Cheap Flights from San Francisco (SFO) to Shanghai (SHA)

Frequently Asked Questions

• What are the cheapest flights from San Francisco to Shanghai (SFO-SHA)?

  Based on Trip.com data, American Airlines offers one-way fares as low as US$542 on Cheapest nonstop routes (e.g. SFO to PVG on Wed, Jul 8), while All Nippon Airways offers Cheapest nonstop round-trips from US$869 departing on Fri, Jul 10 and returning on Wed, Jul 15.

• Which airlines offer direct flights from San Francisco to Shanghai?

  At the moment, you can catch a nonstop flight from San Francisco to Shanghai with the following airlines, including: China Eastern Airlines United Airlines Spring Airlines Air Canada Selected airlines are based on historical data collected from flight bookings users made on Trip.com within the last 90 days.

• How long is a flight from San Francisco to Shanghai?

  It takes about 13 hours 43 minutes to fly from San Francisco to Shanghai.

• When is the best time to book flights from San Francisco to Shanghai?

  By analyzing data from all airlines on the Trip.com flight calendar, it looks like the best time to book a flight from San Francisco to Shanghai is around 40 days (6 weeks) in advance, and the best time to fly is usually on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday. Tuesday typically offers the cheapest flights for departure, while Saturday offers the best return deals.

• How many flights are there per week from San Francisco to Shanghai?

  Based on Trip.com data in the past 4 weeks, there is 1 flight per week flying from San Francisco to Shanghai. You can check the weekly schedule for popular airlines on this route below: United Airlines: S/M/T/W/T/F/S -- UA857 (13:35)

• How can I find the best deals on flights from San Francisco to Shanghai?

  To find best deals on flights from San Francisco to Shanghai, you can use various tools on Trip.com:
  · Be flexible with your travel dates to get the cheapest flight deal. Now the cheapest flight deal is on Wed, Jul 8, with one-way flights priced at just US$542.
  · Compare airlines strategically. Budget carriers often provide the lowest base fares, while we found the most affordable airline currently operating on this route is United Airlines.
  · Set up price alerts to easily monitor ticket prices without having to check every day.
  · Check Trip.com flight deals and promo codes frequently.
  · Avoid peak season unless you book very early. It seems the peak season for Shanghai travel is around July.
  · Get exclusive promo codes for Trip.com app users.

• When are flight tickets from San Francisco (SFO) to Shanghai (SHA) the cheapest?

  The cheapest months to fly from San Francisco to Shanghai is September, when demand for travel is lower.

• Which upcoming date is cheapest to fly from San Francisco to Shanghai on?

  After crunching the numbers on our May flight calendar, it's currently cheapest to fly from San Francisco to Shanghai on May 26, 2026 with ZIPAIR, with prices starting at US$489.

• Which airports can I fly to for Shanghai from San Francisco?

  You can land at any one of the following hubs in Shanghai, with San Francisco International Airport to Shanghai Pudong International Airport (SFO-PVG) is by far the most common option on this route: Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport (SHA).

• Is there any time difference between San Francisco and Shanghai?

  The time difference between Shanghai and San Francisco is 16h.

• How do I change or cancel my ticket from San Francisco to Shanghai?

  Tickets can only be changed or canceled if permitted by airline policy. To submit a change or cancellation request, go to the flight bookings page, select the option to change or cancel your booking, choose the relevant passengers and segment, and submit a request. Please note that additional charges may apply according to the airline ticket policy. However, if the flight has been rescheduled and you would like to change or cancel your ticket, you can submit an involuntary cancellation request. For more details about change and cancellation policies, please check the customer support pages.