanghai-Hongqiao. Delta Air Lines has also announced its intention to move to Beijing Daxing.

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Beijing Capital International Airport is Beijing Daxing's counterpart

Beijing Daxing International Airport (PKX) is one of two international airports serving Beijing, the capital of China. The other airport is Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK). Beijing Daxing Airport is located 46 kilometres south of Tiananmen Square, 26 kilometres west of downtown Langfang, 50 kilometres northeast of Xiong'an New Area, and 65 kilometres south of Beijing Capital International Airport.

Beijing Capital International Airport is the busiest of the two airports and is located 32 kilometres northeast of downtown Beijing. It is owned and operated by the Beijing Capital International Airport Company Limited, a state-controlled company. The airport's IATA code, PEK, is based on the city's former romanized name, Peking.

Beijing Daxing Airport was built to relieve Beijing Capital Airport, which had limited capacity. The new airport is a mega airport with the world's second-largest single-building terminal, covering 700,000 square metres (7,500,000 square feet). It has four civilian runways and one military runway, with plans for three additional runways in the future.

Beijing Capital Airport has three terminals and a total of four runways. Terminal 3, the newest terminal, opened in February 2008 and features a 300,000-square-metre transportation hub with a 7,000-car garage. The airport also has a high-speed rail connection to the city centre.

In summary, Beijing Daxing International Airport and Beijing Capital International Airport are the two main aviation hubs serving Beijing, China. Beijing Daxing is a newer, larger airport with a more modern terminal and more runways, while Beijing Capital International Airport is the busier airport and is located closer to the city centre.

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Beijing Daxing is a mega airport with the world's largest single-building terminal

Beijing Daxing International Airport (IATA: PKX, ICAO: ZBAD) is one of two international airports serving Beijing, China's capital. It is located on the border of Beijing and Langfang, Hebei, 46 kilometres (29 miles) south of Tiananmen Square, 26 kilometres (16 miles) west of downtown Langfang, 50 kilometres (31 miles) northeast of Xiong'an New Area, and 65 kilometres (40 miles) south of Beijing Capital International Airport.

Beijing Daxing is a mega airport, designed to alleviate congestion in Beijing's existing airports, which were operating at full capacity. The airport covers 2,679 hectares (6,620 acres) and has four civilian runways and one military runway. It has been nicknamed "the starfish" due to its unique layout, designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, which features a central terminal with six corridors leading to aircraft gates. The terminal building is over 700,000 square metres (7,500,000 square feet) in size, making it the world's largest single-building airport terminal. The airport is designed to handle 72 million passengers, 2 million tons of cargo, and 620,000 aircraft movements in the long term.

The airport features state-of-the-art technology, including radio-frequency identification for baggage tracking, geothermal heat pumps for heating and cooling, and facial recognition security access. It is also environmentally friendly, with photovoltaic power generation and a rainwater collection and water management system. The system helps to prevent flooding and combat the "heat island" effect during the summer. The airport is easily accessible via various means of transportation, including a high-speed rail connection to the Beijing-Xiong'an intercity railway, subway connections, and expressways.

China United Airlines was the first operator of Beijing Daxing Airport, exclusively using it for a few weeks before other airlines transitioned from Beijing Capital Airport. Other airlines that have moved to Beijing Daxing include British Airways, Malaysia Airlines, S7 Airlines, Qatar Airways, Royal Air Maroc, XiamenAir, Aeroflot, and China Southern Airlines.

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China Eastern Airlines is moving to Beijing Daxing

Beijing Daxing International Airport, located 50km south of Beijing, opened its doors on September 26, 2019. The airport is designed to be a mega airport, with the world's largest single-building terminal, covering 700,000 square meters (7,500,000 sq ft).

China Eastern Airlines has indeed moved to Beijing Daxing. The airline gradually shifted its operations to the new airport, starting in April 2020, and now has a significant presence at Daxing. This move was part of a broader strategy by Chinese airlines to expand their international routes and cater to increasing demand from Chinese travellers. China Eastern Airlines has also launched new non-stop flight services from Beijing Daxing to Singapore Changi Airport, enhancing travel options between China and Southeast Asia.

The relocation of China Eastern Airlines to Beijing Daxing was a complex undertaking, as the airline had to move its fleet of aircraft and employees from its previous hub. The process took place over a short period, and the airline now operates a substantial number of flights from the airport, with plans to further expand its international routes.

China Eastern Airlines is not alone in its move to Beijing Daxing. Several other airlines, including China Southern Airlines, Xiamen Airlines, and Aeroflot, have also relocated to the new airport. This shift is in line with the Civil Aviation Administration of China's (CAAC) requirement for each Mainland Chinese airline to serve only one Beijing-area airport. Beijing Daxing is now a hub for SkyTeam alliance airlines and some Oneworld members, while Hainan Airlines and most Star Alliance members remain at Beijing Capital International Airport.

Frequently asked questions

China United Airlines.

28 airlines are currently operating from Beijing Daxing International Airport, including China Southern Airlines, Aeroflot, British Airways, Qatar Airways, and Delta Air Lines.

There is no evidence to suggest that United Airlines will use Beijing Daxing International Airport. However, some sources speculate that United Airlines will eventually have a presence at the airport.

Beijing Daxing International Airport is designed to be a mega airport with the world's largest single-building terminal. It provides additional capacity that Beijing Capital Airport cannot provide.

Airlines that are part of the SkyTeam alliance, such as China Southern Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, and XiamenAir, were initially expected to relocate to Beijing Daxing International Airport.

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