R11 438 Find Cheap Flights to Shanghai

This is the cheapest return flight price found by a KAYAK user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight to Shanghai departing on 23/1. 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 438
Typical prices: R12 184-R15 352
Ethiopian Air
Fri 23/1Tue 27/1
JNB - PVG • 1 stop
Cheapest one-way flight
R11 455
Typical prices: R10 303-R12 743
Multiple Airlines
Wed 10/12
CPT - SHA • 2 stops
Start a new search
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

Fri, Jan 23 - Tue, Jan 27
Ethiopian Air Logo
14:30 - 16:15
JNB
-
PVG
19h 45m1 stop
Ethiopian Air Logo
23:30 - 13:05
PVG
-
JNB
19h 35m1 stop
R11 438Ethiopian Air
Fri, Jan 23 - Tue, Jan 27
Ethiopian Air Logo
14:30 - 16:15
JNB
-
PVG
19h 45m1 stop
Ethiopian Air Logo
23:30 - 13:05
PVG
-
JNB
19h 35m1 stop
R11 455Ethiopian Air
Mon, Jan 19 - Mon, Feb 2
Ethiopian Air Logo
14:35 - 16:15
CPT
-
PVG
19h 40m1 stop
Ethiopian Air Logo
23:30 - 13:00
PVG
-
CPT
19h 30m1 stop
R11 726Ethiopian Air
Sun, Feb 1 - Tue, Feb 24
Singapore Airlines Logo
13:40 - 14:35
JNB
-
PVG
18h 55m1 stop
Singapore Airlines Logo
13:50 - 18:35
PVG
-
JNB
34h 45m1 stop
R11 777Singapore Airlines
Mon, Jan 19 - Fri, Jan 23
Etihad Airways Logo
9:50 - 12:40
JNB
-
PVG
20h 50m1 stop
Etihad Airways Logo
14:00 - 8:20
PVG
-
JNB
24h 20m1 stop
R11 896Etihad Airways
Mon, Jan 19 - Fri, Jan 23
Etihad Airways Logo
9:50 - 12:40
JNB
-
PVG
20h 50m1 stop
Etihad Airways Logo
14:00 - 8:20
PVG
-
JNB
24h 20m1 stop
R11 913Etihad Airways
Sun, Feb 1 - Tue, Feb 24
Singapore Airlines Logo
13:40 - 14:35
JNB
-
PVG
18h 55m1 stop
Singapore Airlines Logo
8:20 - 6:10
PVG
-
JNB
27h 50m1 stop
R12 048Singapore Airlines
Fri, Mar 13 - Fri, Mar 20
Qatar Airways Logo
13:45 - 21:45
JNB
-
PVG
26h 00m1 stop
Qatar Airways Logo
23:35 - 15:35
PVG
-
JNB
22h 00m1 stop
R12 404Qatar Airways
Mon, Jan 19 - Mon, Jan 26
Air China Logo
10:10 - 16:05
JNB
-
SHA
23h 55m2 stops
Air China Logo
21:30 - 7:40
SHA
-
JNB
40h 10m2 stops
R13 404Air China
Mon, Jan 19 - Mon, Jan 26
Air China Logo
10:10 - 11:25
JNB
-
SHA
19h 15m1 stop
Air China Logo
20:30 - 7:40
SHA
-
JNB
41h 10m2 stops
R13 505Air 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.

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 1 week before departure. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 70 days 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 Shanghai Hongqiao Intl Airport, with an average flight price of R1 948.

Good to know – Book Cheap Shanghai Plane Tickets

Cheapest flightR11 438
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

  • What is the cheapest day to fly to Shanghai?

    Based on KAYAK data, the cheapest day to fly to Shanghai is Wednesday where tickets can be as cheap as R13 307. On the other hand, the most expensive day to fly is Saturday, where prices are R14 738 on average.

  • 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.

  • What is the cheapest time of day to fly to Shanghai?

    The cheapest time of day to fly to Shanghai is generally in the afternoon, when flights cost R12 685 on average. The most expensive time of day to fly to Shanghai is generally in the evening, which is peak travel time and where the average cost of a ticket is R15 761.

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.

Prefer to fly direct to Shanghai?

 
Nonstop data is based off flight results for the next 60 days. Find direct flights from all airlines flying nonstop to Shanghai.
Find which airlines fly direct to Shanghai, which days they fly and book direct flights.

