Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) is China’s busiest international gateway and one of the world’s major air hubs. It is one of the two airports serving Shanghai, the other one being Shanghai–Hongqiao (SHA), which serves mostly domestic flights.
The airport is located around 40 km east of downtown Shanghai, near the coast of Pudong (hence the name), and is connected by a direct rail link.
PVG handled more than 76 million passengers in 2024, making it the top airport in China, just ahead of Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (CAN). Roughly half of that traffic was international.
Major Airlines - China Eastern Airlines, Shanghai Airlines
PVG is the primary hub for China Eastern Airlines. It operates over 6000 flights monthly to more than 150 destinations, making it by far the biggest airline at PVG.
Other large Chinese airlines that also use Shanghai Pudong as a hub include:
Shanghai Airlines: Serves over 55 destinations, most of which are domestic.
Air China: The flag carrier operates services to a handful of destinations in the Chinese mainland and neighboring countries.
Juneyao: Operates around 2000 flights per month to more than 75 destinations.
China Southern Airlines: Another major Chinese carrier with up to 2000 monthly flights, most of which are domestic or regional.
PVG is also a significant operating base for Spring Airlines, a prominent Chinese low-cost carrier.
As a global airport, Shanghai receives flights from some of the largest airlines in the world. The following carriers connect the megapolis with their hubs across the world:
Aeroflot flies to Moscow (SVO)
Air France flies to Paris (CDG)
British Airways flies to London (LHR)
Delta Air Lines flies to Detroit (DTW), Los Angeles (LAX), and Seattle-Tacoma (SEA).
Emirates flies to Dubai (DXB)
Japan Airlines flies to Tokyo Haneda (HND), Tokyo Narita (NRT), and Osaka (KIX)
KLM flies to Amsterdam (AMS)
Singapore Airlines flies to Singapore (SIN)
Turkish Airlines flies to Istanbul (IST)
United Airlines flies to Los Angeles (LAX) and San Francisco (SFO)
In all, Shanghai Pudong is served by more than 80 airlines and is among the 10 busiest airports in the world.
See a list of all airlines at PVG here.
Terminal Layout and Gates of PVG
PVG spans two main terminals: Terminal 1 (T1) and Terminal 2 (T2), plus a massive satellite concourse known as S1/S2, linked via an underground automated people mover (APM).
Terminal 1 opened in 1999 to serve both domestic and international flights via 28 gates. Airlines at T1 include China Eastern, Shanghai Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and JAL, with the others being mostly members of SkyTeam. It handles about 20 million passengers annually. A fun fact: the terminal is shaped like a seagull to symbolize Shanghai's rise in the new century.
Terminal 2 began operations in 2008. It serves mainly Air China, Juneyao, Spring Airlines, and Star Alliance member airlines. It includes gates numbered 50 to 98 across domestic (C gates) and international (D gates) zones.
The S1/S2 satellite concourse opened in 2019. It is the world’s largest terminal satellite, featuring 90 boarding bridges and 120 aprons. It’s connected to T1 and T2, respectively, via two APM lines - the West one connects T1 with S1, while the East one connects T2 with S2. The satellite concourses are used by airlines from the connected terminal.
See all the 230+ destinations you can reach by a direct flight from Shanghai.
Connecting Flights and Transit at PVG
Having a transit at Shanghai should not be a cause for concern. The terminals are well organized, large enough to give you plenty of places to explore or restaurants to choose from, but manageable with signage and navigation.
Domestic-to-domestic transits are trivial. Proceed to the domestic boarding area after you confirm your boarding pass and pass Security.
International-to-domestic (and vice versa) transits will go through Immigration in Shanghai. After the Security, Customs, and Immigration check, proceed to the Domestic waiting area or the International transit zone, respectively.
Those traveling internationally through Shanghai Airport who will not enter China can remain within the International Transit Area until their next flight. This does not require a visa.
The above assumes you are through checked and flying with the same airline. Your luggage must be checked to the final destination; otherwise, retrieving it involves clearing Immigration.
Flying with different airlines (self-transfer) will require a visa. China’s visa-free policy for stays of up to 144 hours may be a good option if this is you.
To transfer between the main terminals and satellite halls, use the Automated People Mover (APM).
WiFi at Shanghai Airport
There is free Wi-Fi across all terminals and concourses, but connecting requires receiving an OTP code. Chinese numbers have no trouble with that, but most international travelers would not have a local phone number. International numbers either take a long time to receive the OTP code or never receive it at all.
The alternative is to use one of the help kiosks to print out a Wi-Fi access code. Unfortunately, all of them are located after Security (airside). Thus, connecting to the internet before your flight is relatively easy, but doing so after landing and clearing Security and Immigration may prove impossible.
If you have a Boingo Wireless account, you can use the Boingo network instead.
