R6 790 Find Cheap Flights to Shanghai

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a KAYAK user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight to Shanghai departing on 18/7. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel. Click the price to replicate the search for this deal.
1 adult
1 adult, Economy, 0 bags

KAYAK searches hundreds of travel sites at once for deals on flights to Shanghai

 
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results for flights to Shanghai
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results for flights to Shanghai
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Everything you should know

Cheapest return fare
R11 955
Typical prices: R16 235-R12 735
Singapore Airlines
Wed 22/7Thu 13/8
JNB - PVG • 1 stop
Cheapest one-way flight
R6 790
Typical prices: R7 423-R8 804
Qatar Airways
Sat 18/7
JNB - PVG • 1 stop
When to book
in advance
Our data shows that travellers who book at least 10 weeks in advance save around 26% compared to booking last minute.
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KAYAK searches hundreds of sites at once to find you the best travel deals.
We hope you love your trip to Shanghai!
Flight Deals
Booking Insights
Flight Deals

Cheap Flights to Shanghai

 
Here are some of the best deals found on KAYAK recently from the most popular airlines for return flights to Shanghai that are departing in the next months. While these flights were available on KAYAK in the last 72 hours, prices and availability are subject to change and deals may expire.
Discover the best prices for you by selecting your travel dates on KAYAK.

Recent return flight deals to Shanghai

Wed, Jul 22 - Thu, Aug 13
Singapore Airlines Logo
20:25 - 6:35
JNB
-
PVG
28h 10m
1 stop
Singapore Airlines Logo
16:50 - 19:20
PVG
-
JNB
32h 30m
1 stop
R11 955Singapore Airlines
Fri, Jul 24 - Fri, Jul 31
Qatar Airways Logo
14:05 - 21:50
JNB
-
PVG
25h 45m
1 stop
Qatar Airways Logo
18:50 - 9:10
PVG
-
JNB
20h 20m
1 stop
R12 345Qatar Airways
Wed, Jul 22 - Thu, Aug 13
Singapore Airlines Logo
20:25 - 18:05
JNB
-
PVG
39h 40m
1 stop
Singapore Airlines Logo
14:30 - 19:20
PVG
-
JNB
34h 50m
1 stop
R12 458Singapore Airlines
Thu, Oct 1 - Tue, Oct 13
Qatar Airways Logo
14:45 - 16:20
JNB
-
PVG
19h 35m
1 stop
Qatar Airways Logo
0:35 - 15:20
PVG
-
JNB
20h 45m
1 stop
R12 475Qatar Airways
Sat, Sep 5 - Sat, Sep 12
Qatar Airways Logo
20:55 - 22:35
JNB
-
PVG
19h 40m
1 stop
Qatar Airways Logo
18:40 - 9:00
PVG
-
JNB
20h 20m
1 stop
R12 718Qatar Airways
Tue, Dec 1 - Sat, Dec 5
Qatar Airways Logo
20:20 - 21:45
JNB
-
PVG
19h 25m
1 stop
Qatar Airways Logo
23:35 - 15:35
PVG
-
JNB
22h 00m
1 stop
R12 735Qatar Airways
Tue, Jul 28 - Tue, Aug 4
Singapore Airlines Logo
20:25 - 6:35
JNB
-
PVG
28h 10m
1 stop
Singapore Airlines Logo
19:10 - 19:20
PVG
-
JNB
30h 10m
1 stop
R12 783Singapore Airlines
Sun, Nov 1 - Sat, Nov 7
China Eastern Logo
9:50 - 14:55
JNB
-
SHA
23h 05m
2 stops
China Eastern Logo
15:30 - 8:20
SHA
-
JNB
22h 50m
2 stops
R16 292China Eastern
Wed, Jul 22 - Thu, Aug 13
Air China Logo
10:10 - 14:25
JNB
-
SHA
22h 15m
1 stop
Air China Logo
15:35 - 7:40
SHA
-
JNB
22h 05m
1 stop
R16 730Air China
Wed, Jul 22 - Thu, Aug 13
Air China Logo
10:10 - 15:20
JNB
-
SHA
23h 10m
1 stop
Air China Logo
8:55 - 7:40
SHA
-
JNB
28h 45m
2 stops
R16 747Air China
Booking Insights

KAYAK's insights & trends for flights to Shanghai

Get data-powered insights and trends into flights to Shanghai to help you find the cheapest flights, the best time to fly and much more.

