Promo Radar™
List of promotions, sales, and discounts as announced by airlines.
We are currently monitoring over 150 carriers, including China Eastern Airlines.
updated November 27, 2023
What is the best time to book China Eastern Airlines flights?
The best time to book international China Eastern Airlines flights is between 2 to 8 months before your travel date. The prime booking window (the most likely time to find the bargains) is 4–6 months before takeoff. For China Eastern domestic flights within China, making a reservation from 4 to 8 weeks in advance is recommended.
Why do prices fluctuate?
Airfare prices fluctuate due to demand, seasonal trends, and competition, causing numerous price drops and increases as your departure date approaches.Airlines such as China Eastern Airlines use sophisticated revenue management systems to adjust pricing for optimal seat sales. Generally, as seats are sold, prices tend to become more expensive.
Don’t book too early
China Eastern start selling their flights 9–12 months in advance. However, booking a ticket too early in that window can be an expensive mistake – the airline typically starts by setting prices at a relatively high level to capture early demand from those willing to pay more to secure their seats.
Prime Booking Window
For long-haul flights with China Eastern Airlines, the best time to book your ticket is around 4–6 months before departure. It is the “Prime Booking Window” – after some seats have already been sold, the airline starts dropping prices to stimulate demand. It may also offer promotions and sales (especially for flights departing from its hub in Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport SHA, Shanghai Pudong International Airport PVG,). This is the ideal time for bargain hunting.
Fly on weekdays
It makes a difference which day of the week you board the plane. Midweek travel (especially Tuesdays and Wednesdays) is less busy and likely cheaper than flying on weekends. The Chinese airline charges higher prices for weekend travel due to the high demand from people going on short getaways or visiting family and friends.
Opt for early morning flights
Select a late night or early morning (1–5 am) flight to save on airfare. China Eastern Airlines often offers discounts on their first morning flight (up to 15-20%) simply because of lower demand – most people are not willing to go to the airport so early. Moreover, morning flights have fewer delays, and airport queues are usually shorter.
Peak seasons are expensive
Peak travel seasons are always expensive – due to higher base prices set by China Eastern for dates it expects to be popular. Avoid the high season during summer and major holidays, including holidays in the country you’re flying to.
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Why is China Eastern Airlines so cheap on ATC?
China Eastern Airlines can be extremely cheap when you seize opportunities such as ‘mistake fares‘, sudden price drops, sales and promotions or employ strategies like hidden city ticketing. Moreover, China Eastern Airlines flights associated with their main Chinese hub airport — Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport SHA — are typically priced lower due to the benefits of economies of scale and streamlined operations.
Air Traveler Club has a team of experts who diligently monitor for price reductions, promotional offers (often not widely advertised), under-the-radar airline sales, and other potential savings on flights. In the case of China Eastern, we particularly focus on tracking prices for flights originating from their Shanghai hub.
These valuable findings are then promptly relayed to our subscribers as exclusive SuperDeals.
China Eastern Airlines reviews 2023,A.I. summary
We let the A.I. analyze thousands of China Eastern reviews for an averaged, more accurate rating and opinion. Please note: this is an experimental feature.
Overall rating
| Baggage handling | ★★★★☆ |
|---|---|
| Seat comfort | ★★★★☆ |
| Food | ★★★☆☆ |
| Entertainment | ★★★★☆ |
| Crew | ★★★★☆ |
| Customer support | ★★★★☆ |
Is China Eastern Airlines a good airline?
Based on passenger reviews, China Eastern Airlines is a good but not a great airline — it does not excel in any particular area.
Passengers on China Eastern Airlines generally express satisfaction with the airline’s service. They appreciate the straightforward booking, efficient check-in process, and prompt boarding. The airline’s food and beverage offerings, onboard entertainment, and Wi-Fi generally meet passenger expectations.
However, there are also negative opinions, with customers expressing dissatisfaction with aspects such as flight cancellations and refund policies. Some customers faced difficulties processing refunds, especially if they did not have a Chinese ID. Negative experiences also included perceived unequal treatment for foreign passengers.
While some customers have faced issues, the average China Eastern Airline passenger would recommend this airline to other travelers.
Strengths
- Efficient processes: China Eastern Airlines frequently garners praise for its seamless operational procedures. Passengers appreciate the ease of booking, along with the prompt and hassle-free check-in and boarding processes.
