

China is open to international tourism
After three years of border restrictions, China has fully reopened to foreign visitors – including tourists. On 15 March 2023, the country resumed issuing all categories of visas for foreigners. Travelers entering China are still required to take a Covid test 48 hours before departure and to fill in the results in their customs health declaration forms.
Transiting through Chinese airports is permitted.
Please note that the official travel advisory for the People’s Republic of China issued by the US State Department recommends reconsidering any travel to the country, including Hong Kong and Macao due to arbitrary enforcement of local laws. There is a risk of exit bans and wrongful detention of foreign nationals by the Chinese government. Travelers may be detained without access to their country’s consular services and may be subjected to prolonged interrogations and extended detention without due process of law.
Arriving in Shanghai
- 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 AirportSHA
.
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 the cheapest) airports to fly into Shanghai. As they are used by many airlines serving the same routes, the competition for passengers is fierce – with decreased airfare as a result. - 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. However, the “no-frills” carrier may not provide free checked baggage allowance, complimentary food, in-flight entertainment systems, and fast customer support. You may not even get to choose your seats, unless you pay extra.
Airports of Shanghai

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.
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. During this period, you should monitor airfares by setting alerts on popular flight search websites. Book when you notice a significant drop in price.
Why do prices fluctuate?
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
Prime Booking Window
For long-haul flights to Shanghai, the best time to book your ticket is around 4–6 months before departure. It 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 am) 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.
Set alerts
Track flight price fluctuations for your desired routes to Shanghai using email alerts on search sites like Google Flights to catch price drops. These drops will be your chance to book the flight at its best price.
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 (learn more about last-minute pricing).
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), and check the best time to fly to Shanghai. If you must travel during peak times, book a bit earlier – 6 to 8 months in advance.
Join ATC
A useful way to find discounted airfare is to sign up for a deal newsletter such as Air Traveler Club. The ATC team is constantly looking for price drops on popular routes, and we share them with our members free of charge.
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) |
Flight hacks | 40% — 80% off regular fare |
Airline discounts | Discounted airline tickets to Shanghai (student/family/seniors/military) |
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.
Promo Radar™ 2023
Ready-to-book promotions, sales and discounts from 100+ airlines
Flight sales and promotions to Shanghai
Flight promotions, ticket sales, student discounts, and airline promo codes are your best bet for saving on airfares to Shanghai. These special offers can save hundreds of dollars or give you free travel perks like seat upgrades or extra checked baggage.
OTAs miss out on most sales
Airlines flying to Shanghai often use sales and promotions as key marketing tools to attract and retain customers while boosting seat occupancy. However, when you search for airfares on popular OTA websites like Expedia, Kayak, or Skyscanner, you won’t find these heavily discounted tickets there. Airlines often reserve the most aggressive or enticing promotions for their own direct sales channels — primarily their websites.
How to find Shanghai promotions?
To take advantage of promotional flights to Shanghai — including special codes, vouchers, student discounts, and even flights discounted by up to 50% — your best strategy is to check airline websites consistently. You can also follow their social media channels and subscribe to newsletters from leading carriers.
The catch
That being said, finding truly valuable promotions can be tricky, as the uncomfortable details are often hidden in the fine print. Many sales are limited to unpopular routes, with inconvenient layovers or blackout dates. Some promotions come with strings attached or conditions that are difficult to match.
Top promotions from 100+ airlines
That’s where our team steps in. We do all the heavy lifting for you, keeping track of all ongoing sales and promotions from more than 100 airlines! We vet each sale, discount, or promotion and ensure that only quality offers with authentic value make it onto our final list.
Shanghai flight promotions can often be found among our list of best airline discounts — emailed weekly to 110,000 Air Traveler Club subscribers.
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 AirportSHA
. 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
, DallasDFW
, DenverDEN
, ChicagoORD
, Los AngelesLAX
, Las VegasDFW
, MiamiMIA
, SeattleSEA
, HoustonIAH
, New YorkJFK
, and San FranciscoSFO
in the United States and TorontoYYZ
, VancouverYVR
, CalgaryLAS
, and MontrealYUL
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.
US and Canada to Shanghai.Ticket prices in November 2023.
View today’s prices or learn how to cut costs with flexible dates:
Best aircraft for long-haul flights to Shanghai
For long-haul flights, the aircraft type can make a huge difference to your overall comfort on board — especially if you’re flying economy. The best aircraft have comfier seats with more legroom, USB charging ports, WiFi connectivity, superior entertainment systems, and a better passenger experience in every cabin.
When booking a flight to Shanghai, it’s worth spending a few minutes researching the type of aircraft you’ll be flying on. Look for airlines that use wide-body planes designed for long-haul flights, such as:
- Airbus A350. Best choice. Known for its advanced air filtration and higher cabin pressure, which enhance overall passenger well-being. Operated by Delta Air Lines, Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, Qatar Airways, and Singapore Airlines.
- Airbus A380. Offers unparalleled spaciousness and amenities like onboard lounges and shower spas in premium classes. Used by non-US airlines such as Emirates, Qantas, Lufthansa, and British Airways.
- Boeing 767. Often features a 2-3-2 seating configuration in economy, reducing the number of middle seats. The largest operators are Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Japan Airlines and ANA.
- Boeing 777. Renowned for its wide cabin, it offers a sense of spaciousness and often includes advanced in-flight entertainment options. Used by American Airlines, United Airlines, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Korean Air, and Air France.
- 787 Dreamliner. Celebrated for its larger windows and dynamic lighting, designed to help regulate passengers’ circadian rhythms and reduce jet lag. Operated by Air Canada, American Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, United Airlines, and Etihad Airways.

