Shanghai Hongqiao Airport – Spotting Guide
- last modified on April 16, 2026
Shanghai Hongqiao Airport (SHA/ZSSS) is situated 10km west of the downtown of Shanghai which means a 30 minutes ride by train (Metrolines 2 and 10 are connecting the airport with the city) or a ~1 hour ride by bus. The airport was built in 1906 and opened in 1907 as a military airbase. Back in 1923 the first civil airliner flew to SHA and from this point on the airfield became a normal passengerairport.
But more and more people/tourists travelled to Shanghai, the city grew very fast (today 23 million citizens) and the airport got to small and couldn’t be expanded. That’s why the new airport Shanghai Pudong was opened back in 1999 almost 40km away from SHA. Almost all international routes without Asia were apportioned to Pudong and from that moment on Hongqiao just operated flights within Asia. Today more than 75% of the flights to/ex SHA are domestic flights within China, but it also handels a few international flights to destinations like Taipei, Tokyo and similar cities. The airport is a hub for the following airines, so you will see those quit often: China Eastern, Juneyao Airlines, Shanghai Airlines and Spring Airlines.
April 2026: there is now a direct train service between Pudong (PVG) and Hongqiao (SHA) airports. It is signposted as “Suburban Railway” or “Airport Link”. Journey time is approximately 40 minutes between the two airports with no change of train required… One way fare is RMB 26 (USD 4). Very efficient and inexpensive way to travel between the two Shanghai airports, especially as the trains arrive at and depart from Hongqiao T2.
About 40 million passengers travel through SHA every year, so the Airport is one of Chinas most busiest airports and that’s why it’s still an important airport for Shanghai and for China.
General tips for China
many foreign websites and apps are blocked and don’t work in China. Below you will find some helpful apps:
- WeChat: every Chinese use this app, it also has a good translation function that helps really a lot because the language is the main barrier. You can translate from Chinese writings and they can translate your English into Chinese characters. This is a must have. The common western messenger services like Facebook, WhatsApp etc. don not work in China!
- Alipay: it is a major Chinese App that can be registered abroad and almost all shops/stores/hotels etc. support it as an official payment. You can add your western credit card like Amex, VISA or Mastercard to Alipay in advance. Furthermore you can also book and pay flights, hotels, restaurants, didi etc. with the app. This app is a must have!
- Didi: the Chinese “Uber”. Very helpful to reach the spots which are not connected to the public transport.
- Baidu Maps or Gaode Maps: this is the chinese google/apple maps.
We recommend to buy a chinese eSIM in advance from airalo for example. It is cheap and simple to install.
Written by Severin Hackenberger, Tombarelli Federico, Dennis Lau and Canvas Wong. Last change: April 2026, Spot 8 added
| Rating | |
| Movements |  |
| Airline Variety | |
| Photo Locations |  |
| Weather |  |
| Airport Information | |
| Runways | |
| 18R/36L | 3300m x 60m (Concrete) |
| 18L/36R | 3400m x 45m (Tarmac) |
| Terminals | |
| Terminal 1 (east side) | This is the old terminal which is used by intl. airlines and some local carriers today. Businessjets are parked on its apron. |
| Terminal 2 (west side) | The new terminal is mailnly used by the airlines with a hub at SHA. Maybe there changed something, because they were still building on the terminal during my vist. |
| Spotting Information | |
| Ladder | Not necessary at the mentioned locations. |
| Car/Public Transport | Car is not really neccesary although the locations are far apart and switching runway will take a bit. But the public transport around Shanghai Hongqiao is good and fast. |
| Restrooms | Around the Airport are many stores, hotels and restaurants. Or you can use the restrooms inside the terminalbuildings. |
| Drinks/Food | Around the airport are manyw restaurants or you can get some snacks in the supermarkets. |
| Hotels | There are many motels/hotels around the airport, because the airport is inside the city. You can take a look at Plane Spotting Hotels for some examples. |
| Season | We recommend visiting the airport between October and August, because in September there might be wild huricans. |
| Other | Walking on the streets is VERY dangerous here, because most of the drivers are driving furious and wild! Rather take a taxi, which takes you a few minutes longer to the spot, than die on the way to your spot! |
| Runway Usage | |
| 18R/36L | My experiences were, that this runway is mainly used for departures, if they are using 18-runways and if they are using 36-runways, it’s mainly used for arrivlas – sometimes it was used for departures, too (although the 36-runways were in use). |
| 18L/36R | My experiences were, that this runway is mainly used for arrivals, if they are using 18-runways and if they are using 36-runways, it’s mainly used for departures. |
Due to national security concerns, the use of geographic information in China is restricted and the layers in google maps don´t fit. The satellite images are correct but the street layers are displaced!
