Transport · Airports · TAO
青岛胶东国际机场 · TAO / ZSQD. Qingdao's new Jiaodong airport replaced Liuting in 2021, with metro access and 72-hour transit visa exemption for qualifying routes.
About this airport
Qingdao Jiaodong International Airport opened in August 2021 after years of construction, replacing the older Liuting airport that had served the city since 1982. The move was driven by Liuting's constrained site and the rapid growth of Qingdao as both a tourist destination and a commercial city.
Qingdao is famous in China for its German colonial architecture — the legacy of a 1898–1914 German concession — and internationally for Tsingtao beer, which is brewed here and exported worldwide. The city sits on a peninsula in Shandong province and has a mild coastal climate that makes it a popular summer resort.
The new terminal is a large and well-equipped facility with good natural light and efficient processing. Metro Line 8, which runs from the airport to Qingdao North Station, integrates the airport into the national high-speed rail network, making connections to Jinan, Beijing, and Shanghai straightforward. The 72-hour TWOV available here gives passengers on qualifying itineraries the option of a brief stop in a city that rewards a day's walk along the waterfront promenade.
Terminals
Single integrated terminal building opened in August 2021, replacing the older Liuting airport. The new airport is roughly 40 kilometres from the city centre, further than its predecessor.
Transit to the city
Metro Line 8 connects the airport to the city's main network (Qingdao North Railway Station) in about 40 minutes (CNY 15). Taxis to the old city or Zhanqiao pier cost approximately CNY 120–160.
Priority Pass lounges
Food
The new terminal has a wide food court on level 3 with Shandong seafood options, a bakery, and fast food chains. Seafood at the airport is somewhat expensive compared to the city's coastal restaurants.
Sleep options
Airport hotels in the new Jiaodong precinct are still developing as of 2026. The Marriott Qingdao is the flagship property near the terminal. No airside hotel.
Transit visa-free rules
Qingdao holds a standalone 72-hour TWOV allocation for eligible nationalities arriving on qualifying routes. The scope does not extend to other provinces. Confirm route eligibility in advance.