Charlotte to Shanghai Japan Flights

  About Charlotte

Charlotte is known to be the most populated city in the state of North Carolina. The city is the most recognised economic, cultural and transportation hub of the state. It is also one of the fastest-growing metropolitan cities in the country. Charlotte witnesses a great crowd during peak seasons as it has a favourable climate and boasts impeccable tourist attractions.

Best time to visit Charlotte

Charlotte's weather from March through May and September through November is practically perfect for a visit. The biggest perk of these months is that Charlotte's hotel prices drop tremendously, making it easier on the pockets. Spring is ideal as it invites warm temperatures and sets a base to the summer that is about to take over eventually. Despite being cold during spring, the transition of the weather is beautiful and definitely worth experiencing. April is considered the best by other tourists too, making travelling and hotels a little expensive. Only slightly though. The city welcomes amazing festivals such as Tuck Fest, Wells Fargo Championship, Charlotte Craft Beer Week, St Patrick's Day Parade, Charlotte Wine and Foods Weekend and Kings Drive Art Walk. These are some attractions that do get many tourists to flock over to Charlotte. This is followed by the summer, which is the peak season. The city is hot and quite expensive during summers, which could reflect badly on your pockets. Not to mention how it is jam packed with far too many tourists who come over from different parts of the world.

September to November in Charlotte is another ideal season. The summer crowd start to depart as the autumn season takes over the city. The best part is the hotel prices in Charlotte also drop during autumn as the tourist crowd disappears. The fall foliage at Charlotte is a visual spectacle that shouldn't be missed. The city's events calendar continues to celebrate many more festivals as more events are hosted during autumn. Activities such as Festival in the Park, Great Grapes! Wine, Arts & Food Festival, The Great Pumpkin Fest and Yiasou Greek Festival are some of the highlights. Overall, there are far too many beautiful sights to soak in when visiting Charlotte. You can make your hotel bookings in Charlotte done prior to the visit. In fact, if you do it months in advance, even if it is offseason, you will be in for some lovely online deals. From flights to hotels in Charlotte, you will manage to find some compelling online deals that will reduce the cost and leave you with more money, which you can splurge on food and other fun activities in the city.

Places to visit in Charlotte

The Queen City is recognised to be a big deal among petrolheads who are passionate about racing. The city also has some prestigious museums and food establishments to keep people engaged. You can start your trip with Discovery Place. It is a science museum which is great for individuals who are interested in science and concepts like physics and more. Mint Museum Uptown is an abode to some varied European and American art. The exhibits are contemporary and look really interesting. Billy Graham Library is one such place where America's Pastor, Billy Graham, grew up. It has been converted into a Christian book store and also a mini library with exhibits of Graham's life. You also have Levine Museum of the New South, which focuses on post-Civil War history. Of course, it would be a shame to not visit the NASCAR Hall of Fame. The museum has exhibits of plaques dedicated to drivers who have made an impact on the race track. While you're at the NASCAR museum, you can also check out the Charlotte Moto Speedway, probably even catch a race show in action.

Things to do in Charlotte

You can head straight to US National Whitewater Centre to engage in some fun kayaking and whitewater rafting. The place has the Catawba river flowing through Charlotte where often adventure junkies head to for some activities. You can also take up paddleboarding as one of the activities. Carowinds is another compelling space which is an amusement park with fun and engaging rides. Aside from this, you can always make the most of the city by going on a food and wine tour. The city's food and wine culture are quite thriving and interesting. Plus, it is also an excellent way to meet up with new people and interact with them. You can also participate in brewery crawls to check out some of the fascinating breweries around Charlotte.

Food and Restaurants in Charlotte

Charlotte's food culture is a beautiful melange of modern with Southern as its main attractions. Farm-to-fork menus are popular as they resonate the most with the traditional background of the city. But Charlotte also has a plethora of food establishments that rave international cuisine. To experience the city's best Southern taste and fried chicken, you should visit Price's Chicken Coop. Although the ambience and services might not be the best at Price's, the fried chicken certainly make up for what they lack otherwise. You should make sure to carry cash instead of a card payment at Price's because they're still primitive when it comes to the exchange of money. Plus, you will also have to wait in a long line as the restaurant's fame comes with a price, that of excess customers. Another cheap and tasty restaurant to check out is Midnight Diner. You can expand your menu from fried chicken to some Carolina-styled barbequed meat. Check out Midwood Smokehouse, Mac's Speed Shop and Queen City Q to get a whiff of the smokey barbequed meat and even a bite of the same.

