If you can believe it, there are only seven daily nonstop flights between the US and China and three via Tokyo. But it is really harder than heck to actually figure out the right flights using expedia or even a travel agent. The routings are wierd. So here is a summary that I’ve found really helpful. First thing is to actually find the long haul routes that exist. There are very few. I use “flightstats.com”:http://flightstats.com to track flights and their changes. After a bunch of digging, you discover how few US to China flights there areally are.
It is very hard to discover, but “Flychina.com”:http://flychina.com seems to have the best list of nonstops. See “Shanghai to America”:http://www.flychina.com/usa2sha.asp as a summary including decent connections:
h2. US-based Carriers Flight to China
For instance, there are only seven non-stops from the US to China each day on American carriers (there are an additional three that stop via Narita). There are a total of ten Chinese carrier flights each day. Of these, they all leave in the afternoon pretty much, so if you are g
h3. United
UA 851 ORD PEK Lv 1240PM Ar1500 plus 1 day 747 “Flightstats”:http://www.flightstats.com/go/FlightStatus/flightStatusByFlight.do?id=102757481&airlineCode=UA&flightNumber=851
UA 897 IAD PEK Lv 1223PM Ar1355 plus 1 day 747 “Flightstats”:http://www.flightstats.com/go/FlightStatus/flightStatusByFlight.do?id=102757481&airlineCode=UA&flightNumber=897
UA 889 SFO PEK Lv 1107AM Ar1425 plus 1 day 747 “Flightstats”:http://www.flightstats.com/go/FlightStatus/flightStatusByFlight.do?id=102757481&airlineCode=UA&flightNumber=889
UA 857 SFO PVG Lv 1350 Ar1725 plus 1 day 747 “Flightstats”:http://www.flightstats.com/go/FlightStatus/flightStatusByFlight.do?id=102757481&airlineCode=UA&flightNumber=857
h3. Continental
CO 89 EWK PEK 12:10PM Ar1425+1 day “Flightstats”:http://www.flightstats.com/go/FlightStatus/flightStatusByFlight.do?id=102757481&airlineCode=CO&flightNumber=89
CO 88 PEK EWK 12:00 Ar17:25
h3. American
AA 289 ORD PVG 10:35AM Ar1405 +1day 777 “Flightstats”:http://www.flightstats.com/go/FlightStatus/flightStatusByFlight.do?id=102757481&airlineCode=AA&flightNumber=289
AA288 PVG ORD 1625 Ar1700 777
h2. Connections to China
Then you have connections, which can be via Narita or via Incheon ICN and Seoul
h3. United
SEA NRT PVG via ANA
h3. Northwest
They have three connections via Tokyo, but no nonstops
h3. Korean Airlines
KE246 Lv 0907 Ar 11:33+1 “Flightstats”:http://www.flightstats.com/go/FlightStatus/flightStatusByFlight.do?id=103082317&airlineCode=KE&flightNumber=246
KE 26 Lv 1406 Ar 17:35+1 777 “Flightstats”:http://www.flightstats.com/go/FlightStatus/flightStatusByFlight.do?airline=%28KE%29+Korean+Air+Lines&flightNumber=26
h3. Asiana
h2. China-based airlines
Also, you have Chinese airlines, which are definitely a second choice with one to New York and also three to LAX. There are 10 flights by Chinese airlines daily:
h3. China Eastern
I’ve taken this flight and it is very OK is how I would describe it. Bring you iPod touch and watch movies on it. The times are just awesome though. You can get a full day of work in New York and then essentially take a red eye to Shanghai and on the return, you really rock and roll. Only the LA flight is daily
PVG JFK MU588 Lv 1:30am Ar 4:50Am+1 1246
JFK PVG MU587 Lv 18:30 Ar 20:45
LAX PVG 12:30 Ar 18:30+1
Vancouver PVG Lv 13:30 Ar 18:20+1 MU582 1356
PVG LAX 2:50pm 10:30am MU 583 Daily
PVG Vancouver 2:55pm 9:30am MU 581 1356
h3. Air China
These are very hard to find as they don’t appear in the reservation systems, so you have to go directly to their websites
Also, you have Chinese airlines, which are definitely a second choice with one to New York and also three to LAX. There are 10 flights by Chinese airlines daily. Most folks feel that Air China is probably better than China Eastern and if you can fly an American carrier that would be great.
PEK LAX CA983 Lv 20:30 Ar 17:45 747
LAX PEK CA984 Lv13:40 Ar17:20+1 747
PEK JFK CA981 Lv 13:00 Ar 14:30 747
JFK PEK CA982 Lv 16:30 Ar 18:00+1 747-400
PEK SFO CA985 Lv 16:00 Ar12:40 747-400
SFO PE CA 986 Lv 14:20 Ar 17:05+1 747-400
