Cheap flights to Shanghai
Cheap flights to Shanghai land at two airports, Pudong International and Hongqiao International, and the carrier mix is wide, with Air China, China Southern Airlines, Hainan Airlines and Juneyao Airlines flying alongside Qatar Airways, ITA Airways, Azerbaijan Airlines and AirAsia X. People come for the Bund, the old lanes and the food, and for work in the finance and trade districts. Arrivals peak around Chinese New Year and the autumn holiday week, when fares climb fastest.
Flights to Shanghai — where from
Airports — Shanghai
Shanghai is served by two airports. Pudong International handles most long-haul arrivals and sits east of the centre; the metro and the maglev train run from the terminal, with taxis and ride-hailing as the usual alternative. Hongqiao International is the closer of the two and is also on the metro, which makes it the quicker landing point when your flight uses it. Check which airport your ticket names before you plan the transfer.
When to go
Spring and autumn are the easiest times to be in Shanghai, mild and drier than the summer, which is hot, humid and wet. Winter here is cold and damp rather than snowy. Flights fill fastest around Chinese New Year, when the city empties and the rest of the country travels, and again during the autumn national holiday week. Weekends and public holidays push up airfare on the inbound routes from Europe and Asia.
Shanghai: flights from the city More destinations in China: flights