Top 10 China tours 2024/2025 for first visits and returns: embark on a lifetime experience. Learn more

Lhasa Gonggar Airport

Written by AppleUpdated Dec. 7, 2023

Lhasa Gongga International Airport is at an altitude of 3600 meters (12,000 feet), with a runway measuring 4 km (2.5 miles) in length and 45 meters (150 feet) in wilih. This is a 4E airport, good enough for large aircrafts like the Boeing 747 and Airbus to take off from and land on. Lhasa Gongga International Airport is the highest civil airport in the world. In the year 2007, the passenger throughput of Lhasa Gongga International Airport reached 1,187,104.

Lying in the southwest corner of China, Tibet is large in area and small in population. Being the major part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Tibet has a complicated geological structure. Here, the climate is harsh, with chillness and oxygen shortage. Mountains in Tibet are particularly high, with the average altitude of ground level over 4000 meters. As a result, Tibet was regarded throughout the world as a "Forbidden Area for Planes" due to the great difficulties for planes to land there. However, in 1956, Damxung Airport was completed and put into use, opening the gate to Tibet in the sky. On March 1st, 1965, Lhasa Civil Aviation Airport was set up and the flight route Beijing-Chengdu-Lhasa was officially opened, making it possible to fly to "The World's Third Pole", Tibet.

Lhasa Gongga International Airport now has launched 12 flight routes, including one international flight route: Lhasa-Katmandu. This airport connects Tibet with the following Chinese cities: Beijing, Chengdu, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chongqing, Xian, Xining, Kunming, Diqing, Changdu and Hong Kong. There are over 40 flights every week, with a passenger throughput of over 700,000 people every year.

The new terminal building of Lhasa Gongga International Airport is a one-and-a-half-story, reinforced-concrete-frame structure. It is equipped with an advanced computer management system, with all kinds of service facilities. On the first floor, there is the Departures Hall, Check-in Hall, Far Runway Boarding Lounge, Baggage Claims Area and so on. On the second floor, there are the other boarding lounges, restaurants, stores and so on. There are 4 aerobridges altogether: 1 two-channel aerobridge and 3 one-channel aerobridges.

  • Chinese Name: 拉萨贡嘎机场
  • Airport Code: LXA
  • Website:
  • Address: Jiazhulin Town, Gongga County, Shannan Prefecture, Tibetan Autonomous Region
    Chinese Address: 西藏自治区山南地区贡嘎县甲竹林镇
  • Telephone: 0891-6216465

Transportation To/From the Airport

Lhasa Gongga International Airport is located in Jiazhulin Town, Gongga County, Shannan Prefecture, Tibetan Autonomous Region. It is on the south bank of the magnificent Brahmaputra, 40 km (25 miles) southeast of Lhasa.

Lhasa Gongga International Airport Bus

A two bridge and one tunnel road from Lhasa Gongga International Airport to the city of Lhasa has been completed. It takes tourists only 35 to 40 minutes to get to the center of Lhasa from the airport. The bus price is 45 RMB.

It costs 150 RMB to take a taxi.

Taxi Directions

Please drive me to Lhasa Gonggar Airport, thank you!
请送我到 拉萨贡嘎 机场,谢谢

Start planning your tailor-made tour with 1-1 help from our travel advisors. Create Your Trip

Sign up to Our Newsletter

Be the first to receive exciting updates, exclusive promotions, and valuable travel tips from our team of experts.

Click to Sign up

Why China Highlights

Save Your Time

Save Your Time

  • Less research, more enjoyment!
  • Real-time 1V1 expert planning.
  • Seamless coordination
Maximize Your Flexibility

Maximize Your Flexibility

  • Your own personal guide and ride.
  • Explore at your own pace.
  • Unparalleled flexibility, impossible on a group tour.
Ensure Your Satisfaction

Ensure Your Satisfaction

  • Well-trained elite 20% of guides.
  • 20% vacancy on vehicles.
  • 24/7 emergency support.
Live Your China Story

Live Your China Story

  • Authentic local culture and lifestyles.
  • Understand the culture by living it.
  • Uncover fascinating histories and witness New China.
Rated 5 out of 5 | 98.8% Excellence
China Highlights International
Travel Service Co., LTD
Featured on
China Highlights was featured on these medias.

Address: Building 6, Chuangyi Business Park, 70 Qilidian Road, Guilin, Guangxi, 541004, China