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$512+ Cheap flights from Shanghai, China to San Francisco (SFO)

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a Cheapflights user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight departing on 10/26. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel.
SHA — SFO
Aug 5 — Aug 121
Tue 8/5
Tue 8/12
1 adult, Economy
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Cheapflights Tip: The best prices from Shanghai to San Francisco are usually found in February or March, booked 5 days in advance, depart on a Thursday or Friday and return on a Monday

Cheap flight deals from Shanghai to San Francisco

Discover tips and strategies to find the most affordable flight options for your journey from Shanghai (CN2) to San Francisco (SFO). Learn about various techniques such as flexible date searches, comparing prices across and setting up price alerts. Use these methods to find the cheapest flights available for your travel needs. Data last updated July 31, 2025.

Round-trip from

$795
(Korean Air)

One-way from

$512
(FlightHub)

Popular in

August

Cheapest in

February

Average price

$1,306
From Shanghai to San Francisco
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One-way flight from Shanghai to San Francisco
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Highest demand for flights based on searches. 18% potential increase in price ($245 potential increase over avg. RT price).
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Cheapest flight prices on average. 5% potential price decrease ($57 potential savings vs. average RT price).
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Average for round-trip flights in July 2025
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Find flight deals from Shanghai to San Francisco

Cheapest flights from Shanghai to San Francisco
Explore the most affordable flight options available from Shanghai to San Francisco. Find the lowest fares from popular airlines and budget airlines, with prices last updated on July 31, 2025.

This Korean Air deal was found by Cheapflights users on 7/30. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure Korean Air is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Wed 11/196:25 pmSHA - SFO
1 stop31h 05mKorean Air
Mon 3/3012:40 pmSFO - SHA
1 stop37h 25mKorean Air
Deal found 7/30$795
This Asiana Airlines deal was found by Cheapflights users on 7/29. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure Asiana Airlines is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Fri 8/291:10 pmPVG - SFO
1 stop17h 50mAsiana Airlines
Wed 12/1011:30 pmSFO - PVG
1 stop29h 25mAsiana Airlines
Deal found 7/29$796
This Gotogate deal was found by Cheapflights users on 7/31. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure Gotogate is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Mon 9/16:35 amPVG - SFO
2 stops28h 55mMultiple Airlines
Thu 9/111:40 pmSFO - PVG
1 stop19h 15mMultiple Airlines
Deal found 7/31$798
This Philippine Airlines deal was found by Cheapflights users on 7/30. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure Philippine Airlines is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Fri 9/264:00 pmPVG - SFO
1 stop19h 50mPhilippine Airlines
Tue 3/2411:30 pmSFO - PVG
1 stop25h 20mPhilippine Airlines
Deal found 7/30$805
This Gotogate deal was found by Cheapflights users on 7/30. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure Gotogate is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Sat 9/136:50 pmSHA - SFO
1 stop16h 50mChina Southern
Sat 9/204:37 pmSFO - SHA
2 stops28h 43mChina Southern
Deal found 7/30$808
This China Southern deal was found by Cheapflights users on 7/31. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure China Southern is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Mon 12/296:55 amPVG - SFO
2 stops28h 45mChina Southern
Mon 2/911:35 pmSFO - PVG
1 stop29h 10mChina Southern
Deal found 7/31$811
This oojo deal was found by Cheapflights users on 7/31. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure oojo is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Mon 8/251:40 pmPVG - SFO
1 stop36h 20mKorean Air
Sun 9/2812:50 pmSFO - PVG
1 stop29h 50mKorean Air
Deal found 7/31$812
This oojo deal was found by Cheapflights users on 7/31. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure oojo is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Mon 9/16:10 pmSHA - SFO
1 stop36h 20mAsiana Airlines
Wed 9/1011:30 pmSFO - SHA
1 stop26h 30mAsiana Airlines
Deal found 7/31$814
This Air China deal was found by Cheapflights users on 7/31. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure Air China is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Wed 10/158:55 amSHA - SFO
1 stop16h 35mAir China
Tue 10/282:50 pmSFO - SHA
1 stop36h 55mAir China
Deal found 7/31$850
This Trip.com deal was found by Cheapflights users on 7/30. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure Trip.com is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Sun 9/141:20 pmSHA - SFO
1 stop19h 30mMultiple Airlines
Sat 9/2012:35 amSFO - SHA
1 stop19h 45mMultiple Airlines
Deal found 7/30$869
This Cathay Pacific deal was found by Cheapflights users on 7/31. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure Cathay Pacific is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Wed 10/152:30 pmPVG - SFO
1 stop18h 00mCathay Pacific
Mon 10/2712:35 amSFO - PVG
1 stop20h 55mCathay Pacific
Deal found 7/31$876
This Cathay Pacific deal was found by Cheapflights users on 7/29. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure Cathay Pacific is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Sat 8/301:20 pmSHA - SFO
1 stop19h 30mCathay Pacific
Mon 12/2210:55 pmSFO - SHA
1 stop21h 25mCathay Pacific
Deal found 7/29$1,016

