United Reconnects Los Angeles and Shanghai After Four Years
The Chicago-based carrier serves the route four times weekly but will increase daily service from October 27
Photo: Shanghai, China. Courtesy of Li Yang / Unsplash
United Airlines has resumed nonstop flights between Los Angeles and Shanghai after more than four years. It is now the only American carrier that offers direct flights from L.A. to China.
On Thursday, August 29, United operated its first flight from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) since before the pandemic. The Chicago-based carrier serves the route four times weekly but will increase daily service from October 27.
Factors Affecting U.S.-China Flight Market
This is the first time that United has flown from Los Angeles to Shanghai since the outbreak of the pandemic in 2020.
The U.S.-China flight market remains well below pre-pandemic levels, with several factors contributing to its slow recovery, including China’s delay in easing restrictions compared to other countries, the closure of Russia’s airspace to U.S. airlines giving Chinese carriers a competitive edge, and rising geopolitical tensions resulting in capacity restrictions between the two countries.
Photo: China Eastern, Boeing 777-300ER. Courtesy of John McArthur / Unsplash
Currently, the only other carrier to operate flights between Los Angeles and Shanghai—once a key route for business travelers—is China Eastern Airlines, which operates a daily service using a Boeing 777-300ER. Before the pandemic, American Airlines and Delta also operated the route, with the latter scrapping its plans to resume earlier this year.
Expansion of United’s Services
United’s resumption of the route comes when other global airlines are reducing services or pulling out altogether from China. British Airways recently announced it is axing its London Heathrow (LHR) to Beijing (PKX) in late October, while fellow U.K. carrier Virgin Atlantic will also operate its last commercial flight to China late next month.
But for now, United is going the other way, with the resumption of its LAX-Shanghai route adding to its existing flights to Beijing (PEK) and Shanghai from San Francisco International Airport (SFO). It also takes its total routes between Los Angeles and Asia to four, with other services connecting LAX to Hong Kong (HKG), Tokyo Haneda (HND), and Tokyo Narita (NRT).
Photo: United Airlines, Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. Courtesy of United Airlines.
United is using its fleet of Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners to operate the route, which has a total capacity of 257 passengers, including 48 lie-flat seats in Polaris business class, 21 Premium Plus seats, 39 Economy Plus seats, and the remaining 149 seats in standard Economy.
Outbound flights are scheduled to depart LAX at 12:55 PM and arrive in Shanghai at 5:45 PM the next day, while return flights will leave Shanghai at 8:10 PM and touch back down in Los Angeles at 4:55 PM.
