One of the most important status perks United Airlines gives their loyal 1K passengers is the ability to use United Airlines Lounges, and also Star Alliance Partner Lounges when traveling internationally. We headed back to Beijing’s Capital Airport at 5:30 a.m. for an Air China flight to Xining in Qinghai Province, departing a 8:20 a.m.

There are no traffic problems to the airport at this time of the day but make sure you allow enough time to make it through Beijing’s gridlock during rush hour. Tell your taxi driver whether or not you are flying Domestic or International (different drop off points) and what airline! TIP: Ask your hotel doorman to give these instructions to the driver in Chinese just to be safe.

An easy Air China check-in where we were given passes to their First Class/Business lounge. From there, past the temperature scanners and through the first security check where you must show passports/identity cards along with boarding passes. Absolutely no liquids are allowed through security (leave the water bottles behind), and the same 1 Quart Plastic Bag Rule containing under 3 oz. Liquids is the rule in China. China has very sensitive scanners and I would guess that nine out of every 10 passengers were subjected to pat downs and additional scanning including ex-Marine.

Air China’s Domestic Terminal is also located in new Terminal 3 along with one of their many First Class/Business Class Lounges. It only took minutes to settle in to Air China’s gorgeous lounge for breakfast. Hot and cold Chinese foods, bags of dried fruit munchies, cookies, cakes (including three varieties of pound cake), coffee/tea/juice/liquor/beer, free Internet terminals, individual rooms with beds, magazines, newspapers along with incredibly beautiful bathrooms that had a devoted attendant who probably spends her life in it, cleaning.

A nice way to spend the time until the Xining flight and…that is why we stay loyal to one airline.