Originfacts

Airline guide

Air China logo

Air ChinaIATA code CA

airchina.com.cn(official website, opens in a new tab)

Baggage allowances, fare rules, check-in cut-offs and contact details for Air China. Policy figures are read from Air China’s own published pages and each one shows where it came from and when we checked it.

Home country
People's Republic of China
Busiest markets
Beijing, Chengdu, Shanghai
By route count · route data Jul 2026
Destinations
166 in 40 countries
Route data Jul 2026
7 of 7 sections verified· checked 5 Oct 2026 – 6 Oct 20261 from route dataHow we check

Air China at a glance

Air China carry-on baggage allowance

Verified 5 Oct 2026 – 6 Oct 2026
Carry-on weight by cabin
CabinCarry-on weight
Economy1 cabin bag up to 5 kg + 1 personal item included free
Verified 6 Oct 2026airchina.com.cn (opens in a new tab)
Business & First2 cabin bags up to 8 kg each (Business / First Class)
Verified 6 Oct 2026airchina.com.cn (opens in a new tab)
Cabin bag size
55 x 40 x 20 cm
Verified 6 Oct 2026airchina.com.cn (opens in a new tab)
Personal item
1 personal item that fits under the seat in front, such as a handbag, briefcase, laptop bag or camera bag; no size is given
Verified 5 Oct 2026webresource.airchina.com.cn (opens in a new tab)

Air China checked baggage allowance

Verified 5 Oct 2026 – 6 Oct 2026
Checked allowance by cabin
CabinChecked allowance
Economy1 piece up to 23 kg (50 lbs) included (Economy Class)
Verified 6 Oct 2026airchina.com.cn (opens in a new tab)
Premium Economy2 x 23 kg on Latitude, Selected and Flex; 1 x 23 kg on Standard
Verified 5 Oct 2026webresource.airchina.com.cn (opens in a new tab)
Business2 pieces up to 32 kg (70 lbs) each included (Business Class)
Verified 6 Oct 2026airchina.com.cn (opens in a new tab)
First2 pieces up to 32 kg (70 lbs) each included (First Class)
Verified 6 Oct 2026airchina.com.cn (opens in a new tab)
Size and weight limits
International: each free bag up to 158 cm (62 in) total and 32 kg; domestic: each free bag up to 100 x 60 x 40 cm
Verified 5 Oct 2026webresource.airchina.com.cn (opens in a new tab)
Domestic allowance
Within the Chinese Mainland (weight concept): First 40 kg, Business 30 kg, Premium Economy and Economy 20 kg, infants 10 kg
Verified 5 Oct 2026webresource.airchina.com.cn (opens in a new tab)
Domestic maximum per bag
Standard official policy applies
Verified 5 Oct 2026webresource.airchina.com.cn (opens in a new tab)
Checked bag on Economy Standard
Standard official policy applies
Verified 5 Oct 2026webresource.airchina.com.cn (opens in a new tab)

What Air China’s cheapest fare includes

Verified 6 Oct 2026

Source: airchina.com.cn/fares (opens in a new tab)

Lowest fare
Economy Super Value, Economy Standard, Premium Economy, Business, First Class
Seat selection
Included in Business, First, Premium Economy, and Standard Economy; fee on Super Value.
Changes and cancellations
Super Value non-refundable; Standard, Business, and First allow changes with low/no fee.

Air China cabins and aircraft

Verified 6 Oct 2026

Choose a seat by location and legroom, or accept a free seat assignment at check-in. Use your flight seat map because options vary with the aircraft.

Seat options
Economy Class, Premium Economy, Capital Business Class (lie-flat), Forbidden Pavilion First Class suites.
Verified 6 Oct 2026airchina.com.cn (opens in a new tab)
Reserved or random
Free advance seat selection on most fares; assigned free at check-in.
Verified 6 Oct 2026airchina.com.cn (opens in a new tab)
Family seating
Air China automatically seats children under 12 with an accompanying adult free of charge.
Verified 6 Oct 2026airchina.com.cn (opens in a new tab)

If your Air China flight is delayed or cancelled

Verified 5 Oct 2026 – 6 Oct 2026
Rebooking and refunds
Full refund or free rebooking if flight cancelled or delayed >3 hours.
Verified 6 Oct 2026airchina.com.cn (opens in a new tab)
Care during delays
Meals and accommodation are provided when a delay or cancellation at the departure airport is Air China's fault, or at a stopover or diversion; for weather and other causes outside its control, Air China helps arrange them at the passenger's cost
Verified 5 Oct 2026webresource.airchina.com.cn (opens in a new tab)
Cash compensation for delays
For delays caused by Air China: RMB 200 per passenger for 4 to 8 hours, RMB 400 for 8 hours or more
Verified 5 Oct 2026webresource.airchina.com.cn (opens in a new tab)
Care
Meals, drinks, and hotel accommodation provided for controllable delays under CAAC rules.
Verified 6 Oct 2026airchina.com.cn (opens in a new tab)
Compensation
Statutory compensation provided under CAAC passenger service standards.
Verified 6 Oct 2026airchina.com.cn (opens in a new tab)

Air China check-in times and airport cut-offs

Verified 5 Oct 2026 – 6 Oct 2026

Air China publishes fixed cutoffs only for flights departing Beijing; its conditions of carriage say deadlines differ by airport.

