Flying cheaply out of Beijing

[Simon_CH]

As I love weekend trips and the like I have unsuccesfully tried to find a cheap way to fly out of the country. I'm really used to getting great deals on Air Asia and the like and struggle to accept that I have to spend at least 3'000RMB to get somewhere decent.

Creative ideas on where to fly first and where to book, to get better access to Asia's budget airlines are most welcome. If you found a great way to fly to a truly nice beach (not to be found in China to the very best of my knowledge, and yes I've been to Sanya and the like) then that would also be appreciated.

[Baron]

I don't know whether this works in 'proper' places like Beijing, but in some places if you walk into a travel agent and ask for air discount tickets they'll sell you a ticket with a significant discount, unless it's a national holiday. I don't understand the logic, but I like it.

Air Asia etc tend to focus on cheap flights from HK and Macau rather than the mainland. <-unhelpful answer of the day

You could try elong. Never used them personally but I see decent deals pop up on their marketing spam occasionally.

what's wrong with Chinese beaches anyway? You can wear a facekini and get away with it. What more could you want?

[drencrom]

It's all part of the price you pay for living in such a scintillating city. It's where everyone who's anyone in China lives. What's so wrong with it that you feel the need to leave the country every weekend?

[fanglu]

Scoot flies from Tianjin to Singapore.

[Ruben von Zwack]

Whow! Have you used Scoot? And if so, do you know if I could book flights, say Singapore - Taipei, even if I reside in Europe? I'm asking because I am dreaming about a larger Asia trip and wonderng how to organise it.

[fanglu]

I've flown Scoot between Sydney and Singapore. It was pretty good, better than Air Asia in my opinion. But I don't know what it's like on other routes.

And if so, do you know if I could book flights, say Singapore - Taipei, even if I reside in Europe?

I'm sure you can book Scoot flights regardless of where you are through their website.

[Lu]

Qinhuangdao has quite a nice beach. Also consider trains to other places in China. Beijing is really a bit far from any 外国 for weekend trips abroad to be worthwhile, the weekend is half gone by the time you've arrived at the hotel.

[roddy]

Flights to Korea and Japan can be reasonable.

[Simon_CH]

Thanks for the replies everyone, so it seems like there really is no cheap way to escape the country once in a while.