Cheapflights Fare Finder

 
Customize your flight search to find flights from Shanghai to San Francisco that fit within your specific budget. Explore options based on user searches and filter the results based on your desired price range. Find flights that match your budget for a cost-effective journey. Over the last 7 days, Cheapflights users made 2,558,603 searches. Data last updated July 31, 2025.
Use the filters below to find and compare flights from Shanghai to San Francisco that are best for you.

Fly from

Shanghai

Fly to

San Francisco

Route

Depart

Return

Price

ShanghaiSan Francisco

SHA - SFO

SHASFO

Shanghai Hongqiao Intl

Wed 11/19

6:25 pm-9:30 am

1 stop31h 05m

San Francisco

Wed 4/1

12:40 pm-5:05 pm

1 stop37h 25m

$795

ShanghaiSan Francisco

PVG - SFO

PVGSFO

Shanghai Pu Dong

Fri 8/29

1:10 pm-4:00 pm

1 stop17h 50m

San Francisco

Wed 12/10

11:30 pm-8:55 pm

1 stop29h 25m

$796

ShanghaiSan Francisco

PVG - SFO

PVGSFO

Shanghai Pu Dong

Mon 9/1

6:35 am-8:30 pm

2 stops28h 55m

San Francisco

Thu 9/11

1:40 pm-11:55 pm

1 stop19h 15m

$798

ShanghaiSan Francisco

PVG - SFO

PVGSFO

Shanghai Pu Dong

Fri 9/26

4:00 pm-8:50 pm

1 stop19h 50m

San Francisco

Tue 3/24

11:30 pm-3:50 pm

1 stop25h 20m

$805

ShanghaiSan Francisco

SHA - SFO

SHASFO

Shanghai Hongqiao Intl

Sat 9/13

6:50 pm-8:40 pm

1 stop16h 50m

San Francisco

Sat 9/20

4:37 pm-12:20 pm

2 stops28h 43m

$808

ShanghaiSan Francisco

PVG - SFO

PVGSFO

Shanghai Pu Dong

Mon 12/29

6:55 am-7:40 pm

2 stops28h 45m

San Francisco

Mon 2/9

11:35 pm-8:45 pm

1 stop29h 10m

$811

ShanghaiSan Francisco

PVG - SFO

PVGSFO

Shanghai Pu Dong

Mon 8/25

1:40 pm-11:00 am

1 stop36h 20m

San Francisco

Sun 9/28

12:50 pm-9:40 am

1 stop29h 50m

$812

ShanghaiSan Francisco

SHA - SFO

SHASFO

Shanghai Hongqiao Intl

Mon 9/1

6:10 pm-3:30 pm

1 stop36h 20m

San Francisco

Wed 9/10

11:30 pm-5:00 pm

1 stop26h 30m

$814

ShanghaiSan Francisco

SHA - SFO

SHASFO

Shanghai Hongqiao Intl

Wed 10/15

8:55 am-10:30 am

1 stop16h 35m

San Francisco

Tue 10/28

2:50 pm-6:45 pm

1 stop36h 55m

$850

ShanghaiSan Francisco

SHA - SFO

SHASFO

Shanghai Hongqiao Intl

Sun 9/14

1:20 pm-5:50 pm

1 stop19h 30m

San Francisco

Sat 9/20

12:35 am-11:20 am

1 stop19h 45m

$869

Flights are sorted by cheapest round-trip flights first.

Deals found on 7/29

Showing 1-10 of 21 results
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The best insider tips for Shanghai to San Francisco flights

Snippets provided in this section are AI-generated based on a summarization of Cheapflights-commissioned articles. The articles are presented as-is, for general informational purposes only, and may not be up-to-date. The opinions contained in the articles are original to the author and reflect their authentic experience, which may vary significantly from the experience of others.
Cheapflights partnered with top experts to bring you the best recommendations for your Shanghai to San Francisco trip
Airports
PVG

Allow 2.5 hours for check-in and security at PVG, especially for international flights, due to thorough document checks.

Read more about PVGby Joe Minihane
SFO

Use BART for a cost-effective trip from SFO to downtown San Francisco, taking about 40 minutes.

