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Why are flights to Shanghai so expensive in 2025?

Airfares to Shanghai soared in 2025. Flights to Shanghai are expensive now due to factors such as rising demand, limited supply, inflation, fuel prices, closed airspace, and the increase in operational costs for airlines.

Rising demand With more people traveling in the post-pandemic era, airlines have no incentive to lower prices. Instead, they capitalize on spiked demand and raise prices to make up for lost revenue during the period of 2020-2022.
Limited supply In 2025 many airlines are still operating at reduced capacity after the pandemic. Pilot, plane crew, and airport worker shortages lead to flight cancellations and delays, affecting the supply even more. With fewer flights, airlines charge more for the plane tickets that are available.
Inflation Inflation has a significant impact on flight prices, as it directly increases the cost of fuel and labor for airlines. This can be particularly true for airlines that operate in countries with high inflation rates.
Jet fuel costs Fuel is a significant airline cost, influenced by crude oil prices, geopolitical tensions, and supply chain disruptions. To cope with rising fuel prices, airlines pass it on to travelers in the form of a fuel surcharge added to the ticket price.
Closed airspace Avoiding airspace due to war, political conflicts, extreme weather, or natural disasters makes airline tickets more expensive. Airlines may be forced to take longer routes to Shanghai – which means higher fuel and labor costs.
Airline operating costs The costs of labor, aircraft maintenance, aircraft leasing or purchasing expenses, marketing, etc. significantly increased in 2025. As airlines aim to remain profitable, they must factor in these operating costs when setting ticket prices.
Will flight prices to Shanghai go down in 2025? Historical trends suggest that airfare prices will fluctuate based on the factors described above. As long as the demand for travel to Shanghai is up, so is airfare. After tough years the airlines are in no position to offer discounts for passengers and will likely try to maximize profits in 2025.

How to get cheap flights to Shanghai?

From booking directly with airlines to leveraging frequent flyer programs and curated deals services, the table below outlines effective strategies to help you secure affordable flights to Shanghai. Discover each method, its potential savings, and the reasons it works.

How to get cheap flights
Method	Savings	Why it works
Booking directly with airline	2% — 10%	OTAs and travel agents often add service fees
Flying on weekdays	5% — 10%	Weekend flights tend to cost slightly more
Flying early morning	15% — 20%	Lower demand for flights departing 1am - 5am
Layovers / stopovers	10% — 30%	Non-direct flights to Shanghai often cost less
Early booking	10% — 30%	As departure day nears, airfares start to rise
Flying during low-season	10% — 30%	With fewer people traveling to Shanghai, prices drop due to lower demand
Booking round-trip flights	10% — 35%	Airlines encourage longer commitment by offering discount
Frequent flyer programs	10% — 40%	Discounts, travel perks and benefits to foster customer loyalty
Sales and promotions	10% — 50%	Airlines often offer special promotions to boost demand
Air Traveler Club BEST	40% — 80%	Exclusive, handpicked SuperDeals deliver the highest savings ( learn more )

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Practical tips

If you are flying to Shanghai from abroad, you will most likely land at one of its biggest international airportsits main international airport—Shanghai Pudong Airport PVG or Shanghai Hongqiao Airport SHA.

PVG is located in the Pudong New Area, about 30 km (18.6 miles) east of Shanghai's city center. It is the larger of the two airports, serving most of the international flights to and from Shanghai. SHA is in Hongqiao, about 13 km (8 miles) to the west. It's smaller than PVG, mainly focusing on domestic flights, regional flights to nearby Asian countries, and some international flights to a few destinations. The two airports are connected by various transportation options, including metro, bus, and taxi services. It's around 45 km (28 miles) by road from PVG to SHA.

These are also the best (and cheapest) airports to fly into Shanghai. As they are used by many airlines serving the same routes, the competition for passengers is fierce, and airfare decreases as a result.

Best airports to fly into Shanghai: Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) and Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport (SHA) — Shanghai has two large international airports – Shanghai Pudong Airport PVG and Shanghai Hongqiao Airport SHA. PVG is located in Pudong New Area, about 30 km (18.6 miles) east of Shanghai's city center, while SHA is in Hongqiao, about 13 km (8 miles) to the west. It's around 45 km (28 miles) by road from PVG to SHA.

