About This Route
Which side of the plane should I sit on flying from Gatwick (LGW) to Shanghai Pudong International (PVG)?
Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from London to Shanghai. While the right side has a slight edge at Gatwick departure, the left side delivers the more dramatic payoff on arrival with the Yangtze estuary and Shanghai skyline approach. Across the flight path, left-side seats also get better views of the Caspian Sea crossing and the Tibetan Plateau's northern edge near Qinghai, making it the stronger choice overall.
What can I see during takeoff from Gatwick in London?
During takeoff from Gatwick (LGW), sit on the Right side for the best views. Gatwick's main departure runway 26L sends aircraft westward initially before turning north, and right-side seats get views over the Surrey Hills and the North Downs. On the more common eastward departure from runway 08R, right-side seats look south over the Weald of Kent and the South Downs ridge. Notable sights include: South Downs ridge, Weald of Kent farmland patchwork, Ashdown Forest, and the urban sprawl of Crawley directly below on climb-out.
What can I see when landing at Shanghai Pudong International in Shanghai?
When landing at Shanghai Pudong International (PVG), sit on the Left side for the best views. Aircraft approaching PVG typically arrive from the west or northwest on runways 16L/16R, meaning left-side seats face east over the Yangtze River estuary and get the clearest view of the Pudong skyline including the distinctive Oriental Pearl Tower and Shanghai Tower as the aircraft descends. Right-side seats look inland over flat agricultural Jiangsu province. Notable sights include: Yangtze River estuary, Pudong skyline (Oriental Pearl Tower, Shanghai Tower, Jin Mao Tower), Chongming Island, and the dense urban grid of central Shanghai.
How long is the flight from London to Shanghai?
The flight from Gatwick (LGW) to Shanghai Pudong International (PVG) takes Approximately 11 to 12 hours.
What does the London to Shanghai flight path pass over?
The route tracks northeast over the Netherlands and northern Germany, then across Poland and into Russia south of Moscow. It crosses the Ural Mountains — a low, forested ridge visible as a subtle topographic change — then descends over the Kazakh steppe, a vast flat semi-arid plain. The Caspian Sea may be visible to the south depending on exact routing. The route then crosses western China over Xinjiang's Tarim Basin desert and the Gobi, before the terrain rises toward the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau's northeastern margins. The final descent crosses the Yangtze River basin's flat alluvial plains into Shanghai.