China - Help! Connection time in Shanghai (Pudong?)

Hi -

I am planning a trip to Nepal for this coming May. I have found what seems like a great deal ($1045 roundtrip) leaving from Vancouver, BC (Canada) with plane changes/stops in Shanghai and Kunming but am a little concerned about some of the connection times. I've never had to make an international connection so am a little unsure about the time required.

All flights will be on China Eastern Airlines, but we will need to change planes each time. The connection time I am concerned about is the 3 hours at Pudong on the return trip. If I understand correctly we will need to clear customs and then re-enter the terminal?

Thanks in advance for the help!

Here is the itinerary I am looking at:

Flight
Leave Tue, May 1 Total time: 32hr 20min
Depart
1:30 PM
Vancouver, BC , Canada
Vancouver Intl (YVR) Terminal M
Stop 1
4:35 PM
Shanghai , China
Pudong Intl (PVG) Terminal 1
Change of planes. Time between flights: 4hr 25min

China Eastern Airlines 582
Economy Airbus A343
5,611 mi 12hr 5min Meal: Lunch Seat map
Depart
9:00 PM
Shanghai , China
Pudong Intl (PVG) Terminal 1
Stop 2
12:25 AM
Kunming , China
Kunming Airport (KMG)
Change of planes. Time between flights: 9hr 30min

China Eastern Airlines 748
Economy Boeing 737
1,223 mi 3hr 25minSeat map
Depart
9:55 AM
Kunming , China
Kunming Airport (KMG)
Arrive
10:35 AM
Kathmandu , Nepal
Tribhuvan (KTM)

China Eastern Airlines 757
Economy Boeing 737
1,093 mi 2hr 55minSeat map
This flight arrives two (2) days later.
Return Thu, Jun 7 Total time: 34hr 30min
Depart
11:25 AM
Kathmandu , Nepal
Tribhuvan (KTM)
Stop 1
4:25 PM
Kunming , China
Kunming Airport (KMG)
Change of planes. Time between flights: 15hr 5min

China Eastern Airlines 758
Economy Boeing 737
1,093 mi 2hr 45minSeat map
Depart
7:30 AM
Kunming , China
Kunming Airport (KMG)
Stop 2
10:25 AM
Shanghai , China
Pudong Intl (PVG) Terminal 1
Change of planes. Time between flights: 3hr 5min

China Eastern Airlines 747
Economy Boeing 737
1,223 mi 2hr 55minSeat map
Depart
1:30 PM
Shanghai , China
Pudong Intl (PVG) Terminal 1
Arrive
9:10 AM
Vancouver, BC , Canada
Vancouver Intl (YVR) Terminal M

China Eastern Airlines 581
Economy Airbus A343
5,611 mi 10hr 40min Meal: Dinner Seat map
This is an overnight flight.

Hi -

I am planning a trip to Nepal for this coming May. I have found what seems like a great deal ($1045 roundtrip) leaving from Vancouver, BC (Canada) with plane changes/stops in Shanghai and Kunming but am a little concerned about some of the connection times. I've never had to make an international connection so am a little unsure about the time required.

All flights will be on China Eastern Airlines, but we will need to change planes each time. The connection time I am concerned about is the 3 hours at Pudong on the return trip. If I understand correctly we will need to clear customs and then re-enter the terminal?

Thanks in advance for the help!