What is the cheapest month to fly to Shanghai?

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights to Shanghai, removes the top 0.1% to account for outliers, and then takes the median of all values for each month.

The cheapest month for flights to Shanghai is March, where tickets cost R5 133 on average for return flights. On the other hand, the most expensive months are September and November, where the average cost of tickets from South Africa is R19 508 and R13 855 respectively. For one-way flights, the best month to travel is May with an average price of R4 369.

How far in advance should I book a flight to Shanghai?

To calculate weekly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each week before departure over the last year for round-trip flights to Shanghai, removes the top 0.1% to account for outliers, and then takes the average of all the values for each week.

To get a below average price, you should book around 10 weeks before departure, which saves you about 26% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 25 weeks before departure.

Which is the cheapest airport to fly into in Shanghai?

Prices will differ depending on the departure airport, but generally, the cheapest airport to fly to in Shanghai is Hangzhou Airport (HGH), with an average flight price of R3 531.

Good to know – Book Cheap Shanghai Plane Tickets

Cheapest flightR6 790
Flight from OR Tambo Airport, Johannesburg to Shanghai Pudong Airport

When to book flights to Shanghai

Are your dates flexible? Find out the best times to travel to Shanghai based on our flight data from the last year. Discover the cheapest month and even day to fly.
Estimated return price
KAYAK looks at all historical flight data for each date to provide a predicted price for one-way trips or returns with a duration up to 40 days. The information is for flights to Shanghai based on your location. While we try to provide actual minimum prices for each date, some prices are predictions and actual prices may differ.

FAQs - booking Shanghai flights

  • Which Shanghai airport is closest to central Shanghai?

    Out of the 2 airports in Shanghai, Shanghai Hongqiao Intl is the nearest to the city center (15 km). You'll travel 30 km to reach the center of Shanghai if you land in Shanghai Pudong Airport

  • How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights to Shanghai?

    KAYAK is a travel search engine. That means we look across the web to find the best prices we can find for our users. With over 2 billion flight queries processed yearly, we are able to display a variety of prices and options on flights to Shanghai.

  • How does KAYAK's flight Price Forecast tool help me choose the right time to buy my flight ticket to Shanghai?

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to Shanghai is likely to change within 7 days, so travellers know whether to wait or book now.

  • What is the Hacker Fare option on flights to Shanghai?

    Hacker Fares allow you to combine one-way tickets in order to save you money over a traditional round-trip ticket. You could then fly to Shanghai with an airline and back with another airline.

  • What is KAYAK's "flexible dates" feature and why should I care when looking for a flight to Shanghai?

    Sometimes travel dates aren't set in stone. If your preferred travel dates have some wiggle room, flexible dates will show you all the options when flying to Shanghai up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

Top tips for finding cheap flights to Shanghai

  • Enter your preferred departure airport and travel dates into the search form above to unlock the latest Shanghai flight deals.

Reviews of the top 5 airlines flying to Shanghai

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying to Shanghai. Airline scores are aggregated from all reviews left by passengers on KAYAK after flying with an airline from South Africa to Shanghai. KAYAK doesn’t show reviews that are older than 5 years. Learn how KAYAK collects reviews.
Need help choosing which airline to fly with to Shanghai? KAYAK airline reviews give an overall score for each airline based on loads of factors, including comfort, boarding, in-flight entertainment and more, to make your decision easier. See airline scores according to verified KAYAK customer reviews.
8,2
Singapore AirlinesOverall score based on 1545 reviews
8,6Crew
7,8Food
8,1Entertainment
8,3Boarding
8,0Comfort
Airline reviews

Really great service throughout and the food was really nice. I can highly recommend thank you very much.

10,0 ExcellentPeter, Apr 2026
LHR - BKI
Read more Singapore Airlines reviews

Really great service throughout and the food was really nice. I can highly recommend thank you very much.

A little more room from the reclining seat in the front of me.

Service was very good, food and entertainment systems were good

I wish there was a little more leg room between the seats. The recline was good and seats overall were comfortable. I also didn’t like the 2-4-2 configuration.

