Xiamen Airlines Review - Flight Ratings

Personal Xiamen Airlines review

I first flew XiamenAir in 2019, hunting for a budget fare to South East Asia, and the ticket came in almost 50% under every other airline on the route. Here’s my Xiamen Airlines review so you know what to expect. XiamenAir was founded in 1984 as the first Chinese airline run as a proper commercial enterprise rather than a government bureau; today it is 55% owned by China Southern and flies from hubs at Xiamen Gaoqi (XMN), Fuzhou and Hangzhou, with 787s doing the long-haul work to North America, Europe and Australia. One quirk worth knowing: XiamenAir is a full SkyTeam member and stayed in the alliance even after its parent China Southern walked out in 2019, so your SkyTeam status and miles still count here.

Booking the flight tickets

I booked online through their website. The homepage was not user-friendly and the booking took a while. I eventually booked economy on a route that would take 11 hours. Years later the English site and the Egret Club app are better than they were, but reviews still describe slow ticketing and copy-paste customer service, so leave yourself time.

Check-in and boarding

I arrived three hours early to be safe. At the XiamenAir international check-in area there was a long queue, but I was checked in after about 30 minutes, got my boarding pass and headed to the lounge. At boarding there were two areas, one for economy, one for business/first.

Cabin crew

The cabin crew were very friendly, though only a few spoke English. They were helpful and directed me to my seat. Cabin announcements were in Chinese, so I understood little of them.

Seating

The seats were leather and noticeably more comfortable than other budget airlines I’ve flown, looking new and in good condition, with a small blanket, pillow and headphones. The one downside was how close together they were, with little privacy. They reclined easily, welcome for a long flight, and there was under-seat storage for personal belongings.

Food and drinks

About 40 minutes after takeoff we were served refreshments; I had soda and cold water. A few hours in came the first meal, with several options. The food and service were both good: a starter of salad, beef and tuna, a main of soup, vegetables and seasoned steak, and for dessert fruit served with crackers, nuts and grapes. I was impressed, everything was tasty.

In-flight entertainment

There was an amenity kit with a toothbrush and toothpaste, and a personal screen for movies and music. On my flight the crew still enforced the old no-phones rule and stored handsets in a pouch until landing. That’s history now: phones in flight mode are allowed on Chinese carriers (the regulator changed the rule in January 2018, though the rollout was uneven), and the 787s are generally fitted with Wi-Fi on the long-haul runs.

Upon landing

After landing, a bus took us to the terminal and on to immigration, which took only a few minutes. Everything about this airline beat my expectations, not just the cheap fares but the cabin crew, comfortable seats and tasty food. It was one of the most enjoyable flights I’ve taken, and I’d recommend it.

Xiamen Airlines baggage allowance

On international routes, standard economy includes two checked bags at 23kg each, generous next to the single-bag allowances creeping in elsewhere. There are two catches. The discounted “Economy Light” fare includes no checked luggage at all, so read the fare name before you celebrate the price. And the cabin allowance is a strict 5kg in economy, roughly half of what Western carriers tolerate, and they do put bags on the scale. SkyTeam Elite and Egret Club status holders get one extra 23kg bag on top of the fare allowance. Domestic hops inside China follow the standard mainland rules, around 20kg checked in economy.

The most popular Xiamen Airlines routes

The network is built around Fujian province. Xiamen Gaoqi (XMN) is the main hub, Fuzhou and Hangzhou sit behind it, and coverage is dense across China, Shanghai and Beijing included, plus most of South East Asia. The 787s fly the long-haul routes: Amsterdam, Sydney, Melbourne, Vancouver, Los Angeles and New York. The New York service, which runs via Fuzhou, briefly held the title of longest nonstop commercial flight in the world in late 2025, a shade over 19 hours scheduled; the eastbound leg has since picked up a Tokyo fuel stop, one of the quieter costs of flying around Russian airspace. One thing to watch in 2026: Xiamen’s new Xiang’an International Airport is expected to take over all civilian flights from Gaoqi around the end of the year, so check which airport your ticket names before booking the hotel.

Landing at XMN?

XiamenAir’s hub city is where Fujian’s factories are. A Xiamen interpreter can meet you at arrivals and run your supplier meetings the same day.

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Changing or cancelling a Xiamen Airlines ticket

Fees depend entirely on the fare class. The cheapest promotional economy fares can be effectively non-refundable, with cancellation charges up to the full ticket value, while flexible fares change for the fare difference. Bookings made on the US site come with a 24-hour free cancellation window. Manage changes through xiamenair.com or the Egret Club app; both work, though the English side of the operation still has rough edges, and refunds are commonly reported to take two weeks or more to arrive. If your schedule tends to move, pay for the flexible fare up front. It usually costs less than one forced change.

Economy, business and first class

There is no premium economy. Economy is the leather-seat product I described above, business on the long-haul 787s is a lie-flat product, and a tiny four-seat first class cabin has flown only on the 787-8s, so don’t expect to find it on most routes. The fleet has shifted fast: XiamenAir flew Boeing exclusively for 37 years, then took its first Airbus in October 2022, and the order book now leans heavily toward the A320neo family. In practice you’ll board a 737 on domestic sectors and a 787 long-haul.

Is Xiamen Airlines worth it?

For the fare, yes. Skytrax scores XiamenAir three stars, which undersells what actually shows up on board: new aircraft, proper meals, and crews that try hard even when their English runs out. The trade-offs are predictable ones. The cabin-bag limit is strict, and the website will test your patience. If your business is in Fujian, or you want SkyTeam miles on a cheaper long-haul ticket, book it and save the difference for the trip itself.

If you’re flying XiamenAir in to source from Fujian factories or work the trade shows, sort a Chinese interpreter before you arrive, and let our product sourcing team handle the supplier side once you’re on the ground.