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Cheap Flights from Los Angeles to Shanghai
LAX → SHA • About 13h 30m nonstop • 3 airlines
Adults
+12 years old
Children
2-11 years old
Infants
Under 2 years
Fares shown are the lowest we have recorded recently on this route and are not a live quote. Run a search above for today's availability, or call (800) 399-8818 and an agent will price it with you.
Flights from Los Angeles (LAX) to Shanghai (SHA)
The Los Angeles to Shanghai route covers roughly 6,480 miles and takes about 13h 30m nonstop. 3 airlines compete on it — China Eastern Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines — which keeps fares moving and makes it worth comparing carriers rather than defaulting to the one you usually fly. We have seen one-way fares on this route start around $556.
Shanghai is China’s commercial capital and its most outward-looking city, where the colonial-era Bund faces the Pudong skyline across the Huangpu river.
The former French Concession offers tree-lined streets and low-rise architecture that feel nothing like the rest of the city, and the water towns of Zhujiajiao and Suzhou are short trips out.
Airlines flying LAX to SHA
- China Eastern Airlines
- United Airlines
- Delta Air Lines
Airports on this route
- Departing: Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
- Departing: Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR)
- Departing: Long Beach Airport (LGB)
- Departing: John Wayne Airport, Orange County (SNA)
- Arriving: Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG)
- Arriving: Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport (SHA)
Los Angeles is served by 4 airports. Fares between them can differ by $50 to $150 on the same dates, so ask us to price all of them before you book.
Best time to fly to Shanghai
March through May and September through November. Summer is hot and humid; winter is damp and cold.
Top things to do in Shanghai
- The Bund
- Yu Garden
- Former French Concession
- Shanghai Tower
- Shanghai Museum
- Zhujiajiao water town
- Suzhou day trip
How to save on Los Angeles to Shanghai flights
- Shift your departure by one or two days — midweek departures on this route are consistently cheaper than Friday and Sunday.
- Book four to eight weeks ahead. Last-minute fares on LAX to SHA routinely run double the advance price.
- Compare all 3 carriers rather than checking one airline's own site.
- Pudong handles international traffic; Hongqiao is closer to the centre and mostly domestic.
- The Maglev from Pudong reaches the metro in eight minutes at 268 mph.
- Most US citizens need a visa in advance, with transit exemptions available.
About flights from Los Angeles to Shanghai
Fares on the LAX to SHA route move with demand, so flexibility is worth more than timing tricks. Shifting your departure by a day or two, flying midweek instead of Friday or Sunday, and booking four to eight weeks ahead all reduce the fare on this route. Los Angeles is served by 4 airports, so ask us to price all of them — the difference is often significant. Our agents also hold consolidator and unpublished fares that do not appear in online results.
China Eastern Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines all operate on this route. China Eastern Airlines typically offers the most frequencies, with United Airlines and Delta Air Lines providing competing schedules. Availability varies by season and by which Los Angeles airport you depart from, so it is worth comparing all carriers before booking.
A nonstop flight takes about 13h 30m. Itineraries with a connection typically add two to four hours depending on the layover city and the length of the stop.
The two cities are roughly 6,480 miles apart by air.
Departures leave from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR), Long Beach Airport (LGB), John Wayne Airport, Orange County (SNA). Arrivals land at Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG), Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport (SHA).
March through May and September through November. Summer is hot and humid; winter is damp and cold.