$382 Find Cheap Flights to Shanghai – Compare and Save

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Cheap Flights to Shanghai

 
Discover the best prices for you by selecting your travel dates on KAYAK.

Recent return flight deals to Shanghai

Tue, 3 Nov - Wed, 25 Nov
China Southern Logo
15:15 - 10:10SYD  Sydney Kingsford Smith-SHA Shanghai Hongqiao Intl
21h 55m1 stop Guangzhou Baiyun
China Southern Logo
07:55 - 07:30SHA  Shanghai Hongqiao Intl-SYD Sydney Kingsford Smith
20h 35m1 stop Shenzhen
$768China Southern
Wed, 4 Nov - Wed, 25 Nov
China Southern Logo
15:15 - 10:10SYD  Sydney Kingsford Smith-SHA Shanghai Hongqiao Intl
21h 55m1 stop Guangzhou Baiyun
China Southern Logo
07:55 - 07:30SHA  Shanghai Hongqiao Intl-SYD Sydney Kingsford Smith
20h 35m1 stop Shenzhen
$768China Southern
Tue, 3 Nov - Sat, 7 Nov
XiamenAir Logo
12:30 - 12:40SYD  Sydney Kingsford Smith-SHA Shanghai Hongqiao Intl
27h 10m1 stop Xiamen Gaoqi Intl
XiamenAir Logo
16:10 - 10:25SHA  Shanghai Hongqiao Intl-SYD Sydney Kingsford Smith
15h 15m1 stop Xiamen Gaoqi Intl
$769XiamenAir
Wed, 4 Nov - Wed, 25 Nov
XiamenAir Logo
12:30 - 22:50SYD  Sydney Kingsford Smith-SHA Shanghai Hongqiao Intl
13h 20m1 stop Xiamen Gaoqi Intl
XiamenAir Logo
12:10 - 10:25SHA  Shanghai Hongqiao Intl-SYD Sydney Kingsford Smith
19h 15m1 stop Xiamen Gaoqi Intl
$770XiamenAir
Mon, 12 Oct - Fri, 16 Oct
AirAsia X Logo
21:50 - 00:20SYD  Sydney Kingsford Smith-PVG Shanghai Pu Dong
29h 30m1 stop Kuala Lumpur Intl
AirAsia X Logo
01:35 - 09:20PVG  Shanghai Pu Dong-SYD Sydney Kingsford Smith
28h 45m1 stop Kuala Lumpur Intl
$775AirAsia X
Tue, 20 Oct - Mon, 2 Nov
Hainan Airlines Logo
20:45 - 22:55MEL  Melbourne-SHA Shanghai Hongqiao Intl
29h 10m1 stop Haikou Meilan Intl
Hainan Airlines Logo
09:00 - 15:10SHA  Shanghai Hongqiao Intl-MEL Melbourne
27h 10m1 stop Haikou Meilan Intl
$780Hainan Airlines
Thu, 22 Oct - Wed, 4 Nov
Sichuan Airlines Logo
21:20 - 19:00MEL  Melbourne-PVG Shanghai Pu Dong
24h 40m1 stop Chengdu Tianfu Intl
Sichuan Airlines Logo
16:40 - 15:00PVG  Shanghai Pu Dong-MEL Melbourne
19h 20m1 stop Chengdu Tianfu Intl
$781Sichuan Airlines
Tue, 20 Oct - Mon, 2 Nov
Hainan Airlines Logo
20:45 - 22:55MEL  Melbourne-SHA Shanghai Hongqiao Intl
29h 10m1 stop Haikou Meilan Intl
Hainan Airlines Logo
09:00 - 15:10SHA  Shanghai Hongqiao Intl-MEL Melbourne
27h 10m1 stop Haikou Meilan Intl
$801Hainan Airlines
Fri, 6 Nov - Thu, 26 Nov
Sichuan Airlines Logo
21:40 - 15:25MEL  Melbourne-PVG Shanghai Pu Dong
20h 45m1 stop Chengdu Tianfu Intl
Sichuan Airlines Logo
16:40 - 15:00PVG  Shanghai Pu Dong-MEL Melbourne
19h 20m1 stop Chengdu Tianfu Intl
$804Sichuan Airlines
Wed, 14 Oct - Tue, 20 Oct
AirAsia X Logo
21:50 - 00:20SYD  Sydney Kingsford Smith-PVG Shanghai Pu Dong
29h 30m1 stop Kuala Lumpur Intl
AirAsia X Logo
01:35 - 20:35PVG  Shanghai Pu Dong-SYD Sydney Kingsford Smith
16h 00m1 stop Kuala Lumpur Intl
$809AirAsia X
Booking Insights

Price, demand, and travel trends for Australia to Shanghai flights

Use KAYAK data on prices, travel dates, airlines, and seasonal trends to compare options and book flights from Australia to Shanghai with more confidence.

