What percentage of San Francisco to Shanghai flights are direct?

In the trailing 90 days, direct flights accounted for 7.2% of all flights from San Francisco to Shanghai. For flights that included stopovers, the median number of stopovers was 2. This indicates that the majority of travelers on this route typically experience at least one connection.

How many hours is the flight from San Francisco to Shanghai?

The typical direct flight from San Francisco to Shanghai has a duration of approximately 13 hours and 30 minutes, covering a distance of 9876 kilometers. Flights with one stopover, however, historically take significantly longer, with a median duration of 22 hours and 25 minutes. Travelers should factor in these differences when planning their journey.

Are non-stop flights from San Francisco to Shanghai worth the extra cost?

Historically, direct flights from San Francisco to Shanghai were about 8% more expensive than connecting flights. The median price for a direct flight was $1158, while connecting flights had a median price of $1075. Direct flights made up 10.6% of the available options in the trailing 90 days. Travelers can weigh the convenience of a non-stop journey against this typical price difference.

Flights From San Francisco

To Shanghai

Cheap Flights from San Francisco to Shanghai

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Prices updated 1 day ago

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Fares are subject to change and may not be available for all dates. (Data last updated Sep 15, 2026.)

Today’s best flight deals from San Francisco to Shanghai

Explore current cheapest deals departing from San Francisco to Shanghai

2027-03-18 – 2027-03-30
SFO - Shanghai
88% AI deal score
$997
$797
Round trip
2026-09-23 – 2026-10-06
SFO - Shanghai
72% AI deal score
$804
$804
Round trip
2026-10-21 – 2026-10-28
SFO - Shanghai
77% AI deal score
$715
$805
Round trip
2026-11-09 – 2026-11-16
SFO - Shanghai
77% AI deal score
$800
$805
Round trip
2026-11-03 – 2026-11-16
SFO - Shanghai
77% AI deal score
$774
$805
Round trip
2026-09-23 – 2026-10-13
SFO - Shanghai
72% AI deal score
$788
$805
Round trip
2026-09-23 – 2026-10-14
SFO - Shanghai
72% AI deal score
$788
$805
Round trip
2026-09-24 – 2026-10-13
SFO - Shanghai
72% AI deal score
$791
$805
Round trip
2026-09-24 – 2026-10-14
SFO - Shanghai
72% AI deal score
$789
$805
Round trip
2027-03-25 – 2027-04-13
SFO - Shanghai
84% AI deal score
$1,011
$805
Round trip

San Francisco to Shanghai: Overview

Insights for flights from San Francisco to Shanghai

Flights from San Francisco to Shanghai cover a substantial distance of 9,876 kilometers, classifying this as a long-haul journey. This significant distance means you should anticipate a longer travel time and potentially more complex itineraries.

When looking for cheap flights from San Francisco to Shanghai, fares typically range from $851–$1518, with a median price of $1205. Right now, current fares are near the typical level for this route. Approximately 9% of recent fares have been classified as a good price, indicating that finding exceptional value can be challenging but is possible.

The cheapest time to fly from San Francisco to Shanghai is often in April, with a median fare of $658. Other cost-effective months include August, where the median fare is $763, and September, with a median fare of $835. Planning your trip during these months can lead to more favorable pricing.

A typical journey from San Francisco to Shanghai takes approximately 30h 30m, including connections. This extended duration is due to the long-haul nature of the route and the prevalence of connecting flights. Most itineraries on this route connect at least once, with only 7.2% of recent fares being non-stop. For connecting itineraries, the median number of stopovers is 2, which contributes to the overall travel time.

How much is a round trip from San Francisco to Shanghai

Regular price: $854 - $1,405

Prices for flights from San Francisco to Shanghai are currently below the regular range.

The regular price range for this route is $854 to $1405. The current lowest deal is $797 with Vietnam Airlines for travel from Mar 18-Mar 30.

now $797

Low $854

High $1,405

The cheapest time to fly from San Francisco to Shanghai

Flights from SFO to SHA are cheapest in April, with a median price of $658. The most expensive month to fly is February, with a median price of $1457. Prices are generally lower from April to December.

