Chengdu has two airports, Tianfu and Shuangliu, and your ticket will name one of them. Tianfu is the newer airport and sits far out, so a landing there needs more time between the runway and your hotel. Read the airport name on your booking before you plan anything else.
It is easy to miss this detail. First-timers sometimes notice only at the airport, when the driver asks for a name.
How do the two airports compare?
Here is what we can confirm for Tianfu, set beside what to check for Shuangliu.
| Tianfu | Shuangliu | |
|---|---|---|
| Opened | 27 June 2021[1] | The older airport, so check its terminal on your booking |
| Distance from downtown | About 51 km southeast[1] | Ask your hotel for the ride time and fare |
| Metro | Line 18 to Chengdu South, about 40 minutes[2] | Check the Chengdu Metro map for the line from your terminal |
| Best for | Travellers who accept a longer transfer | Travellers who confirm the ride time with the hotel |
If your ticket reads Tianfu, expect a proper journey into town. If it reads Shuangliu, the ride is shorter but you still need the hotel address in Chinese.
How do you get from Tianfu into the city?
Chengdu Metro Line 18 links Tianfu Airport to Chengdu South station in about 40 minutes, or about 30 by express, running from 5:55 am to 11:30 pm[2]. Late landings may miss the last train.
A taxi or Didi (a ride-hailing app) gives you a door-to-door ride at any hour. Foreign visitors commonly use the Alipay mini program for Didi, which needs no Chinese phone number[3]. See Didi for Malaysians in China before you fly.
Can you switch between the two airports?
Yes. Metro Line 19, running since November 2023, links Tianfu and Shuangliu in about 30 minutes by express[4]. That helps when a flight changes airport or you connect between them.
Leave a long buffer for any connection, and never book a train within a few hours of landing. Our flight to train connection guide explains how much room to leave.
What should you check before you fly?
Do these three things a few days before departure:
- Confirm the airport name or code on your latest booking email.
- Save your hotel name and address in Chinese, as a screenshot.
- Keep your passport within reach, because hotels need to copy it[5].
Then decide: metro for light bags and daytime arrivals, car for night arrivals, elders and small children.
Better options when
If you plan a high-speed train or a panda visit on landing day, stay near the city centre. Check each airport’s transfer time when you book. If a lower fare sends you to Tianfu, accept the longer transfer and plan an easy first evening.
Browse the Sichuan region overview for what to do next, and compare flights in our KL to Chengdu guide.