The city also raves fine dining and steakhouses, which is perfect for business travellers who wish to take their clients to a place with lip-smacking food. Upscale food establishments can be found in the Uptown area of Charlotte. As long as you're ready to splurge a good amount, you can visit Halcyon Flavours From The Earth. You can also get away from the city and head to places such as Good Food On Montford, Fig Tree and Stagioni, for an intimate yet delicious setting and food. Soul Gastrolounge is one such establishment that you simply cannot miss. The place offers an array of beautiful dishes and is perpetually busy, which only means it's as good as people say. Queen City Charlotte also has a thriving crafted beer scene that you should indulge in along with some lovely appetisers. There are many breweries such as NoDa Brewing Company, Birdsong Brewing Company and Olde Mecklenburg Brewery, to try some of their crafted beer and food. You will not be disappointed by the beautiful flavours and tastes that you will get to experience in the city.

How to reach Charlotte

Flight connectivity to Charlotte from India is decent. Located in North Carolina, the city does see a decent number of travellers flocking over from India. However, travelling to Charlotte comes with some challenges, mainly to do with flight layovers and connectivity. While the airport is perfectly with other cities in the US, for an international traveller, they will have to change flights from domestic cities in the US. Domestic routes to Charlotte from Boston and New York City are quite ideal. Airlines such as Qatar Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Delta Air Lines, Air Canada, United Airlines, American Airlines, Swiss, United Airlines, have regular flights flying to Charlotte from across the globe. There is one United Airlines flight from Delhi that has only one stop at Newark before heading to Charlotte. The best thing about this flight is how it will take only 20 hours 53 minutes to reach the city. Air Canada's flight to Charlotte from Delhi also has only one stop at Toronto, and the journey can be covered in 21 hours and 4 minutes. Rest all the airlines have two stops and layovers in various other international cities.

Depending on the international routes chosen by airlines to reach Charlotte, the layovers and flight connectivity take place. Some countries require a visa. Hence, make sure to first check all the stops where the flight will by halting for layovers. Depending on the travel policies of the cities or countries, you will accordingly have to issue for a transit visa. You can do this by submitting an online application or get in touch with the embassy to do the same. Flight tickets to Buffalo is actually quite expensive. Irrespective of the flight duration, the airlines or even the connectivity, the ticket prices of Buffalo are quite steep. You will have to mentally prepare yourself and your bank balance that there will be some spending done. You can opt to book flight tickets to Buffalo well in advance. You might even receive some great deals online for flights and hotels in Buffalo. Booking hotels in Buffalo shouldn't be a problem as there is a range of cheap to expensive accommodations available in the city. As long as everything is done before time, you will have nothing to worry about.

  About Shanghai

Shanghai is one city that believes in 'Change is the only constant' and actually implements it. If the old restaurants in the city aren't changing their decor or remodelling, they get replaced by a new store. Shanghai is a city that has been developing rapidly. It is one of the most dynamic cities in China and has a vibrant nightlife. You will also find a lot of tall buildings and skyscrapers in the city. Shanghai is also known for its rich history, trendy architecture and several Michelin star restaurants. There is very little chance of you finding vegetarian food in the city, but otherwise, the culinary experience here is stunning. Even if you are not an art lover, you will find yourself appreciating the art museums and galleries in the city. Shanghai also has a lot of water towns in the city, which offer a tranquil getaway. Shanghai has a lot of towns that represent places like Great Britain, Italy, Germany, Spain and Sweden. The city is also well-connected to other cities in China if you are planning to explore them.

Best Time to Visit Shanghai

Autumn is the peak tourist season for Shanghai. April and May is the spring season in the city with the temperature ranging from 10 to 23 degree Celsius. There are several national festivals celebrated in the city during this time, which means there will be a surge in hotel prices. Make sure you book your hotel in Shanghai well in advance if you are planning to visit during these months. You must also book your flight tickets to Shanghai well in advance. However, it is advisable to not plan your trip to Shanghai in April or May. You can attend events like the Qingming Festival and Youth Day. It's also May Day or Labor Day on 1st May. This is not the busiest time for the city, but you will get to witness beautiful blossoms in the parks in the city.

June to September is the peak travel season in Shanghai and the busiest time for the city. The temperature ranges from 20 to 31 degree Celsius, and the weather is not very pleasant. The room rates are quite high, and you will find a lot of tourists in the city, too. There are also possibilities of typhoons in the city during late summer. It also rains quite a lot in the city during this time. You can attend events like the Dragon Boat Festival and Army's Day. The city also celebrates International Children's Day on 1st June. Since this is peak tourist time, hotels will be completely booked. Make sure you book your hotel in Shanghai several weeks in advance, so you get a decent deal and for a low price. There are slim chances that you will get cheap flight tickets to Shanghai during this season.

