Guangzhou Airport

Not Verified | Guangzhou Baiyun Airport is the most impressive airport for me. The ground staff of China Southern Airlines are very warm and have a good attitude. This aspect is much better than many domestic airports! Since I booked the hotel next to the boarding gate, I needed to get the ticket to pass the security check and customs one day in advance. The staff of China Southern Airlines helped me to coordinate with the customs and security check departments, and finally I checked into the airport transfer hotel successfully.

✅ Trip Verified | This airport is great. It has all the necessities that an airport should have. I don’t get how it is placed 39 in the world. It should be a top 20 airport. All the staff are very helpful and friendly.

✅ Trip Verified | I have used both terminals recently and compared to some other airports in Asia and China this is overall a much better airport. That being said, I don't agree with some of the reviews here and I definitely don't mind to be at this airport. This airport can easily be reached by subway. And even for a 45-minute ride, to the city the cost is only $1. The waiting area at the gate is spacious with enough seats provided, some areas at the new terminal even have massage chairs free of charge. You do need to have a Wechat account though to make use of this free service. Toilets are clean and you won't have issues finding one. Immigration procedure never took me more than 10 minutes, arriving or departing. This cannot be said about some other airports in China. The other good thing when flying with China Southern Airlines is the quick check-in procedure. It never took me more than 10 minutes. So if there are reviews here for long queues at the check-in counters, it is most likely due to the lack of staff of that particular airline. For instance, don't expect a quick check-in when flying with AirAsia. The only 2 minor things of this airport are the security staff and lack of western food options. Security staff can be really intimidating, rude and superior. They don't speak English (well) and they don't have the need to explain something. If they cannot read the specs on your power bank they will confiscate it without explanation. They expect you to speak Chinese and not the other way around (so much for an international airport). However, if these are the only cons I won't hesitate making use of this airport.

✅ Trip Verified | Guangzhou airport is not very big. Overall, this is a very clean airport and relatively modern. There is a clear lack of English signage. The shops are not very varied and there are not many food options. In short, if you transit in the morning, don’t expect anything European like for your breakfast. One thing to add: our gate was located in a zone near the smoking area, we were travelling with children and had to to wait there for more than an hour with the cigarette smoke.

✅ Trip Verified | Flying from LHR to BKK. Went through additional security check-point smoothly. No big queues. New, clean and pleasant terminal. All information were given very clear. Hope to have such terminals more often in Europe. Glad to be here again.

✅ Trip Verified | The staff at Security are so rude and mannerless at Guangzhou airport. They lack politeness and customer service. They never smile and stare at you angrily as if they are doing us a huge favour. Even the girls at security are ruthless, they are so very intimidating and hopeless. They throw your stuff angrily. I have never seen such ridiculous staffs anywhere in the world. Will never book my flight tickets via Guangzhou airport again!

✅ Trip Verified | Guangzhou Airport is one of the worst airports that i've been to. The airport itself is very good, right near the top I would say, but the efficiency of the staff is awful.My flight departs at 00:10 so i get to the airport at around 20:00. I then queue the check-in line at counter H at 20:50, which has 3 counters open. It took me 45 minutes to check-in...the staff are so slow. It took another 45 minutes to queue in line till I got to the xray machine! The line was just chaos. The staff decided to close the channel line and then when another channel opened, all the other people in other lines just piled in like crazy. After that comes the immigration. With lines that are long . Then the officer scanned my passport as if it was fake, it was easy on the way in, but on the way out it was a totally different story. Well what an experience at Baiyun airport. I hope I don't every set foot here again.

✅ Trip Verified | It is a very huge airport and I got lost a bit from domestic arrival to international departure. While waiting for my flight, the massage chair is free and enjoyable with USB/AC sockets. Wifi connection is good as well.

✅ Trip Verified | I flew out of Terminal 2 of Guangzhou Airport and to say I was impressed would be an understatement. The lighting and ambiance ensure a pleasant feeling for passengers. Secondly the range of eating and shopping options were excellent, especially compared to other Chinese airports. Furthermore queues at immigration, security and check-in were efficient while the management and staff seemed focused and organised. Overall Guangzhou Terminal 2 puts other Chinese airports to shame so the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) needs to use this as a benchmark when planning on how to improve and develop other airports around China since many like Shanghai and Beijing are a National embarrassment in-contrast to Guangzhou.

✅ Trip Verified | I think it is better to understand visa requirements by going through China Southern website and giving yourself time to complete formalities 1) download WeChat to communicate with whoever you need, ask your friends or relatives overseas too so you can be in touch. WeChat facilities your registration for free airport WiFi. You can use Microsoft services such as bing without issues. Smoking area is located at A60 gate transit area. No other smoking area. standby a bottle to avail yourself cold/hot water from dispensers, change RMB at your home country as fees at money changers at airport is ridiculous. To facilitate emergency use or food and drinks during transit for those who understand Chinese - download ctrip China app (not trip.com app) - you can book airport lounges, expedite immigration, airport pickup, train tickets, hotels, sightseeing tours. Transfer accomodation counter is located at gate 50 at the arrival hall. Exit to arrival hall and it's on your right. You might be able to book seats, transit accommodation, meals, or even online check in. And all information for your flights or airline can be found there. Having a skypearl membership ( China Southern frequent flyer) when you book your flight facilitates your experience with the app - that's why I said MIGHT previously download an app for translation outside of Google to help your communication with the Chinese. Some transit hotels are worth booking. It depends on what do you want. I personally like holiday Inn express (baiyun). All within walking distance. Tried jingyi hotel and orange crystal so far. OC still ok with food and marts nearby. Didn't explore around jingyi but seems on map, not much available. Charging facilities plenty So far for me, transiting in CAN are pleasant for me so far. No rude shocks and speciality China Southern special assistant counters are pleasant and well versed in English (I seen them attending to foreigners without any trouble). Those counters are not your normal check in counter and can be found at one end of all check in row. I find them even more helpful than world acclaimed HKIA counter staff. If you need help in making urgent flight connections work, approach your China Southern flight crew for assistance, they might be able to assist in getting a ground crew waiting for you at arrival gate to help you speed up the process. Their minimum connection time is 1 hour and 30 minutes. So you have to take note for time allowance between connection. I tried 45 minutes before with assistance from ground staff but still failed to get on the next flight.