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Cheap Flights from San Francisco International to Shanghai

Compare San Francisco International to Shanghai flight deals

Find the cheapest month or even day of the year to fly to Shanghai

Book the best Shanghai fare with no extra fees

Flight deals from San Francisco International to Shanghai

Looking for a cheap last-minute deal or the best return flight from San Francisco International Airport to Shanghai? If you want to travel next month, return fares start from ر.ق.‏ 2,988. Find the lowest prices on one-way and return tickets right here.
Shanghai.ر.ق.‏ 1,463 per passenger.Departing Thu, 20 Aug.One-way flight with Zipair.Outbound indirect flight with Zipair, departs from San Francisco International on Thu, 20 Aug, arriving in Shanghai Pudong.Price includes taxes and charges.From ر.ق.‏ 1,463, select.
Shanghai.ر.ق.‏ 1,471 per passenger.Departing Mon, 7 Sep.One-way flight with Zipair.Outbound indirect flight with Zipair, departs from San Francisco International on Mon, 7 Sep, arriving in Shanghai Pudong.Price includes taxes and charges.From ر.ق.‏ 1,471, select.
Shanghai.ر.ق.‏ 1,802 per passenger.Departing Wed, 6 May.One-way flight with Korean Air.Outbound indirect flight with Korean Air, departs from San Francisco International on Wed, 6 May, arriving in Shanghai Pudong.Price includes taxes and charges.From ر.ق.‏ 1,802, select.
Shanghai.ر.ق.‏ 1,819 per passenger.Departing Tue, 13 Oct.One-way flight with Philippine Airlines.Outbound indirect flight with Philippine Airlines, departs from San Francisco International on Tue, 13 Oct, arriving in Shanghai Pudong.Price includes taxes and charges.From ر.ق.‏ 1,819, select.
Shanghai.ر.ق.‏ 1,824 per passenger.Departing Tue, 17 Nov.One-way flight with Philippine Airlines.Outbound indirect flight with Philippine Airlines, departs from San Francisco International on Tue, 17 Nov, arriving in Shanghai Pudong.Price includes taxes and charges.From ر.ق.‏ 1,824, select.
Shanghai.ر.ق.‏ 1,923 per passenger.Departing Tue, 1 Dec.One-way flight with Asiana Airlines.Outbound indirect flight with Asiana Airlines, departs from San Francisco International on Tue, 1 Dec, arriving in Shanghai Pudong.Price includes taxes and charges.From ر.ق.‏ 1,923, select.
Shanghai.ر.ق.‏ 1,932 per passenger.Departing Tue, 5 Jan.One-way flight with Asiana Airlines.Outbound indirect flight with Asiana Airlines, departs from San Francisco International on Tue, 5 Jan, arriving in Shanghai Pudong.Price includes taxes and charges.From ر.ق.‏ 1,932, select.
Shanghai.ر.ق.‏ 1,932 per passenger.Departing Thu, 4 Mar.One-way flight with Asiana Airlines.Outbound indirect flight with Asiana Airlines, departs from San Francisco International on Thu, 4 Mar, arriving in Shanghai Pudong.Price includes taxes and charges.From ر.ق.‏ 1,932, select.
Shanghai.ر.ق.‏ 1,933 per passenger.Departing Thu, 30 Apr.One-way flight with Asiana Airlines.Outbound indirect flight with Asiana Airlines, departs from San Francisco International on Thu, 30 Apr, arriving in Shanghai Pudong.Price includes taxes and charges.From ر.ق.‏ 1,933, select.
Shanghai.ر.ق.‏ 1,941 per passenger.Departing Mon, 5 Apr.One-way flight with Asiana Airlines.Outbound indirect flight with Asiana Airlines, departs from San Francisco International on Mon, 5 Apr, arriving in Shanghai Pudong.Price includes taxes and charges.From ر.ق.‏ 1,941, select.
Shanghai.ر.ق.‏ 1,944 per passenger.Departing Mon, 1 Feb.One-way flight with Asiana Airlines.Outbound indirect flight with Asiana Airlines, departs from San Francisco International on Mon, 1 Feb, arriving in Shanghai Pudong.Price includes taxes and charges.From ر.ق.‏ 1,944, select.
Shanghai.ر.ق.‏ 2,015 per passenger.Departing Sun, 26 Jul.One-way flight with Zipair.Outbound indirect flight with Zipair, departs from San Francisco International on Sun, 26 Jul, arriving in Shanghai Pudong.Price includes taxes and charges.From ر.ق.‏ 2,015, select.
Shanghai.ر.ق.‏ 2,126 per passenger.Departing Mon, 29 Jun.One-way flight with Alaska Airlines.Outbound indirect flight with Alaska Airlines, departs from San Francisco International on Mon, 29 Jun, arriving in Shanghai Pudong.Price includes taxes and charges.From ر.ق.‏ 2,126, select.
Shanghai.ر.ق.‏ 2,388 per passenger.Departing Sat, 2 May.One-way flight with United.Outbound direct flight with United departs from San Francisco International on Sat, 2 May, arriving in Shanghai Pudong.Price includes taxes and charges.From ر.ق.‏ 2,388, select.
Shanghai.ر.ق.‏ 2,797 per passenger.Departing Mon, 14 Sep.One-way flight with China Eastern.Outbound direct flight with China Eastern departs from San Francisco International on Mon, 14 Sep, arriving in Shanghai Pudong.Price includes taxes and charges.From ر.ق.‏ 2,797, select.
Shanghai.ر.ق.‏ 2,812 per passenger.Departing Mon, 20 Jul.One-way flight with China Eastern.Outbound direct flight with China Eastern departs from San Francisco International on Mon, 20 Jul, arriving in Shanghai Pudong.Price includes taxes and charges.From ر.ق.‏ 2,812, select.

