Departure
98%
vs 95% ▲ 3
MY FS FLIGHTS
MY FS FLIGHTS
Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport (ZSSS) is one of two international gateways serving Shanghai, sitting close to the city centre on the border of the Changning and Minhang districts. Today it functions primarily as China's domestic hub for the Shanghai market, hosting major bases for China Eastern Airlines, Shanghai Airlines, Juneyao Air and Spring Airlines, with a small number of international and regional services. Its two long parallel runways and dense terminal traffic make it a busy and historically significant field for any pilot studying the Shanghai area.
Hongqiao is one of Shanghai's two international airports and is the older of the pair, tracing its origins back to the 1920s. It lies close to the city centre, considerably nearer than its counterpart at Pudong, and today serves mainly as a domestic hub while retaining a handful of international routes. It is a major base for China Eastern Airlines, Shanghai Airlines and Juneyao Air, and an operating base for Spring Airlines, making it one of the busiest domestic airports in China.
The airport is located near the town of Hongqiao on the outskirts of the Changning and Minhang districts of Shanghai, about 13 kilometres west of the downtown area. It sits considerably closer to the city centre than Shanghai Pudong International Airport, which lies roughly 57 kilometres to the southeast. As one of the busiest airports in China, Hongqiao is embedded within controlled airspace associated with the wider Shanghai terminal area.
Hongqiao has two parallel physical runways aligned north-south. The main runway, 18L/36R, is 10,831 to 10,828 feet long depending on direction, has a hard surface, is lit, and is equipped with ILS in both directions. The second runway, 18R/36L, is 9,863 to 9,851 feet long, also hard-surfaced, lit, and served by ILS in both directions.
Air traffic services at Hongqiao are provided across several frequencies. Shanghai Approach is split into four sectors: 119.75 MHz (Sector 2), 120.3 MHz (Sector 1), 121.3 MHz (Sector 3) and 123.8 MHz (Sector 4). The Tower frequency is 118.1 MHz, Ground is 121.6 MHz, Clearance Delivery is 121.75 MHz, and the ATIS broadcasts on 132.25 MHz. Both runways are equipped with ILS for instrument approaches.
Construction of Hongqiao Airport began in 1921, and it opened for mixed civilian use in May 1923. During the Shanghai Incident of 1932 the Chinese Air Force deployed fighter-attack aircraft from Hongqiao, engaging Japanese carrier-based aircraft for the first time that day. In 1937 the airport was the site of the so-called Oyama Incident, in which a Japanese lieutenant was shot dead by Chinese Peace Preservation Corps soldiers shortly before the Battle of Shanghai. During the Second Sino-Japanese War the airport was occupied by Japanese forces and used as an air base, and its military role continued after it was handed over first to the Republic of China government and later to the People's Republic of China. From late 1963 the airport was rebuilt for civilian use and reopened in April 1964, with the original Terminal 1 and control tower opening that year. Further major expansions took place from March to September 1984 and from December 1988 to December 1991. In 1972 the airport was visited by US President Richard Nixon aboard Air Force One during his historic visit to China. Through the 1970s, 80s and 90s Hongqiao grew into a major international gateway, served at various times by carriers including Japan Airlines, Pan Am, United Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Northwest Airlines, Cathay Pacific, KLM, Lufthansa, Air France, Swissair, Thai Airways International, Malaysia Airlines, Korean Air, Garuda Indonesia, Asiana Airlines, Aeroflot and Qantas. For much of this period the airport had only a single 3,400 metre runway. Hongqiao served as Shanghai's primary airport until Pudong International Airport opened on 1 October 1999, after which most international services were gradually transferred there, leaving Hongqiao to develop into the city's principal domestic hub.
Hongqiao today operates mainly as a domestic hub for the Shanghai market, alongside a limited number of international and regional services to destinations such as Tokyo Haneda, Seoul Gimpo, Taipei Songshan, Hong Kong and Macau. It is a major hub for China Eastern Airlines, Shanghai Airlines and Juneyao Air, and an operating base for Spring Airlines. The airport has two terminals, with Terminal 2 considerably larger than Terminal 1 and handling the bulk of domestic traffic, while Terminal 1 is used for international, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan flights along with some domestic carriers. The airport received a Skytrax 5-Star Airport Rating in 2025 for its facilities and service standards.