Inside Beijing Daxing, the starfish-shaped airport terminal

What happens in the video

Xinhua's New China TV channel filmed this walk-through in late June 2019, when, according to the description, construction was expected to be finished within days and the airport was due to open that September. At more than 20 minutes, it is a slow, thorough tour of a building that had not yet opened to passengers.

YouTube's chapter list for the video traces the route a passenger would take. It starts with the design of the check-in hall, moves through the security check area and the layout of the terminal, and then looks at the smart technology and passenger conveniences built in. Later chapters cover the airport's capacity and why Beijing needed it, the boarding gates and waiting areas, a set of gardens with traditional Chinese themes, and finally the completion of the project.

Why the terminal is shaped like a starfish

The shape that gave Daxing its nickname is a practical answer to a big problem: how to keep walking distances short in a huge terminal. According to Zaha Hadid Architects, which designed the terminal, the passenger building covers 700,000 square meters, and five aircraft piers radiate directly from a central court where passenger services are grouped. The result is that the farthest of its 79 gates with airbridges can be reached on foot in less than 8 minutes, without the automated shuttle trains many large airports rely on.

The architects say the layout echoes traditional Chinese architecture, with spaces arranged around a grand central courtyard. Six flowing forms in the vaulted roof reach down to the ground and bring natural light deep into the building, while linear skylights help passengers find their way. The roof structure spans up to 100 meters, leaving room for the interior to be reconfigured later.

The firm lists a capacity of 72 million passengers a year by 2025, rising to as many as 100 million after further expansion. Sustainability features include solar power generation of at least 10 megawatts, ground-source heat pumps and a rainwater system that can store up to 2.8 million cubic meters in new wetlands, lakes and streams.

Flying into Beijing Daxing: practical tips

Daxing (airport code PKX) is one of two international airports in Beijing, so check which one your ticket names: Beijing Capital is the other. Daxing sits about 46 kilometers south of the city center, and it was built with rail in mind.

• Daxing Airport Express: When it opened in September 2019, this metro line ran 41.4 kilometers to Caoqiao station on Line 10 in 19 minutes, with trains every 8 to 10 minutes, Railway Gazette reported. Check the current route and timetable in a map app before you fly.
• Intercity rail: The same report describes a 47-kilometer rail link from an underground airport station to Beijing West, taking about 20 minutes.
• Free Wi-Fi: The Beijing government says passengers can connect to BDIA-FREE-WIFI and log in by photographing their passport data page on the login screen, as an alternative to a phone number or WeChat.
• Short walks, big building: Even with the starfish layout, allow time for immigration and baggage claim after a long-haul flight.

Beijing is one of the cities covered by China's visa-free transit policy, which our visa-free transit guide explains in detail. To get mobile data working as soon as you land, see the eSIM and SIM card guide.

Mandarin for your first hour at the airport

Main airport signs are bilingual, but asking staff for directions is easier with a few phrases. The free immigration lesson prepares you for passport control, the airport help desk lesson covers Wi-Fi, SIM cards and finding the metro, and the leaving the airport lesson gets you to the taxi stand or the train.