Shanghai

$478+ Cheap flights from San Francisco (SFO) to Shanghai, China

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 10/1. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel.
SFO — SHA
Jun 17 — Jun 241
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Cheapflights Tip: The best prices from San Francisco to Shanghai are usually found in April or February, booked 17 days in advance, depart on a Monday or Thursday and return on a Thursday

Cheap flight deals from San Francisco to Shanghai

Discover tips and strategies to find the most affordable flight options for your journey from San Francisco (SFO) to Shanghai (CN2). 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 June 12, 2025.

Round-trip from

$910
(CheapOair)

One-way from

$480
(Mytrip)

Popular in

June

Cheapest in

April

Average price

$1,595
From San Francisco to Shanghai
One-way flight from San Francisco to Shanghai
Highest demand for flights based on searches. 18% potential increase in price ($276 potential increase over avg. RT price).
Cheapest flight prices on average. 3% potential price decrease ($36 potential savings vs. average RT price).
Average for round-trip flights in June 2025

Find flight deals from San Francisco to Shanghai

Cheapest flights from San Francisco to Shanghai
Explore the most affordable flight options available from San Francisco to Shanghai. Find the lowest fares from popular airlines and budget airlines, with prices last updated on June 12, 2025.

This CheapOair deal was found by Cheapflights users on 6/10. 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 CheapOair is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Wed 8/271:00 pmSFO - SHA
1 stop30h 55mMultiple Airlines
Mon 10/2011:50 amSHA - SFO
2 stops23h 40mMultiple Airlines
Deal found 6/10$910
This FlightHub deal was found by Cheapflights users on 6/10. 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 FlightHub is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Mon 11/1010:54 amSFO - PVG
2 stops22h 21mANA
Sun 12/282:30 amPVG - SFO
1 stop22h 45mANA
Deal found 6/10$910
This oojo deal was found by Cheapflights users on 6/11. 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.
Tue 10/2112:55 pmSFO - SHA
1 stop41h 00mCathay Pacific
Thu 10/301:35 pmSHA - SFO
1 stop23h 40mCathay Pacific
Deal found 6/11$911
This KAYAK deal was found by Cheapflights users on 6/11. 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 KAYAK is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Tue 8/512:35 amSFO - SHA
1 stop18h 45mChina Southern
Sun 8/176:50 pmSHA - SFO
2 stops40h 40mChina Southern
Deal found 6/11$912
This Korean Air deal was found by Cheapflights users on 6/10. 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.
Mon 10/2712:40 pmSFO - PVG
1 stop30h 05mKorean Air
Fri 11/148:50 amPVG - SFO
2 stops39h 46mKorean Air
Deal found 6/10$912
This KAYAK deal was found by Cheapflights users on 6/11. 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 KAYAK is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Mon 9/812:35 amSFO - PVG
2 stops24h 55mChina Southern
Tue 10/710:05 pmPVG - SFO
3 stops61h 25mChina Southern
Deal found 6/11$913
This Mytrip deal was found by Cheapflights users on 6/10. 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 Mytrip is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Wed 8/610:50 pmSFO - PVG
1 stop22h 50mMultiple Airlines
Wed 9/32:15 amPVG - SFO
1 stop28h 05mMultiple Airlines
Deal found 6/10$914
This oojo deal was found by Cheapflights users on 6/11. 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.
Thu 8/711:00 amSFO - PVG
2 stops32h 05mAsiana Airlines
Sun 8/2411:35 amPVG - SFO
1 stop19h 25mAsiana Airlines
Deal found 6/11$915
This Asiana Airlines deal was found by Cheapflights users on 6/11. 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.
Sun 10/1911:30 pmSFO - SHA
1 stop26h 30mAsiana Airlines
Sun 11/166:10 pmSHA - SFO
1 stop36h 50mAsiana Airlines
Deal found 6/11$916
This KAYAK deal was found by Cheapflights users on 6/10. 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 KAYAK is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Sun 8/241:45 amSFO - SHA
1 stop19h 30mANA
Wed 9/171:35 pmSHA - SFO
2 stops21h 03mANA
Deal found 6/10$919
This KAYAK deal was found by Cheapflights users on 6/11. 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 KAYAK is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Wed 9/2411:55 pmSFO - PVG
1 stop23h 35mPhilippine Airlines
Thu 10/94:00 pmPVG - SFO
1 stop19h 50mPhilippine Airlines
Deal found 6/11$920
This Korean Air deal was found by Cheapflights users on 6/11. 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.
Sun 10/194:15 pmSFO - SHA
2 stops33h 50mKorean Air
Tue 11/116:25 pmSHA - SFO
1 stop31h 05mKorean Air
Deal found 6/11$921