Read more about SFOby Harriet Baskas
Our travel experts
Joe Minihane

Joe Minihane

Expert on PVG

Joe Minihane

Joe Minihane

Joe has been obsessed with travel and flying ever since he was a child. He's a freelance travel journalist and author, and his work has appeared in The Times, Guardian and CNN. As a Europe obsessive, he has stayed in Zurich on a swimming adventure around the city, used Geneva as a base for Alpine adventures and spent time in Copenhagen soaking up the world class culture and cuisine, all the while exploring the best hotels these cities have to offer.

Read more
Harriet Baskas

Harriet Baskas

Expert on SFO

Harriet Baskas

Harriet Baskas

Harriet is an award-winning journalist who is happiest in an airport or an unusual museum. Her stories about airports, air travel, and the business of travel have appeared on NBC News, CNBC, USA TODAY, The Points Guy and other outlets. She is the creator of the StuckatTheAirport.com blog and the author of nine books. When not out on the road or exploring the latest airport amenities, she’s home in Seattle getting ready for the next adventure.

Read more

Best time to book a flight from Shanghai to San Francisco

Have a flexible travel schedule? Discover the best time to fly to San Francisco from Shanghai with our price prediction graph.
Estimated round-trip price
Rates are based on past data. Find the cheapest month and day to book your flight based on your travel requirements, then search for cheap deals.

Cheapflights Insights

Everything you need to know about your flight from Shanghai to San Francisco

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

Use this chart to determine the optimal time to book a round-trip flight from Shanghai to San Francisco. Price data was last updated on July 25, 2025.

Booking 5 days in advance of your planned departure date is, on average, the best time to get cheap flights from Shanghai to San Francisco. The general trend is that the closer you book to the departure date, the more expensive your flight will be.

What is the cheapest month to book a flight from Shanghai to San Francisco?

Currently, January is the cheapest month in which you can book a flight from Shanghai to San Francisco (average of $276). Flying from Shanghai to San Francisco in June is currently the most expensive (average of $358). There are several factors that can impact the price of a flight, so comparing airlines, departure airports and flight times can provide users with more options.

What is the cheapest time of day to fly from SHA to SFO?

Find hourly flight availability from Shanghai to San Francisco. Discover flight options and departure times throughout the day, allowing you to choose a departure time that suits your schedule. Data last updated July 31, 2025.

A simple way to save on the total cost of your ticket is to fly from Shanghai to San Francisco at noon. If you’re flexible enough to do this you can expect to save up to 17% on your trip compared to booking a flight in the morning.

What is the cheapest day to fly from Shanghai to San Francisco?

Use this chart to determine the cheapest time to fly round-trip from Shanghai to San Francisco. Price data was last updated on December 16, 2024.

Travelers seeking maximum savings on their Shanghai to San Francisco flight should consider departing on Thursday at noon when fares are most often at their lowest. Thursday afternoons flights should be avoided if possible as fares are typically the most expensive at this time.

Reviews of airlines servicing San Francisco

Get insights into the airlines that provide service to San Francisco. Read reviews, discover amenities, and learn about the overall travel experience offered by airlines. Use this information to make informed decisions when choosing an airline for your flight to San Francisco. Reviews last updated July 31, 2025.
Read through reviews of airlines operating flights from Shanghai to San Francisco, such as Korean Air, Asiana Airlines, and Cathay Pacific. Reviews also offer insight into each airline's entertainment options, comfort, food, crew/service, and boarding process.
Korean Air
8.4
Very good
1,121 reviews

Entertainment

8.2

Comfort

8.2

Boarding

8.5

Food

8.1

Overall

8.4

Crew

8.7

Reviews

1 / 20
10.0
Excellent

Myung Suk,May 2025

ICN - LAX

The flight was less crowded and the economic class seat was at least 5 inches longer than other airlines.
Korean Air
8.4
Very good
1,121 reviews
Korean Air
8.4
Very good
1,121 reviews

Entertainment

8.2

Comfort

8.2

Boarding

8.5

Food

8.1

Overall

8.4

Crew

8.7

Reviews

1 / 20
10.0
Excellent

Myung Suk,May 2025

ICN - LAX

The flight was less crowded and the economic class seat was at least 5 inches longer than other airlines.
Asiana Airlines
8.2
Very good
468 reviews
Korean Air
8.4
Very good
1,121 reviews

Entertainment

8.2

Comfort

8.2

Boarding

8.5

Food

8.1

Overall

8.4

Crew

8.7

Reviews

1 / 20
10.0
Excellent

Myung Suk,May 2025

ICN - LAX

The flight was less crowded and the economic class seat was at least 5 inches longer than other airlines.
Cathay Pacific
7.6
Good
949 reviews
Korean Air
8.4
Very good
1,121 reviews

