China United Airlines: What It Costs to Fly Low-Cost in China with the Beijing Carrier

History and positioning

Unlike many low-cost carriers born as independent start-ups, China United Airlines was already an operating regional airline when China Eastern took it over and converted it to the low-cost model: a choice that allowed the group to respond to the wave of Chinese low-cost carriers without creating a brand from scratch.

The fleet

The fleet numbers about 55 Boeing 737s, deliberately chosen as the sole aircraft type to simplify maintenance and crew training, a logic typical of the low-cost model.

Routes and network

The main base is Beijing Daxing, with secondary operating bases at Chengdu Tianfu, Foshan, Shijiazhuang and Wenzhou. The network is almost entirely domestic, covering about eighty cities, with only two international routes, both to Japan (Shizuoka and Fukuoka).

Fares and baggage

The fare model is the bare-bones one typical of Chinese domestic low-cost carriers: the base fare excludes checked baggage and seat selection, and the main advantage remains simply a lower price than full-service carriers on the same short routes.

China United Airlines is suited to anyone making a short domestic trip in China, traveling light and aiming only for the lowest price. It is not suitable if you are looking for international connectivity: the network beyond China is limited to two Japanese cities. The practical tip is to compare the final price, baggage included, with that of Spring Airlines before booking: they are the two main Chinese domestic low-cost carriers and often compete on the same routes, with fares that move according to direct competition.