Here is the itinerary I am looking at:

Flight
Leave Tue, May 1 Total time: 32hr 20min
Depart
1:30 PM
Vancouver, BC , Canada
Vancouver Intl (YVR) Terminal M
Stop 1
4:35 PM
Shanghai , China
Pudong Intl (PVG) Terminal 1
Change of planes. Time between flights: 4hr 25min

China Eastern Airlines 582
Economy Airbus A343
5,611 mi 12hr 5min Meal: Lunch Seat map
Depart
9:00 PM
Shanghai , China
Pudong Intl (PVG) Terminal 1
Stop 2
12:25 AM
Kunming , China
Kunming Airport (KMG)
Change of planes. Time between flights: 9hr 30min

China Eastern Airlines 748
Economy Boeing 737
1,223 mi 3hr 25minSeat map
Depart
9:55 AM
Kunming , China
Kunming Airport (KMG)
Arrive
10:35 AM
Kathmandu , Nepal
Tribhuvan (KTM)

China Eastern Airlines 757
Economy Boeing 737
1,093 mi 2hr 55minSeat map
This flight arrives two (2) days later.
Return Thu, Jun 7 Total time: 34hr 30min
Depart
11:25 AM
Kathmandu , Nepal
Tribhuvan (KTM)
Stop 1
4:25 PM
Kunming , China
Kunming Airport (KMG)
Change of planes. Time between flights: 15hr 5min

China Eastern Airlines 758
Economy Boeing 737
1,093 mi 2hr 45minSeat map
Depart
7:30 AM
Kunming , China
Kunming Airport (KMG)
Stop 2
10:25 AM
Shanghai , China
Pudong Intl (PVG) Terminal 1
Change of planes. Time between flights: 3hr 5min

China Eastern Airlines 747
Economy Boeing 737
1,223 mi 2hr 55minSeat map
Depart
1:30 PM
Shanghai , China
Pudong Intl (PVG) Terminal 1
Arrive
9:10 AM
Vancouver, BC , Canada
Vancouver Intl (YVR) Terminal M

China Eastern Airlines 581
Economy Airbus A343
5,611 mi 10hr 40min Meal: Dinner Seat map
This is an overnight flight.

You will clear customs/immigration in Kunming. You will not have to leave the controlled area at PVG and therefore you will have three hours to kill at the airport. Even if you did have to go thru security again, the airport is relatively efficient and the secuirty process is quick. Nothing to worry about.

I fly in and out of PVG regularly and have never encountered a big delay.

What would you advise as the least amount of time for the Shanghai to Chengdu connection? I will be arriving from the US into Shanghai at 2:05pm into Terminal 2. The China Eastern connection is scheduled to leave at 4:55pm from Terminal 1. That feels very tight to me for clearing customs and immigration.

The return trip has plenty of time. It's the incoming that has me concerned.

Thank you in advance!

What would you advise as the least amount of time for the Shanghai to Chengdu connection? I will be arriving from the US into Shanghai at 2:05pm into Terminal 2. The China Eastern connection is scheduled to leave at 4:55pm from Terminal 1. That feels very tight to me for clearing customs and immigration.

The return trip has plenty of time. It's the incoming that has me concerned.

Thank you in advance!

Connection should be OK, certainly I wouldn't hesitate to book this for myself. Worst case, there'd be some kind of delay leaving the USA which would cause a misconnect in Shanghai, and you'd have to get another flight to Chengdu. But this is a busy, well-served domestic Chinese route and there are options for recovery all the way into the evening/night. I assume this is all on one ticket, in which case China Eastern should automatically put you on next available flight out.

Thank you. It's a combination of AA miles and paid portions, but it's all one itinerary/ticket from AA. It sounds like I should be fine, and I'm leaving O'Hare early enough that I shouldn't run into delays.

What would you advise as the least amount of time for the Shanghai to Chengdu connection? I will be arriving from the US into Shanghai at 2:05pm into Terminal 2. The China Eastern connection is scheduled to leave at 4:55pm from Terminal 1. That feels very tight to me for clearing customs and immigration.

The return trip has plenty of time. It's the incoming that has me concerned.

Thank you in advance!

MU's check in cut off at PVG is t-30. After subtracting this from your layover, you still have 140 minutes to clear border control and walk from T1 to T2.

If's its on one pnr, I won't worry that much given that you have 140 mins as moondog mentioned.

This is no biggie, as others have mentioned. Just wanted to give you a bit more confidence going forward.