What is the cheapest day to fly to Shanghai?

Monday is the cheapest day to fly to Shanghai at $964 return on average over the past 12 months on KAYAK. Sunday is the most expensive at $1,049.

What is the cheapest month to fly to Shanghai?

  • March is the cheapest month to fly to Shanghai with an average price of $770 return.
  • December ($1,466) and July ($1,239) are the most expensive.
  • Based on KAYAK data over the past 12 months.

What is the cheapest time of day to fly to Shanghai?

Night flights to Shanghai are the cheapest at $946 return on average. Afternoon flights are the most expensive at $1,079.

When are flights to Shanghai the cheapest?

Flights to Shanghai are cheapest 8 weeks before departure. Booking in this window typically costs about 25% less than the average last-minute fare (within 2 weeks of the flight), based on KAYAK data.

Key details for flights to Shanghai

Low season

July

Cheapest flight

$382
Best time to beat the crowds but there is an average 28% increase in price.
Most popular time to fly and prices are also 16% lower on average.
Flights from Perth to Shanghai Hongqiao Intl Airport

When to book flights to Shanghai

Are your dates flexible? Find out the best times to travel to Shanghai based on our flight data from the last year. Discover the cheapest month and even day to fly.
Estimated return price

Your questions about flights to Shanghai, answered

Find helpful route details based on KAYAK data, including flight times, airports, airlines, and booking questions.

  • Which public transport services are available from Shanghai Pudong International Airport?

    You can take the metro, the Maglev or the bus from Shanghai Pudong International Airport to get into the city centre. If using the metro, take line 2 to Guanglan Road station, where you can transfer to another train that will take you to the city centre. Maglev is the high-speed train that will take you to Longyang Road station; you then need to change to another service towards the city centre. Several bus lines leave from outside both terminals, including a late-night bus and a shuttle bus that goes direct to the city centre.

  • How can I get from Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport to the city centre using public transport?

    From Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport you can take metro lines 2 or 10, both of which will take you straight to the city centre. Metro trains run between 6am and 10pm. There are several bus lines leaving from outside both terminals, including a night bus and a late-night line, with prices from 2 YUAN (about $0.4) to 30 YUAN (about $6).

  • Are there any on-site airport hotels at Shanghai Pudong International Airport?

    T2 Max VIP Hourly Lounge is a hotel located inside Terminal 2, offering rooms for rent at an hourly rate. Dazhong Airport Hotel Shanghai is located between Terminals 1 and 2, a five-minute walk from the airport. Ramada Pudong Airport Shanghai, Shanghai Airlines Travel Hotel and The QUBE Pudong Hotel are all within five to fifteen minutes of the airport, and they all offer shuttle bus transfers.

  • Which hotels are available in the vicinity of Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport?

    Boyue Shanghai Hongqiao Airport Hotel is located in Terminal 2 of the airport. The Shanghai International Airport Hotel is a five-minute walk from the airport, near to Terminal 1; it offers day rooms from 6am to 4pm and has an airport shuttle service available. The Argyle International Airport Hotel is also a five-minute walk from Terminal 1, and offers a free shuttle every hour to Terminal 2.

  • What is the difference between the most popular and the most frequent airline at Shanghai?

    China Eastern operates the most flights from Australia to Shanghai at 29 per week, and for this route China Eastern is also the airline most often selected by KAYAK users searching for flights from Australia to Shanghai. The two are sometimes different because flight volume reflects an airline's schedule, while popularity reflects traveller choice.

  • Which airports serve Shanghai?

    Flights to Shanghai arrive at: Shanghai Pu Dong (PVG) and Shanghai Hongqiao Intl (SHA).

  • Which airports serve Shanghai and the surrounding area?

    Flights to Shanghai can arrive at several major airports serving the metro area, including Shanghai Pu Dong (PVG) and Shanghai Hongqiao Intl (SHA).