Cheapflights Fare Finder

Customize your flight search to find flights from San Francisco to Shanghai 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 June 12, 2025.
Use the filters below to find and compare flights from San Francisco to Shanghai that are best for you.

Fly from

San Francisco

Fly to

Shanghai

Route

Depart

Return

Price

San FranciscoShanghai

SFO - SHA

SFOSHA

San Francisco

Wed 8/27

1:00 pm-10:55 am

1 stop30h 55m

Shanghai Hongqiao Intl

Mon 10/20

11:50 am-8:30 pm

2 stops23h 40m

$910

San FranciscoShanghai

SFO - PVG

SFOPVG

San Francisco

Mon 11/10

10:54 am-1:15 am

2 stops22h 21m

Shanghai Pu Dong

Sun 12/28

2:30 am-9:15 am

1 stop22h 45m

$910

San FranciscoShanghai

SFO - SHA

SFOSHA

San Francisco

Tue 8/5

12:35 am-10:20 am

1 stop18h 45m

Shanghai Hongqiao Intl

Mon 8/18

11:50 am-8:30 pm

2 stops23h 40m

$912

San FranciscoShanghai

SFO - PVG

SFOPVG

San Francisco

Mon 10/27

12:40 pm-8:25 pm

1 stop16h 45m

Shanghai Pu Dong

Thu 11/13

2:00 pm-8:36 am

2 stops58h 36m

$912

San FranciscoShanghai

SFO - SHA

SFOSHA

San Francisco

Fri 8/29

1:40 pm-12:05 pm

1 stop31h 25m

Shanghai Hongqiao Intl

Sun 9/7

1:20 pm-10:55 pm

1 stop24h 35m

$913

San FranciscoShanghai

SFO - PVG

SFOPVG

San Francisco

Mon 9/8

12:35 am-4:30 pm

2 stops24h 55m

Shanghai Pu Dong

Tue 10/7

10:05 pm-8:30 pm

3 stops61h 25m

$913

San FranciscoShanghai

SFO - PVG

SFOPVG

San Francisco

Wed 8/6

10:50 pm-12:40 pm

1 stop22h 50m

Shanghai Pu Dong

Wed 9/3

2:15 am-3:20 pm

1 stop28h 05m

$914

San FranciscoShanghai

SFO - PVG

SFOPVG

San Francisco

Thu 8/7

11:00 am-10:05 am

2 stops32h 05m

Shanghai Pu Dong

Sun 8/24

11:35 am-4:00 pm

1 stop19h 25m

$915

San FranciscoShanghai

SFO - SHA

SFOSHA

San Francisco

Thu 8/21

11:30 pm-5:00 pm

1 stop26h 30m

Shanghai Hongqiao Intl

Fri 9/19

6:10 pm-3:30 pm

1 stop36h 20m

$916

San FranciscoShanghai

SFO - SHA

SFOSHA

San Francisco

Sun 8/24

1:45 am-12:15 pm

1 stop19h 30m

Shanghai Hongqiao Intl

Wed 9/17

1:35 pm-7:38 pm

2 stops21h 03m

$919

Flights are sorted by cheapest round-trip flights first.

Deals found on 6/12

Showing 1-10 of 37 results
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The best insider tips for San Francisco to Shanghai 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 San Francisco to Shanghai trip
Airports
SFO

For a stress-free departure, use SFO’s AirTrain to quickly navigate between terminals and reach your gate efficiently.

Read more about SFOby Harriet Baskas
PVG

Take the Maglev train from Longyang Road to PVG for a quick 8-minute ride, avoiding traffic delays.

