The official pages that list Shanghai–Osaka flights show Shanghai Pudong (PVG) to Osaka Kansai (KIX). China Eastern's own text pages carry no 2026 flight numbers or times for this route, while Spring Airlines, ANA and Peach publish timetables. On Japan routes China Eastern counts checked bags by piece, 2 pieces in most Economy fare types. This guide lists no fares.
Quick answer by situation
- Flying China Eastern: Use Pudong, where the pages place the route. Check in at Pudong T1 international counters, and at Kansai T1 on the way back.
- Flying Spring Airlines: Its pages list Pudong–Kansai rows to 24 Oct 2026. Suits light packers, since checked baggage depends on the fare.
- Preferring a Japanese airline: ANA lists Pudong–Kansai flights on Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday to 24 Oct 2026. For Japan Airlines, the Shanghai airport pages give no Osaka schedule.
- Flying Peach: Its winter timetable, from 25 Oct 2026, lists MM080 to Osaka and MM079 back.
- Leaving from Hongqiao: The pages list Pudong, not Hongqiao, for Osaka flights.
- Wanting Itami: The pages show Kansai only.
- Carrying a lot of luggage: China Eastern counts bags by piece on Japan routes: 2 in most Economy fares, 1 in Basic Economy; limits and charges are below.
- Worried about changes or refunds: China Eastern's 2026-01-26 notice covers only tickets issued or reissued at or before 12:00 that day; later tickets follow the fare rules.
- Going to central Osaka: Nankai to Namba, or JR West to Tennoji, Osaka (Umeda) or Kyoto.
Which airports do Shanghai–Osaka flights use?
Pudong and Kansai. The China Eastern, Spring Airlines, ANA, Nankai and JR West pages cited here are Chinese-language editions; China Eastern's announcement of 2025-04-16 is in Japanese.
Pudong. Spring Airlines' two timetable pages name Shanghai Pudong and Osaka Kansai. ANA's timetable page lists Pudong–Kansai, and lists Hongqiao only for Tokyo Haneda flights. China Eastern's announcement of 2025-04-16 also names Pudong–Kansai. China Eastern's "Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport T1" page (no date) lists international and regional check-in counters but not which cities they serve, so it shows no Osaka flight. No page lists a Hongqiao–Osaka flight.
Kansai. China Eastern's list of international and regional airports (no date) includes Osaka Kansai International Airport and not Itami. The "Osaka International Airport in data" page of Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (no date) says Itami stopped handling international flights in 1994, when Kansai International Airport opened.
Where do you check in, and when does check-in close?
China Eastern's "Shanghai Pudong International Airport" page lists these international and regional counters in T1:
| Passengers | Pudong T1 counters |
|---|---|
| Economy, China Eastern and Shanghai Airlines | Island J 1–13; Island L 1–13 and 14–26 |
| First Class, Business Class, Eastern Miles Platinum | Island M 1–13 and 26–34 |
| Eastern Miles Gold or Silver, SkyTeam Elite Plus or Elite, Premium Economy | Island K 1–6 |
At Kansai, China Eastern's "Osaka Kansai International Airport" page puts its international counters in Terminal 1 on the international departures level. The position follows that day's airport flight information display, and the counters open 2 hours 10 minutes before departure. The three China Eastern airport pages (Pudong, Kansai, Hongqiao T1) show no update date and have 202208 in their web addresses.
Three pages give three different cut-offs:
| Page | What it says |
|---|---|
| China Eastern: Check-in counter and boarding gate closing times | Pudong T1 counters open at 05:00; check-in closes 50 minutes before an international departure, the gate 20 minutes before. Kansai: check-in closes 45 minutes before, the gate 15 minutes before. |
| China Eastern: Online check-in notice | Online check-in for international and regional flights closes 60 minutes before departure. |
| Shanghai Airport Group: Airlines (no date) | From 1 Sep 2026, the standard cut-off for international flights at Pudong is 60 minutes before departure; follow the cut-off time the airline gives at booking. |
Where are China Eastern's flight numbers and times?
China Eastern's text pages carry no 2026 flight number or time for Shanghai–Osaka. The one dated schedule is the Japanese-language announcement of 2025-04-16. It says the route ran daily from 15 May 2025 to 25 Oct 2025: MU6051 left Pudong at 12:55 and arrived at Kansai at 16:30; MU6052 left Kansai at 17:30 and arrived at Pudong at 19:30 (local times). That schedule has ended.
China Eastern's Japan-route ticket notice (2026-01-26), its news item on the summer-autumn season (2026-03-26) and its baggage inspection notice (2026-09-24) list no Shanghai–Osaka schedule and no promotion dates. For times on a given day, including any Hongqiao departure, use China Eastern's booking page; the airline announces sale and schedule changes on its website.
What do Spring Airlines, ANA, Peach and Japan Airlines list?
The summer-autumn flight season ends 24 Oct 2026, and the winter-spring season starts 25 Oct 2026. The Spring Airlines and ANA pages list no later dates; only Peach's page covers winter.