Lounges, mostly airside, also offer dedicated Wi-Fi networks.
Lounges at PVG
There are several lounges to choose from at Shanghai Airport, situated within both terminals:
China Eastern Airlines No. 101 & No. 137 Lounges: Located in T2 near Gate 101 & Gate 137. Accepts Priority Pass and features showers, a children’s area, beds, and snacks.
First Class Lounge (No. 9), located between Gates 8 and 9.
No. 77 Lounge near Gate 77 with premium amenities.
China Southern Sky Pearl Lounge near Gate 152.
Emirates Lounge, located near Gate D75 and open during specific hours, typically before an Emirates flight.
Cathay Pacific Business Lounge: Found in the satellite. It offers a gourmet noodle bar, dumplings, a buffet, and relaxed seating with power access. It is one of the nicest lounges at PVG.
Dining Options at Shanghai Pudong Airport
Shanghai Airport offers a variety of dining options, including Chinese fast-food, international restaurants, coffee shops, and bakeries, both before and after security, as well as within all terminals and the satellite building.
Some of the places to eat or drink to choose from include:
Starbucks: Several locations in T1 and T2.
Burger King: near Boarding Gate D71-75, 3F, T2, as well as on 4F in the Satellite Building 1.
Tai Hing Restaurant: near the Domestic Security Check in T1. Offers Hong Kong-style BBQ.
Han Xiang Yuan: near Boarding Gate 21 in T1. Offers Korean cuisine.
Sunya (Xin Ya Cha Shi): On the 4th floor of S1. Offers Cantonese cuisine.
E Jiang Chaoshan Marinated Goose Fair: Also on floor 4 of S1. Offers meals with goose meat.
Hui Lau Shan: near Boarding Gate D71-D75 in T2. Offers various Chinese and Hong Kong cuisines.
The Aviator Bar: On F2 of T2, near International Arrivals. Offers both Western and Chinese food.
Henki Dessert: Near Boarding Gate C91-C98 in Domestic Departures. Offers drinks and desserts.
Transport to and from Shanghai Airport
PVG is exceptionally well-connected to the city.
The Shanghai Maglev Train links PVG to Longyang Road station in about 8 minutes, reaching speeds of 430 km/h. It operates between 06:45 AM and 9:30 PM daily and costs ¥50 for a one-way ticket.
The Airport Link suburban railway began operations in late 2024 to offer a new high-speed connection to Shanghai East Station. This is a 40 km route that connects Hongqiao Airport Terminal 2 in Minhang District to Shanghai East railway station in Pudong.
The Metro Line 2 also connects both terminals to central Shanghai. Its operating hours are 6 AM to 10 PM, and it runs to People's Square and Hongqiao Airport, with single tickets costing ¥8.
Given the availability of trains and the metro, buses are not particularly convenient, but could be useful for particular destinations around the city.
Notable bus lines are:
Line 1 to Hongqiao Airport.
Line 2 to the City Air Terminal at Jing'an Temple.
Night Line, which runs every 45 minutes from 11 PM onwards and is the only transport from/to the airport overnight, besides taxis. It serves Longyang Rd Station, East Hospital, Middle Zhejiang Rd, Shimen 1st Rd, and Huashan Rd.
Taxis are expensive compared to public transport options, but offer more comfort. The fare to the city is around ¥200 with a surcharge of 30% at night. Taxi stands are right outside the Arrival areas of both terminals.
To see private transfer options, click here.
Parking at PVG
Parking options include 2 short-term parking lots near each terminal entrance, plus a longer-term lot composed of 4 buildings accessible by a free 24-hour shuttle bus service.
P1 and P2 are intended for short-term stays. The first 2 hours of stay cost ¥10/hour, then the charge drops to ¥5 per hour. The maximum daily charge is ¥130. Parking for less than 20 minutes incurs no charge.
P4 is the long-term garage and the largest parking garage in Shanghai. It has 4 buildings (A, B, C, and D), with each spanning 7 floors, with a total of over 5300 parking spaces.
Parking at P4 is free for the first 20 minutes. Then, it’s charged ¥5 per hour, for a maximum of ¥60 per day.
Hotels near Shanghai Pudong Airport
Two hotels sit inside the airport’s terminals:
Da Zhong Airport Hotel: Located right in the middle between T1 and T2, this airport hotel is perfect for layover stays.
Holiday Inn Shanghai Pudong Airport: A brand new airport hotel with modern amenities and some surprisingly high-tech details. It presents good value for money, given its location within the terminal.
Outside the terminals, but still within the airport grounds, you can find the Ramada Pudong Airport Shanghai - a 4-star hotel with big rooms, wonderful breakfast, and a shuttle to and from the airport every half hour.
Shanghai, China
