United Airlines Restarts Los Angeles to Shanghai Nonstop Service

Updated: June 15, 2026, 10:54am CDT

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United’s Los Angeles to Shanghai Service Returns
Final Thoughts

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United Airlines is once again flying between Los Angeles (LAX) and Shanghai, China (PVG).

For the first time since before the pandemic, on August 29 the Chicago-based carrier restarted its nonstop service from the West Coast to the Chinese business hub.

Here are all the details.

United’s Los Angeles to Shanghai Service Returns

United is gradually building back its post-pandemic route network to China with the resumption of its nonstop service from the City of Angels to China’s largest city.

This news will likely be most welcomed by those wishing to travel between the 2 cities on business, as international travel to and from China has yet to return to levels even close to what it was before the pandemic.

Until yesterday, the only other option to fly nonstop between the 2 cities was with SkyTeam member airline China Eastern, which operates daily. For Star Alliance fans and points and miles collectors, United will be a firm choice over the Chinese competitor.

You can fly the route 4 times per week with the following schedule:

Depart Los Angeles (LAX) at 12:55 p.m. and arrive in Shanghai (PVG) at 5:45 p.m (+1)
Depart Shanghai (PVG) at 8:10 p.m. and arrive in Los Angeles (LAX) at 4:55 p.m.

United flight routes map from Shanghai to U.S. — United now flies nonstop to Shanghai from Chicago (ORD), Newark (EWR), San Francisco (SFO), and Los Angeles (LAX). Image Credit: FlightConnections

The resumption of the LA to Shanghai service brings the total number of United’s nonstop routes to China to 9. This includes 1 seasonal service to Chengdu (CTU) from San Francisco (SFO), 4 services to Beijing (PEK), and 4 to Shanghai (PVG).

The route will be operated by United’s fleet of Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft.

United’s mid-sized Dreamliner comprises 48 Polaris lie-flat business class seats, 21 seats in premium economy (in a 2-3-2 configuration), and 188 seats in economy — with 39 of those designated as United’s economy plus seats.

Hot Tip:

When booking United Polaris, you can expect the exact same, top-quality hard product no matter whcih aircraft you’re flying. There’s no risk of getting swindled with an aircraft swap or outdated cabin. What’s more, you can also book it using points for a fraction of the cash price.

Final Thoughts

Whether you live in LA or Shanghai is on your list of places to visit, United’s resumption of this route is great news for U.S.-China connectivity — especially for frequent United flyers and Star Alliance members.

It will be interesting to see how this route performs and whether United has plans to add more routes to China sometime soon.