Distance from New York City to Shanghai

🇺🇸 New York City United States
🇨🇳 Shanghai China
11,859 km | 7,369 miles
Flight Time
~15h
(New York City → Shanghai)
~14h 15min return
🕐
Time Difference
Shanghai is usually 13 hours ahead of New York in standard time (UTC+8 vs UTC-5), or 12 hours ahead when New York is on daylight saving time (UTC+8 vs UTC-4).
📍
Midpoint
Arctic Ocean near the International Date Line, north of the Bering Strait
78.53°N, 179.8°E

How Far Is New York City from Shanghai?

New York City is 11,859 km (7,369 miles) from Shanghai by great-circle distance. The shortest route heads N on a polar transpacific great-circle route.

New York City to Shanghai is a long polar transpacific route that heads north across the Arctic Ocean and the North Pacific. The great-circle path can brush the Bering Strait corridor before turning south into eastern China.

New York City to Shanghai Flight Time

Distance 11,859 km
7,369 miles
6,403 nautical miles
Flight Time ~15h (New York City → Shanghai)
~14h 15min (Shanghai → New York City)

New York City to Shanghai Time Difference

Time DifferenceShanghai is usually 13 hours ahead of New York in standard time (UTC+8 vs UTC-5), or 12 hours ahead when New York is on daylight saving time (UTC+8 vs UTC-4).
Time Zones America/New_York (New York City)
Asia/Shanghai (Shanghai)
DST NoteShanghai is usually 13 hours ahead of New York, or 12 hours ahead when New York is on daylight saving time. Shanghai stays on UTC+8 year-round.

New York City vs Shanghai: Geography & Population Comparison

New York City Shanghai
Country United States 🇺🇸 China 🇨🇳
Population 8,804,190 24,874,500
Coordinates 40.71°N, 74.01°W 31.22°N, 121.46°E
Elevation 10 m 4 m
Airports JFK, EWR, LGA PVG, SHA

How Far Is 11,859 km?

  • 📏11,859 km is almost the same scale as London to Singapore (10,855 km).
  • 📏It is about 1,122 km longer than Paris to Singapore (10,737 km).
  • 📏It is about 837 km longer than New York City to Dubai (11,022 km).

Flights from New York City to Shanghai

This is a polar-leaning transpacific route linking New York with Shanghai. Eastbound flights from New York to Shanghai usually take longer, while the return from Shanghai to New York is a little shorter because routing and winds can be more favorable on parts of the track.

Flight times are estimates based on great circle distance and typical cruising speeds. Actual times vary by airline, route, and conditions.

Great-Circle Route and Midpoint

New York City to Shanghai heads north across the Arctic Ocean and the North Pacific before turning south into eastern China.

Initial Bearing
346° (N)
Midpoint
Arctic Ocean near the International Date Line, north of the Bering Strait
Crosses
Arctic Ocean · North Pacific Ocean

Orthographic projection · Click 3D for interactive view

New York City and Shanghai Airports

New York City

  • JFKJohn F. Kennedy International Airport
  • EWRNewark Liberty International Airport
  • LGALaGuardia Airport

Shanghai

  • PVGShanghai Pudong International Airport
  • SHAShanghai Hongqiao International Airport

Distance by Speed

Commercial jet 900 km/h
13h 11min
Long-haul jet 850 km/h
13h 57min
320 km/h reference speed 320 km/h
37h 4min

Speed estimates use straight-line distance and do not include routing, stops, security, boarding, taxi time, or surface transfers.

Cities at a Similar Distance

London to Singapore →
10,855 km

Approximate great-circle distance, a close long-haul benchmark.

Paris to Singapore
10,737 km

Approximate great-circle distance, slightly shorter than New York City to Shanghai.

New York City to Dubai →
11,022 km

Approximate great-circle distance, a bit shorter than New York City to Shanghai.

New York City to Shanghai FAQ

How far apart are New York City and Shanghai?

New York City and Shanghai are 11,859 km (7,369 miles) apart by great-circle distance.

How long is the flight between New York City and Shanghai?

A typical flight is about 900 minutes from New York to Shanghai and about 855 minutes on the return.

Does the route follow a polar corridor across the Arctic Ocean?

Yes. The great-circle path heads north across the Arctic Ocean and the North Pacific before turning south into eastern China.

What is the time difference between New York City and Shanghai?

Shanghai is usually 13 hours ahead of New York in standard time and 12 hours ahead when New York is on daylight saving time.

Which airport codes are commonly used?

New York is typically served by JFK, EWR, and LGA, while Shanghai is typically served by PVG and SHA.

Which direction is usually faster on this route?

Shanghai to New York is usually a little faster than New York to Shanghai because the return can be more favorable on parts of the polar track.

Related Routes

Tools & Further Exploration

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