Please click on the link at each location (WHERE) to get to the chinese website baidu where you find an exact map with satellite and street view images. If you use a smartphone please download the Baidu App.
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Spot #1 – Bridge – Morning Arrivals 18L |
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| WHERE | If you want to visit this spot by using Public Transport, follow these instructions: Take metroline 2 and exit at “Songhong Road” (last station before airport, if you come from eastern direction). Exit the metrostation to “Tianshan W Road “and follow the road for about 1,5km into western direction. When you cross a little river you arrived at the spot (I used). You can choose now your favourite spot, this depends on the angle you like the most. |
| WHAT | Arrivals on runway 18L only. |
| TIME | From sunrise till around 1pm. |
| MISC. | If possible stay away from the street, because some drivers are driving very fast and dangerous there. A few shops/restaurants nearby, where you can find restrooms and eat something. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 70 – 300mm |
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Spot #2 – Riverbank – Evening Arrivals 18L |
|---|---|
| WHERE | The location on a path along a river on the northern side of the airport. If you want to visit this spot by using Public Transport, follow these instructions: Take metroline 2 and exit at “Songhong Road” (last station before airport, if you come from eastern direction). Exit the metrostation to “Tianshan W Road “and follow the road for about 2,5km into western direction. Then you should see a bridge on your right (if you come from Spot 1 – the 2nd bridge). Use this bridge to cross the river and on the other side of the river turn left and walk on the sidewalk next to the fence for about 500m, then you arrived at the spot. You can choose now your favourite spot, this depends on the angle you like the most. If you want a better angle for heavies you can stay over the bridge, the walkpath is huge and you are not in danger. |
| WHAT | Arrivals on runway 18L only. |
| TIME | From around 1pm till sunset. |
| MISC. | A few shops/restaurants nearby, where you can find restrooms and eat something. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 100 – 300mm
From the bridge: 200-250mm for A330/787 |
Taken from the waterfront:
Taken from the bridge:
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Spot #3 – Riverbank – 36L Arrivals |
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| WHERE | There are a few ways to get to this spot, which is located by the roadside of Qixin Road next to a little river. Here at the river you have many options to stay. Either along the riverwalk and a little park or on the highway bridge (it is safe you have a big walkpath where to stand). In general you can stay wherever you want, just search for the favorite angel.
If you have the time just rent a bike with one of the various apps and enjoy cycling around the airport, you have the space to park the bike next to you to have it ready to rush to a shop if needed. If you prefer to take the bus, you can take Route 71 to Shenkun Road Terminal from the city center – a BRT-like bus route. After you get off from the terminal, walk along Gaohong Road to the east and cross Qixin Road, you can easily find the location. If you prefer to take the metro take Line 9 to Qibao Station. Take Bus Route 91/196/748, Hongqiao Hub No.4 (虹桥枢纽4路) or Nanjiang (南江线) heading north, and get off the bus at Qixin Road at Huqingping Highway (七莘路沪青平公路) Station, and walking along Qixin Road heading North. Taking a taxi from Qibao is also possible, as Qibao is a major town and has enough taxis. |
| WHAT | Arrivlas runway 36R. |
| TIME | Midday till sunset. |
| MISC. | Everything you need is in the village around you. A lot of shadows so you can hide from the sun, also some benches to sit. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 200 – 350mm |
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Spot #4 – Air China Boyue Hotel |
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| WHERE | This spot is of course for hotel guests only. The Air China Boyue Hotel is located on top of Terminal 2 (domestic terminal) at Hongqiao Airport, which is accessible by all modes of transport including subway, high-speed rail, bus and taxi etc.