- Cabin comfort: Travelers often express satisfaction with the comfort levels within the aircraft cabin. Ample legroom and comfortable seats stand out as particular highlights, significantly enhancing passenger comfort during both short and long-haul flights.
- Crew competence: The airline’s cabin crew has earned commendations for their enthusiastic, friendly demeanor, and competent language skills.
Weaknesses
- Inconsistency in onboard amenities: Some passengers have observed variability in the quality of onboard amenities, especially the food, beverages, and entertainment options.
- Transfer service assistance: While China Eastern Airlines generally provides dependable transfer service assistance, there are instances where passengers have found the process lacking in timeliness or efficiency.
- Customer support: The airline’s customer support is another area that sees mixed reviews. Although many passengers find the support satisfactory, others have suggested improvements in how the airline handles unexpected changes or flight-related issues.
Passenger's experience
Is China Eastern Airlines a budget airline?
No, China Eastern Airlines is not a budget airline but a traditional, full-service carrier. It is one of the largest airlines in China, a member of the SkyTeam, and it offers a broad spectrum of services that distinguish it from budget airlines. These include free checked baggage, complimentary meals and beverages (even in Economy), on-board amenities (blankets, pillows, sometimes noise-cancelling headphones) on long-haul flights, and a wide range of in-flight entertainment.
Furthermore, China Eastern provides multiple travel classes, such as Economy, Premium Economy, Business — each with varying levels of comfort, space, and amenities. In contrast, budget airlines typically offer only Economy class with minimal benefits.
What can I expect when flying with China Eastern?
When you choose to fly with China Eastern Airlines, expect a streamlined experience. This airline prides itself on efficient booking, check-in, and boarding procedures, creating a hassle-free journey from start to finish. Comfort is also prioritized, with ample legroom and cozy seats that heighten the in-flight experience. But the praise doesn’t stop at the physical environment.
The airline’s crew are lauded for their amicability and language proficiency, ensuring smooth interactions throughout your journey. However, it’s worth noting that some passengers report inconsistency in onboard amenities and transfer service assistance.
What are the seating options?
China Eastern Airlines offers a variety of seating options tailored to passengers’ needs and preferences. In Economy Class, you’ll find standard seating with features like adjustable headrests and adequate legroom. For a step up, Premium Economy offers more space and improved amenities. Business Class takes comfort to the next level with fully flat bed seats and direct aisle access in most long-haul aircraft.
Finally, in First Class, passengers enjoy a private, spacious suite with a large bed and personalized services. However, amenities can vary by aircraft, so it’s wise to check the specific details for your chosen flight.
Is China Eastern Airlines economy comfortable?
China Eastern Airlines Economy Class is praised for offering a commendable degree of comfort for its price point. Passengers appreciate the adjustable headrests and the generous legroom, which are higher than industry averages, ensuring a comfortable journey. Moreover, the cleanliness of the cabin and seats is noted favorably by many travelers.
The comfort levels can, however, vary depending on the aircraft type, so it’s always prudent to check the details for your specific flight. While not extravagant, China Eastern’s Economy Class offers a cozy environment for a budget-conscious journey.
How to get an extra legroom seat on China Eastern Airlines plane?
Securing an extra legroom seat on a China Eastern Airlines plane requires some planning and flexibility, but you can easily score one of these seats by familiarizing yourself with the cabin layout and checking in for your flight early. You may also consider paying for an upgrade to a seat with ample legroom and enhanced comfort.
As the location of the extra legroom seats varies depending on the aircraft, we recommend visiting the SeatGuru website. By simply entering your China Eastern flight number, you can access a detailed seat map specific to your flight. Hover over individual seats to identify those with ample legroom. They are often found in exit rows, bulkhead rows (the first row in each cabin section), or other designated areas that offer additional legroom.
Due to their desirable features, the preferred seats are in high demand. They are often limited in number and typically incur additional fees. Seats with extra legroom located in front and exit rows ("hot seats") are priced higher. However, for medium– and long–haul flights, the additional cost of $10-$50 may be worth the increased comfort. Hot seats typically provide at least 36 inches of legroom (4-6 inches more than standard economy seats), wider seat pitch, and may also have adjustable footrests and recline further back.
