Transpacific Air Travel Options: Hainan Airlines

Second in our series of airline profiles for China adoption trips is a relatively new carrier across the Pacific, Hainan Airlines. Hainan (airline code "HU") only started service to the US in June 2008, flying between Beijing and Seattle.

This airline is relatively young - starting in 1993 - and flies a modern Boeing, Airbus, and Embraer fleet. They are the #4 domestic carrier in China and cover all the major cities with a robust schedule, award-winning service, good safety record, and competitive pricing. It is entirely possible some of your city-to-city transportation in China will be on this carrier.

Of keen interest to adopting families is the excellent schedule offered in both directions. Flight HU 496 leaves Seattle at 1:20 pm on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday (plus Friday, beginning in April) and arrives Beijing at 4:35 pm, with plenty of time to make connections to 16 other cities, including Hangzhou, Xi'an, Haikou, Taiyuan, and Guangzhou. This is great for families who are pressed for time or money, and want to proceed directly to their child's adoption city, skipping the tourism break in Beijing. (And if you do want to stay in Beijing for a few days at the beginning of the trip, well, you're right there!)

Coming home, the 8:30 am out of Guangzhou connects with plenty of time to make HU 495, which leaves Beijing at 4:20 pm and arrives Seattle at 11:40 am (again, four days a week.) The Seattle run uses a brand-new Airbus A330-200 with seat pitch of 32" in Economy - which is the same as you'd encounter on Northwest. All seats have an inflight entertainment system with 50 video channels and 50 audio channels, plus games. Both Chinese and Western meals are served inflight.

The Seattle timing is perfect for clearing Customs and making onward flights to the whole West Coast, as well as key cities in the Midwest and East Coast.

(EDIT: The Summer/Fall 2009 westbound schedule is exactly the same as posted above. The eastbound flight now leaves at 2:00 pm, arriving Beijing at 4:40 pm. No change to connection availability.)
Hainan Airlines offers a very competitive everyday fare structure. I entered a sample itinerary on the airline's website out of Seattle for March 4 to Beijing, returning from Guangzhou March 21, and got a fare for under $1000. Hainan also offers through-ticketing via Seattle on Alaska Airlines, American, and Continental to select US and Canadian destinations, also with surprisingly good fares.

While this airline does not specifically offer an adoption-fare program, the quotes you'll find from their website for close-in dates definitely represent a bargain. I have talked with the airline's US General Manager, and he tells me they are in fact looking into setting up an adoption desk. They have received government approval to add service to Chicago and Newark, although with the current economic crisis, those new routes are on hold.

In summary, Hainan Airlines offers adoptive families good value for money and a quality product. Families whose kids hail from Zhejiang, Shaanxi, Henan, and Guangdong will also appreciate being able to fly to those provinces on a same-day connection if they wish to skip the Beijing stopover.

Contact information:

Web: www.hnair.com/us

Phone: 888-688-8813 (US and Canada)