This hotel can be booked via Booking.com and similar websites. For the rooms with best views, please book an “Executive Double Room”, which are runway-facing rooms on the 10th to 12th floors. Lower room numbers on these floors have the best view – I suggest rooms 1202 thru 1209 (both odd and even numbers face the same direction). 1102 thru 1209 etc. would also have similar views. Make a remark on your booking to request these rooms. Rooms 1201/1101 etc. are suites and the windows face the wrong direction so not recommended. Spotting can also be done from the executive lounge on the 11th floor, and you can have free drinks and snacks during the day. Rooms below the 10th floor will have a blocked view, being obstructed by the terminal roof. The rooms have large and clean windows which give a very nice view of pretty much the entire airport. This hotel is of a high standard, comparable to the major western hotel brands. Rooms are well maintained and clean, and the staff is helpful. TV channels in the room show flight arrival and departure information. For those arriving at Hongqiao Terminal 1 (international flights), you can use the subway or free shuttle bus to reach terminal 2. For those arriving at Pudong Airport, you can reach Hongqiao by bus, subway (at least 90 minutes but cheap at around RMB10) or taxi (duration depends on traffic conditions and expensive at over RMB200). |
| WHAT | All movements can be seen from the room. For photography, shots can be taken of aircraft on the ramp directly in front of the hotel, the near taxiway and near runway (18R/36L). You must take shots through glass, but with some care, good photos are possible.
When runway 18R is used for departures on a clear day, nice shots can be taken of aircraft lifting off with Shanghai city as background. Backlit in the morning, best time for photos is from around midday to sunset. Night shots are also possible of aircraft on the ramp. |
| TIME | From around 1pm till sunset. |
| MISC. | Restaurants and convenience stores etc. are located in Terminal 2, which is connected directly to the hotel and just 2 minutes’ walk away. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 70mm – 400mm 70mm for A330/777 on the ramp, 300mm for A320 on taxiway, 400mm for 737 on runway 18R/36L |
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Spot #5 – Wubao Rd – 36R arrivals |
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| WHERE | There is a small meadow next to the crossing of Wubao Rd.(吴宝路) and Huqingping Hwy.(沪青平公路) where you can stay and take photos from the 36R approach. If you prefer to get there by public transport, take the Rt.71 bus from downtown and get off at “Wubao Road” station. Just cross the Huqingping Hwy. and take your camera out, find a suitable angle to spot landing aircrafts. Parking is available for a fee on the opposite side of the spot next to some stores. |
| WHAT | Landing aircraft of runway 36R only. |
| TIME | From around 1pm till sunset. |
| MISC. | Some restaurants are next to the spot. A public toilet is just 5m away. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 50-150mm A333/789 = 100mm |
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Spot #6 – Bus Station – 36R Arrivals Morning |
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| WHERE | This Spot is no exact position just along Wubao Road. You can recognize it by a bus stop and opposite there is “Vienna Hotel” (which might be a good hotel for spotting!). Set Vienna Hotel as Didi destination, then just cross the road at the traffic lights. Near the bus stop there is the best location, you have to fight with light poles and cables otherwise. |
| WHAT | 36R arrivals. You are close to a big wall and if you are too close to it it will block or be in the pic, see the Germay A350 below as example. It might be difficult to avoid it on heavies without stepping a bit into the road, but it is at your own risk, be SUPER cautious, they drive like crazy. |
| TIME | From sunrise until noon. |
| MISC. | You are in the city so everything is at your fingertips. No shadows at all so bring a hat and water. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | A320: 200mm A350: 130mm |
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Spot #7 – Riverbank – 18L Arrivals |