Entertainment

8.2

Comfort

8.2

Boarding

8.5

Food

8.1

Overall

8.4

Crew

8.7

Reviews

1 / 20
10.0
Excellent

Myung Suk,May 2025

ICN - LAX

The flight was less crowded and the economic class seat was at least 5 inches longer than other airlines.
China Southern
7.6
Good
104 reviews
Korean Air
8.4
Very good
1,121 reviews

Entertainment

8.2

Comfort

8.2

Boarding

8.5

Food

8.1

Overall

8.4

Crew

8.7

Reviews

1 / 20
10.0
Excellent

Myung Suk,May 2025

ICN - LAX

The flight was less crowded and the economic class seat was at least 5 inches longer than other airlines.
Air China
7.3
Good
93 reviews
Korean Air
8.4
Very good
1,121 reviews

Entertainment

8.2

Comfort

8.2

Boarding

8.5

Food

8.1

Overall

8.4

Crew

8.7

Reviews

1 / 20
10.0
Excellent

Myung Suk,May 2025

ICN - LAX

The flight was less crowded and the economic class seat was at least 5 inches longer than other airlines.

Related info for your journey

Find useful and relevant information for your journey from Shanghai to San Francisco. Access travel guides, tips, and recommendations to enhance your travel experience. Get information about local attractions, weather, transportation options, and more.

  • What airport do you fly into for flights to San Francisco from Shanghai?

    For a flight from Shanghai to San Francisco, you will be flying into San Francisco. San Francisco (SFO) is just 11.8 mi from the center of the city. San Francisco is the only San Francisco airport and it handles 2 inbound flights from Shanghai per day. 9 airlines have flights to San Francisco from Shanghai on a regular basis.

  • What are the cheapest airlines flying from Shanghai to San Francisco round-trip?

    Korean Air, at $795, was found to be the cheapest airline from Shanghai to San Francisco.Alternate airlines to your destination round-trip include Asiana Airlines and Philippine Airlines. These flights start at 28% lower than the current average price 3 months from now.

  • What are the cheapest airlines to fly from Shanghai to San Francisco one-way?

    $512 is the cheapest one-way deal found within the past few days, from China Southern. You may also be able to find cheap deals on Air China and Air Canada, with prices starting from $519 and $527, respectively.

  • Can I find deals for flights from Shanghai to San Francisco that include hotel bookings?

    Yes. In addition to deals on Shanghai to San Francisco flights, Cheapflights offers vacation packages that include both flights and hotel.

  • How can I find direct flights from Shanghai to San Francisco?

    After entering your origin and destination, apply the non-stop filter on the search result page to find direct flights from Shanghai to San Francisco.

  • Can I find deals for business class flights from Shanghai to San Francisco?

    Yes. Cheapflights offers flight deals from Shanghai to San Francisco by cabin class. In addition to browsing deals, you can also filter by cabin class on the search results page after making a search.

  • What is the cheapest month to book a flight from Shanghai to San Francisco?

    Currently, January is the cheapest month in which you can book a flight from Shanghai to San Francisco (average of $276). Flying from Shanghai to San Francisco in June is currently the most expensive (average of $358). There are several factors that can impact the price of a flight, so comparing airlines, departure airports and flight times can provide users with more options.

See more FAQs

Traveling to a place near San Francisco?

Book flights to San Francisco if you plan to visit one of these locations
Roseville
Mountain View
Santa Cruz
South San Francisco
Livermore
Turlock
Manteca
Antioch
Hollister
Watsonville
Sunnyvale
Newark
Milpitas
Campbell
Foster City
Capitola
Santa Clara
San Leandro
Burlingame
Redwood City

Browse thousands of different options on Cheapflights for your next trip

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Top 9 airlines flying from Shanghai to San Francisco

Discover the top 9 airlines that operate flights from Shanghai to San Francisco. Compare their services, reliability, and customer satisfaction ratings to choose the airline that best suits your travel preferences and needs. Over the last 7 days, Cheapflights users made 2,558,603 searches. Data last updated July 31, 2025.
AirlineCheapestAverageFlexibilityOn-time
China EasternCheapest$649Average$1,483FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time62%
China SouthernCheapest$652Average$853FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time69%
Philippine AirlinesCheapest$667Average$745FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time60%
Asiana AirlinesCheapest$707Average$956FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time76%
Cathay PacificCheapest$751Average$955FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time72%
Korean AirCheapest$765Average$945FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time81%
ANACheapest$890Average$1,090FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time80%
United AirlinesCheapest$1,026Average$1,536FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time69%
Air CanadaCheapest$1,070Average$1,131FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time67%

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