Tibet Airlines Connects Hong Kong To Lhasa With New Direct Flights

Tibet Airlines' new twice-weekly flight service between Hong Kong and Lhasa, starting February 19, is expected to boost tourism in Tibet.

BySneha Chakraborty Published: Feb 04, 2025 08:00 AM HKT2 min read

Tibet Airlines Connects Hong Kong To Lhasa With New Direct Flights — Image credit: byeangel, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Hong Kongers have a new East Asian destination to consider for their summer travel plans in 2025. Tibet Airlines will launch a new direct flight service between Hong Kong and Lhasa on February 19, 2025. This twice-weekly service (Wednesdays and Sundays) aims to enhance regional cooperation and promote Tibet as a travel destination for Hong Kong tourists.

Flight TV9701 is scheduled to depart from Lhasa at 8:10 am, stop at Chengdu Tianfu International Airport, and arrive in Hong Kong at 2:35 pm. The return flight, TV9702, will leave Hong Kong at 3:45 pm, stop in Chengdu, and reach Lhasa by 11:30 pm. A return ticket starts at CNY 1,310 (approximately USD 182), excluding tax, in-flight meals, and additional services.

Also, read how the day of the week can impact your airfare, according to a new study.

Hong Kong to Lhasa flight service: A boost for Tibet’s tourism

hong kong flights — Tibetan Plateau | Image credit: Jiasong Huang/Unsplash

The new service by Tibet Airlines will enhance accessibility for people from Hong Kong and boost tourism in Tibet. Authorities claim that the new route will significantly reduce travel time and serve as an “aerial window” to promote Tibet globally. Lhasa Gonggar International Airport also plans to collaborate with more airlines to expand its regional network.

At present, there are no direct flights from Hong Kong to Tibet. The quickest options involve layovers in Chengdu with Air China, China Eastern Airlines, or Sichuan Airlines. This new route from Hong Kong to Lhasa also coincides with China’s recent update to the Individual Visit Scheme in 2024, which now includes Xi’an and Qingdao. This scheme, which has been in operation since 2007, allows residents from designated cities to visit Hong Kong independently without joining a tour group. The availability of faster services (or even a direct service in the future) from Hong Kong could potentially lead to increased inbound tourism to the western regions of East Asia.

(Feature image credit: byeangel, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

Note:
The information in this article is accurate as of the date of publication.