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| WHERE | You are on a walk/bike path on the river bank. To reach this place follow the direction as for Spot #1 but from there walk down the riverbank until you find the angle you prefer. Basically follow the airplanes landing path. |
| WHAT | Arrivals 18L. From a certain location you can see lineups on 18R but the distance and haze are too much. In the examples below you will see different angles and compositions on pics as moved along the bank, is at your choice where to stand. |
| TIME | From sunrise until noon. |
| MISC. | Everything in the village behind you. You are in the shadows and there are some benches. You are split from the main road so no problem with car traffic, just be aware of the bikes as the path where you stand isn’t that wide. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | B737: 200mm A330: 130mm |
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Spot #8 – Shangri-La Hotel – Terminal 2 apron, 18R/36L departures |
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| WHERE | The Shangri-La Hotel, located directly at Hongqiao Terminal 2, offers a fantastic view on the airport’s apron and runways. Best spotting and photo opportunities from rooms on the 10th floor or higher. There are no specific “airport view” rooms available to book, except the (very expensive) double suite. So please request an airport view room as you make the booking, and confirm again at check-in. The staff is very friendly and I was assigned a 10th floor airport view room with no issues. All photos taken through the very large windows in each room. Usual caution with reflection and heat haze etc, but reasonable quality photos can be taken from here and good final results with some post-processing. Please check the thickness of the glass – some windows have thinner glass than others, which means better photos. Simply knock on the windows and you can easily tell which windows have the thinner glass. Photos can also be taken from the club lounge on the 11th floor – again check the thickness of the glass. |
| WHAT | Best for all Terminal 2 apron movements. Runway 18R/36L departures are possible but with haze. 18L/36R in the distance only. |
| TIME | From around 1pm till sunset. Be aware of heat distortion. |
| MISC. | Restaurants, shops and transportation just a few steps away |
| FOCAL LENGTH | China Eastern B77W on taxiway – 200 mm; Juneyao B789 on runway – 280 mm; Shanghai Airlines B38M taxiing to gate – 230 mm; Tibet A332 taking off – 280 mm, China Eastern C919 taking off – 400 mm+; China Eastern B738 on taxiway – 280 mm |
I had a chance to experience both Hotels (points 4 and 8). As a matter of fact, the Air China Boyue Hotel is much better for taking pictures through the windows (11th. floor), they are becoming sharp.
The Shangri-La’s windows (12th. floor) are apparently more thick, pics are looking blurry.
The experience is same for the rooms I used and the each Executive-Floors lobby’s.
OK, to make the terminal distribution clear: T1 is international and HK/MACAU/TAIWAN flights and a few domestic flights (Spring Airlines, Hebei Airlines, and XiamenAir). T2 is full domestic and most of the carriers.
I want to add that there is also a spot on the roof top of the parking of jiannan riji resturant(Chinese:江南日记）, the parking is very cheap, and there offers very good view which you can shot planes with a background with buildings, this spot is good for morning 36R arrivals. for 18R departures it will be a little far, 500mm lens is required.
For new locations please follow this link https://www.spotterguide.net/spottingguide-changes/
Thanks, Julian
Thanks, Ok I will soon post this spot onto the guide.
Visited Hongqiao in March 2026, and there is now a direct train service between Pudong (PVG) and Hongqiao (SHA) airports. It is signposted as “Suburban Railway” or “Airport Link”. Journey time is approximately 40 minutes between the two airports with no change of train required… One way fare is RMB 26 (USD 4). Very efficient and inexpensive way to travel between the two Shanghai airports, especially as the trains arrive at and depart from Hongqiao T2, just a few minutes walk from the Air China Hotel, as well as the new Shangri-La and Traders Hotel, all with runway view rooms. Stayed at the Shangri-La hotel and views from the rooms are fantastic with reasonable photography opportunities – better than the Air China hotel.