Read more about PVGby Joe Minihane
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 San Francisco to Shanghai

Have a flexible travel schedule? Discover the best time to fly to Shanghai from San Francisco 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 San Francisco to Shanghai

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

Use this chart to determine the optimal time to book a round-trip flight from San Francisco to Shanghai. Price data was last updated on June 9, 2025.

To ensure you get the cheapest price possible for a flight from San Francisco to Shanghai, you should look to book at least 17 days in advance of your intended travel date. The price of your flight may increase if you delay and leave booking until a week or so before departure.

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

Currently, February is the cheapest month in which you can book a flight from San Francisco to Shanghai (average of $1,125). Flying from San Francisco to Shanghai in July is currently the most expensive (average of $1,718). 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 SFO to SHA?

Find hourly flight availability from San Francisco to Shanghai. Discover flight options and departure times throughout the day, allowing you to choose a departure time that suits your schedule. Data last updated June 12, 2025.

It’s optimal to fly from San Francisco to Shanghai in the morning. By choosing this option you can save up to 14% on the cost of your flight, compared to a flight at noon.

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

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

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

Rainfall in Shanghai by month

Plan your trip to Shanghai by taking into account the average rainfall totals by month.

In terms of precipitation, rainfall in Shanghai ranges from 1.2 - 6.7 inches per month. June is typically the wettest month, when rainfall can reach 6.7 in. December is typically the driest time to visit Shanghai when rainfall is around 1.2 in.

Temperature in Shanghai by month

Plan your trip to Shanghai by taking into account the average temperature totals by month.

If weather is an important factor for your trip to Shanghai, use this chart to help with planning. For those seeking warmer temperatures, July is the ideal time of year to visit, when temperatures reach an average of 82.4 F. Travelers looking to avoid the cold should look outside of January, when temperatures are typically at their lowest (around 39.2 F).

Reviews of airlines servicing Shanghai

Get insights into the airlines that provide service to Shanghai. 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 Shanghai. Reviews last updated June 12, 2025.
Get a feel of what it's like to fly with EVA Air, Korean Air and Japan Airlines from San Francisco to Shanghai by reading reviews from past customers. You can also see how each airline stacks up in terms of entertainment options, comfort, food, crew/service, and boarding process.

Entertainment

8.0

Overall

8.4

Boarding

8.4

Food

8.1

Crew

8.6

Comfort

8.3

Reviews

1 / 20
10.0
Excellent

Dale,May 2025

TPE - SFO

Flight staff were very courteous and efficient. Aircraft (seats, lavatories, etc) kept clean and replenished. Food service was timed perfectly and was delicious and had right amount

Entertainment

8.0

Overall

8.4

Boarding

8.4

Food

8.1

Crew

8.6

Comfort

8.3

Reviews

1 / 20
10.0
Excellent

Dale,May 2025

TPE - SFO

Flight staff were very courteous and efficient. Aircraft (seats, lavatories, etc) kept clean and replenished. Food service was timed perfectly and was delicious and had right amount

Entertainment

8.0

Overall

8.4

Boarding

8.4

Food

8.1

Crew

8.6

Comfort

8.3

Reviews

1 / 20
10.0
Excellent

Dale,May 2025

TPE - SFO

Flight staff were very courteous and efficient. Aircraft (seats, lavatories, etc) kept clean and replenished. Food service was timed perfectly and was delicious and had right amount

Entertainment

8.0

Overall

8.4

Boarding

8.4

Food

8.1

Crew

8.6

Comfort

8.3

Reviews

1 / 20
10.0
Excellent

Dale,May 2025

TPE - SFO

Flight staff were very courteous and efficient. Aircraft (seats, lavatories, etc) kept clean and replenished. Food service was timed perfectly and was delicious and had right amount

Entertainment

8.0

Overall

8.4

Boarding

8.4

Food

8.1

Crew

8.6

Comfort

8.3

Reviews

1 / 20
10.0
Excellent

Dale,May 2025

TPE - SFO

Flight staff were very courteous and efficient. Aircraft (seats, lavatories, etc) kept clean and replenished. Food service was timed perfectly and was delicious and had right amount
8.3
Very good

Entertainment

8.0

Overall

8.4

Boarding

8.4

Food

8.1

Crew

8.6

Comfort

8.3

Reviews

1 / 20
10.0
Excellent

Dale,May 2025

TPE - SFO

Flight staff were very courteous and efficient. Aircraft (seats, lavatories, etc) kept clean and replenished. Food service was timed perfectly and was delicious and had right amount

Related info for your journey

Find useful and relevant information for your journey from San Francisco to Shanghai. 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 from for flights from San Francisco to Shanghai?

