Asia Pacific · China

Handling at Beijing (ZBAA)

We handle overflight permits, slots, flight plans, fuel, customs and the turnaround at Beijing Capital. One coordinator owns the stop at Beijing, from the first filing to wheels up.

AERODROME

--:-- local

ICAO: ZBAA
IATA: PEK
Elevation: 116 ft
Position: 40.077, 116.597

RUNWAYS

01/193,800 m / 12,467 ftConcrete
18L/36R3,800 m / 12,467 ftAsphalt
18R/36L3,200 m / 10,499 ftAsphalt/concrete

Reference only, not for flight planning. Lengths are full declared runway length rather than declared distances, and this page is not amended on the AIRAC cycle. Check the current AIP and NOTAMs, or ask the desk and we will check them for you.

The field

What ZBAA is actually like

Beijing Capital is the historic gateway to the Chinese capital and still handles significant business aviation despite the opening of Daxing. Operating privately into mainland China is a paperwork exercise before it is a flying one.

Operating brief

What we handle before you file

Permits

The CAAC issues landing and overflight permits, and the lead time is among the longest anywhere in the network. Every detail of the crew, passengers, aircraft and route is filed in advance and changes require refiling rather than amendment.

Slots and parking

Slot coordinated and tightly managed. Parking is allocated and business aviation stays are limited, so a long stop needs arranging as part of the original permit rather than added later.

Customs and border

Chinese visas must be in hand before departure. No arrival processing exists to fall back on, for passengers or crew, and this is the most common reason a China trip does not happen.

When it gets tight

The Chinese New Year period and the National Day holiday in early October are the two that reshape everything. The political calendar in Beijing produces airspace restrictions that are announced with little notice.

On the ground

Off the aircraft and into the car

The centre is about forty minutes away, less at night. The ground experience is orderly once you are through, and the general aviation facilities are good. Daxing is considerably further out if the trip ends up there instead.

Alternates

Where we go when ZBAA will not take the trip

Every one of these is a field we would put to you with the reason attached, not a list of nearby runways.

ZBAD
Beijing Daxing
The newer Beijing airport, south of the city, with capacity Capital does not have.
ZBTJ
Tianjin Binhai
Thirty minutes by high-speed rail from Beijing, and considerably easier to obtain.
ZSPD
Shanghai Pudong
The other main Chinese gateway, on the same permit basis.

What we handle here