Advice for purchasing plane tickets in Beijing
 

Any advice on where/how to purchase tickets in Beijing to Xi'an?

Any travel agent away from your hotel. There are plenty of them.

Usually better there than from the airlines themselves.

Book your flight out shortly after you arrive in Beijing to have the best shot at the cheapest price. Whatever first price you are offered, ask for a discount.

If you are in the Jianguo Men area try Airtrans, between the Jianguo Hotel main entrance and the McDonald's on Jianguo Men Wai Dajie.

Peter N-H
http://members.axion.net/~pnh/China.html

thanks peter - so i'm staying in the peninsula - do you think they'd recommend a good place to buy tickets or would they recommend a place that would rip me off?

I dare say they'd recommend the agent in their own lobby, used to overcharging inexperienced foreigners, and beyond that wouldn't have much of an idea. While the Palace Peninsula is a notch above most other hotels in Beijing, none have concierges who have much of a clue, or who care very much that they don't.

There's an air ticket office at the top of Wangfujing, across the road to the north of the Prime Hotel, and to the east of the National Art Gallery. That would be a good starting point, but otherwise just keep your eyes open and pop into any agency you see. Everything is discount driven. You don't really need a recommendation; you just need to shop around.

Peter N-H
http://members.axion.net/~pnh/China.html

thanks peter - you are very kind to help everyone out.