Flights to Xi'an

Xi’an Airport: Flights to Xi’an will land in the Xi’an Xianyang International Airport (XIY), one of the largest airports in China. We have both Chinese and American partner airlines that fly to Xi’an, so you can fly your favorite airline and still get student discounts. Not sure which would be best? Air China and United are our most popular. Once you’ve landed, head to the bus ticket office in the T2 or T3 terminal to get a ticket and then outside to the Bus Terminals. There are dozens of shuttle buses that will take you to various hotels or downtown districts and they all cost about 25 CNY ($4 USD). If you land late at night, you may want to take a taxi, but don’t be afraid to negotiate your taxi fare. Prices are often spiked for tourists. A good price is around $150 CNY ($22 USD).

Xi’an Hotels: For a good downtown option, go for the Ibis Xi’an Helping Gate or the Ramada Xian Bell Tower Hotel. They’re both located within the city walls, and you can easily take a bus or walk to most of the Xi’an must-see’s and restaurants. They’re also super budget-friendly, so staying downtown won’t mean that you get stuck eating only ramen. The Hilton Xi’an is also located centrally downtown and offers an indoor pool as well as a spa and 24-hour room service for guests. Pro tip: if you want to save time getting from your hotel to downtown, get a Xian Public Transportation Card, which you can reload to pay fares for the bus, the metro and bike share rentals. The card costs CNY 18 ($3 USD) and then you can refill it as often as needed. You also get a discount on your bus and metro fares when you use it!

Xi’an Must-Sees: Xi’an is known for the Terracotta Army. The first emperor of China had an army of thousands of terracotta soldiers created that were buried with him to accompany and protect him into the afterlife. There are several pits that house the clay soldiers and the tomb of the Emperor, but Pit 1 is the biggest and holds over 6,000 clay soldiers as well as their clay chariots and horses. Other must-sees in Xi’an? The Bell Tower and Drum Tower, two traditional and iconic Chinese towers and the Xian City Wall, an ancient wall and moat surrounding the entire city. The South Gate is the most popular and the most decorated, but if you want to see all the gates, you can rent bikes and cycle around the top of the wall. Bikes cost about 45CNY ($7 USD) for 2 hours–free amazing views from the top of the wall included. Looking for some serious adventure? Hike to the top of Huashan mountain, a sacred Taoist peak in Xi’an and home to several temples and a tea house. If you’re trying to save time, take the cable car up to the first stop and then hike to the four peaks from there.

Street Food in Xi’an:With lots of history comes tons of delicious food—after all, Xi’an has had thousands of years to perfect its recipes! If you need a shortlist, we’ve got you covered. You have to try the yangrou paomo, a spicy soup with shredded flatbread and the cold noodles. Xi’an is crazy for all kinds of noodles, but particularly cold noodles. The Muslim Quarter is another great place for a night out. Located near the Drum Tower, this area has housed a large Muslim population since the 7th century! If you’re looking for a unique blend of Middle Eastern and Chinese specialities, you’ll definitely need to stop here at least once. Need a late night snack? Xi’anese locals love to spend the night with a beer and a plateful of chuan'er—lamb or beef kabobs. If you’re visiting in the fall, keep your eyes peeled for tons of pop-up pomegranate juice stands. It’s a local specialty that pairs well with a steamy bowl of noodles or spicy kabobs. For really late-night provisions, pop into a local bar to grab a drink and sing your heart out in the karaoke rooms. 1+1 Nightclub and Xialudi are two popular ones.