I flew economy with MU in April, and it is rather easy if both flights are with MU. More than likely, you will be given both boarding passes when you check-in. Once you get off the plane, you go to transfers, where your passport and face get scanned. After, you go up some stairs to where your carry-on baggage will be scanned and you pass to an x-ray machine. Then you will go to your gate. Depending on the amount of flights arriving when yours does, it might be 45 minutes or closer to two hours. Be aware some gates (the ones you want downstairs to) are ones where you are bussed to. In addition, there can be weather and/or ATC delays at PVG, with more delays in the later afternoon. Keep this in mind if you have to arrive by a certain time. My flight from LAX to KIX via PVG was delayed by around 3 hours, so instead of arriving at 8 to KIX, it was 11:15ish at night.However, I did save a good amount of cash compared to direct flights or even connecting via a non-PRC country, so I would fly MU again at a similar price. Hope this helps!