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  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

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.

Foods 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.

  About Air China

Air China Limited is the official flag carrier and also one of the largest airlines of the People's Republic of China which has its headquarters located in the Shunyi District of Beijing. The airline's flight operations are based in its hub at Beijing Capital International Airport. The airline came into existence in 1988 when the airline's parent company Air China International Corporation was established. In 2002 though, the central government made some reformation plans with respect to the airline industry and decided to merge all the top airlines. This included Air China International Corporation, China Southwest Airlines and China Aviation Corporation to for one company called Air China International Corporation. In 2004, the company went ahead to rebrand itself from Air China International Corporation to Air China Limited. The same year, the airline's company turned into a publicly-traded entity that was listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange as well as the London Stock Exchange. Air China's corporate logo comprises of a phoenix, a legendary bird that is worshipped by the nation for its symbolic reference that calls for luck and happiness.

The symbol is painted in red, which is associated with all things happy and lucky, according to the Chinese culture and traditional beliefs. The main idea behind choosing this logo is to express Air China's commitment towards promoting the development of China's airline industry while offering a slew of facilities and a pleasant experience for travellers. The core belief of Air China is that the airline would continue to soar right and serve the world. Air China is recognised as one of the only national flag carriers to be part of the airline alliance network, Star Alliance. The airline was also associated as the airline partner during the Olympics Beijing 2008. The airline caters to a phenomenal number of international routes and domestic routes as one of the largest airlines in the country.

Further, it also provides special flight facilities to foreign heads, VIPs and government leaders for their travel requirements. This further adds to their exclusive national carrier status. Air China has branches in several cities, including Southwest China, Chongqing, Shanghai, Tibet, Hubei, Zhejiang, Guizhou and Tianjin, to name a few.

In 2010, the airline completed its shareholding deal in Shenzhen Airlines to become the controlling stakeholder in Shenzhen Airlines. This move enhanced Air China's position in the domestic network market across Beijing, Shanghai and Chengdu. In the same year, the airline also received an accolade as the Plaque for Tourist Merit by Spain's highest tourism industry award. Air China became the first airline to receive such an honour given by a Spanish organisation. Further, in the same year, the airline also introduced combined ticket offers that enabled passengers to include domestic flight tickets along with shuttle bus services to nearby cities. With this, the airline once again became the first-ever Chinese airline to combine flight-shuttle tickets. Their first route connected Tianjin via a shuttle bus service whereas the domestic flights passed through Beijing. By 2011, the airline introduced WiFi services on board, making it the first Chinese airline to pull off such an in-flight service. With a view to renewing its fleet, Air China announced in 2015 that it had opted for Boeing 737 Next Generation and 737 MAX for the same.

Fleet size of Air China

Air China's current fleet size stands at 430 aircraft. Considering how the airline caters to a massive number of destinations with both international routes and domestic routes, the fleet is required to be huge and strong. Air China majorly has aircraft compilation of 33 Airbus A319-100, 44 Airbus A320-200, 26 Airbus A320neos, 61 Airbus A321-200, 30 Airbus A330-200, 28 Airbus A330-300, 102 Boeing 737-800, 16 Boeing 737 MAX 8, 28 Boeing 777-300ER, 14 Boeing 787-9 and 14 Boeing 787-9, to name a few. They have a combination of narrow-body and wide-body aircraft to enable easy connectivity with the short-haul, medium-haul and long haul routes. Further, the airline also has about 138 aircraft that have been ordered and are yet to join the Air China fleet. Much of the mixed aircraft have been retired over time with only space for aircraft from the Boeing and Airbus family. The airline also has one Comac ARJ21-700 and Dassault Falcon 7X as part of its fleet. They have further ordered for 34 and 20 aircraft respectively.

Baggage Allowance

Air China's baggage allowance is different depending on the international route, Mainland China route, regional operations and more. In terms of international routes, Air China allows a weight of up to 23 kg for premium economy and economy class passengers. Passengers who are travelling from first or business class are allowed to carry baggage weighing up to 32 kg. The rule does have restrictions to certain cities and routes that the passenger will need to check ahead of the journey. The dimensions for the standard checked baggage should not exceed a total of 158 cm. This includes the wheels, handles and pockets. Rules for the hand baggage as specified by the airline include allocation of two pieces of carry-on baggage for first class and business class. The weight of the baggage should not exceed 8 kg per piece. As for economy class passengers, the carry-on baggage should weigh no more than 5 kg with one piece of allocation per passenger. The dimensions for the baggage that is carried onboard should be within 55 cm x 40 cm x 20 cm as the bags need to fit in the overhead bin.

In-flight services

As an airline that is celebrated to be one of the best and largest in Asia, Air China's in-flight services boast exquisite facilities. These include a comfortable seating arrangement that caters to the privacy and convenience of the passenger. With great legroom and armrest teamed that also comes with entertainment systems, the journey is easily one of the best experiences. The in-flight services also include delicious in-flight meals that add to the comfort.

Popular routes and top cities for Air China

Air China's international routes and domestic routes have extended tremendously since its inception. The airline has accommodated various destinations across Asia, Western Europe, North American and the Middle East. With hubs at Beijing Capital International Airport and Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport, the airline now has a significant number of destinations from Shanghai as well. A majority of the international routes operate from cities such as Xiamen, Chengdu, Dalian, Kunming, Chongqing and Hangzhou. Air China is one of the few recognised airlines to cater to all the six habitable continents with a plethora of destinations. The airline's fleet modification and expansion have further enabled adding more routes to its network.

As of 2020, the top cities that Air China caters to Athens, Auckland, Bangkok, Barcelona, Beijing, Busan, Chengdu, Chiang Mai, Colombo, Copenhagen, Delhi, Dazhou, Dubai, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Geneva, Guangzhou, Hanoi, Havana, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, Houston, Islamabad, Johannesburg, Karachi, Kathmandu, Kuala Lumpur, London, Los Angeles, Madrid, Montreal, Moscow, Mumbai, Munich, New York City, Newark, Panama City, Rome, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore, Stockholm, Sydney, Tianjin, Toronto, Vancouver, Wuhan, Yangon, and Zhengzhou, to name a few.

Why travel by Air China?

Air China's illustrious history teamed with its special in-flight services and airport lounge facilities make it one of the most sought-after airlines to pick. The airline is known to offer the best domestic route and international route connectivity in Asia. In fact, Air China is especially ideal for travel plans that are within Mainland China. With their expansion plans over the years, the airline has managed to gather a strong community of loyal customers. Considering the facilities and services that the airline offers, it becomes rather easy to choose the airline. Right from booking an Air China flight online to web check-in services, the airline's website caters to all kinds of such requirements.

Not to mention how you can find Air China's flight schedule and the flight status on their website and other travel portals. Similar facilities have been incorporated on the airline's official mobile app as well. Passengers who are flying from Air China or wish to book a flight ticket from the airline can rake in some benefits on their mobile app. The app is usually full of offers such as discounts on flight tickets and added benefits of booking accommodation and transportation services in the destination. Further, baggage allowance depending on the ticket type can be best understood on their website and mobile app. The consolidated information is mentioned and explained to cater to the understanding of the passenger.

While these benefits do make it a good option, the airline's affiliation with Star Alliance adds to the list of perks. For passengers who are already members of the Star Alliance frequent flyer programmes, they can avail premium benefits when booking Air China flights. Along with the ticket perks, access to airport lounge facilities will also be enabled. Overall, Air China provides world-class services teamed with an excellent domestic route and international route connectivity. Hence, it is one of the ideal airlines to choose, especially when travelling within China.