What percentage of Shanghai to San Francisco flights are direct?

In the trailing 90 days, approximately 13.9% of flights from Shanghai to San Francisco were direct. For travelers opting for connecting flights, the median number of stopovers was typically one. This indicates that while direct options are available, a significant portion of routes involve at least one stop.

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

The median direct flight time from Shanghai to San Francisco is approximately 11 hours and 30 minutes, covering a distance of 9876 kilometers. For flights with one stop, the median duration typically extends to about 17 hours and 55 minutes. Travelers should account for this difference when planning their journey.

How often do cheap flights from Shanghai to San Francisco come up?

Historically, cheap flights from Shanghai to San Francisco are classified as frequent. This suggests that opportunities for finding good value fares on this route arise regularly. Travelers can typically expect to see competitive pricing options with some consistency.

Flights From Shanghai

To San Francisco

Cheap Flights from Shanghai to San Francisco

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Deals from

Shanghai

RatePunk searches hundreds of travel sites at once for deals on flights to San Francisco

Prices updated 1 day ago

462 airlines compared

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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 Shanghai to San Francisco

Explore current cheapest deals departing from Shanghai to San Francisco

2026-10-21 – 2026-10-28
SHA - San Francisco
89% AI deal score
CN¥5,888
CN¥4,749
Round trip
2026-11-20 – 2026-11-25
SHA - San Francisco
89% AI deal score
CN¥5,710
CN¥4,756
Round trip
2026-11-20 – 2026-11-29
SHA - San Francisco
83% AI deal score
CN¥5,474
CN¥4,756
Round trip
2026-10-03 – 2026-10-22
SHA - San Francisco
84% AI deal score
CN¥5,522
CN¥4,763
Round trip
2026-10-14 – 2026-10-21
SHA - San Francisco
89% AI deal score
CN¥5,902
CN¥4,763
Round trip
2026-10-30 – 2026-10-31
SHA - San Francisco
90% AI deal score
CN¥6,215
CN¥4,763
Round trip
2026-12-19 – 2026-12-27
SHA - San Francisco
91% AI deal score
CN¥6,737
CN¥4,763
Round trip
2026-12-02 – 2026-12-30
SHA - San Francisco
91% AI deal score
CN¥6,374
CN¥4,763
Round trip
2026-10-10 – 2026-10-22
SHA - San Francisco
84% AI deal score
CN¥5,609
CN¥4,770
Round trip
2026-10-21 – 2026-10-25
SHA - San Francisco
90% AI deal score
CN¥6,183
CN¥4,776
Round trip

Shanghai to San Francisco: Overview

Insights for flights from Shanghai to San Francisco

Flights from Shanghai to San Francisco cover a substantial distance of 9876 km, making this a long-haul journey. For travelers looking for cheap flights from Shanghai to San Francisco, understanding the typical price range and flight characteristics can help in planning. Right now, fares to San Francisco are above the typical level, with only 2% of recent fares classified as a good price.

When is the cheapest time to fly from Shanghai to San Francisco? The data indicates that May is typically the most affordable month, with a median fare of $647. Following closely are October and September, both offering median fares of $712. These months present the best opportunities for finding lower prices on this route.

The typical price for flights from Shanghai to San Francisco ranges from $684–$1476, with a median fare of $864. Most itineraries on this route connect at least once, as only 13.9% of recent fares were for direct flights from Shanghai to San Francisco. When connecting, most itineraries involve 1 stopover.

A typical journey from Shanghai to San Francisco takes approximately 18h 0m, including connections. This duration reflects the long-haul nature of the route and the prevalence of connecting itineraries. New deals for this route appear almost daily, suggesting frequent opportunities to find competitive fares if you monitor prices regularly.

How much is a round trip from Shanghai to San Francisco

Regular price: CN¥5,255 - CN¥7,771

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

The regular price range for flights from Shanghai to San Francisco is CNY 5255 to CNY 7771. The current lowest deal is CNY 4743 with Vietnam Airlines for travel from Mar 3-Mar 17.

now CN¥4,743

Low CN¥5,255

High CN¥7,771

The cheapest time to fly from Shanghai to San Francisco

The cheapest month to fly from Shanghai to San Francisco is May, with a median price of $647. The most expensive month is August, with a median price of $1533. Prices are generally lower from February to November.

