Guangzhou Airport

I use this airport about 3-4 times a year for my domestic trips to Guangzhou. Overall I'd say this airport is Brisbane to London return with a 16 hour stopover to Guangzhou what a mistake. Off the plane via a dodgy ramp onto a packed bus with no seats. We were given a free hotel because of our long wait and what a nightmare! No one would tell us where to go the staff just ignore you. Got on the bus no English (fair enough) but because I didn't speak Chinese the driver would not even acknowledge me! Beyond disgusted with the level of customer service. The actual airport is old dirty and expensive. Avoid.

I use this airport about 3-4 times a year for my domestic trips to Guangzhou. Overall I'd say this airport is above average. The terminal is spacious and clean (at least most of the time). Plenty of shops around. Clear signage instructions. Easy to reach by the metro. However few restaurants once you get after the security check and the few coffee shops airside are a rip-off. Check-in (especially international check-ins) and security can sometimes have long queues. Last time when I transferred domestically in this airport I had to de-plane in Area A (the airplane parked at the international area as it was going to fly a international flight next) got on a bus that dropped me at the Area A domestic arrivals run across the airport (I'd say a kilometre long) to the departures lobby (no transfer desks airside) get to China Southern's domestic check-in counter to print my next boarding pass and go through security again to enter Area B and made it to the gate just in time. Luckily my previous flight wasn't delayed and I was flying 1st class so I can cut the lines I didn't miss the flight. Their 50 mins minimum transfer time is really tight. Overall I say this airport is acceptable but be aware of the size of the terminal as it may cause trouble when transferring especially between Areas A and B.

The airport was a new modern building but I suspect unfinished you exit the plane into the standard tunnel which leads (instead of to a corridor indoors) to a staircase back outside and you have to walk across the tarmac to a crowded (mostly standing) well air-conditioned bus. Lounge areas were reasonably comfy and there were plenty of phone/laptop charging spots with sockets that could accept all sorts of plugs. Nobody seemed to mind us sleeping on the floor. Wifi was a bit tricky to use but free (and of course no access to facebook you-tube yahoo etc as it was China). All the smoking rooms (heaps of them) were downstairs and I guess they had no doors so upstairs also smelt of smoke especially near staircases. Toilets were modern fairly clean but smelly and had no hand soap. We didn't check out prices of coffee etc as there was a huge fee associated with exchanging money I think it worked out at about 6 pounds so I didn't try to change my remaining pounds into Chinese money. Overall I have been in worse airports but if I had the choice between Guangzhou and say Singapore Bangkok Malaysia Hong-Kong etc it would be bottom of the list.

Arrived 31/5 outbound 7/6. I travel to this airport almost every month. Airport is large and services are very efficient. Information is clear queues are fast good restaurants (but prices are high) with a good shopping area.

We had a 6 hour layover on the way to Paris from Brisbane and 4 hour on the way back. We found the toilets clean and well maintained in the transit area in fact a female staff member had her little area in a spare cubicle with a mop and cleaning equipment and I noticed she came out to clean up the area after every few toilet visits. Yes the carpets are tired and worn the lighting is a bit dull the chairs are hard but the cheaper fares to Europe through Guangzhou more than make up for these deficits. Try and bring your own tea bags and paper cup as the cups available are tiny and some biscuits and you can relax a little and people watch. PS this was our second time with CS Air the first time in August 2013 we had a pretty bad experience in this airport when our passports were taken for hours and we had to wait for them to be given back the toilets then were filthy and the staff unhelpful but I believe they have lifted their game since then.

Visited this airport on an 8 hour layover as an economy passenger on CSA. Chinese officials were very efficient and friendly. A cheerful CSA staffer asked if anyone wanted to go to a hotel and a dozen of us were given stickers and instructions to go to the bus. We were taken to a four star hotel each of us given a deluxe double room and a simple breakfast at no charge. We were free to do whatever we wished and I took a two hour walk in the city outskirts which was a delightful bonus. The departure gates are not world class standard but entirely adequate. I expected the worst after reading some of these reviews but my experience was entirely pleasant.

Visited this airport two times for transfer and short stopover in (free) hotel rooms provided by CSA on trips from Netherlands to New Zealand and vice versa in Economy Class. Helpful CSA officials were accompanying is during the process. Passing to immigration etc. in and out rather smooth. For entering a boarding ticket for the ongoing flight is necessary Airport itself rather big and impressing but in my opinion poorly signed. It took us some time to find the service desk for CSA and the way to the gates for international departures. Smoking is clearly allowed/accepted in many places. (Non-smokers prepare for a bad smell) We didn't buy food or drinks so I didn't check the prices. Overall a sufficient experience.

Recently we had a 6 hour stopover at Guangzhou Airport en route to Vancouver Canada. Worst airport so far I have been to. The airport has facilities but not of international standard toilets are not clean and poorly managed You smell cigarette smoke around areas near washrooms lobby. The food shops are extremely overpriced. It is a pure loot and rip off. I can tell you some examples. We family of four (two adults and two kids) visited Yichen Maoyiyouxi snack and coffee shop ordered One Tea Three chocolate milk (like French Vanilla) and surprisingly it costs Yuan185 equal to US$35. Also look at the price of coffee at Starbucks New Delhi Airport $2.2 great price. How come the authority in Guangzhou allow such exorbitant prices of food items.

We have been there on two occasions the first time in January 2013. We were shocked at how bad it is. We ordered 2 cappuccinos and they tried to charge £17. We declined them. We found the hot water later down by one set of disgusting toilets and smoking area. Luckily my husband found a sachet of hot chocolate in his bag and I found a plastic bottle so we were able to have a hot drink. No food though. On the way back we were prepared with cups and more sachets and some biscuits. The only reason we chose to fly with China Southern again this year was the price. There is a new hot water machine in the departure lounge. The toilets are terrible and stink the seating is hard the place is cold and very unwelcoming. Lots of people lie on the floor and try to sleep. We are going to save up a bit more money and fly through beautiful Singapore next time into beautiful Auckland.

Passed through in transit in October 2013 en route from Auckland to Moscow (final destination Tallinn) with layover of 8 hours. Would avoid in the future if possible. No wonder business class passengers are happy but economy class passengers have very poor facilities. Positive: some spots available to charge devices WiFi available only for Chinese numbers. Toilets were awful. Smoking "rooms" left open plus people smoking massively outside these "rooms". It was not possible to close the door of one of the few inva-toilets most of them also lacked paper towels some were totally closed. Food was overpriced staff were able to speak some English. Did not try to communicate with anybody else thus cannot evaluate their language skills. There was no information desk whatsoever in the international departures area - wanted to ask about WiFi no chance. Passing the transit passport clearance took some half-an-hour and - reading the reviews below - does not seem too bad either. However the overall atmosphere was bleak and depressing and Moscow-Sheremetyevo seems 5-star in comparison.