The flight arrived on time. 2×2 seating meant no one needed to sit in the middle. This was a connectibf flight from Singapore and required going to 3 counters in different levels to check a golf bag

SQ service is great as always. However, the food quality seems to have gotten a lot worse recently.

Wish the seat don’t have restrictions, can’t fully insert backpack all the way inside.

Wish the underseat compartment don’t have a restriction, can fit a personal item such as backpack fully like most Boeing

Best airline I think. No problems with anything. Crew were great, no problems with the airline food and entertainment and a smooth flight.

I have difficulties to book wheelchair for my parents returned flight

Difficult to find some food option for gluten and dairy allergy. May be a fruit salad would be better

Flight was cancelled without notification. Information on flight status was not available on Emirates's website.

Everything was perfect. Staff were informative and professional and flight boarding, flying and de-embarking was smooth. I would certainly travel with Emirates again.

It went well except at delhi airport they told me that my flight is canceled and only after talking to manager they were able to find seats for me and my wife

Milan airport was bad experience. They should be more polite.

Emirates did great! I liked the service, the food, cleanness, and the flight was on time. Much better airline than Qatar Airways I flew with last year.

The plane was old so the entertainment system was difficult to operate. The crew did advise earlier. The plane was landed and parked away from the gates, which added 20+ mins to the overall arrival

There is an issue with A380 when it arrives in Munich, because a business class passengers like me have to wait for the first class passengers to disembark, which takes some time while you are also offloading economy passengers this causes an issue at customs where your business class passengers end up behind a large bulk of economy passengers This is a frustration and the early dislocation should be and is supposed to be a benefit of business class

Love that you can walk directly to your gate from the Emirates Business class lounge, very convenient

Warm staff, very responsive service. Well furnished cabin and comfortable seat and amenities. Excellent onboard wifi connection and very large comfortable restrooms.

Seat is too small. Food selection is limited and often ran out of selectable item.

The go to HK trip will easily giving jetlag, but coming back to Chicago has no jetlag because of the time taking off matter.

Despite the crew's rough day, they were all very focused and friendly. The flight was too short for a meal, so no rating on that. Re. the AA app. It still isn't ready for prime time. AA works with Cathy Pacific for international flights to LA and the Aa jump to PHX. But the AA app can't find my trip and this can be problematic with flight delays and regatings at LAX.

Was not able to board flight because boarding pass name did not match passport name and no one caught it.

Frequently flyer number should and could have been put on at the time of booking as I gave the number when booking.

I do not think there was much that could have been done to make it better. The delayed flight was due to bad weather. The turbulent patches were very unavoidable. Am simply thankful that there were no sudden and / or sharp drops during the flight. I do extend my compliments to captain Marcus I believe was his name and the rest of the crew. They all did an excellent job. My only question is whether I get a refund since the seats I had chosen and paid for were reassigned.

The crew and the food were excellent. The plane was kept quite clean.

More meal choice. There was only pork, beef and shrimp. I could not eat any of it and they had no alternatives

Very bad. Flight got delayed and missed my transfer flight twice. Had to stay overnight in Hong Kong and the next flight booked was also delayed.i had the worst experience flying from Singapore to San Francisco. Lots of delays and rerouting.

Seat was very old. Didn’t easily go up and down. Flight Attendent had issues moving the seat. Condition of the seat was ok. Parts were peeling off by the foot area. Food was ok. Ran out of the dish I wanted so got the beef. Beef filet was very tender but the sauce was a little strange. Disembarking was very easy.