May

Cheapest

Flights from CN¥647

August

Most Expensive

Flights from CN¥1,533

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Direct flights from Shanghai to San Francisco

China Eastern Airlines

Last-minute flights going from Shanghai to San Francisco

Tue, Sep 15

⌛ Last-Minute

PVG - San Francisco

Shanghai (PVG) - San Francisco (SFO)

Cathay Pacific

CN¥6,361

CN¥6,051

One-way

Wed, Sep 16

⌛ Last-Minute

PVG - San Francisco

Shanghai (PVG) - San Francisco (SFO)

Cathay Pacific

CN¥6,764

CN¥6,051

One-way

Thu, Sep 17

⌛ Last-Minute

PVG - San Francisco

Shanghai (PVG) - San Francisco (SFO)

2GO

CN¥6,292

CN¥5,991

One-way

Thu, Sep 17

⌛ Last-Minute

PVG - San Francisco

Shanghai (PVG) - San Francisco (SFO)

Cathay Pacific

CN¥6,764

CN¥6,044

One-way

Wed, Sep 23

⌛ Last-Minute

PVG - San Francisco

Shanghai (PVG) - San Francisco (SFO)

Cathay Pacific

CN¥7,087

CN¥7,158

One-way

Fri, Oct 2

⌛ Last-Minute

PVG - San Francisco

Shanghai (PVG) - San Francisco (SFO)

Cathay Pacific

CN¥5,620

CN¥6,071

One-way

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

8 nights

Dec 19 - Dec 27

CN¥6,737 → CN¥4,763

29%

11 nights

Dec 19 - Dec 30

CN¥6,699 → CN¥4,770

29%

12 nights

Dec 19 - Dec 31

CN¥6,671 → CN¥4,770

29%

28 nights

Dec 2 - Dec 30

CN¥6,374 → CN¥4,763

25%

Popular Airports to fly from Shanghai to San Francisco

Shanghai - San Francisco route insights

💸 Price insights

Recent fares are above the typical level

Recent fares for Shanghai to San Francisco are above the typical level.

📅 Best time to fly

Fly in May for the lowest prices

Historically, May offers the lowest median prices at $647 for this route.

⏱️ Flight duration

Typical flight time is 18h 0m

Flights from Shanghai to San Francisco typically take 18 hours, with 1 stopover when connecting.

✈️ Airlines & availability

Connecting flights are dominant

Connecting flights make up 86.1% of routes, with frequent deals available.

🏆 Airline highlight

China Eastern Airlines offers direct flights

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

🎯 Booking tip

Good prices are rare

Only 2% of recent fares were considered good prices, so book when you see a deal.

Shanghai main airports to depart from

Shanghai Pudong International (PVG)

Cheapest

Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) is a good option for flights from Shanghai to San Francisco.

📍 ~33 km from Shanghai city center (reachable by car or train)

💸 Flights from ~CN¥4,745

Shanghai Hongqiao International (SHA)

Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport (SHA) is another choice for flights from Shanghai to San Francisco.

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

💸 Flights from ~CN¥5,807

San Francisco main airports to arrive at

San Francisco International (SFO)

Cheapest

San Francisco International Airport is a good choice for direct access to San Francisco.

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

💸 Flights from ~CN¥4,753

Airports nearby San Francisco used as alternative

Oakland International (OAK)

Oakland International is a useful alternative, offering an extensive domestic network and direct BART rail connection.

📍 ~18 km from San Francisco (reachable by car, BART)

