Beijing Capital International Airport is the main international airport service Beijing, China; Located 32 km northeast of city center in Chaoyang District. Owned by a state-controlled company, the Beijing Capital International Airport Company Ltd, with the IATA Airport code of PEK, based on the city’s former Romanized name Peking. The airport initially opened on 2nd March, 1958 of one small terminal building which still stands to this day, serving only VIP and charter flights. It was not until 1980, a larger building was opened with docks for 10 to 12 aircrafts. In 1990’s, it was too small to accommodate all the traffic its gaining, renovation for Terminal 2 were underway. Terminal 2 was officially opened in 2004 though, in 2008, due to Beijing Olympics took place, Beijing had to accommodate the growing traffic volume by adding the enormous Terminal 3, to be the 2nd largest airport terminal in the world after Dubai International Airport and the 3rd largest building in the world by land mass.

As one of the busiest airports in the world, it is the busiest one in Asia in terms of passenger traffic and air traffic. It is said the Beijing Capital International Airport is the 2nd busiest, just behind Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in the US. Being the main hub for Air China, the flag carrier of the People’s Republic of China that flies to over 120 destinations from Beijing, the airport is also home to Hainan and China Southern Airlines. The new Terminal 3’s food service area was given a name called “the global kitchen”, where 72 stores offering food from all over the world, eastern and western, from full course meal to fast food. Airport officials also promised that the prices for all products in the area will be the same prices as in Central Beijing so visitor may shop without the worry of overpriced goods as seen in many other international airports around the world.

Make sure you also take some time to browse around the gigantic shopping area, covering over 20,000 square meters, packed with branded retailers and duty-free shops.