Shanghai Airports Guide 2026: Pudong vs Hongqiao & Cheap Flights

Shanghai Flights

Pudong vs. Hongqiao Comparison

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Shanghai is an incredibly close and exciting destination,

located just a quick 2-hour flight

from Seoul, South Korea!

With China's visa-free entry policy extended,

it's become a super popular spot for spontaneous weekend getaways or quick city breaks.

When searching for flights to Shanghai,

you'll likely come across two main options: Gimpo to Hongqiao (GMP-SHA) and Incheon to Pudong (ICN-PVG).

Depending on which airport you choose, your travel convenience and itinerary can look quite different!

In this guide, I’ll compare the two airports, share my firsthand flight experiences, and reveal how you can snag the best flight deals to Shanghai! ❣️

Shanghai Airport Comparison: Pudong vs. Hongqiao

Shanghai is served by two main airports:

Pudong International Airport (PVG) and

Hongqiao International Airport (SHA).

When planning your first trip to Shanghai,

choosing between these two is usually the most confusing part.

Pudong Airport is a massive international hub

located on the far east side of Shanghai.

Since the vast majority of international flights land here,

most flights departing from Incheon

will arrive at Pudong.

The airport is massive, well-equipped with duty-free shops, lounges,

and plenty of great amenities.

The downside, however, is its distance from the city center. Getting to major spots like East Nanjing Road or The Bund usually takes about 45 minutes to an hour.

On the bright side, you have plenty of transit options like Metro Line 2, airport buses, and taxis,

giving you a lot of flexibility on how to get into town.

On the other hand, Hongqiao Airport is located on the west side of Shanghai. Its biggest advantage is definitely its proximity to the city center.

If you look at the map above, the area marked "Shanghai" is the heart of the city's tourism—and you can see that Hongqiao is significantly closer!

If you're heading to West Nanjing Road or the Jing'an area, it only takes about 30 minutes by taxi,

making it incredibly convenient for travelers.

Another huge perk is that Hongqiao is a major transportation hub. With the Hongqiao Railway Station right next door, it's super easy to catch a high-speed train to nearby cities like Suzhou or Hangzhou.

To put it simply, you can think of them like this:

Pudong Airport = Incheon Airport (Large, major international hub)

Hongqiao Airport = Gimpo Airport (Smaller, closer to town, quick processing)

✔️ Pudong Airport (PVG)

- Main international hub

- Massive airport scale

- Wide variety of duty-free shops and facilities

- About 1 hour travel time to the city center

- Immigration and customs can take some time

✔️ Hongqiao Airport (SHA)

- Close to the city center

- Direct flights from Gimpo (Seoul)

- Smaller scale but much easier to navigate

- Directly connected to the high-speed railway hub

- Super quick immigration and customs

If you're on a tight schedule, Hongqiao is a fantastic choice.

But if you want more flight options and don't mind a slightly longer commute, Pudong is the go-to.

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Flying Korean Air to Shanghai Pudong Airport

I actually ended up visiting Shanghai three times last year!

For my third trip, I flew on the

Korean Air Incheon-Pudong route departing from Incheon.

My itinerary had me arriving at Shanghai Pudong Airport, and since the flight is only about 2 hours, it's a super easy and comfortable distance to travel.

There are actually quite a few flights heading to Shanghai

departing from Incheon Airport.

With flag carriers like Korean Air and Asiana Airlines,

as well as several Chinese airlines operating flights,

you have a wide range of flight times to choose from.

When I arrived at the boarding gate,

I noticed quite a mix of business travelers alongside regular tourists on the Shanghai route.

The seats were standard economy, and since it’s a short-haul flight, it was perfectly comfortable without any issues.

Even though the flight with Korean Air is just 2 hours, they served a proper in-flight meal,

living up to their reputation as a full-service carrier (FSC).

Here are photos of the in-flight meals from my flights there and back.

The biggest perk is that there's a great variety of in-flight entertainment with Korean language support. Though, to be honest, for a 2-hour flight, just watching pre-downloaded YouTube videos is more than enough! haha

After about a two-hour flight, we landed at Pudong Airport.