Paying for an extra legroom seat is usually a more affordable option than upgrading to a Premium Economy.
What is the baggage allowance?
For international flights on China Eastern Airlines, Economy and Premium Economy passengers are allowed one piece of checked baggage up to 23kg. Business Class and First Class passengers, however, can carry up to two pieces, each weighing up to 32kg. The maximum dimensions for each bag, regardless of class, must not exceed 158cm (length + width + height).
For carry-on luggage, all passengers can bring one piece weighing up to 10kg and not exceeding 115cm overall dimensions. Do remember to check specific baggage policies as they may differ based on your destination and ticket type.
Does China Eastern Airlines have Wi-Fi?
Yes, China Eastern Airlines provides Wi-Fi service on many of its flights, keeping passengers connected even in mid-air. However, be aware that Wi-Fi availability may vary based on the aircraft model and the flight route. Fees for this service differ, with options for hourly or full-flight access.
To use the service, passengers should connect to the ‘China Eastern’ Wi-Fi network and follow the instructions on the landing page. It’s advisable to check the specific Wi-Fi availability for your flight prior to departure to stay prepared for your connectivity needs.
Does China Eastern Airlines have refundable tickets?
China Eastern Airlines does offer refundable tickets, but their availability largely depends on the fare type selected at booking. Typically, more expensive fare classes like business and first-class offer greater flexibility, including refunds, while cheaper economy fares may be non-refundable. The refund amount may also be subject to deductions such as cancellation charges or service fees.
If your travel plans are uncertain, reviewing the fare rules carefully when booking or considering purchasing a more flexible fare class is advisable. Always verify the exact cancellation and refund policy directly with the airline for your ticket.
How do I obtain my China Eastern Airlines boarding pass?
China Eastern Airlines boarding pass is a travel document that contains crucial information about your flight, confirms your seat and allows you to board the plane. It includes the passenger’s name, flight number, boarding time, boarding zone, gate number, seat number, and other essential flight details. The China Eastern Airlines boarding pass can be in paper or electronic format. The boarding pass is issued during check-in — online on the airline's website (usually available 24 hours before the flight), its mobile app (mobile boarding pass) or at the airport. You can print your boarding pass at home or use a mobile app to store the digital boarding pass on your smartphone. Alternatively, you can check in at the airport, where the airline's representative will issue the boarding pass for you.
How to check China Eastern flight status?
If you have the flight number at hand, you can conveniently check the China Eastern flight status on the airline’s website. Visit the flight status page to get the reliable information regarding the scheduled and actual departure and arrival times.
There are several online platforms where you can check the status of China Eastern Airlines flight: FlightRadar24, FlightStats, or FlightAware. They offer comprehensive information about any flight (regardless of the airline) – including real-time flight tracking.
Alternatively, input your flight number directly into Google's search bar. Drawing data from diverse sources (including the airlines themselves), Google will provide you with all the crucial flight information right on the search results page.
China Eastern Airlines shortcuts
Essential links to China Eastern Airlines official website.
China Eastern Airlines flight booking
Search China Eastern Airlines flights and book your Economy, Premium Economy, Business class ticket online.
Online check-in
How to check-in and receive your China Eastern Airlines boarding pass?
China Eastern Airlines baggage policy
Learn about checked and hand luggage regulations on China Eastern Airlines flights.
Flexible tickets
Want to change your flight? China Eastern Airlines flexible booking offer and policies.
Refunds and cancellations
Guidelines on returning a China Eastern Airlines ticket and getting your money back.
China Eastern Airlines help & support
Get in touch with the airline: customer service numbers, call centers, offices, and more.
Why are China Eastern Airlines flights so expensive in 2023?
Airfares soared in 2023. China Eastern Airlines flights are more expensive now due to rising demand, limited supply, inflation, fuel prices, closed airspace, and increased operational costs.
One key factor within your control is the timing of your booking. To save money on travel, it’s wise to plan ahead – the best time to book international flights with China Eastern is between 2 to 8 months before your departure date.
The primary elements that impact the cost of flights:
- Rising demand With more people traveling in the post-pandemic era, airlines have no incentive to lower prices. Instead, they capitalize on spiked demand and raise prices to make up for lost revenue during the period of 2020-2022.
