How to get from Washington to Shanghai: connecting flights, about 19h 13m total

Flights from Washington to Shanghai

Pick a departure date to see flights and seller prices

We search agencies and airlines for your day: nonstop and connecting flights, baggage, departure and arrival times.

Prices by day: Washington to Shanghai

Lowest one-way price in dollars from recent searches, cheap days in green. Press a day to see flights and exact prices.

Best fares from Washington to Shanghai

Lowest one-way prices found by recent searches for the next 120 days; press a card to search that date

Cheapest one-way $337 23 November 2026, with a connection Cheapest weekend departure $658 Fri, 4 December 2026

Cheapest day of the week Monday $676 on average over the next 120 days

Cheapest month November 2026 tickets from $337

Where to connect

Options with one connection, fastest first

fastest, via New York: 19h 13m
two tickets, via Detroit: $593
connection options: 5
straight-line distance: 7,448 mi (11,986 km)

fastest

Via New York

19h 13m

with the connection

Washington to New York flight 1h 23m

Connection of about 3h Arrival: John F. Kennedy International, LaGuardia, Newark Liberty International. Departure to Shanghai: John F. Kennedy International.

New York to Shanghai flight 14h 50m

two ticketsfrom $897

Via Toronto

Canada

20h 9m

with the connection

Washington to Toronto flight 1h 44m

Connection of about 3h Arrival: Pearson International, Toronto City Centre. Departure to Shanghai: Pearson International.

Toronto to Shanghai flight 15h 25m

two ticketsfrom $780

Via Detroit

20h 28m

with the connection

Washington to Detroit flight 1h 40m

Connection of about 3h

Detroit to Shanghai flight 15h 48m

two ticketsfrom $593

Via Tokyo

Japan

20h 55m

with the connection

Washington to Tokyo flight 14h 25m

Connection of about 3h Arrival: Haneda. Departure to Shanghai: Haneda, Narita International.

Tokyo to Shanghai flight 3h 30m

two ticketsfrom $876

Via Seoul

South Korea

21h 5m

with the connection

Washington to Seoul flight 15h 50m

Connection of about 3h Arrival: Incheon International. Departure to Shanghai: Gimpo International, Incheon International.

Seoul to Shanghai flight 2h 15m

two ticketsfrom $822

One ticket or two

How the options are calculated and what to keep in mind at the connection

Flight times come from the nonstop schedule (estimated from the distance where there is no schedule), with 3h allowed for the connection. The price of an option is the sum of the lowest known fares for each leg; their dates may not match, so treat it as a guide. The search shows tickets for your dates, including connections on a single ticket.

When to visit Shanghai

Weather by month

Best time to visit: April, May, October and November, +18° to +25° by day. In November it is +18° by day and +10° at night, with 7 rainy days.

Jan

+10° +1° 5 days

Feb

+11° +3° 9 days

Mar

+17° +7° 10 days

Apr

+22° +12° 10 days

May

+25° +16° 10 days

Jun

+29° +21° 17 days

Jul

+33° +26° 17 days

Aug

+34° +26° 14 days

Sep

+30° +23° 15 days

Oct

+24° +17° 8 days

Nov

+18° +10° 7 days

Dec

+11° +3° 4 days

Daytime and night temperatures in °C, rainy days. Months with the most comfortable weather are in green. Long-term averages.

Nearest nonstop flights

The closest you can get without a connection

From Washington to cities closest to Shanghai

Washington to Taipei Taipei: 428 mi (689 km) from Shanghai, flight 16h 50m Washington to Seoul Seoul: 538 mi (866 km) from Shanghai, flight 15h 50m from $711 Washington to Beijing Beijing: 663 mi (1,067 km) from Shanghai, flight 16h 55m from $578 Washington to Tokyo Tokyo: 1,090 mi (1,754 km) from Shanghai, flight 14h 25m from $503 Washington to Dubai Dubai: 3,993 mi (6,426 km) from Shanghai, flight 13h from $350 Washington to Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi: 4,065 mi (6,542 km) from Shanghai, flight 12h 50m from $514

To Shanghai from cities closest to Washington

New York to Shanghai New York: 204 mi (328 km) from Washington, flight 14h 50m from $451 Toronto to Shanghai Toronto: 350 mi (564 km) from Washington, flight 15h 25m from $537 Detroit to Shanghai Detroit: 395 mi (635 km) from Washington, flight 15h 48m from $464 Dallas to Shanghai Dallas: 1,182 mi (1,902 km) from Washington, flight 15h 50m from $552 Las Vegas to Shanghai Las Vegas: 2,081 mi (3,349 km) from Washington, flight 14h 10m Los Angeles to Shanghai Los Angeles: 2,294 mi (3,692 km) from Washington, flight 14h 10m from $386

Frequently asked questions

Is there a nonstop flight from Washington to Shanghai?

There are no nonstop flights in the schedule. You will need a connection, the fastest is via New York.

What is the fastest way to fly from Washington to Shanghai?

Via New York: 1h 23m to the connection, 14h 50m after it, about 19h 13m in total with 3h for the connection.

How much does a flight from Washington to Shanghai with a connection cost?

Two nonstop tickets via Detroit from $593. This is the sum of the lowest known prices for each leg, and their dates may not match.

Which cities can you connect in between Washington and Shanghai?

New York (19h 13m total), Toronto (20h 9m total), Detroit (20h 28m total), Tokyo (20h 55m total) and Seoul (21h 5m total).

How far is Shanghai from Washington?

7,448 mi (11,986 km) in a straight line between the cities.

How much time should I allow for the connection?

The options allow 3h. On a single ticket the carrier is responsible for the connection; on separate tickets you set the margin yourself, allowing time to collect and re-check your bags.