  • Where can I fly from to get the cheapest fares to Shanghai?

    Based on fares booked in the past 5 days, the cheapest flights to Shanghai are from:
    • Melbourne, from $780 return

  • How do I know if a flight to Shanghai is a good deal?

    A good deal on a flight to Shanghai is around $723 return. This fare is in the lowest 25% of return flight prices searched on KAYAK, averaged across the cities most often searched as origins by KAYAK users.

  • How expensive are last-minute flights to Shanghai?

    Last-minute fares to Shanghai – booked within 2 weeks of departure – run 18% above the average return fare of $969.

  • Which airlines should I consider for flights to Shanghai?

Your guide to booking Shanghai flights

From booking to airport arrival, find tips to help you plan your flight with more confidence.
  • For the best chance at a low fare to Shanghai, aim to book around 8 weeks before you fly. That window historically saves about 25% versus last-minute pricing based on KAYAK booking data over the last 12 months.
  • For flights to Shanghai, recent KAYAK data shows that stronger deals tend to be around $723 return. If you see a fare below that threshold, it's a good deal – book before the price climbs back up.
  • If you can choose when to go, aim to travel to Shanghai in March. Return fares historically average $770 that month – typically the cheapest month to travel based on the last 12 months.
  • Before you book:

    • Check the route's typical price range so you can spot a deal.
    • Confirm baggage fees and seat selection costs on budget carriers.
    • Verify whether you need any travel documents beyond an ID.
    • Pick a departure airport, since your nearest may not be the cheapest origin.
  • Shift your departure to evening to save up to $133 per return. Evening flights to Shanghai average $946 compared to $1,079 for midday flights. See the time-of-day chart above for the full breakdown.
  • Bag allowances vary by airline, fare type, cabin class, and route. On flights to Shanghai, some airlines may include bags at no extra cost. For example, China Eastern includes a cabin bag and a checked bag in Economy class, Juneyao Airlines includes a cabin bag and a checked bag in Economy class, and Qantas Airways includes a cabin bag and a checked bag in Economy class. Always check the fare details before booking, since bag policies can change by ticket type.
  • Once you arrive in Shanghai, a few great places to start are The Bund, Nanjing Road, and Xujiahui Shopping District. These are popular with first-time visitors and can give you a good feel for the area.
  • You can find direct flights to Shanghai from Sydney with Chinese Eastern, which land at either Shanghai Pudong International Airport or Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport. The latter is closer to the city centre – about 15km away, while Shanghai Pudong International Airport is about 45km away. Both are modern, well-connected international airports.
  • Luggage storage is available at Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport in the departures area near Gate 5. The rates for storing hand luggage vary depending on the size of the item and the number of hours you chose to store it for.
  • If you are traveling with kids, you will find a Children’s Park in Shanghai Pudong International Airport. It is located in Terminal 2 near International Boarding Gate 81 and is open from 9am to 8pm. In Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport you will find a nursery in Terminal 1, next to the post office in Departures B.
  • If you have some time after your flight to Shanghai Pudong International Airport, head to the art gallery in Domestic Departures in Terminal 1, or to the Maritime Museum that is also located in Terminal 1. You will also find the Museum of Pudong Airport in Terminal 2 near Boarding Gate D90, which holds Chinese culture exhibitions. Children can learn more about Chinese culture in Han Culture Park, which is near the museum in Terminal 2.
  • Taxis from both Shanghai airports have fixed rates if the distance travelled is under 3km; and metered rates for distances above this that depend on the time of day and total distance travelled. A trip from Shanghai Pudong International Airport to the city centre should cost around 180 YUAN (about $36) during the day and around 230 YUAN (about $46) at night.

Reviews of the top 4 airlines flying to Shanghai

 
Need help choosing which airline to fly with to Shanghai? KAYAK airline reviews give an overall score for each airline based on loads of factors, including comfort, boarding, in-flight entertainment and more, to make your decision easier. See airline scores according to verified KAYAK customer reviews.
7.6
Cathay PacificOverall score based on 1477 reviews
7.9Boarding
7.7Entertainment
7.3Food
7.6Comfort
8.1Crew
Airline reviews

Everything was good; they still provided a sandwich snack. Good crew

10.0 ExcellentAnonymous, July 2026
Read more Cathay Pacific reviews

Everything was good; they still provided a sandwich snack. Good crew

The legroom in economy on an A321 is wholly inadequate for a 6’3” man. Deeply dissatisfied.