Once in Shanghai, take advantage of frequent intercity flights operated by domestic airlines such as China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Air China, Hainan Air, Beijing Capital Airlines, Grand China Air, Lucky Air, Shanghai Airlines, Spring Airlines, Sichuan Airlines, and Tianjin Airlines. Those in-country carriers typically offer lower fares, operate from smaller airports located closer to city centers (you save on ground transportation) and provide flexible schedules – with a wide range of departure times.
Planning to explore the region? Popular destinations near Shanghai can be easily reached with regional low-cost carriers (LCCs) by the likes of AirAsia, Cebu Pacific, Jeju Air, and Scoot. If you have a layover in Shanghai and plan to fly only a short distance to one of its neighboring countries, these budget airlines are an excellent way to save money.

Flights to Shanghai
from United States and Canada

There are no direct flights from the US or Canada to Shanghai. However, most major hubs in Asia have non-stop flights to Shanghai, as do some larger airports in the Middle East – your journey will have at least one stop. There are plenty of direct flights to Shanghai from major North American cities like Dallas, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle in the US or Toronto and Vancouver in Canada. All travelers from the US and Canada arrive at Shanghai Pudong Airport PVG – currently, there are no direct flights to Shanghai Hongqiao Airport SHA. Non-stop flights between the US/Canada and Shanghai are operated by Air China, China Eastern Airlines, Air Canada, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines
Shanghai is well-served via one-stop flights from North America. Flights to Shanghai with one layover depart from most major North American airports, including Atlanta ATL, Dallas DFW, Denver DEN, Chicago ORD, Los Angeles LAX, Las Vegas DFW, Miami MIA, Seattle SEA, Houston IAH, New York JFK, and San Francisco SFO in the United States and Toronto YYZ, Vancouver YVR, Calgary LAS, and Montreal YUL in Canada.
The best airlines to fly to Shanghai from the US and Canada are: Air Canada, Air China, Asiana Airlines, Cathay Pacific, China Eastern Airlines, EVA Air, and United Airlines. They are top full-service carriers, offering exceptional customer service, in-flight comfort, a generous checked baggage allowance, and reliable customer support channels – all included in the ticket price.

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What is the best time to book flights to Shanghai?

The best time to book flights to Shanghai is between 2 to 8 months before your travel date. The prime booking window (the most likely time to find the bargains) for Shanghai flights is 4–6 months before takeoff. Book when you notice a significant drop in price.

Airfare prices for Shanghai flights fluctuate due to demand, seasonal trends, and competition, causing numerous price drops and increases as your departure date approaches. The airlines use sophisticated revenue management systems to adjust pricing for optimal seat sales.

Generally, as seats are sold, prices tend to become more expensive.

Don’t book too early

Most airlines start selling their flights 9–12 months in advance. However, booking a ticket too early in that window can be an expensive mistake – airlines typically start by setting prices at a relatively high level to capture early demand from those willing to pay more to secure their seats.

Peak seasons are expensive

Peak travel seasons are always expensive – due to higher base prices set by airlines for dates they expect to be popular. Try to avoid the high season during summer and major holidays including holidays in China. If you must travel during peak times, book your flight well in advance.

Avoid last minute

Avoid booking flights to Shanghai less than 30 days before takeoff. Prices spike sharply then, as airlines are taking advantage of any last-minute travelers who have no choice but to pay up.

Prime Booking Window

For long-haul flights to Shanghai, the best time to book your ticket is around 4–6 months before departure. This is the “Prime Booking Window.” After some seats have already been sold, airlines start dropping prices to stimulate demand. They may also offer promotions and sales. This is the ideal time for bargain hunting.

Fly on weekdays

It makes a difference which day of the week you board the plane. Midweek travel (especially Tuesdays and Wednesdays) is less busy and likely cheaper than flying on weekends. Airlines charge higher prices for weekend travel due to the high demand from people going on short getaways or visiting family and friends.