April

Cheapest

Flights from $658

February

Most Expensive

Flights from $1,457

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Direct flights from San Francisco to Shanghai

United Airlines

Last-minute flights going from San Francisco to Shanghai

Mon, Sep 14

⌛ Last-Minute

SFO - Shanghai

San Francisco (SFO) - Shanghai (PVG)

All Nippon Airways

$837

$872

One-way

Mon, Sep 14

⌛ Last-Minute

SFO - Shanghai

San Francisco (SFO) - Shanghai (PVG)

All Nippon Airways

$838

$884

One-way

Mon, Sep 14

⌛ Last-Minute

SFO - Shanghai

San Francisco (SFO) - Shanghai (PVG)

United Airlines

$1,089

$983

One-way

Mon, Sep 14

⌛ Last-Minute

SFO - Shanghai

San Francisco (SFO) - Shanghai (PVG)

United Airlines

$1,082

$987

One-way

Tue, Sep 15

⌛ Last-Minute

SFO - Shanghai

San Francisco (SFO) - Shanghai (PVG)

All Nippon Airways

$904

$862

One-way

Tue, Sep 15

⌛ Last-Minute

SFO - Shanghai

San Francisco (SFO) - Shanghai (PVG)

All Nippon Airways

$838

$869

One-way

Biggest price drops on these dates for flights from San Francisco to Shanghai

19 nights

Mar 25 - Apr 13

$1,011 → $805

20%

20 nights

Mar 25 - Apr 14

$1,010 → $805

20%

13 nights

Mar 31 - Apr 13

$1,007 → $805

20%

14 nights

Mar 31 - Apr 14

$1,007 → $805

20%

Popular Airports to fly from San Francisco to Shanghai

San Francisco - Shanghai route insights

💸 Price insights

Recent fares are near the typical level

Recent fares from San Francisco to Shanghai are near the typical level of $1205.

📅 Best time to fly

April is historically cheapest at $658

Historically, the cheapest month to fly from San Francisco to Shanghai is April, at $658.

⏱️ Flight duration

Flights typically take 30h 30m

The typical flight duration from San Francisco to Shanghai is 30 hours and 30 minutes.

✈️ Airlines & availability

Connecting flights are dominant

Connecting flights are dominant, with a median of 2 stopovers for this long-haul route.

🏆 Airline highlight

United Airlines offers direct flights

United Airlines is one of the carriers offering direct flights on this route.

🎯 Booking tip

Deals appear frequently

Deals on flights from San Francisco to Shanghai appear frequently, so check often.

San Francisco main airports to depart from

San Francisco International (SFO)

Cheapest

San Francisco International is a convenient departure airport for flights to Shanghai.

📍 ~18 km from city center (reachable by car or train)

💸 Flights from ~$771

Shanghai main airports to arrive at

Shanghai Hongqiao International (SHA)

Cheapest

Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport is a good option for flights from San Francisco to Shanghai.

📍 ~14 km from city center (reachable by car)

💸 Flights from ~$803

Airports nearby Shanghai used as alternative

Hangzhou Xiaoshan International (HGH)

Hangzhou Xiaoshan International is a major international hub with excellent high-speed rail connectivity to Shanghai.

📍 ~175 km from Shanghai (reachable by high-speed rail)

💸 Flights from ~$841

Business & First Class Flight Deals to Shanghai

Discover luxury on the budget with premium cabin class on flights from San Francisco to Shanghai.

Elite

Best Elite deals to Shanghai

Exclusive daily First Class, Business Class, and Premium Economy flight deals, refreshed every 24 hours.

