For typical tourists, the quickest way to get to Tibet is by plane. There are flights to Lhasa from Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou,  Kunming, Chengdu , Chongqing, Xining, Chamdo, Xi'an, Zhongdian, and Kathmandu. Gonggar Airport is 98 km south of Lhasa City. Airport buses travel frequently between the airport and the city. The bus fare for visitors is 25 RMB and the journey takes approximately one hours. Taking a taxi will cost between 120-150 RMB .

Chengdu is an important transfer city for flights to Tibet from the Chinese mainland. There are at least five flights from Chengdu to Lhasa everyday. So an overnight stay in Chengdu is recommended. The flights to Lhasa from Chengdu all depart very early. The flight itself is a once in a lifetime experience. Looking out of the window about 20 minutes before landing you'll be given a heart-stopping view of those beautiful snow capped mountains and Tibetan plateau Valleys.