Compare 12 loyalty programs for San Francisco to Shanghai award flights, with economy seats from 32,812 points.
San Francisco to Shanghai is a transpacific route, and nonstop award space shows up on United Airlines. The data shows 12 programs pricing it, and the cheapest economy award is 32,812 points with Air France-KLM Flying Blue. Where you book matters as much as what you fly: the same seat can carry very different prices from one program to the next. This page compares all 12 programs on SFO–PVG side by side.
Best one-way award prices per airline over the next 12 months.
| Airline | Economy | Premium economy | Business | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 China AirlinesCI | 32,812Lowest | Not available | Not available | Not available |
 American AirlinesAA | 35,000pts | 84,000pts | 256,500pts | Not available |
 KLMKL | 35,000pts | 90,000pts | 182,900pts | Not available |
 Alaska AirlinesAS | 37,500pts | Not available | 200,000pts | 130,000Lowest |
 Cathay PacificCX | 37,500pts | Not available | Not available | Not available |
Japan AirlinesJL | 37,500pts | Not available | 110,000Lowest | 150,000pts |
Korean AirKE | 38,000pts | Not available | 200,000pts | Not available |
China EasternMU | 38,000pts | Not available | Not available | Not available |
 DeltaDL | 38,500pts | Not available | 499,900pts | Not available |
 United AirlinesUA | 42,000pts | 65,000Lowest | 308,600pts | Not available |
When award seats between San Francisco and Shanghai price cheapest over the next year.
| Month | Cheapest award (points) |
|---|---|
| Oct 2026 | 37,500 |
| Nov 2026 | 32,812 |
| Dec 2026 | 36,000 |
| Jan 2027 | No award data |
| Feb 2027 | 35,000 |
| Mar 2027 | 36,000 |
| Apr 2027 | 37,500 |
| May 2027 | 45,500 |
| Jun 2027 | 50,000 |
| Jul 2027 | No award data |
| Aug 2027 | No award data |
14 airlines with award seats between San Francisco and Shanghai, nonstop or connecting.
American AirlinesAA
Air CanadaACAlaska AirlinesAS
FinnairAY
JetBlueB6
British AirwaysBACathay PacificCXDeltaDL
EmiratesEK
Etihad AirwaysEY
LufthansaLH
Singapore AirlinesSQ
Turkish AirlinesTKUnited AirlinesUAWhat to know before booking San Francisco to Shanghai with points.
About 6,140 miles, roughly 12h50 nonstop. Shanghai is 15 hours ahead of San Francisco (16 while San Francisco is on standard time). The data runs October 2026–August 2027, with calendar prices for eight months. Of the well-covered ones, November 2026 is the cheapest (32,812 points); pricier months include October 2026 and April 2027 (37,500).
San Francisco to Shanghai is served by American Airlines, Air Canada, Air France and 30 more, offering multiple options for award travelers. Compare 12 loyalty programs to find the best value for your points. Award prices start from 32,812 points in economy. Use our search tool to check real-time award availability on this route.
Flying San Francisco to Shanghai covers about 6,140 miles, linking San Francisco International Airport (SFO) with Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG); a nonstop takes roughly 12h50, with winds moving it either way. Nonstop award space in the data comes from a single airline: United Airlines. The Boeing 777-300ER shows up on those nonstop award segments. Most award options in the data connect. Nonstops are just about 1% of the total.
Settle the cabin before the program: on a long-haul trip like San Francisco–Shanghai, it moves the price most. The cheapest economy seat connects once; skipping the connection means an economy nonstop on United Airlines at a higher price. Watch the cash on the economy floor: about $239 in taxes and fees, well above the route's typical economy taxes, so more points and less cash can win. Stepping up costs about double the economy points for premium economy and about 2.3 times for business.
Air France-KLM Flying Blue wins economy at 32,812 points. United MileagePlus takes premium economy at 65,000 points on a United Airlines nonstop. Air Canada Aeroplan is cheapest in business class at 75,000 points. It also lists first class from 120,000 points on a connecting itinerary, often first on one leg only, so confirm the cabin on each flight. Watch the first-class routing: it lands at Haneda (HND) and leaves from Narita (NRT), both in Tokyo.
United Airlines alone shows nonstop award space on San Francisco–Shanghai in the data. It's a Star Alliance carrier, so partner programs across the alliance can price it, not just United MileagePlus. If you're open to a stop, the better-priced connecting awards in the data run through Los Angeles, Taipei, and Vancouver. Partner pricing sets the business-class floor: Air Canada Aeroplan books EVA Airways for the long-haul leg as a Star Alliance partner.
For San Francisco departures, San Jose (SJC) costs more, at 55,000 points in economy against the 32,812-point floor, so it's a second choice rather than a first. For a lower-cost long-haul trip from San Francisco, Hong Kong starts from 23,000 points at last check. Confirm which San Francisco airport the award uses before transferring points.
Alternative corridors travelers consider alongside San Francisco to Shanghai.
Common questions travelers ask about the San Francisco to Shanghai route.