Find the cheapest month to fly from San Francisco International to Shanghai

We’re always keeping an eye on fares, so you can find the best one in seconds. It looks like San Francisco International to Shanghai flights are currently cheapest in August.
Apr
from ر.ق.‏ 1,933
May
from ر.ق.‏ 1,802
Jun
from ر.ق.‏ 2,126
Jul
from ر.ق.‏ 2,015
Aug
from ر.ق.‏ 1,463
Sep
from ر.ق.‏ 1,471
Oct
from ر.ق.‏ 1,819
Nov
from ر.ق.‏ 1,824
Dec
from ر.ق.‏ 1,923
Jan
from ر.ق.‏ 1,932
Feb
from ر.ق.‏ 1,944
Mar
from ر.ق.‏ 1,932

Direct flights from San Francisco International to Shanghai

Alternative San Francisco International to Shanghai routes

Looking for the cheapest, fastest or easiest route from San Francisco International to Shanghai? You could fly into the following airports instead.

Shanghai Hongqiao

14km from central Shanghai
Closest
from ر.ق.‏ 1,680
Search flights

Shanghai Pudong

33km from central Shanghai
Cheapest
from ر.ق.‏ 1,463
Search flights

San Francisco to Shanghai: Flight information

The things to know before you go.
Cheapest flight foundر.ق.‏ 1,463
Cheapest month to flyAugust
Average flight time13 hrs, 34 mins
Most popular airlineAir China
Average flights per week19

Finding cheap flights from San Francisco International to Shanghai: Frequently asked questions

There are 2 airports in Shanghai: Shanghai Hongqiao and Shanghai Pudong.
The best price we found for a return flight from San Francisco International to Shanghai is ر.ق.‏ 2,771. This is an estimate based on information collected from different airlines and travel providers over the last 4 days and is subject to change and availability.
13 hours and 34 minutes is the average flight time from San Francisco International to Shanghai.
Air China, United and China Eastern fly direct from San Francisco International to Shanghai.
As of April 2026, there are 19 flights per week flying from San Francisco International to Shanghai.
The cheapest month to fly from San Francisco International to Shanghai is usually September.
If you're flying from San Francisco International Airport, the cheapest airport near Shanghai is Shanghai Pudong – which is 32.7 km away from the centre of Shanghai. We've found flights into this airport from ر.ق.‏ 2,771.
After crunching the numbers on our flight calendar, we found that it's currently cheapest to fly from San Francisco International Airport to Shanghai on Tuesday, 8 September 2026.
Yes – the average flight time is 13 hours and 34 minutes.
We show every price from over 1,200 airlines and travel agents, comparing them all so you don’t have to. If you know you want to fly to Shanghai but you’re not ready to book, set up a Price Alert. We’ll track prices for you, and let you know when they rise or fall.
We crunched all the numbers in our flight calendar and it looks like the cheapest time to book a flight to Shanghai is around 40 days in advance, so don’t leave your flight to the last minute.
In April, the average temperature is usually around 14°C. August is typically the warmest month in Shanghai, when it usually averages around 29°C. You can expect the least rain in December. The coldest month is January, with temperatures averaging 4°C. The rainiest month is June.
Currently, Korean Air and United offer the cheapest flight tickets to Shanghai.

Travelling from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Shanghai: what you need to know

  • The average duration of a direct flight from San Francisco International Airport to Shanghai is 11 hours 25 minutes.

  • San Francisco International Airport is located in San Francisco. Following the UTC+8 timezone, Shanghai is 16 hours ahead of San Francisco.

  • The busiest route is from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG). Take your pick of ten services every week between these two airports. China Eastern Airlines offers a 12:00 departure between SFO and PVG.

