Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Shanghai to Hong Kong. Left seats capture the most dramatic geography: Shanghai's Huangpu River and Pudong skyline on departure, then the entire flight path down the Chinese coast, and finally Victoria Harbour and Hong Kong Island's skyline on arrival. Right seats miss the harbor approach entirely on landing.

During takeoff from Hongqiao International (SHA), sit on the Right side for the best views. Hongqiao typically departs runway 09 (westbound) or 27 (eastbound). Right-side seats on an eastbound departure (27) give you the Huangpu River and Pudong's skyline immediately after climb-out. On westbound departures (09), right seats show Suzhou Creek and the industrial areas north of the airport. Notable sights include: Huangpu River (snaking through Shanghai's urban core), Pudong financial district (distinctive tall buildings), Suzhou Creek (tributary visible as it branches northwest), Jiangwan Airport area (smaller facility visible to the northeast).

When landing at Hong Kong International (HKG), sit on the Left side for the best views. Hong Kong International uses runways 07L/25R and 07R/25L. On approach from the north (runway 25), left-side seats show Victoria Harbour, Kowloon Peninsula, and the New Territories. The descent path brings you directly over the harbor's eastern waters and Hong Kong Island's northern shore. Notable sights include: Victoria Harbour (deep blue water between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon), Kowloon Peninsula (urban density on the north shore), Hong Kong Island's northern coast (Central, Wan Chai districts visible), New Territories (green hills and development to the north).

The flight from Hongqiao International (SHA) to Hong Kong International (HKG) takes Approximately 2 hours 15 minutes.

The flight path descends southward along the Taiwan Strait's western shore. Notable features include the Hangzhou Bay (visible as a wide coastal indentation about 45 minutes into flight), the Zhejiang Province coastline with its irregular rocky shores and islands, Wenzhou's coastal plain, and the Fujian Province mountains (Wuyi Mountains) visible inland to the west. The Pearl River Delta begins appearing about 30 minutes before landing, with its characteristic network of waterways and industrial development. The Lantau Island and surrounding waters of Hong Kong's approach become visible in the final 20 minutes.