Opt for early morning flights

To save on airfare, select a late night or early morning (1–5 a.m.) flight. Airlines often offer discounts on their first flight of the morning (up to 15-20%) simply because of lower demand—most people are not willing to go to the airport so early. Moreover, morning flights tend to have fewer delays, and airport queues are usually shorter.

Flights to Shanghai from Europe

There are no direct flights from Europe to Shanghai — you’ll need to get a connecting flight from elsewhere in the Middle East or in Asia. Direct flights from Europe to Shanghai are around 9-12 hours long, depending on your departure airport. Only the largest European hubs have direct connections to Shanghai: Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, Helsinki, London, Milan, Paris, Rome, and Vienna. These non-stop long-haul flights are operated by large carriers such as Air China, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Singapore Airlines, British Airways, Lufthansa, and Xiamen Airlines
Airlines that frequently fly from the UK, Germany, France, and other European countries to Shanghai include Air China, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Air France, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, Finnair, Hainan Airlines, KLM, Lufthansa, SAS, and Virgin Atlantic.
Consider departure airports in neighboring countries to increase your chance of spotting the best deal. Especially look for large airports that serve as hubs for multiple airlines. For example, if you live in Western Europe, check air tickets to Shanghai from Amsterdam, Frankfurt, London, Madrid, Paris, and Rome. Leverage frequent promotions from European budget carriers like RyanAir, EasyJet, and Eurowings to reach a major hub; from there, take a cheaper long-haul flight to your final destination, potentially saving hundreds of euros.

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Things to know before flying to Shanghai
Airlines flying to Shanghai	9 Air Co, Aeroflot, Air Canada, Air Changan, Air China, Air France, Air Macau, Air New Zealand, AirAsia X, ANA, American Airlines, Asiana Airlines, Austrian Airlines, Beijing Capital Airlines, Cambodia Angkor Air, Cathay Pacific, Cebu Pacific, Chengdu Airlines, China Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, China United Airlines, Colorful Guizhou Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Donghai Airlines, El Al Israel Airlines, Emirates, Ethiopian Airlines, Etihad Airlines, EVA Air, Finnair, Fuzhou Airlines, Garuda Indonesia, Hainan Airlines, Hebei Airlines, Hong Kong Airlines, Japan Airlines, Jiangxi Airlines, Juneyao Air, Kalitta Air, KLM, Korean Air, Kunming Airlines, LATAM, Loong Air, Lucky Air, Lufthansa, Mahan Air, Malaysia Airlines, National Airlines, Okay Airways, Philippine Airlines, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Qingdao Airlines, Royal Brunei Airlines, SAS, Shandong Airlines, Shanghai Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, Sichuan Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Spring Airlines, SriLankan Airlines, Suparna Airlines, SWISS, Thai Airways, Thai Lion Air, Tianjin Airlines, Tibet Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Uni Air, United Airlines, Vietnam Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, West Air, Xiamen Airlines
Airlines of China (full-service)	China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Air China, Hong Kong Airlines, Hainan Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, Sichuan Airlines, Shanghai Airlines, XiamenAir, Shandong Airlines, Juneyao Airlines
Airlines of China (low-cost)	China United Airlines, Beijing Capital Airlines, Spring Airlines, 9 Air, Chengdu Airlines, China Express Airlines, Grand China Air, Colorful Guizhou Airlines, Fuzhou Airlines, Jiangxi Air, Loong Air, Lucky Air, Okay Airways, Qingdao Airlines, Suparna Airlines, Tianjin Airlines, Tibet Airlines, West Air
Airports in Shanghai	Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport (SHA)
Regular price (roundtrip)	✈ €800 – €1200 (from Europe) ✈ $1100 – $1600 (from USA)

Low-cost flights from Shanghai

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The cheapest time to fly to Shanghai

The cheapest time to fly to Shanghai is between November and March (while avoiding public holidays like Chinese New Year). These are the winter months, with cold and dry weather and temperatures dropping as low as -15°C (5°F). As there are not many tourists visiting Shanghai, this is the best time to look for deals on flights and hotels.