💸 Flights from ~CN¥7,542

Business & First Class Flight Deals to San Francisco

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

Elite

Best Elite deals to San Francisco

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

From PVG

Elite

Sep 22

San Francisco, United States

92% AI deal score

$5,246

$3,321

Save $1,925

Shenzhen Airlines, +1

Business Class

From PVG

Elite

Sep 22

San Francisco, United States

92% AI deal score

$5,214

$3,321

Save $1,893

Shenzhen Airlines, +1

Business Class

From PVG

Elite

Sep 22

San Francisco, United States

92% AI deal score

$5,236

$3,329

Save $1,907

Shenzhen Airlines, +1

Business Class

From PVG

Elite

Dec 19

San Francisco, United States

92% AI deal score

$5,814

$3,541

Save $2,273

Shenzhen Airlines, +1

Business Class

From PVG

Elite

Dec 19

San Francisco, United States

92% AI deal score

$5,881

$3,541

Save $2,340

Shenzhen Airlines, +1

Business Class

From PVG

Elite

Dec 19

San Francisco, United States

92% AI deal score

$5,860

$3,541

Save $2,319

Shenzhen Airlines, +1

Business Class

From PVG

Elite

Oct 16

San Francisco, United States

90% AI deal score

$4,394

$3,373

Save $1,021

China Eastern Airlines, +1

Business Class

From PVG

Elite

Oct 16

San Francisco, United States

90% AI deal score

$4,484

$3,373

Save $1,111

China Eastern Airlines, +1

Business Class

From PVG

Elite

Oct 20

San Francisco, United States

90% AI deal score

$4,669

$3,477

Save $1,192

Antinea Airlines, +1

Business Class

From PVG

Elite

Oct 20

San Francisco, United States

90% AI deal score

$4,484

$3,477

Save $1,007

Antinea Airlines, +1

Business Class

From PVG

Elite

Oct 03

San Francisco, United States

89% AI deal score

$4,204

$3,321

Save $883

Shenzhen Airlines, +1

Business Class

From PVG

Elite

Oct 03

San Francisco, United States

89% AI deal score

$4,216

$3,321

Save $895

Shenzhen Airlines, +1

Business Class

Frequently Asked Questions About Flights to San Francisco

Historically, the optimal booking window for flights from Shanghai to San Francisco is typically 14-27 days before departure. During this period, the average price observed was $666. Booking within 0-6 days of departure saw a significantly higher average price of $1379. Even booking 60+ days out resulted in a higher average price of $1085, indicating that very early booking might not yield the best value on this route.

Across the trailing quarter, a good price for a flight from Shanghai to San Francisco is considered to be around $684 or less. The median price for this route historically stands at $864. Fares exceeding $1476 are typically in the higher price range for this route, based on observations over a 90-day period.

Historically, May is often the cheapest month to fly from Shanghai to San Francisco, with a median price of $647. September and October also tend to offer competitive prices, both with a median of $712. The annual median price for this route is $864, suggesting that these months provide opportunities for savings compared to the yearly average.

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Flights to San Francisco from other cities

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Shanghai to San Francisco: Overview

Insights for flights from Shanghai to San Francisco

How much is a round trip from Shanghai to San Francisco

Regular price: CN¥5,255 - CN¥7,771

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

The regular price range for flights from Shanghai to San Francisco is CNY 5255 to CNY 7771. The current lowest deal is CNY 4743 with Vietnam Airlines for travel from Mar 3-Mar 17.

now CN¥4,743

Low CN¥5,255

High CN¥7,771

The cheapest time to fly from Shanghai to San Francisco

May

Cheapest

Flights from CN¥647

August

Most Expensive

Flights from CN¥1,533

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Direct flights from Shanghai to San Francisco

China Eastern Airlines

Last-minute flights going from Shanghai to San Francisco

Tue, Sep 15

⌛ Last-Minute

PVG - San Francisco

Shanghai (PVG) - San Francisco (SFO)

Cathay Pacific

CN¥6,361

CN¥6,051

One-way

Wed, Sep 16

⌛ Last-Minute

PVG - San Francisco

Shanghai (PVG) - San Francisco (SFO)

Cathay Pacific

CN¥6,764

CN¥6,051

One-way

Thu, Sep 17

⌛ Last-Minute

PVG - San Francisco

Shanghai (PVG) - San Francisco (SFO)

2GO

CN¥6,292

CN¥5,991

One-way

Thu, Sep 17

⌛ Last-Minute

PVG - San Francisco

Shanghai (PVG) - San Francisco (SFO)

Cathay Pacific

CN¥6,764

CN¥6,044

One-way

Wed, Sep 23

⌛ Last-Minute

PVG - San Francisco

Shanghai (PVG) - San Francisco (SFO)

Cathay Pacific

CN¥7,087

CN¥7,158

One-way

Fri, Oct 2

⌛ Last-Minute

PVG - San Francisco

Shanghai (PVG) - San Francisco (SFO)

Cathay Pacific

CN¥5,620

CN¥6,071

One-way

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

8 nights

Dec 19 - Dec 27

CN¥6,737 → CN¥4,763

29%

11 nights

Dec 19 - Dec 30

CN¥6,699 → CN¥4,770

29%

12 nights

Dec 19 - Dec 31

CN¥6,671 → CN¥4,770

29%

28 nights

Dec 2 - Dec 30

CN¥6,374 → CN¥4,763

25%

Popular Airports to fly from Shanghai to San Francisco

Shanghai - San Francisco route insights

💸 Price insights

Recent fares are above the typical level

Recent fares for Shanghai to San Francisco are above the typical level.