Spring Airlines (9C, low-cost)
Spring's Shanghai to Osaka and Osaka to Shanghai timetable pages list the rows below, as printed.
| Direction | Flight | Days | Departs–arrives | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PVG→KIX | 9C6575 | Sunday | 08:10–10:20 | 2026-03-29 to 2026-10-18 |
| PVG→KIX | 9C6581 | Every day | 15:10–17:30 | 2026-03-29 to 2026-10-24 |
| PVG→KIX | 9C6575 | Monday to Saturday | 08:05–10:20 | 2026-03-30 to 2026-10-24 |
| PVG→KIX | 9C6565 | Every day | 10:30–13:00 | 2026-04-17 to 2026-10-24 |
| KIX→PVG | 9C6576 | Sunday | 11:20–13:50 | 2026-07-05 to 2026-10-18 |
| KIX→PVG | 9C6566 | Monday | 14:00–16:30 | 2026-07-13 to 2026-10-19 |
| KIX→PVG | 9C6566 | Tuesday to Sunday | 14:00–16:30 | 2026-08-01 to 2026-10-24 |
| KIX→PVG | 9C6582 | Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday | 18:30–21:00 | 2026-09-25 to 2026-10-24 |
| KIX→PVG | 9C6576 | Tuesday to Saturday | 11:20–13:50 | 2026-10-03 to 2026-10-24 |
| KIX→PVG | 9C6576 | Monday | 11:20–13:50 | 2026-10-12 to 2026-10-19 |
| KIX→PVG | 9C6582 | Tuesday, Thursday | 18:30–21:00 | 2026-10-13 to 2026-10-22 |
Spring's Checked baggage rules page says the Chaohui Fei fare (超惠飞, the entry-level fare) has no free checked baggage, while the Youxuan Fei package with baggage (优选飞, "preferred fare") and the Zunxiang Fei fare (尊享飞, "premium fare") include 20 kg. Carry-on is 1 piece of 7 kg (10 kg on Zunxiang Fei). The rules apply to 9C flights only; for Spring Japan (IJ), see our guide to Spring Airlines and Spring Japan baggage allowances in 2026.
ANA (NH, full-service)
ANA's ANA mainland China flight timetable page covers the flight plan from 29 Mar 2026 to 24 Oct 2026 (inclusive). It lists four Pudong–Kansai flights, all on Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday.
| Direction | Flight | Departs | Arrives |
|---|---|---|---|
| PVG→KIX | NH974 | 11:35 | 14:55 |
| PVG→KIX | NH976 | 18:20 | 21:35 |
| KIX→PVG | NH973 | 9:00 | 10:35 |
| KIX→PVG | NH975 | 15:55 | 17:20 |
The page says times are local, the plan depends on approval by the authorities, and times, flight numbers and aircraft may change. ANA's More international fare options page lists free checked baggage in Economy (Y) as 0 to 2 pieces depending on fare and route.
Peach (MM, low-cost)
Peach's international timetable PDF for the winter season, 25 Oct 2026 to 27 Mar 2027 (the PDF says "As of September 16, 2026"), lists these flights:
| Direction | Flight | Departs–arrives | Operating dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| PVG→KIX | MM080 | 6:05–9:10 | no dates given |
| KIX→PVG | MM079 | 22:25–0:20 | 10/25–31, 11/1–30, 12/1–31, 1/1–31, 2/1–28, 3/1–26 |
Times are local. Terminal, baggage and refund rules are not in the PDF; they are on Peach's website.
Japan Airlines (JL)
The Shanghai Airport Group's "Airlines" page (no date) lists Japan Airlines, and a Pudong notice of 2023-02-23 says Japan Airlines moved to Terminal 1 on 28 Feb 2023. For Japan Airlines' Shanghai–Osaka flights and schedule, check Japan Airlines' website.
How do the four airlines compare?
| Airline | Best for | Not for, or the drawback |
|---|---|---|
| China Eastern (full-service) | Counting baggage by piece | Needing a full timetable first: its text pages have none |
| ANA (full-service) | Plans that fit Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday | Departures on other days |
| Spring Airlines (low-cost) | Light packers who buy baggage by fare level | Anyone unwilling to check what the fare includes |
| Peach (low-cost) | Light packers who accept an early-morning departure | Checked baggage, until you have read Peach's rules |
What are the rules to check before you book?
How much baggage can you take on Japan routes?
China Eastern's Free checked baggage allowance and specifications page (no date), clause 1.4, puts Japan routes on the piece system. Each piece is limited to 158 cm as the sum of three sides, and to 32 kg in First Class and the business cabins or 23 kg in Premium Economy and Economy.
| Cabin | Free pieces |
|---|---|
| First Class | 3 |
| Premium Business Class and Business Class | 2 |
| Premium Economy | 2 |
| Economy: Y and B classes, Flexible Economy (灵活经济舱), Standard Economy (标准经济舱) | 2 |
| Economy: Basic Economy (基础经济舱) | 1 |
Carry-on. On international and regional flights, China Eastern's Carry-on baggage page (no date) allows 2 pieces of up to 10 kg each in First Class, 2 pieces of up to 8 kg each in the two business cabins, and 1 piece in Premium Economy and Economy. Its "carry-on size" column prints A≤55 cm, B≤40 cm and C≤20 cm. You can also take one personal item under the seat in front (reference space 35 x 32 x 18 cm). Liquids must be in containers of up to 100 ml each, inside one resealable transparent plastic bag of up to 1 L, one bag per person.
