Statistics on Chicago-Shanghai flights: what is the right price and when to buy your plane ticket?
Best time to go: what is the RIGHT price for a round-trip flight to Shanghai (from: Chicago)
The average price to go to Shanghai from Chicago airport is $ 1834 (round trip). However, there are variations depending on the departure month. Thus, it is possible to pay for your plane ticket on average between $ 1460 (in october) and $ 2199 (in june), which is a saving of $ 375 or a surplus of $ 366 (compared to the average price) depending on the period you leave.
The analysis of all prices reveals that the most frequent price is between $1265 to $1318 and it is generally more economical to leave on a wednesday and return on a tuesday on a flight with 1 or more layovers.
Be careful, the cheapest months may correspond to unfavorable weather periods . Check out our page best time to go to Shanghai before booking your flight.
If you want to know when to book your flight at the best price, go straight to the second part of this page: When to buy your Chicago-Shanghai plane ticket.
How are these data calculated?
We have studied a sample of 12489 airfare prices from previous years for flights to Shanghai from Chicago and can thus establish precise and credible price variation trends based on different parameters. Of course, prices can vary from year to year, but the seasonal aspect of this data (recurrence of school holidays, events... from year to year) makes these statistics quite reliable.
Average price depending on the departure month
Data analysis:
By leaving in october, the price of the plane ticket will statistically be the cheapest ($ 1460, saving $ 375 compared to the average price over the year which is $ 1834). Conversely, june will be the most expensive ($ 2199).
Flight Chicago-Shanghai: when is the best time to go for the best price?
| Month | Good price* | Average price | Our opinion |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | $ 1220 | $ 1622 | good price |
| February | $ 1218 | $ 1602 | good price |
| March | $ 1308 | $ 1656 | fair price |
| April | $ 1267 | $ 1858 | fair price |
| May | $ 1437 | $ 2008 | fair price |
| June | $ 1707 | $ 2199 the most expensive | very high price |
| July | $ 1809 | $ 2182 | high price |
| August | $ 1591 | $ 2049 | high price |
| September | $ 1211 | $ 1676 | fair price |
| October | $ 1167 | $ 1460 the cheapest | very good price |
| November | $ 1204 | $ 1722 | fair price |
| December | $ 1399 | $ 1971 | fair price |
*great price to buy your plane ticket: if you see this price or cheaper during your flight search, go for it and buy it!
Price breakdown to travel from Chicago to Shanghai
Data analysis:
The prices for flights from Chicago to Shanghai range from $948 to $2371. 2% of tickets were purchased at the minimum price (from $949 to $1001), 1% at the maximum price (from $2318 to $2371). The majority of plane tickets were purchased in the range of $1265 to $1318 (7% of tickets).
Cheapest airlines for the Chicago->Shanghai flight
There are 22 companies that serve Chicago from Shanghai airport: Turkish Airlines, Spirit Airlines, Delta, United, Cathay Pacific, ANA, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, Frontier Airlines, British Airways, Air Canada, Iberia, Ethiopian Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Emirates, American Airlines, Japan Airlines, Lufthansa, Swiss, Korean Air, Aer Lingus and Air India.
Data analysis:
Of the 12489 flights analyzed in previous years, Turkish Airlines was the airline that offered the best fare most often in the flight ticket search results (13% of the time) on the Chicago->Shanghai route.
Which day of the week to leave?
Data analysis:
Statistically, Chicago-Shanghai flights departing on a wednesday are cheaper than on other days of the week. By choosing a wednesday as your departure date, you can save an average of $118. On the other hand, departing on a thursday may cost you an additional $106.
Which day of the week to come back?
Data analysis:
Statistically, return flights from Shanghai to Chicago departing on a tuesday are cheaper than on other days of the week. By choosing a tuesday for your return date, you will save an average of $119. Conversely, departing from Shanghai on a thursday may cost you an additional $83.
Top prices Chicago-Shanghai
| Round trip | Dates | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago → Shanghai | 03-12 to 10-12-2024 | $ 949 | layover flight with Spirit Airlines |
| Chicago → Shanghai | 05-12 to 11-12-2024 | $ 842 | layover flight with Spirit Airlines |
| Chicago → Shanghai | 06-12 to 15-12-2024 | $ 901 | layover flight with Spirit Airlines |
| Chicago → Shanghai | 08-12 to 22-12-2024 | $ 908 | layover flight with Spirit Airlines |
| Chicago → Shanghai | 11-02 to 25-02-2025 | $ 1045 | layover flight with Turkish Airlines |
| Chicago → Shanghai | 18-02 to 25-02-2025 | $ 1010 | layover flight with Turkish Airlines |
| Chicago → Shanghai | 03-03 to 24-03-2025 | $ 1009 | layover flight with Turkish Airlines |
| Chicago → Shanghai | 16-03 to 23-03-2025 | $ 1041 | layover flight with Qatar Airways |
| Chicago → Shanghai | 02-04 to 11-04-2025 | $ 1074 | layover flight with Qatar Airways |
| Chicago → Shanghai | 12-05 to 20-05-2025 | $ 1050 | layover flight with Turkish Airlines |
When to book your flight Chicago - Shanghai to get the cheapest price?
