Leaving China: Airport and Customs Checklist

Updated October 4, 2026

Departure is not only “arrive three hours early.” Tax-refund goods, an airport or terminal change, a domestic connection and an immigration deadline can each move the real start of the journey several hours earlier.

Work Backward from the Flight

For a straightforward international departure, plan to be at the correct terminal about three hours before departure. Add more time when you must complete a VAT refund, declare goods, return rental equipment, travel during a national holiday, check oversized baggage, or transfer from another city.

Check all of these separately:

airport code and terminal;
airline check-in cutoff and document check;
the last reliable train, metro or airport-bus departure;
expected road traffic and the signed ride-hailing drop-off point;
whether the first flight is domestic or international on one ticket;
baggage checked through to the final destination or collected at the connection.

Use the eight-airport transfer guide for the ground journey. A “Shanghai airport” or “Beijing airport” label is not enough.

Complete a Departure Tax Refund Before Checking the Goods

If eligible purchases may need customs inspection, keep the goods, passport, invoices and refund record accessible and find the customs counter before checking the bag containing them. The airport sequence varies by port.

An instant refund received in the shop is still conditional: customs confirmation and release of the card pre-authorization remain departure tasks. Read the full shopping and tax-refund guide and check the departure airport's current map.

Batteries, Liquids and Baggage

Keep power banks and spare lithium batteries in carry-on baggage. If the itinerary starts with a mainland domestic flight, the current CCC/3C marking and recall rule applies. International carriers also enforce their own capacity and approval limits.

The usual international security baseline limits carry-on liquids, aerosols and gels to containers of 100 ml or less inside the required transparent bag, but the airport, destination and transfer security authority controls the actual screening. Medicine, infant needs and duty-free sealed bags can have separate procedures. Check the operating carrier, not only a general packing blog.

Souvenirs and Customs

Ordinary packaged tea and normal personal souvenirs are usually straightforward, but three categories need care:

Medicine and traditional products: ingredients made from protected wildlife or plants may be prohibited; the destination country may impose stricter import rules.
Antiques, art and “replicas”: precious cultural relics are prohibited from export and other cultural objects may require an official export permit. A seller's “replica” label does not override customs classification.
Plants, seeds, food and animal products: China and the destination country each apply controls. Check both sides before buying.

China Customs also requires an outbound declaration for restricted items and for cash above the published thresholds. When uncertain, use the red declaration channel or call the Customs hotline 12360 rather than concealing the item.

Immigration Timing

Do not assume that reaching the airport ends the permitted stay. Use the date and stay period granted by the border authority, and plan to complete exit formalities before that permission expires. Visa-free programs calculate days differently: ordinary visa-free entry, 240-hour transit and regional policies are not interchangeable.

If a cancellation or medical event threatens the deadline, contact the airline, insurer and local exit-entry authority immediately; call 12367 for immigration-service guidance. Keep written evidence and do not wait until after the authorized period.

Final 24-Hour Checklist

download boarding passes where available and save the booking offline;
check passport, visa/entry basis and destination entry documents;
photograph checked baggage and remove batteries from it;
keep tax-refund goods and documents accessible;
spend or retain RMB deliberately rather than relying on a last airside exchange counter;
cancel local subscriptions and confirm eSIM/SIM access needed for bank verification;
save receipts until deposits and refunds settle;
leave the hotel with the Chinese terminal name and a backup route.

Official references: China Customs baggage supervision, CAAC power-bank notice, and State Taxation Administration refund guidance.