Chinese carrier China Southern currently offers remarkably cheap tickets for one-way travel to its native China, selling tickets to Shanghai Pudong airport for as little as €216 (~HUF 84,875) with a change of planes in Guangzhou.
Since the city is not only a worthwhile destination on its own, but also a major transport hub, you can reach many Asian and Australian destinations in the next step of your trip.
Until December 2025, citizens of Hungary, Belgium, Ireland, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Austria, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Germany and Spain may enter China for 15 days without applying for a visa.
Our availability calendar highlights all possible flight dates at the lowest price. It will forward you to Skyscanner with your selected flight date. The flight arrives in China one day after departing in Europe.
Long-haul flights are operated by China Southern’s Boeing 787 fleet. You can expect a state-of-the-art seat with power outlets and personal inflight entertainment for the ten-hour ride to Guangzhou. Since Guangzhou to Shanghai is a high-demand connection, you will probably find yourself in another widebody (like an Airbus A330) on your way to China’s East Coast.
Search & Book
Tickets are on sale without a sales period for travel between the end of August and late October. Since the Chinese national holidays include the first two weeks of October, we recommend avoiding visiting the country during that time: Sights and cities are overcrowded and hotel prices spike.
Google Flights helps you find additional flight dates or destinations, as many other Chinese cities are just €100 more expensive. You can find the cheapest tickets on Skyscanner, but might want to consider booking directly on China Southern’s website.
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.
Miles & Points
China Southern issues these tickets in booking class T, resulting in the following credits:
- 1,493 Award Miles on Flying Blue
- 1,493 Award Miles on Vietnam Airlines Lotusmiles
- 1,493 RDM + 298 MQD on Delta SkyMiles
Destination
Information & Tips for Shanghai
Shanghai is the most important financial and commercial center of China. But not only business travelers are welcome here. Also, regular tourists can get there money’s worth. And this is great because the city is connected to many major airports and therfor we’ll often present you with good deals for flights to Shanghai.
Best Time to Visit
Since Shanghai is located in a subtropical climate zone, spring and autumn are the best travel times thanks to moderate temperatures and a few rainy days. April, May, September, and October are particularly suitable for a visit to the Chinese city thanks to the low rainfall and humidity.
From the airport to the city
Shanghai Pudong Airport is located 40km east of the city center. Probably the fastest and most exciting method is the Maglev. The magnetic levitation train takes only 7 minutes, and with costs of around 5€ it is also a rather inexpensive (and of course faster!) alternative to a taxi, which would cost about 20€.
→ All Dealz for Shanghai
Cover Picture: © Robynne Hu