Statistically, you will make the biggest savings by buying your plane ticket between 1 to 2 months in advance. However, you may end up paying a high price if you book between 10 to 11 months in advance.
Did you know: the price of plane tickets not only varies depending on how far in advance you book, but also on the day of the week you book! So, to maximize your chances of getting the best price for a Chicago-Shanghai flight, it is recommended to book your ticket on a tuesday.
How far in advance should I buy my flight?
Data analysis:
To get the cheapest flight ticket from Chicago to Shanghai, it is recommended to buy it 1 to 2 months before departure (it is then on average 1665 $, which is a saving of 169 $ compared to the overall average price). On the other hand, if you buy your ticket 10 to 11 months in advance, you will pay the full price (1389 $ more than the average price).
Depending on the departure month
The best time to buy your Chicago to Shanghai flight ticket may vary depending on your departure month. Therefore, we offer you statistics on when to book your flight month by month.
| Departure on... | How far in advance should I book? |
|---|---|
| January | Best time: 2 to 3 months before departure (average price: 1502 $) Other interesting period(s): 1 to 2 months ($ 1599), 4 to 5 months ($ 1601) |
| February | Best time: 1 to 2 months before departure (average price: 1374 $) Other interesting period(s): 0 to 1 month ($ 1544), 2 to 3 months ($ 1562), 3 to 4 months ($ 1517), 4 to 5 months ($ 1390) |
| March | Best time: 2 to 3 months before departure (average price: 1447 $) Other interesting period(s): 1 to 2 months ($ 1463), 3 to 4 months ($ 1621), 6 to 7 months ($ 1596) |
| April | Best time: 1 to 2 months before departure (average price: 1497 $) Other interesting period(s): 0 to 1 month ($ 1593), 2 to 3 months ($ 1580) |
| May | Best time: 2 to 3 months before departure (average price: 1551 $) Other interesting period(s): 1 to 2 months ($ 1677), 3 to 4 months ($ 1791) |
| June | Best time: 3 to 4 months before departure (average price: 1961 $) Other interesting period(s): 0 to 1 month ($ 2089), 1 to 2 months ($ 2194), 2 to 3 months ($ 2074), 4 to 5 months ($ 2178) |
| July | Best time: 4 to 5 months before departure (average price: 1909 $) Other interesting period(s): 0 to 1 month ($ 2165), 1 to 2 months ($ 2158), 3 to 4 months ($ 1956) |
| August | Best time: 4 to 5 months before departure (average price: 1849 $) Other interesting period(s): 1 to 2 months ($ 1944), 2 to 3 months ($ 2040), 3 to 4 months ($ 2012) |
| September | Best time: 5 to 6 months before departure (average price: 1462 $) Other interesting period(s): 0 to 1 month ($ 1546), 1 to 2 months ($ 1635), 2 to 3 months ($ 1645) |
| October | Best time: 2 to 3 months before departure (average price: 1339 $) Other interesting period(s): 0 to 1 month ($ 1453), 1 to 2 months ($ 1447), 3 to 4 months ($ 1446), 4 to 5 months ($ 1437) |
| November | Best time: 4 to 5 months before departure (average price: 1368 $) Other interesting period(s): 0 to 1 month ($ 1665), 1 to 2 months ($ 1476), 2 to 3 months ($ 1715) |
| December | Best time: 2 to 3 months before departure (average price: 1644 $) Other interesting period(s): 0 to 1 month ($ 1837), 1 to 2 months ($ 1724), 5 to 6 months ($ 1758) |
What day of the week should I book my flight ticket?
Data analysis:
Statistically, tuesday is the day when plane tickets for Chicago->Shanghai are the cheapest. So, by buying your plane ticket on a tuesday, you will save $61. Conversely, by buying it on a sunday, you may end up paying $44 more.
Chicago to Shanghai: flight price when booking today
Information: this data is not statistics but comes from real prices collected less than 7 days ago. Some months may not be available as we do not have enough data for them.
| Month | Current price | Our opinion | |
|---|---|---|---|
| November 2024 | $ 1262 $1239 to $1274 | very good price | Find a flight |
| December 2024 | $ 1593 $842 to $3119 | very good price | Find a flight |
| January 2025 | $ 1424 $1058 to $2556 | very good price | Find a flight |
| February 2025 | $ 1163 $1007 to $2532 | very good price | Find a flight |
| March 2025 | $ 1132 $1009 to $1274 | very good price | Find a flight |
| April 2025 | $ 1115 $1074 to $1171 | very good price | Find a flight |
| May 2025 | $ 1429 $1037 to $2200 | very good price | Find a flight |
| June 2025 | $ 1466 $1441 to $1479 | very good price | Find a flight |
| September 2025 | $ 1113 $1113 to $1113 | very good price | Find a flight |
Data analysis:
Compared to the average price, november, december, january, february, march, april, may, june and september are cheaper to travel to Shanghai. So it may be interesting to book now to leave during these months!