Because the airport is so massive, it took a bit of time to walk all the way to immigration.

Still, the airport facilities are very well-organized, so navigating your way around is super straightforward.

After clearing customs, I took a pre-booked airport pickup taxi

to the city center, which took about 50 minutes

to reach downtown Shanghai.

If you're visiting for a business trip

or if it's your very first time in China, I highly recommend booking an airport pickup taxi!

It saves you the hassle of wandering around trying to locate the Didi pickup zone, and then trying to coordinate with your driver in a chaotic crowd.

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For reference, taking a Didi taxi costs around ~$20,

while booking a private airport pickup in advance is about ~$24.

Now you see why I highly recommend it, right? ❣️

Trip.com is currently running a special super-deal discount

on airport pickups, so definitely check that out too!

Flying China Eastern Airlines to Shanghai Hongqiao Airport

For my other two visits to Shanghai,

I used the Gimpo-Hongqiao route.

I flew with China Eastern Airlines.

While there were many Chinese passengers, there were no issues with odors or any discomfort at all.

As expected, Gimpo Airport was wonderfully uncrowded...!

The check-in line looks long, right?

But I've never spent more than 20 minutes waiting here... haha!

The flight time was only about 2 hours!

China Eastern Airlines is a full-service carrier (FSC),

and on the outbound flight from Gimpo to Hongqiao, they served light drinks and desserts,

while on the way back from Hongqiao to Gimpo, we got a full in-flight meal!

The absolute best part about Hongqiao Airport is definitely its location.

Because the travel time between the city center and the airport is so short,

planning our itinerary for the last day of the trip was a total breeze!

I took a taxi from my hotel,

and arrived at the airport in just about 30 minutes.

Since it's a smaller airport compared to Pudong,

check-in and security were insanely

quick and seamless.

The China Eastern plane itself was quite spacious,

and the in-flight meal on our return flight was actually pretty decent! 👍🏻

However, the duty-free and shopping areas are much smaller

compared to Pudong, so if you're planning a massive airport shopping spree,

you might find it a bit underwhelming.

But landing back at Gimpo Airport made getting back into downtown Seoul

so much faster and more convenient.

Shanghai Flight Prices

& How to Book Them Cheap

Flight prices to Shanghai can vary quite a bit

depending on the season and when you book.

Especially with the recent surge in travel demand to China,

prices can skyrocket during peak seasons,

so booking in advance is absolutely key!

Typically, round-trip flights to Shanghai

fall into these price ranges:

✔️Weekdays

Around ~$130 - ~$190

✔️Weekend-inclusive trips

Around ~$190 - ~$250

✔️Last-minute or peak season

Over ~$320

These days, I usually book my flights through Trip.com.

It's often cheaper than other travel booking sites,

and it feels a lot more reliable.

(I once booked through a site like Ag*da, and the reservation number

wouldn't let me check in online;;;)

What's great about Trip.com is that they regularly run flight discount coupons and mega sale events.

Right now, they're running an ultra-low-price mega sale,

so I highly recommend heading over to check it out.

If you book during these event periods,

you can often snag tickets at a much lower price

than the standard rates.

Plus, if you combine it with card discounts or app-exclusive coupons,

the savings can get even bigger!

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Also, when searching for flights,

departure airport,

arrival airport, and

departure time.

It's a great idea to play around with these three variables to compare options.

Even on the exact same date, flight prices can vary

quite significantly depending on the time of day.

So, when you're planning your trip to Shanghai,

be sure to check out Trip.com's discount events too.

This way, you can book your flights

at a much more reasonable price!

When planning your Shanghai adventure,

which airport you choose to fly into and out of

can make a huge difference in your travel convenience.

By choosing an airport that matches your itinerary and route, you'll enjoy a much smoother and comfortable trip to Shanghai.

Don't forget to check Trip.com's special promos when booking your flights to lock in the best deals! 😆

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