Shanghai: €1,399 Hainan Airlines Business Class from Oslo (Long Beijing Layover, Stopover Possible)

Hainan Airlines is offering a business class deal from Oslo to Shanghai, starting at just €1,399 (~NOK 16,416). This fare includes 2×32 kg checked luggage and all the business class perks.

To get the cheapest fare, you have to accept a long layover in Beijing on the inbound flight. You can turn it into a stopover, with the price increasing by roughly €80. Departures are scattered from August to October 2025.

Our availability calendar highlights all possible flight dates at the lowest price for trips up to 28 days. It will forward you to Skyscanner with your selected flight dates. From there, you can proceed to Hainan or check what OTAs have to offer, as they sell these tickets up to €100 cheaper:

First, you will fly from Oslo to Beijing on an Airbus A330 with lie-flat business class seats in a 1-2-1 pattern. You can find a review of the product here. From Beijing to Shanghai, you will fly on a Boeing 787 with 1-2-1 lie-flat seats as well. The outbound flight has a long layover in Beijing that you can use to explore the Chinese capital.

Search & Book

This fare doesn’t have an expiration date. We found availability at a low price from August to October 2025. There don’t seem to be any restrictions regarding the minimum stay. However, you can stay for a maximum of 12 months.

You can find the flights on Google Flights, but prices are roughly €100 higher than advertised. Alternatively, searching through the ITA Matrix is an option. Use the routing code HU+ to display only flights with Hainan Airlines.

We recommend booking directly with Hainan, but you can find cheaper prices with Skyscanner. However, booking on OTAs has its downsides.

Why is booking with an airline better than with an online travel agency?

More often than not, online travel agencies offer lower fares than airlines do. We still recommend booking with the airlines directly. There are two main reasons for that:

Better Customer Service
In case any problems like delays, cancellations or missed connections arise, you can communicate directly with the airline. The airline has to take care of you because you have a contract with them.

If a travel agency issues your ticket, you may have to reach out to them first. You also depend on your OTA to forward information like flight changes instead of receiving them directly from the airline. In many cases, you may get a prime exhibition of responsibility shifting rather than problem-solving.

This especially applies to premium tickets. You don’t want to spend more than €1,000 to wind up with some budget OTA’s telephone hotline in case anything goes wrong.

Baggage and Other Fees
Economy fares not including hold luggage are industry standard by now. In most cases, travel agencies charge much higher baggage fees than the airlines themselves. If bags are not included in your fare, airlines are often the cheaper alternative.

This also applies to other things like food services, insurances or priority treatment. In almost all cases, you pay less for additional amenities when booking on the airlines’ website.

Stopover in Beijing

This deal offers the possibility of booking a free stopover in Beijing on your way to or from Shanghai. To find it, you’ll need to use Google Flights and tinker with the dates until you find a suitable option. From there, you can click to book directly with Hainan Airlines. Here is an example we found for NOK 17,344 (~€1,478) for October:

Miles & Points

This ticket is issued in booking class R for the Oslo-Beijing route and in booking class C for the Beijing-Shanghai route. Since Hainan Airlines isn’t part of a major alliance, your earning options are limited.

Destination

Information & Tips for Shanghai

Shanghai is known for its stunning skyline, with landmarks like the Oriental Pearl Tower, the Bund, and the futuristic Pudong district. The city also offers cultural sights like the Yuyuan Garden and the Shanghai Museum. The currency is the Chinese yuan (CNY), and credit cards are widely accepted. Shanghai is a relatively expensive city, particularly in tourist areas, but affordable options are available for food and accommodation. The weather is humid subtropical, with hot, rainy summers and mild winters, making the best time to visit during spring and autumn when temperatures are more comfortable.

We’ve compared various esim providers, such as eSIM4Travel, RedteaGo, and Textr. To see which plan is best for your travel needs and which network offers the best coverage, feel free to read our detailed guide:

The Best eSIM Plans for China 🇨🇳 Compared

→ All Dealz for Shanghai

Information & Tips for Beijing

Beijing, China’s capital, is home to major historical sites like the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, the Summer Palace, and nearby sections of the Great Wall. The local currency is the Chinese yuan (CNY), and mobile payments via apps like WeChat Pay or Alipay are more common than cash or cards. Prices vary—public transport and local food are inexpensive, while hotels and tourist areas can be more costly. The weather includes hot, humid summers and cold, dry winters, with spring and autumn offering milder, more comfortable conditions.

We’ve compared various esim providers, such as eSIM4Travel, RedteaGo, and Textr. To see which plan is best for your travel needs and which network offers the best coverage, feel free to read our detailed guide:

The Best eSIM Plans for China 🇨🇳 Compared

→ All Dealz for Beijing

Cover Picture: The Bund, Shanghai | Ditmar Lange