I do not think there was much that could have been done to make it better. The delayed flight was due to bad weather. The turbulent patches were very unavoidable. Am simply thankful that there were no sudden and / or sharp drops during the flight. I do extend my compliments to captain Marcus I believe was his name and the rest of the crew. They all did an excellent job. My only question is whether I get a refund since the seats I had chosen and paid for were reassigned.

More tasty food particularly ethnic food. Staff didn’t respond to calls some of the time in premium economy.

I love the comfortable business class seats. The service was excellent. Staff was friendly.

If I had blood clots, that window seat would've killed me for certain.

The employees are very nice and good. The delay due to the aircraft is not a good thing. Planning for such problems should be an easy task.

The crew were fine. I didn’t enjoy the food at all. I found it unappetising and really had trouble eating it. The comfort level was fine and our return flight is with Cathay Pacific but honestly I probably wouldn’t fly Cathay Pacific again.

We requested special assistance and Cathay Pacific provided it in Sydney, but we were completely forgotten about in Hong Kong - when we really needed the help to catch our connecting flight. Really disappointing service.

The staff were excellent considering it was a jam packed flight. We had to wait nearly an hour for our baggage to appear on the carousel. That was a real shame.

We were taking the flight MU 8649 from Shanghai to Osaka and the original boarding gate was 20 and we didn’t receive any notification or broadcast about gate changes, and by the time we missed the original boarding time we check thr electric board and realized the gate was changed to 208 Also the flight was delayed by almost an hour and the crew member didn’t provide any explanation, after we finally boarded the aircraft was very hot, the crew member told me the air conditioning was not working and tried to calm passages down by offering iced water, all of us sat in the aircraft for another 40 mins before it finally took off

Seats not comfortable. We had requested vegan meal and it wasn’t given.

I was denied boarding at the Brisbane airport and it seems like I won’t get any refunds from the airline

Wow very impressed by the quality and attentiveness of service of China Southern. Lived the blankets! Will definitely fly with them again. Despite language barriers, a few attendants know enough English to understand our rudimentary Mandarin and respond to basic questions. Although they don’t explain the beverage and meal service on the website or ticketing documents, they offered regular beverage cart and snacks during the beginning hours and end hours of the long, transoceanic flight. A full meal at the beginning and end of the flight as well, and a midflight small sandwich (dinner roll sized) but we weren’t hungry and didn’t try that one. The expectation is that every sleeps during the middle of the flight. We were on a “redeye” departure from LAX with a morning arrival in China, so I don’t know if this service pattern is the same for other flights. The domestic flight we took from Guangzhou to Harbin offered conventional refreshments and meals like a US flight service. Note that they didn’t offer diet sodas. If you like to stay hydrated, I recommend bringing plenty of your own. It is served in small cups like any other drink. You can ask for a bottle but they’re tiny - about 6 ounces.

China Southern was not the problem. I booked my flight through Kayak and also received a booking reference and alert details regarding departure time and gate numbers… however Kayak NEVER actually booked my flight! We were stranded at the airport without a flight for a long awaited holiday!

Terrible boarding experience,,food is very poor that I I . Never going book this airline again.

The crew were kind, patient and responsive. The service was excellent, even though we travelled the cheapest economy class. We arrived at our destination 40 min early, which for a 15+ hour flight is a great bonus. The boarding seemed a bit "loose", but got us boarded on time, and the plane was off exactly @ 0:30 hrs.

The airport didn‘t give me the ticket. I called customer service to ask for a refund but they kept giving me a perfunctory response and refused to refund me.

The flight was delayed hours and most flights from CS are always delayed. Plane was efficient and got us home but not the best food and no entertainment system at all.

Food was terrible. Fish was equal to a sausage and scrumbled eggs were terribly green with a quite weird fllavour. Everybody with me hated all options. The best food was the bread with butter.

Basic long haul decent price but U pay for what you get. Over 5hrs of transit and terminal was pretty bare with nothing much to do except the lounge

Business Class window seat on my Shanghai to Venice route was broken and could not be converted into a bed which has to switch to a narrow aisle seat instead

It was just fine. The sirlines did live up fully to my expectation.

While boarding at PVG, there was a ticket checking by the gate, then there was another ticket checking right at the bottom of the escalator, which created quite a dangerous congestion. Don't understand why the duplication?

