Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport (XMN) is the primary airport for Xiamen in the Fujian Province of Mainland China.
The airport is situated on the northeastern edge of Xiamen Island, about 10 km from the city centre. Because XMN cannot expand any further, a new airport, Xiamen Xiang'an International Airport, is currently under construction on Dadeng Island.
XMN is one of the most important airports on China’s southeast coast. In 2025, it handled over 28 million passengers en route to over 100 destinations in China, Asia, and Europe.
Major Airlines - XiamenAir, China Eastern, Shandong
Xiamen Gaoqi Airport is the main hub for XiamenAir, which operates extensive domestic services and long-haul international flights. It flies to over 70 destinations, operating upwards of 3300 flights per month.
The next largest airline at XMN is Shandong Airlines, which focuses mostly on domestic operations with a few international flights within Asia.
Another two airlines also see Xiamen as a focus city - the giant full-service carrier China Eastern Airlines and the low-cost carrier Spring Airlines.
Other domestic airlines with regular services include China Southern Airlines, Air China, Hainan Airlines, China United Airlines, Chongqing Airlines, and others.
Xiamen also handles several Asian carriers such as EVA Air, Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines, and Malaysia Airlines.
Although there are direct routes from Xiamen to cities in Europe and Australia, they are operated by XiamenAir as no non-Asian airlines fly to or from Xiamen.
The most popular international direct destinations from Xiamen are Hong Kong, Taipei, Seoul, Tokyo, Bangkok, and Jakarta.
Terminal Layout and Gates
The airport has two main passenger terminals, Terminal 3 (T3) and Terminal 4 (T4):
Terminal 3 is the larger and older terminal. It handles most international flights and a few domestic ones, including all flights by Xiamen Airlines, China Southern, and Shandong.
Terminal 4 is newer (opened in late 2024) and serves only China domestic flights.
The two terminals are about 4 kilometers away from each other. They are connected by a free shuttle, which you can take from the Arrival Hall on the first floor of either terminal. The shuttle runs every 20-30 minutes between 5:10 AM and 10 PM.
Connecting Flights and Transit
Xiamen is a useful hub to link destinations across Asia and within China. Thus, connections between flights are common, usually domestic-to-international or vice versa.
Those arriving on an international flight at T3 and proceeding to a domestic flight at T4 must complete the transfer procedure at the A7 counter in the International arrival hall. Then, take the shuttle bus from T3 to T4 and proceed from there.
Reverse transfers (domestic-to-international) are much simpler and only require that you move between the two terminals using the shuttle.
Xiamen Gaoqi Airport is part of the China 240-hour visa-free policy. Nationals of eligible countries can remain within the region for up to 10 days, provided they hold a confirmed onward ticket to a third country (i.e., not the same as the origin country of the incoming flight).
WiFi and other services
Free airport Wi-Fi is available throughout both terminals. To connect, select either CMCC-XMAirport-free or ChinaUnicom, then open your browser, which will automatically open the welcome page.
Choose the option to “Login via SMS” and input your phone number - foreign numbers that can receive OTP codes are allowed too. After you receive the code, enter it in the field and click “log in”.
Other passenger services at XMA include:
- ATMs in both terminals:
Near Gate 10 in Domestic Departures, second floor, T3.
Inthe Departure Hall of T4.
Currency Exchange: Three offices in Terminal 3 and two more in Terminal 4.
Bank: Bank of China has an office in the Departure Hall of T3. Open from 9 AM to 4 PM.
- Information Counter:
Near Gate 5 in International Arrivals on the first floor of T3
Near Gate 7 in Domestic Arrivals on the first floor of T3
Near Gate 14 in the Departures Hall on the second floor of T4.
- Lost & Found:
International Arrivals, first floor, Terminal 3.
Arrival Hall of Terminal 4.
- Luggage storage: charges 3-10 RMB per day.
Gate 7, Arrivals, Terminal 3.
Gate 3, Arrivals, Terminal 4.
- Medical centres open from 5:30 AM until the last flight:
Near check-in island C in Departures of Terminal 3.
In the West Side, Departures of Terminal 4.
Business centers: one in each terminal.
Nursing rooms in each terminal.
Lounges at Xiamen Gaoqi Airport
Xiamen Airport houses several lounges, including airline-specific ones, first-class lounges, and premium VIP lounges open to all passengers.
In Terminal 3, there are three domestic, one international lounge, and one lounge in the public area of the airport, as follows:
Domestic First Lounge (domestic): Located near Gate 6 on the second floor.
Xiamen Airlines First Lounge (domestic): Located near Gate 2-3, on the second floor.
International First Lounges (domestic): Located near Gate 17 on the second floor.
Xiamen Airlines First Lounges (international): Located near Gate 11, also on the second floor. Can also be accessed by any business class or SkyTeam ElitePlus passenger.
VIP Lounge: Located landside on the West side of the terminal, on the first floor.
Terminal 4 houses these two lounges:
Domestic First Lounges (domestic): Located on the second floor of the domestic departures area.
VIP Lounge: Located landside in the arrivals hall on the first floor.
Most of these lounges offer seating areas, all-day service for fresh fruit, desserts, beverages, snacks, and light meals, Wi-Fi, separated quiet areas, reading materials, recreational activities, showers, and more.