Domestic check-in closes
45 minutes before departure
Verified 6 Oct 2026airchina.com.cn (opens in a new tab)
International check-in closes
60 minutes before departure
Verified 6 Oct 2026airchina.com.cn (opens in a new tab)
Boarding closes
15 to 20 minutes before departure
Verified 6 Oct 2026airchina.com.cn (opens in a new tab)
Online check-in
Standard official policy applies
Verified 5 Oct 2026webresource.airchina.com.cn (opens in a new tab)
Online check-in opens
36 hours before departure via web or Air China app
Verified 6 Oct 2026airchina.com.cn (opens in a new tab)

How to contact Air China

Verified 5 Oct 2026
Customer service phone
95583 (+86 10 95583), 24 hours a day
Verified 5 Oct 2026webresource.airchina.com.cn (opens in a new tab)
US phone
+1 800 882 8122 (North America; 06:00-21:00 Pacific weekdays, 07:30-16:00 weekends and holidays)
Verified 5 Oct 2026webresource.airchina.com.cn (opens in a new tab)
Customer relations email
customer_relations@airchina.com
Verified 5 Oct 2026webresource.airchina.com.cn (opens in a new tab)
Conditions of carriage
webresource.airchina.com.cn/en-US/content/trans_conditions/dcpb (opens in a new tab)
Verified 5 Oct 2026webresource.airchina.com.cn (opens in a new tab)

Where Air China flies

Route data · Jul 2026

Source: Originfacts route-network dataset, built from TravelPayouts route data (updated 2026-07). Not verified by hand.

We track 1,257 Air China routes serving 166 destinations across 40 countries.

Destinations
166
Countries
40
Routes tracked
1,257
Longest route
11,709 km

Busiest markets by route count

  1. Beijing151 routes
  2. Chengdu74 routes
  3. Shanghai63 routes
  4. Shenzhen55 routes
  5. Guangzhou45 routes

A market may include more than one airport.

Longest route in the dataset

Johannesburg JNBtoBeijing PEK

11,709 km great-circle distance between the two airports.

Destinations in the route data

Common questions about flying Air China

What size cabin bag can I take on Air China?

According to Air China’s own website (airchina.com.cn, checked 6 Oct 2026): 55 x 40 x 20 cm.

How heavy can my Air China carry-on bag be?

According to Air China’s own website (airchina.com.cn, checked 6 Oct 2026): 1 cabin bag up to 5 kg + 1 personal item included free.

What is the Air China Economy checked baggage allowance?

According to Air China’s own website (airchina.com.cn, checked 6 Oct 2026): 1 piece up to 23 kg (50 lbs) included (Economy Class).

When can I check in online with Air China?

According to Air China’s own website (airchina.com.cn, checked 6 Oct 2026): 36 hours before departure via web or Air China app.

When does Air China check-in close for domestic flights?

According to Air China’s own website (airchina.com.cn, checked 6 Oct 2026): 45 minutes before departure.

When does Air China check-in close for international flights?

According to Air China’s own website (airchina.com.cn, checked 6 Oct 2026): 60 minutes before departure.

What is the Air China customer service phone number?

According to Air China’s own website (webresource.airchina.com.cn, checked 5 Oct 2026): 95583 (+86 10 95583), 24 hours a day.

How many destinations does Air China fly to?

Originfacts tracks 166 Air China destinations across 40 countries, on 1,257 routes.

Where is Air China based?

Air China is based in People's Republic of China. In the Originfacts route dataset, its busiest market is Beijing, followed by Chengdu, Shanghai and Shenzhen.

What aircraft appear on Air China routes?

The routes we hold name Airbus A319, Airbus A320, Airbus A321, Airbus A330, Airbus A330-200, Airbus A330-300, Airbus A340, Airbus A340-300, Airbus A340-600, Airbus A380-800, Boeing 737, Boeing 737-300, Boeing 737-800, Boeing 737-900, Boeing 747, Boeing 747-400, Boeing 757, Boeing 767, Boeing 767-200, Boeing 767-300, Boeing 777, Boeing 777-200ER, Boeing 777-200LR, Boeing 777-300, Boeing 777-300ER, Boeing/McDonnell Douglas MD-90, Canadair Regional Jet 200 and Canadair Regional Jet 700. That dataset accumulates over time, so treat it as a record of what has flown rather than a current fleet list.

What is the longest Air China route?

Johannesburg to Beijing, at 11,709 km.

Sources and verification

Baggage, fare, check-in, disruption and contact figures are published only when they are read from Air China’s own pages or a named regulator, and each one shows the page and the date it was checked. Where sources disagree we show both and publish neither. Route and destination figures come from the Originfacts route dataset and show its date instead; they are not verified by hand.