Sichuan Airlines is a Chengdu-based Chinese carrier, with hubs at Chengdu Shuangliu, Chongqing and Kunming. It flies an all-Airbus fleet to about 150 destinations, mostly in China and also in Asia, Oceania, Europe and North America, a good fit for travel to and from western China. It has no alliance and runs Golden Panda. Cabins are Business and Economy.
Sichuan Airlines is one of China’s largest privately controlled airlines, with an all-Airbus fleet and Comac C919s on order.
Please note: bookingMentor is an independent travel service and is not affiliated with Sichuan Airlines. Routes, schedules and baggage rules change, so always confirm the details of your booking with the airline.
Sichuan Airlines is a Chinese airline headquartered at Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport in Sichuan province, with hubs at Chengdu Shuangliu (CTU), Chengdu Tianfu (TFU), Chongqing Jiangbei and Kunming Changshui. It is the largest airline in western China, flying about 151 destinations at home and abroad, and suits travellers heading to Chengdu, Chongqing, Kunming or Tibet.
Sichuan Airlines was established on 19 September 1986 and flew its first service on 14 July 1988, from Chengdu to Wanzhou. It became Sichuan Airlines Co., Ltd. on 29 August 2002.
China's three largest airline groups all hold shares. Sichuan Airlines Group holds 40 percent, China Southern 39 percent, and China Eastern and Air China 10 percent each, with the last 1 percent owned by a Chengdu restaurant company. Subsidiaries include Chengdu Airlines and an aircraft maintenance business. The airline employs more than 6,000 people.
The first long-haul route, Chengdu to Vancouver, opened in June 2012. Melbourne followed in February 2013, Prague and Los Angeles via Hangzhou in 2016, and on 23 June 2018 Chengdu to Zurich via Prague became the airline's first fifth-freedom flight. The network also covers East and Southeast Asia, New Zealand, the Middle East and Africa, while seven focus cities include Beijing Capital and Lhasa.
Sichuan Airlines is not in a global alliance. It has 13 codeshare partners, including Air China, China Eastern, China Southern, Shenzhen Airlines and Turkish Airlines.
Checked against trusted sources:
Sichuan Airlines official website
Sichuan Airlines (IATA: 3U, ICAO: CSC) is a Chinese airline founded in 1986 and based in Chengdu, with hubs in Chengdu, Chongqing and Kunming. It flies about 200 Airbus passenger aircraft to around 150 destinations, mostly in China and also in Asia, Oceania, Europe and North America.
| Headquarters | Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport, Chengdu, Sichuan, China |
|---|---|
| Fleet types | Airbus A350-900, A330, A321neo, A321LR, A321, A320neo, A320, A319 |
| Frequent flyer | Golden Panda |
| Official website | global.sichuanair.com |
Flight routes
Chengdu (CTU) departures10 destinations
Chengdu (CTU) departures5 destinations
All Airbus: 204 passenger aircraft in nine types plus nine freighters, about 213 in all. The A319, A320, A320neo, A321 and A321neo fly domestic and regional routes, A321LRs some longer narrow-body routes, and A330s and A350s the long-haul flights. The first A350 arrived in August 2018. Twenty-nine aircraft are on order, including 20 COMAC C919s.
Business and Economy.
Full service with Sichuan cuisine
Flat beds on wide-bodies
Earn points on 3U flights with Golden Panda, which you can join on the Sichuan Airlines website.
The Sichuan Airlines frequent flyer programme is the Golden Panda Club.
Check your e-ticket for the exact Sichuan Airlines allowance. It is set by the fare type, the cabin and the route, whether you start at CTU or another airport.
Domestic flights use a weight-based allowance; international routes may differ. Check your e-ticket.
Here is the order to follow for a 3U flight: check in, sort your documents, meet the airport deadline and drop your bags.
Where your flight allows it, check in on global.sichuanair.com or app with your surname and booking reference or e-ticket number.
Booking ref + surnamePack your passport plus any visa, residence permit or entry papers your destination asks for. Domestic 3U passengers should bring a photo ID the airline accepts.
Passport · visa · IDSichuan Airlines closes its check-in counters before departure, and passengers who miss the cut-off can be refused boarding. Leave room for bag drop and security at CTU.
Well before departureHand in checked luggage at the Sichuan Airlines counter or bag drop, then keep your boarding pass and passport ready for security and the gate.
Sichuan Airlines counterWays to pay less for a Sichuan Airlines ticket, from the dates you choose to the fare type you buy.
Sichuan Airlines fares are often lower on midweek departures. Search a spread of dates around your trip to find the cheaper days.
Midweek flightsChinese New Year and Golden Week in October are the busiest periods.
Chinese New YearLook at the next Sichuan Airlines fare up: if it bundles a hold bag or easier changes, it may beat the basic fare plus extras.
Baggage & changesSearch Sichuan Airlines alongside every other airline on your route, with flexible dates.
Search Sichuan Airlines flightsOthers of this kind you opened on this device, so you can get back to them quickly.
No. Sichuan Airlines is not part of Star Alliance, oneworld or SkyTeam.
Both Chengdu Shuangliu (CTU) and the newer Chengdu Tianfu (TFU); check your booking.
Change rules come with each Sichuan Airlines fare, and the lowest ones allow the least. Make changes through the airline or whoever sold you the ticket.
Babies under two can normally sit on a parent’s lap with an infant ticket on Sichuan Airlines. Include them in the booking and read the airline’s rules on prams and car seats before you go.
Search the 3U flight number on Sichuan Airlines’ website or app. Airport departure screens show the same status on the day.
Get an answer from the bookingMentor travel team and travellers who have flown Sichuan Airlines.
Everything travellers ask before flying Sichuan Airlines.
We check these Sichuan Airlines answers with the airline’s own sources and aviation references every season.
Getting there
Sichuan Airlines uses the IATA code 3U and the ICAO code CSC. Its radio callsign is SICHUAN.
The Sichuan Airlines baggage allowance depends on your route, cabin and fare. The Baggage allowance section of this guide gives 4 figures, by cabin and route where they differ. Check the allowance printed on your ticket before you pack.
Online check-in: yes. Check in on global.sichuanair.com. The Check-in section of this guide walks through it in 4 steps.
Sichuan Airlines was founded in 1986, 40 years ago.
Contact Sichuan Airlines through its official website, global.sichuanair.com.
Booking
We use necessary cookies to make this site work. With your permission we would also like to remember your preferences, measure how the site is used, and show relevant ads and partner offers. You can change your mind at any time under "Cookie settings" on our Privacy policy page.
