Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) is one of China's busiest aviation hubs, but it should no longer be labelled simply “the largest airport in China.” Airport size can refer to passenger throughput, cargo, land area or terminal floor space. For travellers, the more important fact is that
Beijing has two major airports: PEK in the north-east and Beijing Daxing International Airport (PKX) to the south.
The Civil Aviation Administration of China's 2025 bulletin placed PEK among four mainland airports handling more than 60 million passengers. Shanghai Pudong and Guangzhou Baiyun each passed 80 million, while Daxing passed 50 million. A separate CAAC report put the combined 2025 passenger throughput of Beijing's two airports at 124 million. Those dated figures replace the old 2012 ranking; they are operational statistics, not a promise about which terminal a future flight will use. Read the IATA code on the ticket before booking a hotel, train or pickup. PEK and PKX are on opposite sides of a very large city, and a transfer between them is not a terminal change. If an itinerary uses both airports, allow a conservative city-scale connection, account for baggage and immigration, and follow the airline's minimum-connection rules rather than a generic web estimate.
PEK or PKX: Which Beijing Airport Is on Your Ticket?
Airport: Beijing Capital International Airport
Operator: Beijing Capital International Airport Company Limited
IATA code: PEK — use this code when searching flights and transfers
ICAO code: ZBAA — mainly relevant to aviation operations
Serves: Beijing; do not confuse it with Beijing Daxing, code PKX
Location: north-east of central Beijing. Journey time varies widely with destination, traffic and transport mode, so “minutes from Beijing” is not a reliable description.
Why Beijing Has Two Major Airports
PEK began operations in 1958 and expanded repeatedly as China's civil aviation market grew. Terminal 2 opened in 1999, and the much larger Terminal 3 entered service in 2008 ahead of the Beijing Olympic Games. These dates explain the different building layouts better than the old claim that all facilities were created in one project.
The 1999 expansion did not create today's Terminal 3; it brought Terminal 2 into service. Terminal 3 was a later programme and opened in 2008. Keeping those milestones separate avoids a common error repeated in legacy airport guides. A third runway was added during the airport's expansion, but runway history is not useful for choosing a check-in desk. Passengers should follow the terminal printed by their airline and reconfirm it before departure.
Beijing Daxing International Airport opened in 2019 and created the current one-city, two-airport system. Airline allocations and individual routes can change, so use the operating carrier's live record. The two airports together handled 124 million passengers in 2025, according to CAAC. For the wider national network, continue with the
China transportation guide.
PEK Terminals and Ground Transport
Current passenger guidance focuses on Terminal 2 and Terminal 3, but
check terminal details must be checked against the flight
rather than an old airline list. Codeshares are a frequent trap: the marketing airline on a ticket may differ from the operating carrier that determines check-in. Check the operating flight number in the airline app and again on the airport's official flight information before leaving for PEK.
Terminal transfers need buffer time. Do not assume adjacent terminal numbers mean a short indoor walk, and do not pass immigration, customs or security boundaries without following staff directions. If a connection is sold on separate tickets, missed-flight protection may be limited; baggage collection and recheck can make the required interval much longer.
Use Terminal 2
only when the live flight record says T2. On departure, locate the correct check-in zone before joining a queue. On arrival, agree a precise meeting point with a driver because pickup rules and door access can change. The airport's official guide, app and service desks are safer than a saved terminal map.
Use Terminal 3
only when the live flight record says T3. The building is large and includes separate processing areas; walking and internal transport take time. Arrive early enough for the airline's check-in deadline, border formalities where applicable and the final trip to the gate. Travellers needing mobility assistance should arrange it with the airline in advance.
For the city, PEK's Airport Express serves both T2 and T3 and connects through Sanyuanqiao to Dongzhimen; operating hours and fares should be checked on the day. Airport buses, taxis and app-based cars provide alternatives, but road time is traffic-sensitive. For an onward intercity journey, confirm the exact Beijing railway station—there are several—before using the China high-speed train guide. A flight number, airport code, terminal and station name written in one message prevents most pickup mistakes.