The fall season begins in October and lasts till November. The temperature ranges from 8 to 22 degree Celsius and hotel prices drop considerably. While the days are warmer, the nights are quite chilly, so make sure that you pack a couple of warm clothes, too. The weather provides quite a relief from the scorching summer heat. The rainfalls also reduce quite a lot in the fall season. The first week of October attracts a lot of Chinese tourists, owing to the public holiday. December to March is the winter season in Shanghai. It doesn't get as cold as it does in Beijing, but it is still not the best time to visit the city. With Chinese New Year in January/February, the hotel prices and flight tickets to Shanghai witness a surge. The temperature ranges from 0 to 13 degree Celsius. It is best to avoid travelling to Shanghai during this time since there will be a lot of traffic and it will be difficult to enjoy a vacation in Shanghai during this time. It goes without saying that you will also find it difficult to get good flight deals to Shanghai in winter.

Places to Visit in Shanghai

While Shanghai seems like it is just a concrete jungle, but it has quite a lot of sightseeing options in store for you. The Bund is a very attractive building in Shanghai. While it is a very common site for the locals, if you are visiting the city for the first time, you will be completely blown over. Try to visit the building at sunrise for the best experience. You will find a lot of pensioners flying kites and practice tai chi. The Propaganda Poster Art Centre is an art museum that you can visit even if you are not interested in art and history a lot. Eight ancient water towns surround Shanghai. You can either visit them all, or you can just stop at Qibao to experience it all. It is known for its delicious street food, and you can also go on a shopping spree here without burning a hole in your pocket. Fuxing Park is another popular spot in the city. It was one of the largest parks in the city and is a common hangout spot for the senior citizens in the locality. M50 is an architectural landmark which is short for Moganshan 50. It is a very hip and happening contemporary art district. You will find some of the best art galleries in the neighbourhood.

Caojiadu Flower and Bird Market is another popular place where you can go on a shopping spree. While the first floor has a lot of outdoor plants, herbs, birds, turtles and other animals, you can shop for wedding supplies and home decor items on the second floor. You can also head to Shanghai Disneyland. The speciality of the amusement park is that the rides have been modified to cater to the Chinese audience. Shanghai Science and Technology Museum is dedicated to nature, earth, robotics, space travel and is a popular place to visit. You can also head over to the Longhua Temple. You will find a lot of peace here. Chongming Island is another popular tourist attraction in the city that is worth visiting. If you want to go on a shopping spree, you can also head to Xintiandi, a very popular mall in the city. You cannot leave Shanghai without checking out the Shanghai Circus World.

Things to do in Shanghai

You can opt for a sightseeing tour of the city or explore it on your own. However, it is advisable that you hire a tour guide to get to know the city better. The city has a lot of museums that you can head to whether or not you love art and history. If you love science, you must definitely head to the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum. Zhujiajiao is like the Venice of Shanghai and is worth a visit. Shanghai is also known for its unique cuisines. You can either sign up for a food tour or join a cooking class to learn how to make a few Chinese cuisines. If you want a spiritual experience, you can head over to Longhua Temple. You can also offer your prayers as you learn more about Buddhism. Catch an acrobatics show at the Shanghai Circus World.

Food and Restaurants in Shanghai

Local street food is highly recommended if you are visiting Shanghai for the first time. However, you will also find a lot of fine dining, Michelin star restaurants in the city. It might be a tad expensive, but completely worth it. It will be quite difficult to find vegetarian food on the menu here or at local food joints. However, if you love meat or seafood, you can try the Xiaolongbao here or Liang pi. While the street food here is quite famous, a lot of locals prefer it for breakfast only. Aura Lounge and Jazz Bar at The Ritz-Carlton is a popular place to head to for dinner. The ambience and service here are impeccable. You can also head to The Roof for a couple of drinks and delicious food. Jin Xuan Chinese Restaurant is another restaurant at The Ritz-Carlton where you will find a variety of Chinese and Asian food. Yi Cafe at Pudong Shangri-La is another popular place to try seafood and Asian cuisine. Sakemate is another restaurant that you must try. The menu includes Japanese, Peruvian, Latin and Asian cuisines.