Qatar was pretty OK for their services but Arangrant was awful at theirs and frankly lied to me. Qatar offers four business class fares and only three of them allow lounge access. This is a horrible policy when you pay so much for business class and shame on them for denying the simple use of their lounges for this confusion. When I requested my business class ticket with Arangrant I knew this and specifically told them I would only purchase the lowest class business seat that would still permit me lounge access on all legs of my trip. They lied to me and said I did and then I was refused this service on my return flights. I had no less than 4-8 schedule changes and got screwed by a late departure from DCA on my double connection to JNB. I lost nearly a full day on my outbound and then had little to no use of the lounges on my outbound flights. To then be denied access on my return flights made the 27 hour trip home pretty awful. Kayak should no longer work with Arangrant as they are dishonest and liars. Qatar should price all four of their business class fares to include lounge access and stop the insanity they have forced on people. My return trip home nearly ruined my entire trip to South Africa and I blame Arangrant for telling me lies and for Qatar for offering insane rules and regulations on such expensive business class fares. For the money I paid to Qatar, I did not receive the full services I was promised. I will probably never use Arangrant and their ignorant services ever again. I will question whether I ever fly on Qatar Airways again as well. When you pay so much and get such little in return, it leaves a bad taste in your mouth. Arangrant gives the whole industry a bad name and Qatar is not far behind them. I can honestly say that the wretched service and way I was treated by both have soured me on travel companies and airlines. It is bad enough that we have an idiot, felon, racist and bigoted president and administration to contend with while he has started an illegal war, I did not expect to get screwed over by Arangrant and Qatar as well. Shame on all of you.

My journey with Qatar Airways from Ahmedabad to Jacksonville on 3rd February 2026 was truly exceptional. The entire experience reflected comfort, care, and world-class service. Complimentary high-quality Wi-Fi throughout the journey was a welcome luxury, especially on a long-haul flight. The vegetarian meals were thoughtfully prepared, delicious, and served with attention to detail, along with a fine selection of snacks and beverages. What truly elevated the experience was the cabin crew — graceful, courteous, and genuinely attentive, delivering outstanding hospitality at every step. This journey perfectly showcased the premium standard Qatar Airways is known for, and it left a lasting impression. I would gladly fly with them again.

This flight was a very good trip for us. The crew were very friendly and helpful. They made arrangements for my husband to have assistance in boarding. We were not expecting a meal, so it was a pleasant surprise on this short flight to have a meal and beverage from a very courteous crew.

Flight departed punctually on time. Unfortunately it seems because the destination airport is a secondary airport the airline sees it fit to operate a plane with lower comfort and offerings. There was no inflight entertainment, wifi or let alone a screen to at least track flight status for remaining flight time.

Our experience on the Doha to Hyderabad segment was extremely stressful due to prolonged delays and a lack of clear communication from the airline. We were traveling as a family, including children, and the uncertainty around timing and next steps caused significant distress. There was very little proactive information provided during the delay, and we were not given clear written explanations about what was happening or how long it might take. This made it difficult to manage the situation, especially while caring for children in a transit environment. In addition, one member of our party was ultimately unable to continue travel, which added to the emotional strain and disruption of the trip. Overall, the experience highlighted gaps in communication, customer care, and handling of unexpected situations. We are sharing this feedback so that future passengers, especially families, are supported with clearer communication and better assistance during irregular operations.

The seat cushions are absolutely lacking, not sure if they know the passengers are traveling for 14 hours straight, but the padding made our back and butt ache like crazy. The entertainment console had its own problems, either the headphone jack wasn't working or the power outlet via usb or ac outlet was not working. Not to mention the seat handles were not adjustable in some planes in the middle or on the aisle. Qatar may be operating a very old fleet of planes to make as much profit as possible, but passengers may not be following them for long, should this treatment of its customers continue. Qatar, wake up and do it right by your customers, or they may not be your customers anymore.

Friendly and discreet staff. Could have done with a few more offers of water/snacks overnight. Movie and tv selection notably poor. Seats not especially comfortable

I am a big person and have back pain and swelling in my legs, so this was a challenging flight due to confined space. I didn't find the crew very friendly either. I will think twice before flying long distances with Qatar again, due to the lack of legroom.

It was little disheartening and disappointing. Although flight staff did a good job. But customer service didn’t do anything to resolve my issue.