If you are looking for warmer weather, you will find affordable flights to Shanghai in early Spring (March – April) or late fall (September – October).

Top gateway cities in China

China has four large international airports. Your first contact with the country will most likely be at one of these gateway cities: Beijing (a top tourist city with the biggest airport in China), Hong Kong (with many English speakers, and familiar standards of life, it’s a good city to “acclimatize” to China), Shanghai (144-hour visa-free stay policy makes it a great option for a stopover), and Guangzhou (one of China’s oldest cities, with a convenient ferry transport to Hong Kong and Macau).

These are also the largest hubs of China’s air travel, offering plenty of choices for domestic flights to all major cities within the country.

Know your time zone

When checking flights and airport transfer times, ensure you know the local time zones. The departure/arrival times on your plane ticket and boarding pass are based on the time zone of the departure/arrival airport – this also applies to the connecting (layover) airports.

Being almost as wide as the continental United States, China geographically covers five time zones. However, China has only one official time zone across the country – CST (China Standard Time) – the decision made by the Communist Party to enhance “national unity”.

CST is 8 hours ahead of UTC. It means that Shanghai is 13 hours ahead of New York and 2 hours behind Melbourne). Unlike western countries, China does not follow daylight saving time.

Download a VPN app

When it comes to media censorship, China is one of the world leaders – it seems to have a problem with freedom of speech and certain online content. In the last years, thousands of websites have been banned temporarily or permanently, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Vimeo, Telegram, and Wikipedia. Google and most of its free tools (Google Search, Gmail, Google Maps, Google Drive, etc) will not be available when traveling to Shanghai – this will also affect any app or website that uses Google login.

Solution? If you want to keep access to your favorite websites while staying in Shanghai, you should download a VPN app for your smartphone and laptop. By hiding your location, it will allow you to bypass government censorship and freely access all blocked content. Make sure to install it before you arrive – VPN websites and Google Play are blocked, so you can’t download any Android apps when you are already in Shanghai.

There is no Uber nor Grab in Shanghai

Uber launched in China in early 2014, but due to difficulties in gaining a meaningful market share, it decided to take a passive role by selling its local operations to DiDi. The popular Asian super-app Grab never entered the China market.

However, getting around Shanghai is quite convenient thanks to the DiDi Rider app, which works similarly to Uber and Grab. DiDi Rider is the main ride-hailing app in China, letting you hail a private car or a taxi and automatically pay the fare when your ride ends. Only registered drivers with a special license can offer rides in accordance with the law introduced by The Ministry of Transport.

You can download the DiDi Rider app for Android or iOS before arriving in Shanghai.

Plan for airline delays

Unfortunately, flight delays in China are not uncommon, so be prepared. If you are booking a domestic flight from Shanghai that connects to an international flight, make sure you’ve got plenty of time before your international flight takes off. This can save you a lot of stress on the day of travel.

Always keep at least one change of clothes and a toothbrush in your carry-on – just in case your flight gets seriously delayed and you will have to spend the night in the hotel.

Domestic flights from Shanghai

Most domestic routes in China are operated by local carriers. When traveling to popular tourist destinations such as Beijing, Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Shenzhen Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Wuhan, and Xi'an from Pudong Airport and Hongqiao Airport, you’ll likely fly with one of these domestic airlines: China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Air China, Hainan Air, Beijing Capital Airlines, Grand China Air, Lucky Air, Shanghai Airlines, Spring Airlines, Sichuan Airlines, and Tianjin Airlines.

This is often the best transportation method, providing speed, convenience, and cost-effectiveness. Local airlines often offer multiple daily flights to key destinations, providing flexibility in scheduling and competitive pricing. They also serve smaller regional airports, enabling access to a wider range of Chinese destinations.

China Eastern Airlines

Airline

Flights to Shanghai
from Australia and New Zealand

Australia and New Zealand are well-connected with popular Asian destinations, including Shanghai. In addition to domestic airlines – Qantas, Jetstar Airways, Virgin Australia, and Air New Zealand – routes from Australasia to Asia are operated by large international carriers such as ANA, Emirates, Cathay Pacific, Garuda Indonesia, Japan Airlines, Korean Air, Malaysia Airlines, Philippine Airlines, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, and Thai Airways.

