psst: there’s a super-cheap flight from Beijing Nanyuan airport to the airport in Korla, Xinjiang for only 1350RMB. it’s run by China United Airlines (owned by the Air Force; Nanyuan is a military airport) and flies old Soviet-era jets, but is a great deal and puts you a few hours from Kuqa and Urumqi. you won’t find tickets or information online (besides this picture my friend took) but you can just show up at the airport the morning of the flight and buy a ticket.