Qatar maybe considered one of the best ailines in the world but nowadays it is much of a muchness with the rest

The following is a review for a flight from Johannesburg to Washington, DC with a connection at Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and refueling landing at Rome, Italy. The flight was provided by Ethiopian Airlines. There were two of us: me and my wife on this flight. Everything was on time. Enough legroom between the seats, I was able to stretch my legs and sleep for at least some time during the 14 hour second flight (19 hours in total for both flights). Very decent meals that included two lunches and one breakfast on the flight from Addis Ababa to Washington and one lunch on the flight from Johannesburg to Addis Ababa. The lunch choices were beef, chicken and fish, I think the vegetarian option was available as well, accompanied with beans. The breakfast was a choice between egg and pancake, accompanied with a fruit salad. The egg breakfast was awesome, it came with a scrambled egg and a sausage. However, my wife mentioned unusual taste of the pancake breakfast meal, by all means those were not pancakes. What wasn't good: Externally initiated commercials on the infosystem screens, you couldn't turn the screen off. These commercials were accompanied by loud and annoying music, transmitted through the entire cabin. Obviously, there was no escape from this music as well. Additional moment: on the flight from Addis Ababa to Washington, DC, we landed at Rome for refueling. This was totally fine and it was in the flight itinerary. But, the flight attendant asked me to straighten the seat while we were at the steady position during the refueling. I can't rationalize this order except that some people just like to be a boss of some kind. Keeping the light lit in the economy cabin while keeping it dimmed in the first class also didn't improve my and my wife's feelings. Overall, the services were very good and the flight, despite its longevity, went on very smoothly.

Everything was great, the infotainment system was glitching but this was not a big deal.

The flight was very smooth, however, the quality of food was mediocre.

To the Ethiopian Airlines Customer Relations Team, I am writing to formally express my disappointment regarding my recent travel experience with Ethiopian Airlines on . Unfortunately, the level of service provided fell significantly short of the standards I expected from your airline. I would like to highlight the following serious issues encountered during the journey: • Cabin Condition and Hygiene: The aircraft cabin was notably poorly maintained. The seating area was dirty, and there was a persistent, unpleasant odor throughout the flight, which made the environment very uncomfortable for passengers. • Inadequate Service: The overall level of service provided by the staff was unsatisfactory and did not reflect a professional passenger experience. • Baggage Loss: Upon arrival, I was informed that my luggage was lost. This is particularly distressing as it has caused significant personal inconvenience and disruption to my schedule. As a frequent traveler, I value reliability and a clean cabin environment. I request that you investigate these matters immediately, provide an update on the status of my missing baggage, and outline how you intend to compensate for these failures in service. I look forward to your prompt response and a resolution to my lost luggage claim. Sincerely, Puguh

To the Ethiopian Airlines Customer Relations Team, I am writing to formally express my disappointment regarding my recent travel experience with Ethiopian Airlines on flight [I629/352] . Unfortunately, the level of service provided fell significantly short of the standards I expected from your airline. I would like to highlight the following serious issues encountered during the journey: • Cabin Condition and Hygiene: The aircraft cabin was notably poorly maintained. The seating area was dirty, and there was a persistent, unpleasant odor throughout the flight, which made the environment very uncomfortable for passengers. • Inadequate Service: The overall level of service provided by the staff was unsatisfactory and did not reflect a professional passenger experience. • Baggage Loss: Upon arrival, I was informed that my luggage was lost. This is particularly distressing as it has caused significant personal inconvenience and disruption to my schedule. As a frequent traveler, I value reliability and a clean cabin environment. I request that you investigate these matters immediately, provide an update on the status of my missing baggage, and outline how you intend to compensate for these failures in service. I look forward to your prompt response and a resolution to my lost luggage claim. Sincerely, Puguh

I will fly this going forward especially for ORD to EBB and the reverse.

I paid for internet that did not work and had to pay more to have it

The crew was unfriendly and very rude to name a few (Helina). I felt unsafe due to most of the cabinets were open while on flight. All in all the flight was ok, but the crew needed more training on customer service most of all for international flights.

Delay not posted, only departure time listed- not boarding time. We left an hour late and arrived 45 min late. Restrooms had backed up sinks and toilets not flushed ) passenger error). Lots of screen for entertainment didn’t work. But we arrived with our luggage

The plane was old and the luggage racks above us were visibly shaking during turbulence. Water was dripping on our heads during landing. Our flight was over 2 hours late departing but we were not updated or told what to expect as the screen at the gate continued to read “on time”

Everything you need to know for your flight to Shanghai

Cabin class types available on flights to Shanghai

Cabin classes available on flights to Shanghai. Prices are the lowest found on KAYAK over the last 7 days. Price and availability is not guaranteed.