Direct departures

South Africa to Shanghai

Monday

9 Air, ANA, Aeroflot, +84 more

9 Air, ANA, +85 more

Tuesday

9 Air, ANA, Aegean Airlines, +84 more

9 Air, ANA, +85 more

Wednesday

9 Air, ANA, Aeroflot, +82 more

9 Air, ANA, +83 more

Thursday

9 Air, ANA, Aegean Airlines, +85 more

9 Air, ANA, +86 more

Friday

9 Air, ANA, Aeroflot, +82 more

9 Air, ANA, +83 more

Saturday

9 Air, ANA, Aegean Airlines, +82 more

9 Air, ANA, +83 more

Sunday

9 Air, ANA, Aegean Airlines, +88 more

9 Air, ANA, +89 more

See more direct flights

Direct returns

Shanghai to South Africa

Monday

9 Air, ANA, Aeroflot, +84 more

9 Air, ANA, +85 more

Tuesday

9 Air, ANA, Aegean Airlines, +84 more

9 Air, ANA, +85 more

Wednesday

9 Air, ANA, Aeroflot, +82 more

9 Air, ANA, +83 more

Thursday

9 Air, ANA, Aegean Airlines, +85 more

9 Air, ANA, +86 more

Friday

9 Air, ANA, Aeroflot, +82 more

9 Air, ANA, +83 more

Saturday

9 Air, ANA, Aegean Airlines, +82 more

9 Air, ANA, +83 more

Sunday

9 Air, ANA, Aegean Airlines, +88 more

9 Air, ANA, +89 more

See more direct flights

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.
8,1
EmiratesOverall score based on 3431 reviews
8,0Comfort
8,2Entertainment
8,1Boarding
7,9Food
8,3Crew
Airline reviews

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

10,0 ExcellentNaveen, Nov 2025
DXB - ZRH
Read more Emirates reviews

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

Great flight - Clubhouse met our needs, and the staff provided good service. Boarding felt a little chaotic, but given the size of the aircraft, it's always going to be challenging. Whilst the crew were friendly, the number of passengers meant that we received our breakfast items, but had finished breakfast before we were served a drink. Lunch was much better organised, and throughout the flight, the crew were attentive. Found the seats and ICE to be excellent. Disembarkation was fine, and everything possible to expedite the process was being done.

It was delayed for 2 hrs. Flight attendants were not attentive.

The 2 sockets near me didjt work i had my phone by end of the flight on low bat and had issues to book uber thereafter Electrical sockets should work if emirates does not allow batteries Baggage claim in zurich took very long

This was my first time flying with Emirates. Overall, the experience was very good. I thought the seats in economy would have been a bit more comfortable, but, they seem to be on par with other airlines. The food was excellent and very satisfying. If you can afford it, I would definitely suggest upgrading to at lest premium economy seats for long haul flights.

First time and very memorable, the finest flying experience ive ever had

We arrived in line for check in at 6:15 p.m. but did not check in until 8:00 p.m. The line for economy check in was very long, and all of the desks 03-13 were not open, although most of them opened sporadically. The crew on board were very nice and helpful, friendly and kind. It has been many years since we flew Emirates (at least 17 years), and we notice that foot rests are no longer available in economy, but we were lucky enough to fly in the upper deck and appreciate your opening some of your flights to economy passengers in the upper deck. We will definitely fly on emirates more often! Thank you.

I would never have been able to make the transfer in time without asking for a wheelchair

Good flight overall. Good options of food on NY-Dubai-Mumbai leg. Not that good reversing back. The flight crew is courteous and professional as always. The seating was much more comfortable going into Mumbai than coming back. Cheers!

The plane was clean and well maintained the crew members were professionals and friendly and the food was good

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

I was in a middle seat where I felt a bit too cramped otherwise the trip was good

Airline should consider adding a small meal at the last leg of the flight, right now there is 7 hours of no meal break.

The staff on the plane were attentive and friendly. The frustration with the cabin crew was that we were served second to special diet people. And, we were in economy section. The boarding staff was mediocre. Got scolded for requesting to sit with spouse on 14 hours long flight home. Was told they cannot break up families for us. Didn’t understand how we were denied sitting together as we are husband and wife. After many words of exchange, we were accommodated. Cleaning crew did a horrible job! Bathrooms were unsanitary or dirty from beginning of flight! Didn’t expect sparkling as its economy, but did except decent.

Crew and service excellent. 2 hour delay for takeoff. SQ app showed flight on time.

Food from Surabaya was below average but from Singapore is much better

There were delays at boarding and landing. These events resulted in a tight transfer time in HK. Poor signage for transfers. Finally, lost luggage at final destination.

Super delayed. Unnecessary. Need more competent people doing logistics to keep things moving on time. Totally unacceptable.

Not much of anything could have been done better unless I had a first class ticket. I was literally 15 hours with an airline in the economy class. Very professional friendly and attentive crew. Good airline food, clean cabin, seating area and bathrooms. I've been 4 times back-and-forth with Cathay Pacific, and I would not choose another airline for this trip. Five out of five stars.

Well- trained, cheerful onboard staff. Business class seating and storage were excellent. Outstanding range of food choices, though quality ranged from just OK (seasonal rice and beef dish) to outstanding ( congee and soup noodles with beef brisket). But what can you expect; it's on a plane. I couldn't figure out the remote control, but touch screen worked well. My wife and I (in our 60s), didnt find much to watch from the Entertainment choices. We mostly watched the flight maps. The bedding did the job but is unwieldy and ends up in a clump, with one-third falling on the floor.

