Which airport is better depends entirely on where you are flying from and your priority for convenience. Chengdu is served by two major airports: Shuangliu International Airport (CTU) and Tianfu International Airport (TFU).
Shuangliu Airport (CTU) is much closer to the city center (about 16 km or a 30-minute drive). It is highly convenient, cheaper to reach by taxi, and directly connected to downtown via Metro Line 10. However, Shuangliu now primarily handles domestic flights, regional routes (like Hong Kong and Macau), and select short-haul Asian flights. If you are traveling within China, CTU is almost always the better and more convenient choice.
Tianfu Airport (TFU) is Chengdu's massive, ultra-modern aviation hub opened in 2021. It handles the vast majority of long-haul international flights and many domestic connections. The major downside is its distance; it is located about 50 km southeast of downtown. While you can take the fast Metro Line 18 to the city in about 40 to 50 minutes, a taxi or ride-hailing service is significantly more expensive and time-consuming than from Shuangliu.
In short: Choose Shuangliu (CTU) for unmatched downtown convenience on domestic routes. Choose Tianfu (TFU) if you are arriving on an intercontinental flight or find a significantly cheaper ticket.