Originally Posted by
tradernick
Is there a way to find out what airlines/cities offer nonstop to shanghai? I'm poking through many airline websites only to be offered 1 or 2 stops which equal 24+ hours total travel time. If I had a list of airlines offering nonstop, and from which airports, it would make finding my flights much faster. Best I've found so far is delta from my home port of mco to sfo, then united nonstop to pvg.
Going to the other side of the world just count on 20 to 24 hour total travel time if you get good connections. I see you mention going through SFO. Not the shortest flying time.
Shortest is the great circle route. Get a globe and stretch a string from Florida to Shanghai. Direct is over the midwest then Alaska then down the coast past Russia. That is why I go DL (used to be the NW routes) to Asia, transfer at MSP or DTW. It is "on the way". DL had a ATL nonstop but they dropped it
It is actually more flying time to dogleg to CA and then to Asia. The reason people do and the airlines schedule it is there so much traffic between CA and Asia there are lots of flights and low prices with so much competition. The other consideration is a mid winter trip where DTW might have snow trouble, you might want to connect at LAX where they have far fewer snow days.
The other direct route from Florida is CO thru EWR. Their nonstop goes over the North Pole then Siberia and China to PVG. From MCO I would do CO thru EWR or DL connecting at DTW. Both one stop trips with the shortest flying times. Pick whichever alliance you collect FF miles on. After about 22 hours my behind hurts from sitting. Every extra flying hour is
agony.
Note: the DL computer will try, but do NOT schedule less than a two hour connection (3 is better, my personal minimum time) at DTW on your return. Immigration and customs is a zoo. A slow zoo. You are lucky to get out of there in an hour. If your plane is the least bit late you or your bag will miss your connnection.