Lounge membership passes can be used at the non-airline-specific lounges in each terminal.
Dining Options at XMN
Xiamen Airport has several places to eat and drink at both its terminals, though mostly coffee shops and fast food outlets. Some may offer local Chinese cuisine, but most specialize in sandwiches, snacks, and other quick eats.
At Terminal 3, you can pick between:
Starbucks: A well-known coffeehouse chain serving drinks, sandwiches, and desserts. Open from 06:00 to 22:00. Located near Gate 6 (airside), third floor.
McDonald's: The popular fast food burger restaurant is located near Gate 11 and open from 05:30 to 01:00.
- KFC: If fried chicken is to your liking, find KFC in the International area of the terminal as follows:
East side, International departures, second floor.
East side, international arrivals, first floor.
- ISHIJAH Coffee: Serves various coffee drinks and Chinese food. Opens at 05:30 until the last flight. Two locations:
Check-in island A, Domestic departures, second floor.
Gate 10, airside in the International Departures area, second floor.
- Reading Coffee: Offers coffee, other drinks, and Chinese food. Opens at 05:30 until the last flight. Two locations:
Check-in island D, International Departures, second floor.
Gate 12, airside, International Departures, second floor.
Cite Coffee: Another option for coffee and Chinese food, but for Domestic Departures. Same working hours (05:30 to last flight), located near Gate 1, airside.
Terminal 4 has a similar selection of dining options, including:
Starbucks in the Departures hall on the second floor.
McDonald’s in the Arrival Hall on the first floor.
Cite Coffee in Domestic Departures.
ISHIJAH Coffee near Gate 68, airside.
Several proper restaurants are located outside the terminals, serving Cantonese, Hongkongese, Hakka, and other Chinese food.
Transport to and from the airport
Xiamen Airport is connected very well to the city and the surrounding region.
Multiple frequent public bus lines serve the airport and connect to places of interest in Xiamen, including the city centre, train stations, and ferry terminals. Notable lines include:
Line 1 between XMN and the Ferry Boat Dock near Sunlight Hotel. It runs every 15 minutes during the day (20-30 minutes otherwise), takes 30-35 minutes to reach its destination, and costs 10 CNY.
Line 2 between XMN and the North Railway Station. Also stops at Gaoqi Bus Station and the Airport Garden Hotel. Runs every 20-30 minutes and costs 15 CNY.
Line 3 between XMN and Wutong Dock. Runs every 30 minutes and costs 6 CNY.
Line 4 between XMN and the Wucun Bus Station. Runs every 60 minutes and costs 10 CNY.
Public buses No. 27, 37, 41, 81, 84, and 91 have different routes that all cross the Xiamen city center. The single ticket for each is 1 CNY.
All public buses begin operation around 6-7 AM and end after the last flight or around 22:00 (bus 37 operates until 00:10).
The Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line L19 also provides rides to and from the airport for a ticket fare of 0.5 CNY.
Nearby cities with direct bus links to Xiamen Gaoqi Airport include:
Zhangzhou (25 CNY, every 60-90 minutes)
Jinjiang (35 CNY, every 2-4 hours)
Dongdu Dock (10 CNY, every 15-20 minutes)
Zengcuoan Village (10-15 CNY, every 30-40 minutes)
For more convenience and speed, you can take a taxi. The taxi stands are right outside Exits No.7 in T3 and Exit No.3 in T4, both on the Arrivals Level. The base fare is 8 CNY for the first 3 kilometers and 2 CNY per kilometer after that - approximately 30-40 CNY to reach the downtown area of Xiamen.
If you need a taxi for a longer distance, these are located at the West Parking Lot, about 100 meters west of T4.
DiDi (China’s ride-hailing service) is also available from designated pickup areas outside both terminals. It is often cheaper by about 20% compared to traditional taxis.
Lastly, there is the option of renting a car. If you have the proper license to drive in China, having your own vehicle makes for a convenient way to explore the area. Several car rental agencies, including Europcar, Avis, Hertz, 3 Car, and others, operate on site with desks in the Arrivals area.
Parking at XMN
There are two car parks near Terminal 3, the Yuanlin Lot, which is the cheapest parking option available at Xiamen Airport, and T3 East, and there is also one parking lot right outside Terminal 4 (called simply T4 parking).
Parking at either of them is free for the first 30 minutes. After that, the parking fare depends on the size of your vehicle, the car park, and the duration of stay, starting from 6 CNY.
Hotels near Xiamen Gaoqi Airport
Xiamen Airport does not have an on-site hotel directly within the terminals, but several hotels are close by, even within walking distance.
For example, the Fliport Garden Hotel Xiamen is one of the closest airport hotels to XMN, offers free pick-up and drop-off from the terminals, and has an on-site restaurant.
The Holiday Inn Express Xiamen Airport Zone is another good option with its budget-friendly rooms, shared lounge, fitness center, restaurant, and free wifi.
A simpler hotel option is the Zijin Hotel, which also offers a complimentary shuttle, even though it’s just a 15-minute walk away from the airport.
You can check more information about XMN airport hotels here.
Xiamen, China