📅 Best time to fly

Fly in May for the lowest prices

Historically, May offers the lowest median prices at $647 for this route.

⏱️ Flight duration

Typical flight time is 18h 0m

Flights from Shanghai to San Francisco typically take 18 hours, with 1 stopover when connecting.

✈️ Airlines & availability

Connecting flights are dominant

Connecting flights make up 86.1% of routes, with frequent deals available.

🏆 Airline highlight

China Eastern Airlines offers direct flights

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

🎯 Booking tip

Good prices are rare

Only 2% of recent fares were considered good prices, so book when you see a deal.

Shanghai main airports to depart from

Shanghai Pudong International (PVG)

Cheapest

Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) is a good option for flights from Shanghai to San Francisco.

📍 ~33 km from Shanghai city center (reachable by car or train)

💸 Flights from ~CN¥4,745

Shanghai Hongqiao International (SHA)

Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport (SHA) is another choice for flights from Shanghai to San Francisco.

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

💸 Flights from ~CN¥5,807

San Francisco main airports to arrive at

San Francisco International (SFO)

Cheapest

San Francisco International Airport is a good choice for direct access to San Francisco.

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

💸 Flights from ~CN¥4,753

Airports nearby San Francisco used as alternative

Oakland International (OAK)

Oakland International is a useful alternative, offering an extensive domestic network and direct BART rail connection.

San Francisco, United States

89% AI deal score

$4,216

$3,321

Save $895

Shenzhen Airlines, +1

Business Class

Frequently Asked Questions About Flights to San Francisco

Cheap Flights from Shanghai to San Francisco

Today’s best flight deals from Shanghai to San Francisco

Shanghai to San Francisco: Overview

Insights for flights from Shanghai to San Francisco

How much is a round trip from Shanghai to San Francisco

The cheapest time to fly from Shanghai to San Francisco

Direct flights from Shanghai to San Francisco

Last-minute flights going from Shanghai to San Francisco

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

Popular Airports to fly from Shanghai to San Francisco

Shanghai - San Francisco route insights

Recent fares are above the typical level

Fly in May for the lowest prices

Typical flight time is 18h 0m

Connecting flights are dominant

China Eastern Airlines offers direct flights

Good prices are rare

Shanghai main airports to depart from

San Francisco main airports to arrive at

Airports nearby San Francisco used as alternative

Business & First Class Flight Deals to San Francisco

Best Elite deals to San Francisco

Sep 22

Sep 22

Sep 22

Dec 19

Dec 19

Dec 19

Oct 16

Oct 16

Oct 20

Oct 20

Oct 03

Oct 03

Frequently Asked Questions About Flights to San Francisco

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

What's a cheap fare from Shanghai to San Francisco?

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

What percentage of Shanghai to San Francisco flights are direct?

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

How often do cheap flights from Shanghai to San Francisco come up?

Related routes

More routes from Shanghai

Flights to San Francisco from other cities

Shanghai to San Francisco: Overview

Insights for flights from Shanghai to San Francisco

How much is a round trip from Shanghai to San Francisco

The cheapest time to fly from Shanghai to San Francisco

Direct flights from Shanghai to San Francisco

Last-minute flights going from Shanghai to San Francisco

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

Popular Airports to fly from Shanghai to San Francisco

Shanghai - San Francisco route insights

Recent fares are above the typical level

Fly in May for the lowest prices

Typical flight time is 18h 0m

Connecting flights are dominant

China Eastern Airlines offers direct flights

Good prices are rare

Shanghai main airports to depart from

San Francisco main airports to arrive at

Airports nearby San Francisco used as alternative

Business & First Class Flight Deals to San Francisco

Best Elite deals to San Francisco

Sep 22

Sep 22

Sep 22

Dec 19

Dec 19

Dec 19

Oct 16

Oct 16

Oct 20

Oct 20

Oct 03

Oct 03

Frequently Asked Questions About Flights to San Francisco

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

What's a cheap fare from Shanghai to San Francisco?

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