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.
Flights to Shanghai from UK, Germany, France, Netherlands and other countries in 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.
- These major European airports are excellent departure points for trips to Shanghai: London
LHR
and ManchesterMAN
in the United Kingdom, FrankfurtFRA
and MunichMUC
in Germany, ParisCDG
and NiceNCE
in France, AmsterdamAMS
in the Netherlands, MadridMAD
and BarcelonaBCN
in Spain, RomeFCO
and MilanoMXP
in Italy, BrusselsBRU
in Belgium, CopenhagenOSL
in Denmark, OsloOSL
in Norway, StockholmARN
in Sweden, ZurichZRH
in Switzerland, LisbonLIS
in Portugal, ViennaVIE
in Austria, WarsawWAW
in Poland, PraguePRG
in the Czech Republic, and DublinDUB
in Ireland.
Europe to Shanghai.Flight schedule and ticket prices.
Check prices, see how to save big if your travel dates are flexible:
Shanghai flight deals. How to book the best fares?
Our go-to solution for finding and booking the best deals to Shanghai is Google Flights. Whenever we send SuperDeals to 110,000 members of Air Traveler Club, we include links to Google Flights so each deal can be secured immediately.
Google Flights’ powerful engine simplifies deal hunting. It searches and compares flight prices available from airlines and online travel agencies (OTAs) such as Expedia, Opodo, or eDreams. However, it doesn’t sell flights directly to travelers—instead, it passes users on to the airline or OTA to book directly with them.
How to know if the Shanghai deal we sent you is actually saving you money? One of Google Flights’ standout features is a color-coded bar underneath the booking options. This bar provides a visual representation of the price compared to the typical fare (for the same route, class, and airline)—indicating whether it is lower, average, or higher. If the marker falls within the green zone (“price is low”), don’t hesitate to secure this deal as it is significantly — 40% to 80% — cheaper than average and unlikely to drop further.

If you see that your flight has the marker within the orange zone (“price is typical”) or in the red zone (“price is higher”), it means that the deal has already ‘expired’. Airfare deals often ‘expire’ because airlines frequently move cheaper flights further away from the departure date. This is when the Google Flights Price Graph tool comes in handy:

Using this tool, you can experiment with various dates and trip lengths. This perfect deal to Shanghai may still be available — but for different date combinations.
Last-minute flights to Shanghai. The real cost of convenience.
Last-minute flights are often touted as a great way to save money, but the reality is far from it. Booking last-minute flights to Shanghai almost always never works out. The convenience of being able to book a flight on the fly is a dangerous game of chance, and you will most likely end up paying significantly higher than booking in advance.

The common perception may be that airlines decrease ticket prices to fill empty seats as the departure date approaches. However, the truth is that airfares depend on demand. Based on years of research and current customer data, the airlines know what people are willing to pay for specific flights and dates. They are also well aware that people are willing to pay a premium for flights they need to take immediately. To make the most money, the airline will sell its cheapest fares first and then increase the prices right before the flight to take advantage of business travelers and others who are willing to pay the premium price for late booking.
Occasionally, airlines can put some seats on sale to fill the remaining seats, but these are for unusual times and unpopular places. Popular destinations and dates around peak travel times tend to sell out quickly.
Planning ahead is key to securing a good deal on your flight. Last-minute flight deals are hard to come by, so as soon as you have a tentative travel timeline, book your flight. The earlier you book, the more likely you are to save money. If you are looking for a good deal, the best time to book your flight to Shanghai is 2-8 months before the takeoff.
Looking for the best deals for Shanghai? Check different departure airports.
Airlines often have varying prices for flights to Shanghai from different airports – even if they are in close proximity to one another. So don’t limit yourself to just your nearest airport. The neighboring cities may have lower-priced flights that include a layover at Shanghai, or may even have direct flights that are more budget-friendly.
For example, if you’re looking to fly from Paris to Shanghai, it may be worth checking prices for flights departing from London, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, or Rome. Yes, you may have to fly a few hundred kilometers to these hubs, but domestic low-cost airlines like EasyJet, RyanAir, or WizzAir will happily take you there for less than €100.