Leg room wasn't that great. Other than that it was a good flight

The lead business class attendant was excellent. Made a point of greeting you and knowing your name by the time you leave.

A lot of things Never flying with this airline again Had an emergency landing

Boarding at the airport was not well managed. Otherwise, had a good flight sitting in the first row (which I paid for). Crew was pretty friendly, and flight was smooth.

I am Vegetarian also has Gluten free food. However they gave me chicken and fish which is gluten free, but i am a vegetrain and i requested crew Hindu meal vegetarian, they said they will come back. .but they never showed up even i asked 2nd time. They could have compensate. I also request airline industry to have another option Gluten Free for Vegetarin people as well. Because Vegetarin people will have gluen issue...

The economy seats are incredibly tight. A large percent of the traveling public will not fit. I will not fly Cathay again because of this. You are literally squeezing passengers for profit. The CEO should fly some economy flights.

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

As good as you can expect an economy flight from Europe to Australia to be. Nothing agains Qatar, just feels like every new generation of plane gets tighter.

Crew and food was good, ok leg room if you don’t have a big box under the seat. And the seats are so narrow (I’m only 70kg), will consider an alternate airline next time

Food was absolutely pathetic. I wasted so much food which I thought was inedible. I also loathe the inflight entertainment system which has very little content

The flight was operated by IndiGo and not Qatar, which is a budget airline from India. Nevertheless, the flight was uneventful.

My flight was with American Airlines 120. The flight was delayed 3 hours and I missed my connection. When I arrived in Doha, the AA staff told me to call an 800 number to rebook a different flight, which was unacceptable. Eventually a Qatar Air staff member helped rebook me on a flight to Manila, that was 12 hours later. They offered me a hotel and meal voucher which I declined, because I didn’t want to leave the airport. Long story short, I spent 12 hours in the Doha airport waiting for my next flight.

It was excellent in all respects. I don’t think it needs any improvement

I felt that when I was rerouted it should have been to business class.

Terrible experience resolving missed connection after flight was delayed. 3 hour queue at transit desk, not enough staff, no organisation, worst ever flying experience.

Awful plane to Tashkent. Not even possible to sleep. In business class does not even recline fully

The crew was not helping us in the airports ..Very bad experience..the washrooms are not meeting the expectations..need more good service... The hotel service was good but there is a very long wait time which wasted time to go through..

Our first flight was delayed and when we got off that plane, nobody was really helping to direct us to the next gate. It was very frustrating. One staff simply said hurry, which wasn’t helpful. We had to go a long way to get to the next gate. Another issue on the plane itself was the bathrooms were disgusting and filthy and it didn’t seem like anybody was checking on them were cleaning them and it was a long flight. There was urine on the floor and they stunk. Also, the screen in front of my seat did not work, and I tried different headphones and still had no sound. You would think somehow those things are reviewed occasionally for working order.

They only gave us 30 minutes to make an international connecting flight. We didn’t make the connection but they did do a good job rebooking us despite the chaos. Our bags didn’t make it back and their process for customer support is pretty bad when it comes to luggage.

My recent experience with ASKY Airlines was disappointing. The check-in process was disorganized, and I was provided with inaccurate information regarding baggage requirements, resulting in unforeseen expenses. Additionally, the ground staff demonstrated a lack of professionalism and appeared insufficiently trained to handle passenger needs effectively. Regrettably, this initial encounter has left me reluctant to consider future travel with the airline.

The Boeing 737 MAX on this route, flown in the middle of the night, is an UTTER FAILURE for business travellers. The whole point of business travel is to arrive alert and recover from travel quickly, and this little aeroplane with its quarter recline uncomfortable business seats does nothing for that. It’s a small step up from economy in that you have decent legroom, but that’s it. Absolute margin at the cost of the traveller.

Good. Crew do seem to be less friendly- management are clearly limiting them or not empowering them as they used to.

POSITIVES The hostesses were mostly pleasant, NEGATIVES The full flight wifi was horrible, hardly able to use it. My charger port was not working which made me use my neighbour's port which resulted in an accident which ruined her flight. During dinner, meat ran out when the cart got to us forcing us to eat vegetarian which was not great. We watched everyone around us eating meat. My wifi did not transfer to the second leg of my trip as they promised as they changed the plane. I was thrown off the window seat I booked for the 2nd leg of my journey as they changed planes, all done at my expense. This was not a cheap flight ($2600) which i hurriedly had to book to attend my mother's funeral who passed away suddenly. I was honestly disappointed with the whole saga as I heard Ethiopian Airlines was one of Africa's best.

Traveling with Ethiopian is always a good experience. I also enjoy the stay at skylight hotel in Addis

The flight is packed and it feels like the space per individual has gotten smaller. Excruciating for a 14hr flight.

It was wonderful best Air lines covert and all very happy with their service they have been very helpful and friendly

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.