Transit through Hong Kong to mainland China

[significance]

I am travelling to China tomorrow, with Cathay Pacific (Brisbane to Hong Kong) and Cathay Dragon (Hong Kong to Qingdao). A colleague tells me that last time she took this trip, those with checked-in luggage needed to go out and back through security in Hong Kong, which took hours. Is this typical? If so, I will travel light, but if not, I’d prefer to take checked-in luggage, as we will be there for two weeks and the weather looks chilly.

 

[JohnK]

I think you should be OK with just a transit in HKG.

And note if luggage not checked through for whatever reason you can use the transfer desk.

 

[straitman]

We did it last year without exiting from airside.

I cannot think why your colleague would have an issue unless it was separate tickets with a long connection.

 

[significance]

Thank you.
Just to check: when you did this last year, was your onward flight to mainland China? I was thinking it might make sense to have to collect your luggage and exit in Hong Kong with an onward China flight, as you need to do the same at your point of arrival in Australia if you have an onward domestic flight.

We did it last year without exiting from airside.

I cannot think why your colleague would have an issue unless it was separate tickets with a long connection.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I am travelling to China tomorrow, with Cathay Pacific (Brisbane to Hong Kong) and Cathay Dragon (Hong Kong to Qingdao). A colleague tells me that last time she took this trip, those with checked-in luggage needed to go out and back through security in Hong Kong, which took hours. Is this typical? If so, I will travel light, but if not, I’d prefer to take checked-in luggage, as we will be there for two weeks and the weather looks chilly.

Depends how your colleague constructed her itinerary. If she was on separate tickets non-alliance tickets, or low cost airlines (or a combination of both of those) she may be correct in needing to re-check bags. If you are flying on one ticket, (or even separate tickets if connecting on CX/OW), bags will be through checked.

You will need to complete transit security.

Immigration at Hong Kong would be a maximum of 30 minutes in any case - and a wait of that length is extremely rare. There's no way she'd be up for 'hours'. Maybe one hour tops to clear immigration, check bags, get back through departure security and immigration.

 

[straitman]

Thank you.
Just to check: when you did this last year, was your onward flight to mainland China? I was thinking it might make sense to have to collect your luggage and exit in Hong Kong with an onward China flight, as you need to do the same at your point of arrival in Australia if you have an onward domestic flight.

Ours was a single ticket ADL-HKG-PEK. CX to HKG then KA to PEK.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Thank you.
Just to check: when you did this last year, was your onward flight to mainland China? I was thinking it might make sense to have to collect your luggage and exit in Hong Kong with an onward China flight, as you need to do the same at your point of arrival in Australia if you have an onward domestic flight.

Hong Kong SAR is considered a separate region for immigration control purposes and has a completely different set of regulations governing entry compared to (mainland) China. Travel between the SAR and mainland China is considered international rather than domestic.

Whatever circumstances your colleague had, they are not relevant to your situation.