Cheap flights from California to Shanghai from $343

The cheapest month to fly to Shanghai from California is in January. Flight prices, which tend to average around $796, are often lower during this time because this is during the off-season. The month of September is another great option to travel to Shanghai, with average flight prices from California averaging around $830.

The cheapest day to depart on your flight to Shanghai is on a Tuesday when prices can be found for as low as $830. This is often the case because there is less demand to fly during this day of the week. When flying out on a Sunday, the most expensive travel day of the week, you can expect to see flight prices from California to Shanghai for around $955.

Our data shows that the cheapest California to Shanghai flights are usually those with departure times in the evening. Our users have found flights to Shanghai in the evening for as low as $810. Flights at noon are often more expensive with an average ticket price of $937.

Fly from San Francisco to Shanghai Pu Dong for the best California - Shanghai flight prices

You are more likely to see cheaper flights to Shanghai from California when booking weeks ahead of your departure date. In general, you can expect to find flights to Shanghai for around $930 when searching weeks out. However, flight prices might be lower outside of this timeframe. For example, people recently found flights to Shanghai from California for as low as $870 on momondo.

There are 4 cabin classes available to choose from on California to Shanghai flights. Cabin price and availability will vary by airline so perform a search above to find the right deals for you.

Cathay Pacific, Korean Air, and Japan Airlines are the most popular carriers operating from California to Shanghai

United Airlines, Cathay Pacific and China Eastern are the top three most popular airlines that fly to Shanghai from California according to our data. United Airlines is the first choice among our users, with 30% of people opting to fly with this airline when traveling to Shanghai. Keep in mind that there are 16 different airlines that fly to Shanghai on a routine basis, so you have a few additional options to choose from.

As of March 2026, 5 flights take off from California and land in Shanghai each day. The most common flight departure time for this route is 1:00PM, with 100% of daily flights taking off in the afternoon.

As of March 2026, 36 flights take off from California and land in Shanghai each week. The most common flight departure day for this route is Sat, with 17% of weekly flights taking off on this day.