- Limited supply In 2023 China Eastern Airlines is still operating at reduced capacity after the pandemic. Staffing shortages of pilots, plane crew, and airport workers lead to flight cancellations and delays, affecting the supply even more. With fewer flights, the Chinese carrier charges more for the plane tickets that are available.
- Inflation Inflation has a significant impact on flight prices, as it directly increases the cost of fuel and labor for airlines. This can be particularly true for China Eastern Airlines that operates in countries with high inflation rates.
- Jet fuel costs Fuel is a significant airline cost, influenced by crude oil prices, geopolitical tensions, and supply chain disruptions. To cope with rising fuel prices, the airline may pass it on to travelers in the form of a fuel surcharge added to the ticket price.
- Closed airspace Avoiding airspace due to war, political conflicts, extreme weather, or natural disasters make airline tickets more expensive. China Eastern Airlines may be forced to take longer routes to reach the destination airport – which means higher fuel and labor costs.
- China Eastern operating costs The costs of labor, aircraft maintenance, aircraft leasing or purchasing expenses, marketing, etc. significantly increased in 2023. As China Eastern Airlines aims to remain profitable, it must factor in these operating costs when setting ticket prices.
- Will flight prices go down in 2023?Historical trends suggest that airfare prices will fluctuate based on the factors described above. As long as the demand for travel is up, so is airfare. After tough years the China Eastern Airlines is in no position to offer discounts for passengers and will likely try to maximize profits in 2023.
China Eastern Airlines price history charts
and price-drop alerts
Understanding past airfare trends for your chosen China Eastern flight route can help you forecast future prices and identify ideal booking times.
Google Flights is one of the best tools that provide access to price history — it tracks airfare fluctuations, predicts price changes based on historical data, and helps to pinpoint optimal booking times. In addition to viewing price history charts, you can set up price alerts for China Eastern flights via email — and catch price drops as they happen.
While the tracking tools provide valuable insights on China Eastern price history, they cannot guarantee future prices. They are also usually restricted to one particular route. For regular updates on price drops and deals across various popular destinations (holiday ideas!), consider Air Traveler Club — it’s free to join.
China Eastern Airlines tips
How to ensure smooth transit between China Eastern Airlines connecting flights
Before your trip, research your connecting airport. Familiarize yourself with its layout, terminals, amenities, and the location of your connecting gate. This will save you time and stress during your layover. Every airport has a minimum connection time — make sure your layover is longer than this minimum time.
Additionally:
- You may need to move between terminals if you have a connecting flight with a different airline or separate point-to-point tickets with China Eastern Airlines. Each flight may require individual check-in procedures and an additional pass through security. As your luggage may not be automatically transferred to your final destination, you’ll need to retrieve your bags and check them in again for your subsequent flight.
- When flights are booked on separate tickets, China Eastern Airlines is not responsible if you miss your connection due to a delay with the first flight. Allow plenty of buffer time between flights to account for any potential delays.
- Gate assignments can change. Regularly check the flight information boards to ensure you’re in the right place.
- If your airport connection is tight (1-hour layover or less), pick a set near the front of the plane. It can shave 5–10 minutes off your deplaning time, especially on larger planes. Consider purchasing “hot seats” if available on your plane — they cost extra, but it may be worth it.
- When flying domestically, try not to book the last flight out of your connecting airport. In case of a cancellation, the airline will put you on its next flight, but it will require an overnight stay and arrival a day later.
- Flights can be delayed or canceled. Have a backup plan in case you miss your connecting flight. Know your rights and the China Eastern policy on missed connections.
Booking group flights with China Eastern Airlines
Flights are cheaper when purchased in bulk rather than as individual tickets. Booking group flights with China Eastern Airlines can be a cost-effective option for a school trip, family reunion, or corporate group traveling to a conference.
To qualify for the special group rate, the group must usually have at least 10 passengers. Discounts depend on the group size and travel dates and typically range from 5% to 20% off the regular airfare.
China Eastern Airlines website typically limits automatic group bookings to 9 passengers. This limit reflects the complexity of managing larger groups, which require personalized service and more time to coordinate. To get the price quote for your group, you’ll need to contact the airline directly.
A travel agent may be better if you want more personalized service. Travel agents may have access to discounted group rates for China Eastern Airlines and can help with logistics and scheduling.