Shanghai Hongqiao Airport - Spotting Guide

Shanghai Hongqiao Airport – Spotting Guide

August 16, 2017 - last modified on August 5, 2024

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

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 2024 / spot 3 updated, spot 6 and 7 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.

	Spot #1 – Bridge – Morning Arrivals 18L
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. LINK TO BAIDU MAPS

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

	Spot #2 – Riverbank – Evening Arrivals 18L
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 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 (I used). 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. LINK TO BAIDU MAPS

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

bridge:

	Spot #3 – Riverbank – 36L Arrivals
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. You can also take Line 10 to Hangzhong Road Station or Line 2 to Hongqiao Airport Terminal 2. I would prefer to take a taxi from there (doesn’t matters which station exactly then) to Jinjiang Hotel and I recommend you to show on the map, which one you mean, because there are two Hotels (one at the southern end and one at the northern end). After you arrived at the hotel cross the G318 street and follow the Qixin Road for about 200m into northern direction. LINK TO BAIDU MAPS

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

	Spot #4 – Air China Boyue Hotel
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). LINK TO BAIDU MAPS

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

	Spot #5 – Wubao Rd – 36R arrivals
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. LINK TO BAIDU MAPS

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

	Spot #6 – Bus Station – 36R Arrivals Morning
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

	Spot #7 – Riverbank – 18L Arrivals
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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Eric

1 month ago

I am planning to spot at SHA soon and I wonder where is the place where you can see planes with the Shanghai skyline (skyscrapers)?

AMGEnthusiast63

4 months ago

Just a quick update, the traffic in Shanghai is not so dangerous now, many traffic cameras are in place to catch drivers going recklessly/driving against the rules/not yielding to pedestrians, drivers will willingly yield to pedestrians on crosswalks now. Have no worries about traffic safety here.

PlaneJJ

4 months ago

Hello, I am currently in Shanghai and I would like to go spotting but I saw that the majority of planes landed in 18R being larger and I do not know where to go to see the arrivals in 18R.
Please tell me if you have any other information than what is already noted.
Thank you for your help!

AMGEnthusiast63

Reply to PlaneJJ

4 months ago

Hello, look for a short road called Nanshiqiao Road, there is a bridge crossing over a river below, you can spot on the bridge or go down to the footpath next to the river to get closer, there are some trees along the riverbank that might block your view though. Overall should be a good spotting location.

PlaneJJ

Reply to AMGEnthusiast63

4 months ago

Thank you very much for your help, I’ll try to get there!

Julian

Admin

Reply to AMGEnthusiast63

4 months ago

Hi, I think you can stay all along the riverwalk that leads to spot 2. No matter which runway is in use. Even in the morning hours. Can you confirm this?
-Julian

NoTalpha

1 year ago

lol i can see my apartments in the background

LingFeng

3 years ago

Hello, I would like to add one point: Due to the impact of Covid-19, Hongqiao Airport is now only responsible for flights to mainland China and some official flights. All flights involving Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and international flights were handed over to Pudong International Airport.

Felix Yao

3 years ago

Spot #5 – Rongde Apartment no longer exists. The whole housing estate has been demolished.

Julian

Admin

Reply to Felix Yao

3 years ago

I removed this spot Felix, thanks for the update.
-Julian

Steven Ma

3 years ago

This is a great guide for me, I was living in Shanghai for a long time, and this guide helps me a lot for shooting the aircraft, thanks a lot.

Jack

6 years ago

Spot 3 is actually much more convenient, there are multiple ways of transportation.
If you come from city center, you can take Route 71 to Shenkun Road Terminal – a BRT-like bus route. After you get of 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, I would also prefer to take Line 9 to Qibao Station or Line 10 to Hangzhong Road Station. From Qibao Station of Line 9, 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 Rd. at Huqingping Highway (七莘路沪青平公路) Station, and walking along Qixin Road heading North. From Hangzhong Road Station, I would prefer to take a taxi. (Taking a taxi from Qibao is also recommended, as Qibao is a major town and has enough taxis.)
These are ways that can significantly saving cost compared to directly taking a taxi from the city center. If you take a taxi to such a short distance from Airport Terminals to Spot #3, I’m afraid the taxi driver will be in bad mood!

Severin

Reply to Jack

6 years ago

Hi Jack!

Thank you very very much for those great information – added to guide!
Had the mentioned problems and my taxidriver made a whole circle around the airport, but in the wrong direction, because the short way was to “cheap”.

Regards, Severin