From SFO

Elite

Nov 07

Shanghai, China

92% AI deal score

$5,426

$3,431

Save $1,995

Air Canada, +1

Business Class

From SFO

Elite

Nov 10

Shanghai, China

92% AI deal score

$5,506

$3,432

Save $2,074

Air Canada, +1

Business Class

From SFO

Elite

Nov 02

Shanghai, China

92% AI deal score

$6,264

$4,344

Save $1,920

All Nippon Airways

Business Class

From SFO

Elite

Jan 27

Shanghai, China

92% AI deal score

$6,764

$4,346

Save $2,418

All Nippon Airways

Business Class

From SFO

Elite

Dec 10

Shanghai, China

92% AI deal score

$6,507

$4,355

Save $2,152

All Nippon Airways

Business Class

From SFO

Elite

Dec 28

Shanghai, China

92% AI deal score

$6,761

$4,357

Save $2,404

All Nippon Airways

Business Class

From SFO

Elite

Dec 07

Shanghai, China

92% AI deal score

$6,792

$4,359

Save $2,433

All Nippon Airways

Business Class

From SFO

Elite

Jan 06

Shanghai, China

92% AI deal score

$6,807

$4,365

Save $2,442

All Nippon Airways

Business Class

From SFO

Elite

Jan 07

Shanghai, China

92% AI deal score

$6,734

$4,366

Save $2,368

All Nippon Airways

Business Class

From SFO

Elite

Dec 09

Shanghai, China

92% AI deal score

$6,821

$4,395

Save $2,426

All Nippon Airways

Business Class

From SFO

Elite

Nov 10

Shanghai, China

91% AI deal score

$5,506

$3,594

Save $1,912

Air Canada, +1

Business Class

From SFO

Elite

Oct 21

Shanghai, China

91% AI deal score

$6,144

$4,344

Save $1,800

All Nippon Airways

Business Class

Frequently Asked Questions About Flights to Shanghai

Historically, the lowest average prices for flights from San Francisco to Shanghai have been found when booking 0-6 days before departure, with an average price of $1038. Prices tend to increase for bookings made further in advance, such as 7-13 days out, where the average price was $1739. For those booking 60+ days in advance, the average price was $1170. This pattern suggests that last-minute booking can sometimes offer better value on this route.

Across the trailing quarter, a good deal for a flight from San Francisco to Shanghai was considered to be $851 or less. The median price for this route during the same period was $1205. Prices above $1518 were typically in the more expensive range. By comparing prices to these historical benchmarks, travelers can identify favorable deals.

Historically, the cheapest months to fly from San Francisco to Shanghai have included April, with a median price of $658, and August, with a median price of $763. September also offered competitive prices, with a median of $835. The annual median price for this route was $1205, indicating that these months typically offer significant savings compared to the yearly average.

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Flights to Shanghai from other cities

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San Francisco to Shanghai: Overview

Insights for flights from San Francisco to Shanghai

How much is a round trip from San Francisco to Shanghai

Regular price: $854 - $1,405

Prices for flights from San Francisco to Shanghai are currently below the regular range.

The regular price range for this route is $854 to $1405. The current lowest deal is $797 with Vietnam Airlines for travel from Mar 18-Mar 30.

now $797

Low $854

High $1,405

The cheapest time to fly from San Francisco to Shanghai

April

Cheapest

Flights from $658

February

Most Expensive

Flights from $1,457

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Direct flights from San Francisco to Shanghai

United Airlines

Last-minute flights going from San Francisco to Shanghai

Mon, Sep 14

⌛ Last-Minute

SFO - Shanghai

San Francisco (SFO) - Shanghai (PVG)

All Nippon Airways

$837

$872

One-way

Mon, Sep 14

⌛ Last-Minute

SFO - Shanghai

San Francisco (SFO) - Shanghai (PVG)

All Nippon Airways

$838

$884

One-way

Mon, Sep 14

⌛ Last-Minute

SFO - Shanghai

San Francisco (SFO) - Shanghai (PVG)

United Airlines

$1,089

$983

One-way

Mon, Sep 14

⌛ Last-Minute

SFO - Shanghai

San Francisco (SFO) - Shanghai (PVG)

United Airlines

$1,082

$987

One-way

Tue, Sep 15

⌛ Last-Minute

SFO - Shanghai

San Francisco (SFO) - Shanghai (PVG)

All Nippon Airways

$904

$862

One-way

Tue, Sep 15

⌛ Last-Minute

SFO - Shanghai

San Francisco (SFO) - Shanghai (PVG)

All Nippon Airways

$838

$869

One-way

Biggest price drops on these dates for flights from San Francisco to Shanghai

19 nights

Mar 25 - Apr 13

$1,011 → $805

20%

20 nights

Mar 25 - Apr 14

$1,010 → $805

20%

13 nights

Mar 31 - Apr 13

$1,007 → $805

20%

14 nights

Mar 31 - Apr 14

$1,007 → $805

20%

Popular Airports to fly from San Francisco to Shanghai

San Francisco - Shanghai route insights

💸 Price insights

Recent fares are near the typical level

Recent fares from San Francisco to Shanghai are near the typical level of $1205.

