Choose the airport that sits on your side of the city, and check your ticket before you pay. If you plan to sleep in the centre, Capital is the simpler choice when both are on offer.
It is normal to feel confused when one city has two airports. The difference mostly decides how long your first ride takes.
How do the two airports compare?
Here is a side-by-side view. When we checked in October 2026, these were the facts to hand.
| Capital | Daxing | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | About 32 km northeast of downtown[1] | About 46 km south of Beijing[2] |
| Rail link | Airport Express to Dongzhimen, about 16 to 20 minutes[3] | Daxing Airport Express, with Line 20 also listed[4] |
| Suits | A hotel in the centre or the north | A hotel in the south, or a train from a southern station |
Daxing opened on 25 September 2019[2]. Neither airport is better for everyone, and your hotel decides it.
Which one suits your hotel area?
Match the airport to where you will sleep. If you plan to stay in the centre, Capital gives a shorter ride. If you stay near a southern railway station, Daxing may be the closer start.
Read our Beijing hotel area guide before you choose a base. For stays near the southern station, see Beijing South Station hotels.
How do you get into the city?
Plan the first ride before you land. Capital’s Airport Express runs from Terminal 3 and Terminal 2 via Sanyuanqiao to Dongzhimen and Beixinqiao[3], and Daxing has its own rail link[4].
Our Beijing airport to city transfer guide gives the practical steps for both. Keep the address of your hotel in Chinese on your phone.
What should you check on your ticket?
Read the airport name on the booking page, not only the city code. Some fares use one airport and some use the other, and the ride home may be different from the ride in.
- Confirm the airport and the terminal.
- Note how you will reach the city, and how late the rail link runs.
- Leave extra time on the day you fly out.
Our Kuala Lumpur to Beijing flights guide explains the options from Malaysia.
What should you do next?
Pick your hotel area first, then match the airport. If a train follows your flight, read flight to train connections for how big a gap to leave. For the wider picture, see the Beijing region overview.