Currently, there are no direct flights from Australia or New Zealand to Shanghai. You’ll need a layover in one of the major hubs in Asia.
Airfare costs can vary widely depending on the route and the airline’s pricing strategy. To find the cheapest flight to Shanghai, compare ticket prices from various international airports in Australia – Sydney SYD, Brisbane BNE, Melbourne MEL, Perth PER, Adelaide ADL, Cairns CNS, Gold Coast OOL, Canberra CBR, and in New Zealand – Auckland AKL, Wellington WLG, Christchurch CHC, Queenstown ZQN, and Dunedin DUD.
For optimal savings, consider flying from Australia or New Zealand to a key Asian hub, then connect to Shanghai via a regional low-cost carrier. Among budget airlines that fly to Shanghai are AirAsia, Cebu Pacific, Jeju Air, and Scoot.

For the first leg, use the budget carriers that fly out of Australian airports, leveraging sales and promotions they run frequently: AirAsia (connects with Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore), Cebu Pacific (Manila), Jetstar (Seoul, Singapore, Tokyo), Scoot (Singapore), VietJet Air (Ho Chi Minh City), Bamboo Airways (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Beijing), and Batik Air (Jakarta, Singapore).

40–80% off flights to Shanghai
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Flights to Shanghai
from major hubs in Asia

Asia is probably the best continent for short-haul and mid-haul flying. The sheer scale of this most populous region on Earth is reflected in the type of aircraft operating many shorter routes: intra-Asia flyers benefit from comfortable, wide-bodied aircraft by the likes of Boeing 777, 787 or Airbus A350, A330, and A380. When booking your flight to Shanghai look for these bigger planes as they will almost always give you the best experience in every cabin, including better seat pitches, higher ceilings, and larger overhead bin space.
Asia is also home to most of the world’s best airlines. There are only ten airlines that received the prestigious 5-star mark of quality from Skytrax, and all of them are from Asia: ANA, Asiana Airlines, Cathay Pacific, EVA Air, Garuda Indonesia, Japan Airlines, Korean Air, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines. Choosing one of these airlines for your trip to Shanghai will guarantee a pleasant journey – delicious meals served during the flight, great in-flight entertainment, and above-average airline customer service.
Asia is extremely well served by low-cost regional airlines. If you are visiting China and want to see several other countries on a tight budget, they often have great sales with rock-bottom prices, while still offering a relatively comfortable flight experience. Among the best Asian budget airlines you can book without hesitation are AirAsia, Cebu Pacific, Citilink, FlyDubai, Indigo, Jetstar Airways, Scoot, SpiceJet, and VietJet Air. The cons? Being no-frills airlines they may not provide free baggage allowance, inflight meals, or onboard entertainment. The departure times may also be quite inconvenient as they try to save money by flying at off-peak hours.

40–80% off flights to Shanghai
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Flights to Shanghai dataset

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User Review

4.1 (154 votes)

Flights to Shanghai

If you have specific travel dates, it's worth booking as soon as possible. The optimal time to book international flights to Shanghai is 2–8 months in advance, with a "prime booking window" at 4–6 months before departure for the best bargains.

In economy class, medium to long-haul flights to Shanghai range from $150 to $600, and can go up to $1,000 for routes exceeding 6,000 km. Round-trip bookings offer savings between 20% and 35%. Strategic planning like early booking, flying in low-season, booking directly with airlines, or chosing a route with a layover can save an additional 5–30%.

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About the author

Maksim Koval

Maksim Koval

Aviation industry expert, digital editor at Tiket2 since 2010, and the pioneering founder of the Air Traveler Club.

Maksim is a Bali-based seasoned travel writer, avid flyer, tinkerer, photographer, motorbiker, animal lover, and the truest evangelist of the company. His dedication to providing valuable insights and engaging content has established him as a trusted voice in the industry.

You can contact him via email at maksim[at]tiket2.com.