📅 Best time to fly

April is historically cheapest at $658

Historically, the cheapest month to fly from San Francisco to Shanghai is April, at $658.

⏱️ Flight duration

Flights typically take 30h 30m

The typical flight duration from San Francisco to Shanghai is 30 hours and 30 minutes.

✈️ Airlines & availability

Connecting flights are dominant

Connecting flights are dominant, with a median of 2 stopovers for this long-haul route.

🏆 Airline highlight

United Airlines offers direct flights

United Airlines is one of the carriers offering direct flights on this route.

🎯 Booking tip

Deals appear frequently

Deals on flights from San Francisco to Shanghai appear frequently, so check often.

San Francisco main airports to depart from

San Francisco International (SFO)

Cheapest

San Francisco International is a convenient departure airport for flights to Shanghai.

📍 ~18 km from city center (reachable by car or train)

💸 Flights from ~$771

Shanghai main airports to arrive at

Shanghai Hongqiao International (SHA)

Cheapest

Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport is a good option for flights from San Francisco to Shanghai.

📍 ~14 km from city center (reachable by car)

💸 Flights from ~$803

Airports nearby Shanghai used as alternative

Hangzhou Xiaoshan International (HGH)

Hangzhou Xiaoshan International is a major international hub with excellent high-speed rail connectivity to Shanghai.

Shanghai, China

91% AI deal score

$6,144

$4,344

Save $1,800

All Nippon Airways

Business Class

Frequently Asked Questions About Flights to Shanghai

Cheap Flights from San Francisco to Shanghai

Today’s best flight deals from San Francisco to Shanghai

San Francisco to Shanghai: Overview

Insights for flights from San Francisco to Shanghai

How much is a round trip from San Francisco to Shanghai

The cheapest time to fly from San Francisco to Shanghai

Direct flights from San Francisco to Shanghai

Last-minute flights going from San Francisco to Shanghai

Biggest price drops on these dates for flights from San Francisco to Shanghai

Popular Airports to fly from San Francisco to Shanghai

San Francisco - Shanghai route insights

Recent fares are near the typical level

April is historically cheapest at $658

Flights typically take 30h 30m

Connecting flights are dominant

United Airlines offers direct flights

Deals appear frequently

San Francisco main airports to depart from

Shanghai main airports to arrive at

Airports nearby Shanghai used as alternative

Business & First Class Flight Deals to Shanghai

Best Elite deals to Shanghai

Nov 07

Nov 10

Nov 02

Jan 27

Dec 10

Dec 28

Dec 07

Jan 06

Jan 07

Dec 09

Nov 10

Oct 21

Frequently Asked Questions About Flights to Shanghai

How far in advance should I book a flight from San Francisco to Shanghai?

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

When is the cheapest time of year to fly from San Francisco to Shanghai?

What percentage of San Francisco to Shanghai flights are direct?

How many hours is the flight from San Francisco to Shanghai?

Are non-stop flights from San Francisco to Shanghai worth the extra cost?

Related routes

More routes from San Francisco

Flights to Shanghai from other cities

San Francisco to Shanghai: Overview

Insights for flights from San Francisco to Shanghai

How much is a round trip from San Francisco to Shanghai

The cheapest time to fly from San Francisco to Shanghai

Direct flights from San Francisco to Shanghai

Last-minute flights going from San Francisco to Shanghai

Biggest price drops on these dates for flights from San Francisco to Shanghai

Popular Airports to fly from San Francisco to Shanghai

San Francisco - Shanghai route insights

Recent fares are near the typical level

April is historically cheapest at $658

Flights typically take 30h 30m

Connecting flights are dominant

United Airlines offers direct flights

Deals appear frequently

San Francisco main airports to depart from

Shanghai main airports to arrive at

Airports nearby Shanghai used as alternative

Business & First Class Flight Deals to Shanghai

Best Elite deals to Shanghai

Nov 07

Nov 10

Nov 02

Jan 27

Dec 10

Dec 28

Dec 07

Jan 06

Jan 07

Dec 09

Nov 10

Oct 21

Frequently Asked Questions About Flights to Shanghai

How far in advance should I book a flight from San Francisco to Shanghai?

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

When is the cheapest time of year to fly from San Francisco to Shanghai?