The same goes for long-haul flights to Shanghai from anywhere in the world. By broadening your search to include neighboring airports, you may discover lower-priced options that can save you hundreds of euros!
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.
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
, BrisbaneBNE
, MelbourneMEL
, PerthPER
, AdelaideADL
, CairnsCNS
, Gold CoastOOL
, CanberraCBR
, and in New Zealand – AucklandAKL
, WellingtonWLG
, ChristchurchCHC
, QueenstownZQN
, and DunedinDUD
. - 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).
Australia and New Zealand to Shanghai.Flight ticket prices today.
Check prices and find out how date flexibility equals big savings:
“Hot seats” on long-haul flights
Those days seat selection is considered an optional, extra paid service – seats with extra legroom (front and exit rows) are usually priced higher. However, if you’re about to take a long-haul flight to Shanghai, those “hot seats” are worth considering – expect to pay $50-$100, which is much less than upgrading to Premium Economy.
If you want to choose your seats, do this early (ideally during the booking) for a more extensive selection of available options.

Booking group flights to Shanghai
Flights are cheaper when purchased in bulk rather than as individual tickets. Booking group flights to Shanghai can be a cost-effective option for a school trip, family reunion, or corporate group traveling to a conference.
To qualify for the special group rate, the group must usually have at least 10 passengers. Discounts depend on the airline, group size, and travel dates, and typically range from 5% to 20% off the regular airfare.
Airlines and flight search websites typically limit automatic group bookings to 10 passengers. This limit reflects the complexity of managing larger groups, which require personalized service and more time to coordinate. To get the price quote for your group, you’ll need to contact the airline or a travel agent directly.
If you’re open to different airlines or want more personalized service, a travel agent may be a better choice. Travel agents may have access to discounted group rates to Shanghai and can help with logistics and scheduling.
Flights to Shanghai from Bali, Bangkok, Delhi, Dubai, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Singapore, Seoul, Tokyo, and other 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.
- Most major Asian airports have convenient and frequent flights to Shanghai — including Changi (Singapore), Dubai (UAE), Hong Kong (China), Incheon (Seoul, South Korea), Indira Gandhi (New Delhi, India), KLIA (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia), Narita (Tokyo, Japan), Denpasar (Bali, Indonesia), Soekarno–Hatta (Jakarta, Indonesia), Ninoy Aquino (Manila, Philippines), Suvarnabhumi (Bangkok, Thailand), Taoyuan (Taipei, Taiwan), and others.
Shanghai from major Asian airports.Flight prices in November 2023.
View today’s prices and learn how flexibility can save you hundreds on airfare:
Proof of onward travel – a simple hack
Travelers who go on long trips often don’t have a set itinerary and fly on one-way tickets. The problem? For many APAC countries, proof of onward travel is a legal requirement. If you arrive at the airport without an onward ticket (from China to another country), you’ll either be forced to buy one online or forbidden from boarding the plane altogether.
The cheapest solution? Renting an onward ticket! Use the websites such as OneWayFly or OnwardTicket to get a flight reservation for a limited amount of time (usually 2 to 14 days). They work by actually booking you on a real flight out of China and giving you a confirmable flight reservation with a PNR (Passenger Name Record) under your name. After the time limit, your spot on the flight is automatically canceled. Such “temporary tickets” tend to cost anywhere from $10 to $20.

Fly now, pay later
Book Now Pay Later (BNPL) plans for flights have become a popular trend in the travel industry, allowing travelers to book flights and pay in installments. Among the airlines that offer this option are American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Qantas, Turkish Airlines, and United Airlines. They partner with external financial companies to offer their loan services on the checkout page.
The BNPL plans come with varying terms and fees. Some may be interest-free but have fees for late-payments and require forced autoplay on your bank account, while others may have high annual percentage rates (up to 30-40% APR).
When considering BNPL financing for your flight to Shanghai, it’s crucial to carefully evaluate the pros and cons, and thoroughly review the terms and conditions.
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%.
Pros
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