Hainan Visa when traveling across China Airport

You are advised against the applying for Hainan VOA since this VOA appears to be on the exit door. In reality, it still nominally exists and there are reports that people from time to time successfully obtain one. In reality, it is not the problem with Chinese authorities when you arrive in Hainan. They will definitely grant you a VOA, but the problem is in the countries from where you will depart to Hainan. Here, right on this website, we had a report, roughly 50 days ago when the Singaporean authorities have denied to 3 UK citizens their flight from Singapore to Hainan because they didn't have that invitation that goes along with Hainan 30 day visa free access. In reality, you will never be certain that an airline will allow you a boarding because they are also started to favor, for them very safe option, to allow boarding to the passengers traveling on 30 day visa free access. So, please, listen to me and go after Hainan 30 day visa free access.

To reach Hainan from Europe, the best option is to look after Hong Kong return ticket. Here the itinerary can be routed through mainland China and you can use 24 hour visa free transit to reach Hong Kong and vice versa. After you have reached Hong Kong, your stop(s) done within China are reset and you just continue to Sanya or Haikou as you are not coming from mainland China. Just play a bit more with different flight options and I'm more than certain that you will find an affordable ticket. Maybe the times will be a bit less convenient, but when you have not spent too much money on a flight ticket, then even this is perfectly acceptable.

Ok, we are seeing sone flights across Russia; Hong Kong flights are quite pricey. Can we fly out across China or we would have to fly out again through Russia?

Kat, you can use a flight that goes through China to Hong Kong or some other country and then from Hong Kong or that other country to take a flight to Hainan. It is absolutely ineligible to fly through China with direct connection from a mainland Chinese airport to Hainan airports. For example, you can use:

Prague - Moscow - Hong Kong - Hainan

or

Vienna - Urumqi - Guangzhou - Kuala Lumpur - Hainan

But, it is not allowed:

Vienna - Urumqi - Guangzhou - Hainan

The same thing is valid for your flight back to Europe.

In my opinion, I think that the best option in your case would be to obtain a single entry Chinese tourist (L) visa that covers all the segments of your travel and in the same time Hainan and the rest of mainland China. I'm almost certain that with a valid visa, you will be able to find a cheaper ticket though China that those that bypass China just for the sake of visa free transit travel.