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SFO to PVG Turbulence Forecast

Is the San Francisco to Shanghai flight turbulent? Live forecast & historical patterns.

Live forecast
SFO
→
PVG
San Francisco · Shanghai · 12h 0m
58
Turb Score
12h 0m
Duration
5,875 nm
Distance
38,000 ft
Cruise Alt.
Moderate
Typical
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Typical turbulence along the route

Historical average pattern for SFO–PVG

Smooth Light Moderate
0h1h2h3h4h5h6h12h 0m
Smooth
Light
Moderate
Heavy

About the SFO–PVG route

The San Francisco to Shanghai route spans the Pacific Ocean — one of the longest commercial flight paths in the world at 6,762 miles. The Pacific jet stream creates moderate turbulence, typically around 3–7 hours into the flight. The sheer length of the route means passengers experience varying conditions: calm stretches punctuated by bumpy patches.

The route is served by Air China, China Eastern, United Airlines on Boeing 777 · Airbus A350 aircraft, with flights typically cruising at 38,000 feet over a distance of 6,762 miles (5,875 nautical miles).

💡 Tip: Long flight — turbulence varies throughout. Wing seats significantly reduce motion.

San Francisco to Shanghai Flight Time

How long is the flight from SFO to PVG?

12h 0m
Flight Time
6,762 mi
Distance
38,000 ft
Cruising Altitude
Boeing 777
Aircraft

The San Francisco (SFO) to Shanghai (PVG) flight takes approximately 12h 0m, covering 6,762 miles (5,875 nautical miles) at 38,000 feet. The route is operated by Air China, China Eastern, United Airlines. Return flights (PVG to SFO) take a similar time, though westbound transatlantic and transpacific routes are typically 30–60 minutes longer due to headwinds.

Turbulence levels on SFO–PVG

What to expect at each phase of the flight

SmoothDeparture & arrival — climb and descent phases are generally calm
LightMinor bumps — drink stays in your cup, walking feels slightly unsteady
ModerateNoticeable bumps — stay seated with seatbelt on, service may pause
HeavyStrong jolts — unsecured items move, crew seated. Rare but possible

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Best time to fly SFO–PVG

Turbulence by month

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Smooth
Light
Moderate
Rough

Best seat on SFO–PVG

Boeing 777

Front
Rows 1–21
Light
✓ Wing
Rows 22–40
Smoothest
Rear
Rows 41+
Rougher
Wing seats are over the center of gravity — least affected by turbulence.

What you'll see in the app

Full forecast, live map & seat recommendations

SFO to PVG turbulence forecast app
Flight turbulence tracker
Real-time turbulence map

Similar routes

Other popular routes with turbulence data

LAX → PVG
Los Angeles → Shanghai
Moderate
SFO → NRT
San Francisco → Tokyo
Moderate
SFO → HKG
San Francisco → Hong Kong
Light
LAX → HKG
Los Angeles → Hong Kong
Moderate
SFO → ICN
San Francisco → Seoul
Moderate
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Passenger Reports

The over the Pacific section was legitimately rough. I was holding on to the armrests. Lasted maybe 40 minutes. One of the flight attendants had to sit down. Not a fun 12h 0m flight but we landed fine.
Solo traveler · May
Moderate turbulence mid-Pacific — the kind where you're glad you kept your seatbelt on. Lasted about 30-40 minutes, then smoothed out. I've had worse on transatlantic routes.
Frequent flyer · August
This was genuinely difficult for me. Real bumps for a long stretch crossing the dateline, seatbelt sign on for what felt like forever. The flight attendants were calm which helped. Got through it.
Nervous flyer · April
All SFO routes→ All PVG routes→

Frequently asked questions

Is the San Francisco to Shanghai flight turbulent?
The SFO–PVG route typically experiences moderate turbulence. Moderate turbulence expected — fasten seatbelt when seated. The turbulence score for this route is 58/100.
When is turbulence worst on SFO to PVG?
Long flight — turbulence varies throughout. Wing seats significantly reduce motion. Check the turbulence chart above for the typical pattern along this specific route.
Which seat is smoothest on SFO to PVG?
Wing seats are always the smoothest. On a Boeing 777 (the most common aircraft on this route), that's rows 22–40. Avoid the very rear of the aircraft — it amplifies turbulence motion.
How long is the flight from SFO to PVG?
The SFO to PVG flight takes approximately 12h 0m, covering 6,762 miles (5,875 nautical miles).
Which airlines fly SFO to PVG?
The main airlines operating this route are Air China, China Eastern, United Airlines, flying Boeing 777 · Airbus A350 aircraft.

Data Sources

Scores represent typical conditions. Actual turbulence varies daily. For real-time forecasts, use the Turbulence Forecast app. · About our data