When it comes to airports in China, Beijing Capital International Airport Terminal 3 is the one you’d expect to be, at the very least, serviceable. After all, this is Beijing, a global hub of business, politics, and—at least once upon a time—international prestige.
But here’s the truth: Beijing Airport Terminal 3 is bad. Really bad. If you’re unlucky enough to be flying domestic through this relic of the early 2000s, brace yourself for an experience that is more ‘provincial bus station’ than ‘capital city gateway.’
The Good (If You Can Call It That)
Let’s be fair. Terminal 3 is not entirely devoid of redeeming qualities. It’s still an airport, which means that planes take off and land there. There’s also a roof. And some chairs.
But beyond the absolute bare minimum, this terminal feels like a dystopian vision of air travel. If you’ve flown through Beijing Daxing or even the much-maligned Terminal 3 at Capital Airport, Terminal 3 feels like stepping back into an era when customer service, comfort, and convenience were optional.
No Lounge, No Love
One of the most shocking aspects of Beijing Airport Terminal 3 is the complete lack of a Priority Pass. lounge. That’s right—if you’re one of those people who clings to the hope that your fancy credit card will grant you access to a quiet space with edible food and free drinks, you’re out of luck. There is no such place here.
Of course there are still 1st class lounges, but that does not help us in the middle classes trying to avoid the Bolshevik proletariat. Socialism with Chinese Characteristics my arse!
Therefore if you do have a layover of any decent stretch of time just go outside of the airport and stand in the cold, that way you can at least burn off some calories.
No Victoria’s Secret, No Civilization
You know a place has gone downhill when not even Victoria’s Secret bothers to set up shop. If you were hoping to kill time browsing overpriced lingerie or random perfumes while waiting for your flight, think again. There is no Victoria’s Secret and therefore in some small way there is just no joy at Beijing Airport Terminal Two.
Instead, shopping options are sparse, outdated, and frankly uninspiring. You’ll find a few local souvenir stores selling knockoff pandas, some generic snack shops, and a depressingly standard selection of convenience store beverages. It’s an airport stripped down to its most basic form—except instead of being efficient, it just feels abandoned.
One Screen to Rule Them All
Perhaps the most ridiculous oversight of Beijing Airport Terminal 3 is that there is, quite literally, only one screen displaying flight information. Yes, one. For an entire terminal.
So, if you want to check your gate, delay updates, or boarding status, you’ll need to track down the screen and hope that it isn’t blocked by a crowd of equally confused passengers. Or, you can just gamble on your gate not changing last minute—something that actually made me miss my flight to Yanji. Am I bitter? Yes, yes I am.
No Smoking Room? In China?!
In a country where smoking is basically a national sport, the removal of smoking rooms from Terminal 3 feels like a particularly cruel joke. Even just a few years ago, you could find designated smoking areas where weary travelers could light up before their flights. But now? Nothing.
This means that you’ll often find groups of desperate smokers huddling near the entrance, frantically chain-smoking before security confiscates their lighter. And don’t even get me started on the Nazi like behavior to lighters at Chinese airports! Honestly I think it is not about safety, but because they cannot trust people to actually not smoke.
If you’re used to the old-school Chinese airport experience where smoking lounges were a given, prepare to be disappointed.
The Food Situation – Manage Your Expectations
Airport food is never fantastic, but Beijing Airport Terminal 3 takes mediocrity to an entirely new level. You’ll find a few fast food joints like KFC or Chinese chain restaurants, but the selection is uninspired, the service is indifferent, and the prices are what you’d expect for a place that knows you have no other choice. I did though spot one place that sold burger sandwiches, but I will save that for another time.
In fact without a Priority Pass lounge I was super pleased to see a Lawsons only to find it did not even have sandwiches! Oh for shame!
If you’re hoping for a decent meal, you’re better off eating before you get to the airport. Otherwise, you’ll be stuck paying way too much for a sad bowl of instant noodles or a stale sandwich that looks like it’s been sitting there since the early 2010s.
Final Verdict – Avoid If You Can
If you have any control over your travel plans, avoid Beijing Airport Terminal 3 at all costs. It’s outdated, poorly equipped, and completely lacking in the amenities you’d expect from a major international city. No lounges, no Victoria’s Secret, no smoking rooms, and barely any flight information screens—this terminal is the definition of cancer.
Of course, if you must fly through Terminal 3, just come prepared: bring your own entertainment, eat before you arrive, and lower your expectations. It might not be a great airport, but at least it still gets you where you need to go—out of Beijing…..
But it could be worse, you could be at Daxing.