  • To avoid rushing for your SFO to Shanghai flight, leave enough time for things like baggage drop and finding your gate. Arriving two hours ahead of international departures and an hour before domestic flights is the general travel rule.

  • Flying over a peak time such as July? School holidays and other popular seasons can mean longer lines and delays at check-in and security. Be extra cautious and get there up to four hours ahead of an international flight and two hours before domestic departures.

  • Direct San Francisco International Airport to Shanghai tickets are available for booking. Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) is where you'll step off the plane.

  • United Airlines is a leading airline that operates direct flights from San Francisco International Airport to Shanghai.

  • We make it easy to book plane tickets from SFO to Shanghai with a stopover. To see all your options, uncheck 'Direct flights only.' Next, pick a flight that has a stop long enough to see the sights of your chosen city. Major stopovers include:

    • Tokyo Haneda International Airport (HND)

    • Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK)

    • Seoul Incheon International Airport (ICN)

  • SFO is around 18 kilometres from central San Francisco. If you're driving, ride-sharing or catching a taxi from the centre, it'll take you 25 minutes or so to get there, depending on the traffic. If you're planning to take public transport, expect the travel time to be around 35 minutes.

  • Looking for a hotel close to SFO? If you're catching an early flight from San Francisco International Airport to Shanghai, these accommodation options will put you moments from check-in:

  • Of all flights departing from San Francisco International Airport, 78% land on time at their destination.

How to find the cheapest flights from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Shanghai

  • ر.ق.‏ 1,463 is currently the best price for a one-way San Francisco International Airport to Shanghai flight. A return plane ticket starts from ر.ق.‏ 2,771. These fares can change based on demand.

  • Book four months before flying. Pricing trends show that this is the ideal window for finding cheap flights from SFO to Shanghai.

  • September is the best month for scoring a fantastic deal on San Francisco International Airport to Shanghai tickets. If you need to travel during a different time of year, the 'Whole month' tool will give you the lowest prices across every month.

  • Cut down on the time spent looking for cheap flights from SFO to Shanghai by setting up a Price Alert. You'll get an email or push notification on the app when fares go down.

  • Snag an affordable flight from San Francisco International Airport to Shanghai with the help of our filters. Choose your ideal departure time, duration and airlines, then sort the results by 'Cheapest' for the best deals.

Airports in Shanghai

Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG)

  • The distance from Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) to central Shanghai is roughly 48 kilometres. It takes about 1 hour 5 minutes to reach the centre driving.

  • It'll take around 50 minutes to get there using public transport.

  • The last thing you need is a long journey to your hotel if you're getting in late on a flight from San Francisco International Airport to Shanghai. Reserve one of these accommodation options near PVG instead:

  • Boost your chances of securing the best rate by booking early. Reserving your vehicle from Shanghai Pudong International Airport at least a few weeks before your flight from SFO to Shanghai is a smart move.

  • PVG is located at No.300 Qihang Road.

Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport (SHA)

  • Central Shanghai is around 14 kilometres from Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport (SHA). After your flight from San Francisco International Airport to Shanghai has landed and you've made your way out of the airport, expect a drive of around 30 minutes.

  • If you travel by public transport, you'll get to the city centre in 40 minutes or so.

  • After stepping off your SFO to Shanghai flight, kick back at a hotel near SHA. These are some comfortable options that'll help you slip into relaxation mode:

  • Usually, the earlier you book, the better the deals and selection of vehicles. Lock in your ride from SHA the moment you know your dates.

  • Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport is located at 700 Yingbin 1st Rd.

Best time to go to Shanghai

  • It's time to choose your trip dates for your flight from San Francisco International Airport to Shanghai. February is the busiest month for a trip to Shanghai. If you prefer a more relaxed vibe, go in December.

  • Before locking in your San Francisco International Airport to Shanghai plane ticket, think about the type of weather you enjoy. August is the warmest month in Shanghai, with temperatures ranging from 23ºC to 34ºC.

  • January sees average temperatures of between -1ºC and 10ºC. Look for a cheap ticket from SFO to Shanghai around that time if you'd rather travel in cooler conditions.

More about Shanghai

Explore more of China

  • Shanghai has loads to offer, but there are so many other corners of China just waiting to be discovered. Around 274 kilometres west of Shanghai, a trip to Nanjing will keep you busy. Start with popular sights like Nanjing City Wall, Zijin Tower and Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall.

  • Around 241 kilometres southwest of Shanghai, Puyang is another essential stop in China. No visit is complete without checking out Xuanlushan Scenic Area, Xianhua Mountain and Minsheng Flower Sea.

Plan the rest of your trip from San Francisco to Shanghai

Prices shown on this page are estimated lowest prices only. Found in the last 45 days.