Departure
95%
vs 95%
MY FS FLIGHTS
MY FS FLIGHTS
Shanghai Pudong International Airport (ZSPD/PVG) is the principal international gateway to Shanghai, sited on reclaimed coastal land in the Pudong district some 30 kilometres east of the city centre. It is a vast, heavily controlled hub airport with four parallel runways, extensive parallel taxiway systems and full precision-approach equipment, making it a demanding but rewarding destination for simulator pilots flying heavy or airline-type traffic into East Asia.
Pudong is Shanghai's main international airport, standing alongside Hongqiao as the city's other major field, with Hongqiao handling mostly domestic and regional East Asian traffic. It occupies a large site adjacent to the coastline in eastern Pudong and serves as the principal hub for China Eastern Airlines and Shanghai Airlines, a major international hub for Air China, a secondary hub for China Southern Airlines, and the home base for Juneyao Air and Spring Airlines. It is also a significant Asia-Pacific cargo hub, hosting operations for FedEx, UPS and DHL, the latter's hub, opened in July 2012, reportedly the largest express facility of its kind in Asia. For a simulator pilot, Pudong offers the chance to fly into one of the busiest and most complex international airports in China, with a mix of heavy long-haul arrivals, high-density parallel runway operations and a distinctive coastal approach.
The airport lies in the Pudong New Area of Shanghai, close to the towns of Chuansha, Huinan, Sinchang and Zhou Pu, roughly 30 kilometres south-east of the Shanghai city centre. It sits adjacent to the coastline in eastern Pudong and, as a major international hub, is embedded within dense controlled airspace serving the wider Shanghai terminal area alongside Hongqiao Airport.
Pudong has four parallel physical runways, all hard-surfaced and lit, each equipped with ILS. Runway 17L/35R is the longest at 13,132 feet. Runway 16R/34L measures 12,477 feet, and runway 16L/34R measures 12,476 feet, both essentially matched in length. The fourth runway, 17R/35L, is 11,163 feet long. The field elevation is 10 feet.
Shanghai Approach operates on several sectors: 119.75 MHz (Sector 2), 120.3 MHz (Sector 1), 121.3 MHz (Sector 3) and 123.8 MHz (Sector 4). ATIS broadcasts on 127.85 MHz. Clearance Delivery works on 121.95 MHz, with Ground split between 121.65 MHz (Ground West) and 121.8 MHz (Ground East). Tower operations are divided between 118.4 MHz (Tower 02, East) and 118.8 MHz (Tower 01, covering runways 17L/35R), while a further Tower frequency, 124.35 MHz (Tower 03), covers runway 17R/35L. All four runways are equipped with ILS for instrument approaches.
Construction of the first phase of the airport began in October 1997 and took two years to complete, at a reported cost of RMB 12 billion (around US$1.67 billion at the time). Pudong Airport officially opened on 16 September 1999, replacing Hongqiao as Shanghai's primary airport; Hongqiao had until then been the city's only commercial airport. The field opened with a 4,000-metre runway alongside a dedicated cargo hub. Over the following years it grew into a major hub for China Eastern Airlines and Shanghai Airlines, and developed into an important cargo gateway, with DHL opening what was reported to be the largest express hub in Asia at the airport in July 2012. A new terminal, Terminal Two, began a further era of expansion at the airport in March 2026.
Pudong today operates as one of the busiest international hubs in China, handling a substantial share of the country's international passenger traffic alongside significant cargo operations for FedEx, UPS and DHL. The airport has two main passenger terminals flanked by its four parallel runways, and continues to expand its facilities to handle rising passenger numbers. As a major controlled international airport, arriving flights are handled by Shanghai Approach and Tower on the frequencies listed above, with all four runways available for precision approaches in the prevailing weather.