I was traveling alone with an infant, so the crew was incredibly helpful. Both the international and subsequent domestic flights were impeccable.

The flight was delayed by 2 hours, although to their credit they delayed my connecting flight so people could reach it. Also their site is a nightmare to navigate on a phone. Everything else was good.

China Eastern as a member of Sky Alliance airlines should have the same standards overall of their partners, Besides the seats comforts everything else is bellow the standard for a business class travelers.

2 parts to the journey. First leg covered in a newer plane with decent staff + POOR FOOD QUALITY but the second half didn’t leave a positive impression at all as the plane itself was an older built and the crew didn’t serve properly. Language is an issue with China Eastern flights as always, but unmotivated crew just makes it even bad.

Small plane with only two lavatories at the back. You must have a good plan to use it before or after the meal, if you make a bad decision, you will end up with standing in front of the toilet for a while till the food carts empty. The good thing is even there’s a slightly delayed, the plane is still arriving on time which is superb!!

Price is the main attraction. Staff is OK but difficult to communicate with them due to general lack of English. Food is truly abysmal, the main courses (4) were barely edible. The choices for breakfast served at 5:30 am prior to landing at Gatwick airport were Spaghetti Bolognese or seafood fried rice. Choices offered for all 4 mains were either something rice or noodles. Shanghai airport layover is much too long in a very poorly serviced airport. We were unable to use WiFi; private lounges required cash only payment with no ATM or cash exchange open.

Originally I booked this flight in Business Class seats, but few weeks prior to departure they downgraded our ticket to Premium Economy class because they change the type of airplane but refused to compensate any difference in pricing. That is totally unfair practice to treat a business class costumer. The food on the flight is just OK and so is the service. The boarding is a mad house, you have no idea which line is for economy or sky priority class, unless you go to the front of the line to find out.

All good except with the new restrictions on using auxiliary power banks during the flight, business class really should have power access.

Ground crew Tried to charge us 1200 RMB -about $160 for Carry on when checking in Wuhan, they say the suitcase is too large, but it’s the standard samsonite carry out suitcase purchased at Costco and we had no issue when we travelled to China just a month ago, same airline. They Wuhan ground crew even threatened that when we layover in Xiamen, they will charge even more. Very unprofessional and caused a lot of stress. The airline really needs to investigate it.

Never got to go because of i correct information while attempting to check in

They gave incorrect visa information causing me to purchase another flight. Only to find out later there was something that could be done to work around it.

I was not allowed to board the plane if I did not buy a forward ticket after Indonesia. They said the Indonesian government would fine the airline. This was bullshit. In Jakarta immigration did not ask for this at all. I'm trying to refund the ticket. I was put in a middle seat and I asked to be put in an side seat. They wanted $45. I said NO. Later I was put in an side sest for free. On the second plane they put me in a middle seat and when I complained. They put me in the back with three empty seats. I was able to sleep. The food was okay and I got extra portions when asked. The lack of WIFI at Xiamen airport was a pain, but that's because of the Chinese government banning foreign browsers. Xiamen gets 3 out of 5. The cost was $503: LAX to Jakarta. A bargain, but you get what you pay for.

Free meals on all flights in economy. The 737´s don’t have screens so it’s a bummer. But the selection on 787´s is wide

The plane was small and a little stuffy inside the plane.

Going to Xiamen they did not offer any wine and basically offered two food choices in tin trays. Something you would expect on a domestic flight in China not a $10k business class flight. The flight attendant admitted they also stopped paying for satellite Wi-Fi; which they used to offer and now don't - without apology. Normally I am a huge fan of a non-stop but the difference between Japanese or US carriers is a large one and well worth a stop in Korea or Japan rather than pay double for no amenities at all. The plane is nice, but the experience was below par.

Once on board, everything is perfect. The young and pretty flight attendants warmly welcome each passenger and demonstrate excellent service attitudes. As passengers board one after another, the flight attendants begin to inquire about our meal preferences. I requested to see a wine list and choose a suitable red wine. She replied that there were no menus or wine lists, but she would take a photo of the red wine options on her phone and show me later. After lunch, the flight attendants began to ask about dinner arrangements. It turns out that there were only three options for dinner: seafood, chicken, and beef, exactly the same as lunch.

More options for your flight to Shanghai