what is it like to travel to china? wha is the flight like? how long is the flight?

I am traveling to Beijing this summer and it is my first long distance flight. any tips? what is it like on the plane how do you sleep? thanks!
coming from U.S

Might help to know where you are travelling from!

Are you coming from the US? If so, you will have one long leg of your flight that'll probably be 11 to 13 hours. After takeoff, they usually serve a dinner (though it may not really be quite dinnertime). Then they show about 3 or four movies (on some planes you have a personal video screen on the back of the seat in front of you). After dinner, when they start the movies, they usually put all the shades down, and turn off the cabin lights. So, it's pretty night-like, and a lot of people sleep.
However, if you're like me, you're really excited and can't sleep. Also, I find sleeping in plane seats uncomfortable.
So, if you're awake you might want to get up and go to the open windows and look out. If you fly over Canada and Alaska, you can sometimes see amazing mountains and glaciers.
Towards the end of the flight, they serve breakfast.

LONG LONG LONG trip...like the person before me said about 13 hours to shanghai...usually departing from LA ...umm....you will have to change your biological clock (give it a couple of days) bring stuff to do. You WILL get bored , bring your ipod, sudoku, w/e that can sustain your attention for a couple of hours. And obviously since this is your first long distance flight I think you might want to stick with bottled water when you get there. That includes the ice. Your body will not be use to the bacteria that is in the water there. just an extra fyi. I have been to shanghai plenty of times and also beijing. so if you do have anymore questions let me know!

Welcome to Beijing - my hometown!

If you never been to China, then you will be amazed and fascinated by everything you see and experience! It is a beautiful metropolis where modern marvels and ancient wonders sit side-by-side! It is not any word can easily describe!

Surrounding all of her glorious history is a beautiful skyline of modern skyscrapers that rivals any metropolis in the world. However, Old Beijing continues to survive in the presence of stall-lined free markets, hidden hutongs, old temples, even sunrise Tai Chi and ballroom dancing! One only has to look to find marvels in every part of Beijing.

Put that onto mind, I don't think your flight would be as long as it seems to be. Normally it takes about 13 hours from west coast to Beijing if you fly direct.

If you have any questions about Beijing, please feel free to contact me at: Jia@Jiasdreamtours.com

if you fly from detroit to beijing, via tokyo, be prepared for a long flight, airlines don't give much food anymore, so maybe try to bring a snack along for yourself. also maybe a book to read. there'll be movies, or radio to listen to. if you leave on a wednesday it will be friday when you get there, so you should sleep some, i wouldn't worry so much about the trip there but the trip back there will be a nasty bit of jet lag. because on the way back you leave and get home only 8 hours later even though you'll have been awake and traveling for about 30 hours. i will be on my 4th trip next month, don't worry, just enjoy it and get as much sleep as you can on the way over and back.......