Book Cheap Flights from Manila (MNL) to Shanghai (PVG) - Ticket Prices & Deals from USD 110.19

Manila to Shanghai: A Well-Served Nonstop Route to China's Financial Capital

Shanghai is China's largest city and its commercial and financial center, home to the futuristic Pudong skyline on one side of the Huangpu River and a century of colonial-era architecture on the other. It's also one of the better-served nonstop routes the Philippines has into mainland China, with several airlines competing on the pairing rather than a single carrier holding the route to itself. That competition tends to work in travelers' favor on both price and schedule choice, making Shanghai one of the more flexible East Asian nonstop options out of Manila. Business travelers, students, and leisure travelers all show up in meaningful numbers on this route, reflecting Shanghai's dual role as both a major business hub and an increasingly popular short-haul city break for Southeast Asian travelers.

Fares for Manila to Shanghai Flights

Round-trip fares on this route start from USD 110.19. Because several airlines compete on the nonstop rather than one carrier setting the market alone, fares tend to move more responsively to demand than on a single-operator route, and it's worth comparing more than one airline before booking. Fares climb around Chinese New Year and the Philippine Christmas season, when both sides of the route see a surge in family and holiday travel, and booking six to eight weeks ahead generally beats a last-minute purchase. Because the route is split across four operators, a fare that looks high on one airline's site is often worth checking against the other three before assuming it's the market rate for your travel dates.

Yearly Price Patterns

Expect the highest fares around Chinese New Year, usually falling in late January or February depending on the lunar calendar, when domestic Chinese travel spikes nationwide and international routes into major hubs like Shanghai feel the ripple effect. A second bump shows up around the Philippine Christmas and New Year period. The quieter, more affordable months tend to fall in the shoulder periods of March-May and September-November, once both countries' major holiday travel has cleared. Shanghai's own climate also makes these shoulder months genuinely pleasant to visit, sidestepping both the humid summer heat and the damp chill of the city's winter.

Daily Schedule and Frequency

With four airlines splitting the route between them, Manila-Shanghai runs close to daily once all the schedules are combined, even though no single carrier flies it every day on its own. This gives travelers more departure-time choices than a typical single-carrier route, and it's worth comparing which airline's schedule best matches your preferred departure window rather than defaulting to whichever fare shows up first. Travelers with tight connections on either end should factor in that different airlines use different terminals at both Manila and Shanghai, so a same-day onward connection needs its own separate check regardless of which carrier you fly.

Airlines on the Manila-Shanghai Route

China Eastern operates the most frequent nonstop service on this pairing, reflecting Shanghai's status as the airline's home hub. Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific both fly the route several times a week as well, giving Filipino travelers a home-carrier option on both the full-service and budget ends. Juneyao Air, a Shanghai-based private carrier, rounds out the field with a smaller number of weekly flights. With four airlines to choose from, comparing schedules and fares across all of them on Traveloka is worth the extra few minutes.

Nonstop Flight and Duration

This is a genuine nonstop route with no layover, taking roughly 3 hours 30 minutes in the air, one of the shorter international legs out of Manila given how close Shanghai sits. Because multiple carriers fly it, actual departure times vary meaningfully across the day, from early-morning to late-evening options depending on which airline you book. That spread of departure times is one of the underrated advantages of a multi-carrier route like this one — a short flight means the choice of departure time often matters more to travelers than shaving a few minutes off an already-quick journey.

Origin Airport: Ninoy Aquino International Airport

Flights depart from Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Manila, reachable from anywhere in Metro Manila by taxi, ride-hailing apps, or the P2P airport bus network. Because four different airlines serve this route from different terminals at NAIA, double-check your specific terminal against your booking confirmation rather than assuming it matches a previous Manila departure on a different airline.