    San Francisco (SFO) is the airport you will fly out of if you book a flight from San Francisco to Shanghai. You should not have trouble finding flights to Shanghai from San Francisco; the airport handles an average of 2 outbound flights to Shanghai per day. You should also have plenty of airline options to choose from since 14 airlines have flights from the San Francisco airport to Shanghai. It is only a 11.8 mi journey to San Francisco (SFO) from San Francisco’s city center.

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

    Flying on China Southern is currently your cheapest option to Shanghai, with prices starting at $910. Additional round-trip tickets that might be worth considering are offered by ANA and Cathay Pacific, with the lowest prices starting at $911 and $913, respectively. You may be able to fly from San Francisco to Shanghai for 24% less than the average price by searching for these airlines.

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

    For one-way options, check prices for Air China. According to our data, you can fly for as low as $480. Users have also found prices from $485 and $493 on China Southern and Korean Air, respectively.

  • Where are the most common layover locations when flying from San Francisco to Shanghai?

  • What are some popular things to do or see while on a layover in Taipei City?

    Taipei 101, Shilin Night Market, and Raohe Street Night Market are the most popular attractions in Taipei City if you're in need of something to do during your layover. Taipei 101, Shilin Night Market, and Raohe Street Night Market can be visited by traveling about 21.0 mi, 18.3 mi, and 21.6 mi respectively from Taipei City Taiwan Taoyuan Intl. Travelers can book a car rental at Taipei City Taiwan Taoyuan Intl for about $69 per day to make their sightseeing more efficient.

  • What are some popular points of interest to see during a layover in Seoul?

    If you're on a layover in Seoul and looking for things to do, consider visiting Dongdaemun Market, Bukchon Hanok Village, or Lotte World. Dongdaemun Market, Bukchon Hanok Village, and Lotte World are located about 31.6 mi, 30.6 mi, and 35.7 mi, respectively from Incheon Intl. Travelers in need of a car in Seoul can rent one for about $54 per day.

  • What are points of interest worth seeing during a layover in Hong Kong?

    Hong Kong travelers tend to visit Hong Kong Disneyland, Shatin Baptist Church, and Ocean Park more than any other attractions. Hong Kong Disneyland, Shatin Baptist Church and Ocean Park are located about 7.8 mi, 18.3 mi, and 16.9 mi, respectively from Hong Kong Intl if you are interested in checking them out.

  • Where are the least popular layover locations for San Francisco to Shanghai flights?

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

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

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

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

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

    Yes. Cheapflights offers flight deals from San Francisco to Shanghai 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 San Francisco to Shanghai?

    Currently, February is the cheapest month in which you can book a flight from San Francisco to Shanghai (average of $1,125). Flying from San Francisco to Shanghai in July is currently the most expensive (average of $1,718). 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

Browse thousands of different options on Cheapflights for your next trip

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Top 10 airlines flying from San Francisco to Shanghai

Discover the top 10 airlines that operate flights from San Francisco to Shanghai. 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 June 12, 2025.
AirlineCheapestAverageFlexibilityOn-time
Air ChinaCheapest$738Average$1,244FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time67%
Philippine AirlinesCheapest$740Average$925FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time60%
China EasternCheapest$748Average$1,310FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time62%
China SouthernCheapest$761Average$1,125FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time69%
Cathay PacificCheapest$778Average$1,303FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time72%
EVA AirCheapest$817Average$1,071FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time74%
ANACheapest$829Average$1,292FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time80%
DeltaCheapest$832Average$1,635FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-timeN/A
China AirlinesCheapest$881Average$1,076FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time70%
Asiana AirlinesCheapest$897Average$1,040FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time76%

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