How to reach Shanghai (Transportation)

Shanghai Pudong International Airport serves the city. The flight connectivity to Shanghai from India is excellent. Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways, ANA All Nippon Airways and Cathay Pacific Airways have frequent flights to Shanghai from India with layovers at Singapore, Bangkok, Tokyo and Hong Kong. If you travel during the offseason, you might get cheap flight tickets to Shanghai. You will get taxis or car rental services from the airport quite easily to your hotel. However, it is best that you book your tickets and hotel in advance so you don't end up paying a high price and make the most of the deals you might find online.

  Japan Airlines

Japan Airlines Co. Ltd. (JAL), more popularly known as Japan Airlines, is an international airline which is the flag carrier of Japan. Its headquarters are located in Shinagawa, Tokyo. The airline has its main hubs in Tokyo's Narita International Airport and Tokyo International Airport, and Osaka's Kansai International Airport as well as Osaka International Airport. The JAL group of companies comprise not just Japan Airlines, but also J-Air which is a regional commuter airline, Japan Air Commuter which is a feeder service for Japan Airlines, Japan Transocean Air which is the domestic counterpart for Japan Airlines, and Ryukyu Air Commuter which is a domestic airline offering passenger services from Okinawa. JAL was established on 1st August 1951 after the Government of Japan recognized the need for a reliable air transportation service in the aftermath of the Second World War. The initial capital was ¥100 million. The company went on to become Japan's national airlines in 1953. In February 1954, Japan Airlines began its international flights. By 1965, half of JAL's revenue was from transpacific routes to the USA, and the company was meanwhile lobbying the USA for fifth freedom rights to fly transatlantic routes from the East Coast.

In 1987, JAL was fully privatized after which it started competing with All Nippon Airways and Japan Air System. This increase in competition resulted in changes in the corporate structure of Japan Airlines. It reorganized itself into three divisions, namely international passenger service, domestic passenger service, and cargo. The Japan Air Charter was established in 1990, which was a low-cost subsidiary of Japan Airlines for operating flights from Japan to resort destinations in the Asia-Pacific region. However, this subsidiary ceased operations in 2010. An agreement with the Walt Disney Company made Japan Airlines the official airlines of Tokyo Disneyland in 1996.

In 1992, however, the airline started incurring losses due to recessions in the USA and UK, as well as due to domestic economic trouble. However, the airline was able to cut costs by effectively utilizing their low-cost domestic subsidiary JAL Express and JALways, which was the successor to Japan Air Charter. The airline resumed profitability in 1999. In 2002, the company merged with Japan Air System and went on to become the sixth-largest airline in the world by the number of passengers carried. In 2004, Japan Air System changed its name to Japan Airlines Domestic, and its flight codes were changed to those of JAL's. While Japan Airlines Domestic handled JAL's domestic flights and Japan Airlines International operated both international and trunk domestic route flights, both airlines merged under a single brand -- Japan Airlines International -- on 1st October 2006. In 2008, Japan Airlines merged the operations of its subsidiary Japan Asia Airways which had up till then been operating separately for flights between Japan and Taiwan. In 2007, Japan Airlines joined the airline alliance Oneworld for which it had applied in 2005. The company claimed that this membership would serve the best interest of the airline and its customers.

After suffering grave financial losses in 2009, Japan Airlines sought protection under the Corporate Rehabilitation Law. The company received a ¥300 billion cash injection and had debts worth ¥730 billion waived, but in return had to cut its capital to zero, cut unprofitable routes, and reduce its workforce by a sizable one-third. In February 2010, JAL's shares were delisted from the Tokyo Stock Exchange which was until then considered the 'bluest of blue chips'. The leader of the task force for aiding a corporate turnaround for JAL, formed by Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, believed that a new CEO would help fix JAL's problems. The President of Japan Air Commuter, Masaru Onishi, was then promoted to President of JAL. In March 2011, JAL emerged from bankruptcy, and in 2012 it announced its intent to relist its shares in the Tokyo Stock Exchange in an IPO of up to ¥1 trillion. Post bankruptcy, JAL has established several new partnerships with the Oneworld alliance and other joint ventures, including the formation of Jetstar Japan with Qantas Airways.

