Shanghai to Hong Kong flight path: PVG to HKG

Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Shanghai to Hong Kong. The left side wins overall because it delivers consistent scenic interest through takeoff and most of cruise — Hangzhou Bay, the Zhoushan Islands, and the Fujian coastline with its port cities — while the right side's main highlight is limited to the brief Hong Kong skyline view during final approach.

During takeoff from Shanghai Pudong International (PVG), sit on the Left side for the best views. Departing PVG to the south-southeast, left-side (east-facing) passengers get a clear view of Hangzhou Bay's wide estuary and the Zhoushan Archipelago scattered across the East China Sea, while the right side only shows flat Shanghai suburbs receding into haze. Notable sights include: Hangzhou Bay estuary, Zhoushan Islands, East China Sea coastline, Pudong's southern coastline.

When landing at Hong Kong International (HKG), sit on the Right side for the best views. On the final approach into HKG, the aircraft typically swings over the New Territories before turning onto the Lantau/Kowloon corridor, putting Hong Kong's dense skyline and Victoria Harbour on the right side, while the left side mostly faces open South China Sea. Notable sights include: Kowloon and Hong Kong Island skyline, Victoria Harbour, Lion Rock, Tai Mo Shan.

The flight from Shanghai Pudong International (PVG) to Hong Kong International (HKG) takes about 2 hours 20 minutes. The shortest flight path between them is 780 miles (1,255 km); winds and air traffic control usually add a few percent.

The route tracks southwest along the Fujian coast, passing near Wenzhou and Fuzhou with the Taiwan Strait visible to the east on clear days, before the terrain rises slightly inland toward the Wuyi Mountains' foothills, then flattens again near the Pearl River Delta approaching Shenzhen and Hong Kong.