Arriving at Shanghai Pudong International Airport

Shanghai Pudong International Airport sits well outside the city center, roughly 40 to 60 minutes from downtown by road depending on traffic, though the high-speed Maglev train covers the first leg into the city in under 10 minutes before connecting to the metro, a novelty worth trying even if the metro connection adds back some of the time saved. Taxis and ride-hailing apps are also available, and the airport's two terminals are large enough that allowing extra time to navigate check-in and security is a good habit on this route.

Cabin Class Options

Cabin options vary by airline on this route. China Eastern and Philippine Airlines both offer Business Class alongside Economy, giving travelers a lie-flat option on the shorter regional legs. Cebu Pacific and Juneyao Air are typically economy-focused, with optional paid extras like extra legroom seating. Comparing cabin configurations across all four carriers is worth doing if seat comfort matters as much as price for your trip.

Why Travelers Head to Shanghai

The Bund's riverside promenade, lined with early-20th-century buildings on one side and facing the futuristic Pudong skyline across the water on the other, is Shanghai's signature view and a must for any first visit. The Oriental Pearl Tower and the Shanghai Tower both offer observation decks over the city, Yu Garden's classical Chinese architecture sits in the middle of a busy old-town shopping district, and Nanjing Road's pedestrian shopping street connects the Bund to People's Square. Shanghai Disneyland, a bit further out, is a popular family add-on, and the canal town of Zhujiajiao makes for an easy half-day escape from the city. Xintiandi's mix of restored lane houses and modern bars and restaurants gives a different flavor of old-meets-new Shanghai than the Bund's grander riverside architecture, and it's worth a stop for travelers who want to see the city's cafe and nightlife scene up close.

Festivals and Events in Shanghai

The Shanghai International Film Festival each June is one of Asia's biggest film events, filling cinemas across the city for two weeks. The Mid-Autumn Festival, usually in September or October depending on the lunar calendar, brings mooncakes and lantern displays across the city's parks and old-town areas. Chinese New Year, the biggest holiday on the calendar, transforms Shanghai with red decorations and family celebrations, though it's also when much of the city's own population travels home, so some smaller businesses close for the holiday period. Travelers planning a trip specifically around Chinese New Year should book both flights and hotels earlier than usual, since domestic Chinese travel volume during this period is enormous and it puts real pressure on both.

Where to Stay in Shanghai

Pudong, across the river from the historic Bund, puts you close to the financial district's skyline and its cluster of luxury hotels with river views. The former French Concession, on the other side of the river, offers leafy streets, boutique cafes, and a slower pace that contrasts with Pudong's high-rise energy. Jing'an, a bit further from the river, is a solid middle-ground base with strong shopping and dining options and easy metro access to both other areas. Xuhui, south of the French Concession, offers a quieter, more residential alternative that's still well connected by metro for travelers who don't need to be in the thick of the busiest districts.

Entry Requirements and Practical Travel Tips

Philippine passport holders need a Chinese visa arranged in advance for a Shanghai trip, since the Philippines is not on mainland China's visa-exemption list, so plan the application well ahead of your travel dates rather than assuming a visa-on-arrival or transit-free option applies to a straightforward Shanghai city trip. China's currency is the yuan (RMB), and Shanghai keeps the same time as Manila year-round, which is a genuinely convenient feature of this route compared to most other international destinations out of the Philippines.

Alternative Routes to China

If Shanghai doesn't fit your plans, Manila to Beijing and Manila to Hong Kong are both well-served alternatives into other major Chinese gateway cities, useful if you're comparing destinations or planning a longer multi-city China trip. For broader entry-rule context, see Traveloka's China page before finalizing your visa application.

Book Manila to Shanghai Flights on Traveloka

With four airlines competing on this route, Traveloka makes it easy to compare fares, schedules, and cabin options side by side rather than checking each airline separately. Set a Price Alert to catch fare movements, and use Easy Reschedule if your plans shift after booking. With flexible payment options and 24/7 support, Traveloka keeps the extra choice on this route working in your favor rather than adding complexity, whether you're chasing the lowest fare or the most convenient departure time.