Forbidden City in winter light, for less than a weekend break in the Cotswolds.
Hainan Airlines is flying non-stop from Manchester to Beijing from £465 return, with dates open from November 2026 right through to March 2027. Grey skies and drizzle at home, crisp blue winter skies over the Forbidden City: this is the season to see Beijing without the crowds or the summer smog.
✈️ The Deal
- From: Manchester, UK
- To: Beijing, China
- Airline: Hainan
- Stops: Non-stop
- Price: £465–£499 return
- When: November 2026 to March 2027
Example dates:
05/11/2026 - 19/11/2026
12/11/2026 - 29/11/2026
15/11/2026 - 29/11/2026
01/12/2026 - 29/12/2026
03/12/2026 - 27/12/2026
12/01/2027 - 28/01/2027
04/03/2027 - 20/03/2027
💰 How far does your money go?
A full bowl of noodles or a stack of baozi at a local eatery costs around £4, less than a meal deal in Manchester city centre. A proper sit-down dinner, Peking duck included, comes to about £20 a head at a mid-range restaurant. A single subway ride across the city is 58p, so a full day of sightseeing, food and transport lands around £35, well under the price of one big night out on Deansgate.
☀️ The Weather
Beijing winters are cold, dry and reliably sunny, nothing like Manchester's grey drizzle. November sits between 0°C and 9°C, crisp but manageable in a good coat. December and January are the coldest stretch, with January averaging -5°C and dropping to -10°C overnight, so pack proper layers. By March the city starts to thaw, with average highs around 15°C and the first blossom appearing along the hutongs.
🏨 Where to Stay
From hutong guesthouses to five-star towers, Beijing covers every budget.
Park Plaza Beijing Wangfujing — 8.2/10 · From £48/night Slap in the middle of Beijing's main shopping district, walking distance from Tiananmen Square.
Hyatt Regency Beijing Wangjing — 8.7/10 · From £75/night Modern comfort near the CBD, five minutes from the subway and easy reach of Sanlitun's nightlife.
Rosewood Beijing — 9.1/10 · From £145/night Contemporary five-star design with a spa and some of the best rooms in the CBD, for when the flight savings go straight into the stay.
🎯 What to Do
Beijing runs on imperial history, street food and a skyline that never really sleeps.
Walk the Forbidden City — Nearly 1,000 buildings and nine centuries of emperors, best tackled in the crisp winter light with none of the summer queues. Hike Mutianyu Great Wall — A cable car up, a toboggan down, and one of the best-restored sections within two hours of the city. Take a hutong tea ceremony — A quiet courtyard, a local host and a proper introduction to Beijing life away from the main sights. Eat Peking duck in Sanlitun — Crispy skin, thin pancakes and a neighbourhood that turns into one of the city's best nightlife strips after dark.
🗺️ Where to Go From Here
Beijing is a gateway to the rest of China as much as a destination in itself.
Xian — Home to the Terracotta Warriors, reachable in around 4.5 hours by bullet train. Tianjin — A different pace entirely, just 30 minutes away on the high-speed rail. Jinshanling Great Wall — A wilder, less-restored stretch of wall a couple of hours north-east of the city. Chengde — The old imperial summer resort, roughly 2.5 hours by train, with temples and lakeside palaces.
For more on the region, see our [INTERNAL LINK: China destinations guide].
Winter fares to Beijing at this price don't last, and dates through Chinese New Year will go first. Book the flight, sort the thermals later.
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