Fleet size of Japan Airlines

As of July 2020, Japan Airlines operates a fleet of 176 aircraft. The fleet currently consists of Airbus A350-900, Boeing 737-800, Boeing 767-300, Boeing 767-300ER, Boeing 777-200, Boeing 777-200ER, Boeing 777-300, Boeing 777-300ER, Boeing 787-8, and Boeing 787-9. It intends to add to its fleet more wide-body aircraft. The fleet of Japan Airlines has a mixture of both narrow-body and wide-body aircraft. The airline provides economy class service on all routes. Business-class service with larger seats are offered on most major domestic routes and also on most international routes. Premium economy is offered only on some international routes. The JAL Cargo, once a dedicated freighter aircraft, operated both propeller and jet aircraft, most recently the Boeing 747-400s and the Boeing 767-300Fs. Currently, cargo services operate from the lower deck holds of JAL's passenger aircraft.

Baggage Allowance

The free baggage allowed for those in the Economy and Premium Economy Class is a maximum of two pieces of 23 kgs (50 lbs) each. For those in Business and First Class, this allowance is increased to three pieces of 32 kgs (70 lbs) each. For passengers who have a JAL Global Club Membership, this allowance is further increased to three pieces of 32 kgs (70 lbs) each for Economy and Premium Economy Class, and four pieces of 32 kgs (70 lbs) each for Business and First Class. The maximum external dimensions of the checked baggage should not exceed 203 cms, including the wheels and handles. Additional charges will be applied if the number of pieces, weight, or dimensions exceeds that which is allowed. The additional charges would depend upon the route being travelled. The airline also offers the option of paying these charges via JMB miles, their mileage program.

In-flight services

Japan Airlines offers excellent in-flight services to its passengers. Its in-flight entertainment system called MAGIC provides Audio/Video on Demand (AVOD) and is installed on all seats on Boeing 767-300ER, 777-200ER, and 777-300ER aircraft. The airline has its in-flight magazine, Skyward, provided by JALUX. Western and Japanese cuisine meals are offered on intercontinental routes, depending upon the cabin class, destination, and flight duration. The airline has worked with several high profile chefs, including Fumiko Kono. The seats are also quite posh, depending on the aircraft that you travel from, as is the hospitality by the flight staff. Passengers can request for pillows, blankets, noise-cancelling earplugs, toiletries and more. They are all available as part of the in-flight services. Further, the authentic Japanese delicacies can also be found on Japan Airlines as in-flight meals. However, depending on the duration or distance of the journey, only a select few can get hold of it for free.

Popular routes and top cities for Japan Airlines

As the flag carrier of Japan and also one of the most important airlines in the world, the connectivity of Japan Airlines is just as immaculate as its goodwill. The airline nearly serves over 60 destinations in the domestic routes while 39 cities in the international routes. These include destinations spread across Asia, Europe, the Americas and Oceania. The international route connectivity of the airline comes naturally and without the help of any codeshare agreement. This alone makes it quite impressive. Over the years, the airline has introduced or at least serviced about ten international routes which also include the route between Tokyo and Xi'an or Osaka and Qingdao.

Although it would take an entire day to name all the top cities of Japan Airlines, here are some, Melbourne, Sydney, Vancouver, Beijing, Dalian, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Helsinki, Guam, Hong Kong, Frankfurt, Paris, Delhi, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Moscow, Cape Town, Busan, Seoul, Taipei, Bangkok, London, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Honolulu, New York City, San Francisco, Seatle and Hanoi, to name a few. While the international route connectivity is fancy but so is the domestic route connectivity of Japan Airlines. Nagoya, Tokyo, Kushiro, Kochi, Osaka, Sapporo, Tokushima, Yamagatam Hiroshima, Fukuoka, Izumo and Nagasaki, are the top cities for Japan Airlines.

The airline shares codeshare agreements with airlines such as Aeroflot, British Airways, LATAM Brasil, SrilankanAirlines, LATAM Chile, Malaysia Airlines, Qantas, Garuda Indonesia, Cathay Dragon, Aeromexico, Air France, Cathay Pacific, Hawaiian Airlines, Iberia, Vistara, WestJet, Korean Air, Qatar Airways, Shanghai Airlines, Jetstar Japan, Fiji Airways, Finnair, Bangkok Airways, American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, China Airlines, Emirates and more.

Why travel by Japan Airlines?

Japan Airlines is one of the most recognised airlines that is present in today's time. It is not just the prominence of the airline but the adage of excellent facilities and services that have earned the airline quite the reputation. With time, the airline has also progressed to make sure that it is ahead of its contemporaries. The airline introduced web check-in facilities that can be availed on their official mobile app too. Booking a Japan Airlines flight is also possible online or from their app. Further, all updates regarding the flight status and flight schedules can all be found on the app. Besides, you can sit in one of their airport lounges and experience the lux while you wait to board the flight.