Hi Dennis,
thanks for the update.
Can you please provide some examples via mail (support@spotterguide.net) so we can add that hotel as well?
Thanks
Sev
More info on the airport link line: the train departs every 15 minutes and it can get very crowded at times.
I went to Shanghai 3 times (for watching F1 and FE races, but also do some plane spotting during my stay), everytime I stayed in the same hotel, 汉庭酒店（上海虹桥站店）. It’s litearlly right next to the Spot #5 (if you turn the camera slightly to the right in that photo you’ll see the hotel), and only a 3-5 minutes walk (crossing the road) to the Spot #3. You can literally spotting from your room if you’re lucky enough to happen to have a room that faced the airport. It’s super convenient when the airport is using RWY36R for landing.
Things could be a bit harder when the wind changes and the airport switched to using RWY18L for landing though. I usually take a bus to the north side of the airport, get a shared bike and having a 10 minute ride to the Spot #2. The guide said there are shops and restaurants nearby, but trust me, you won’t find one in less than 10 minutes if you’re urgent. You may risk for missing something you want to shoot if you have to leave your position and find some food, water, or, in the worse case, toilet. (I have such experience once, though lucky right next to the public toilet there is a large field that used to be a block and was dismantled, so I quickly dumped myself, and shoot the plane I want from that place.
Is it the hotel which is marked on the map? Jinjiang Inn Hotel? Maybe you can provide some pictures taken out of the room?
-Julian
I am travelling to SHA next March. Where is the best spots to photograph arrivals and takeoffs???
Is flight radar 24 working if you use a VPN
The FR24 don’t need a VPN to work in China, thought VariFlight (飞常准, Chinese FR24 equivalent) would be more accure and convenient. I have both on my phone.
flightradar works fine without vpn on phone app, but website needs vpn
I just came back from a trip to Beijing and Shanghai. Some info about Hongqiao.
For arrivals on runway 18L, I would always recommend to go to spot 7. Spot 1 is a very busy place. You can safely stand on the sidewalk but it’s not as nice and easy as Spot 7 and is closeby. Spot 7 provides shade by trees and you can sit in the grass. It makes for a relaxed spot.
This riverwalk is now also being extended to the top of runway 18L, along West Tianshan Road. They are even busy constructing a viewing platform right underneath the approach path for 18L. Probably not going to be the best place for photos but at least they’re making the effort.
Spot 2: The riverbank looks totally different now compared to the picture shown. Many trees have been planted and grown large which are blocking your views. There are some parts where the trees are replaced with lower bushes, which enables you to see the aircraft approaching. So, you need to find your best spot. Also, don’t go on the grass towards the fence, a warning message will be played and the security will come and wave you away.
I stayed in the quite new (December 2024 opened) Hilton Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport Hotel. There are rooms that offer an airport view. I stayed in a King Deluxe Room, number 720, which had a panorama view of the bizjet apron and part of terminal 1. Photos from the room are challenging as the windows were curved for this particular room, but the view was amazing.
Hi Guys, i am planning a trip to Shanghai in June
I was wondering if there is an english version of Baidu or Gaode maps?
Thanks
You guys are missing quite a few great locations. First, for northern approaches, there is a bridge called”南塘桥”(copy this into gaode and baidu maps and it should show up), at the west end of the river surrounding ZSSS. There is also a okay-ish spot for directly behind shots on 36L, on the same road as point no.5, just go east on the road until you reach a bridge. This point is good for landings and some taxiing.(you do need considerable mms to shoot taxiing planes though)
Hi, to add new positions please use this form: https://www.spotterguide.net/guide-update/
Thanks, Julian