What does excess baggage cost?
China Eastern's Standard excess baggage charges page (no date), clause 2(3), covers routes "between mainland China and Europe, Africa (excluding Egypt), Japan and Korea":
| Item | Charge (RMB) |
|---|---|
| First extra piece (up to 23 kg and 158 cm) | 1000 per piece |
| Second and further extra pieces | 2000 per piece |
| Oversize, 159 cm to 203 cm (inclusive) | 1000 |
| Oversize, above 203 cm | 2000 |
| Overweight in Economy, 23 kg to 32 kg | 1000 |
The charges are added together, and one piece must not exceed 32 kg. The table's unit is "RMB (yuan)", but the page also says charges are in the currency of the country or region where they are collected, without explaining how that works at a Japanese airport.
What do China Eastern's change and refund pages say?
- International ticket voluntary refund and voluntary change implementation rules (apply from 20 Jan 2026). The refund has two parts: fare plus fuel surcharge, and collected government taxes and fees. If the fare is not refundable, the fuel surcharge is not either. Every change carries a change fee, and a higher new fare means paying the difference; infants without a seat pay no refund or change fee. The page gives no fee amount for Japan routes; it is in the fare rules shown on the booking page. The International ticket refund notice adds that where the fare restriction says "non-refundable", only taxes on unused segments are refunded.
- Special refund and change rules. For illness, the refund fee and the first change fee are waived, but the fare difference applies; you must apply within the ticket validity, provide one of the documents the page lists, and cancel the booked seat before departure (exception: sudden illness on the day of travel, with that day's medical record). The "2-hour full refund" (from 13 Dec 2024) works through China Eastern's website or app within 2 hours of purchase and at least 12 hours before the scheduled departure of every flight on the ticket (both inclusive). Tickets bought on the website or app can be refunded directly; tickets bought through another channel must first be registered for the full refund, then refunded through the original purchase channel within the ticket validity. It covers tickets bought in mainland China and paid in RMB (numbers starting 781), twice per passenger in 180 days. Tickets with small-group or group discounts, partly used tickets, tickets already rebooked or changed, and tickets already refunded are excluded, and taxes a government makes non-refundable after purchase are not refunded.
Our refund rules comparison for Air China, China Eastern and China Southern (domestic China tickets, not Japan routes) has fee tables.
What does the 2026-01-26 notice on Japan routes cover?
China Eastern and Shanghai Airlines each published a notice on Japan-route tickets on 2026-01-26, with the same content (China Eastern, Shanghai Airlines). It says that, because the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a solemn reminder for Chinese citizens travelling to Japan, China Eastern published a special arrangement. It applies only when all three hold:
- The ticket number starts with 781, and at least one unused segment goes into, out of or via Japan (on China Eastern or another airline), departing from 2026-03-29 to 2026-10-24 (inclusive); other unused segments on the ticket have no date limit.
- The ticket was issued or reissued at or before 12:00 on 2026-01-26.
- The trip is cancelled on or after 2026-01-26 and before the scheduled departure time.
Within the ticket validity, such a ticket can be changed once free of charge to a flight within 3 days before or after the original flight (further changes follow the fare conditions), or the unused segments can be refunded involuntarily through the original purchase channel with no refund fee. A ticket already changed this way follows the fare conditions if refunded, and other tickets follow their original fare conditions. The page does not say whether tickets issued after 12:00 on 2026-01-26 have a similar arrangement.
What are the Chinese foreign ministry's reminders?
The Ministry's consular department published four Safety reminders about Japan, each titled as a reminder to Chinese citizens to avoid travelling to Japan, dated 2025-11-15, 2025-12-11, 2026-01-26 and 2026-03-26. The 2026-03-26 reminder says public order in Japan is unsettled, crimes targeting Chinese citizens are frequent, and on 24 March an active-duty member of the Japan Self-Defense Forces climbed over the wall with a knife and forced his way into the Chinese embassy in Japan. It also asks those already in Japan to watch the local security situation.
Which public holidays fall in China and Japan?
China: the State Council General Office notice on 2026 holidays (No. 7 [2025], issued 2025-11-04, on the Beijing government portal) lists National Day, 1 to 7 Oct 2026 (Thursday to Wednesday), as its last holiday, with Saturday 10 Oct as a working day; for 2027, look for the notice the General Office issues for that year.
Japan: the Cabinet Office page About National Holidays lists these 2026 holidays: 1 Jan, 12 Jan, 11 Feb, 23 Feb, 20 Mar, 29 Apr, 3 to 6 May, 20 Jul, 11 Aug, 21 to 23 Sep, 12 Oct, 3 Nov and 23 Nov.
How do you get from Kansai Airport to central Osaka?
| Option | What the official page says | Best for (editorial) | Not for, or the drawback (editorial) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nankai to Namba | Nankai's "From Kansai Airport", "Timetable" and "Rapi:t e-ticket" pages: the Limited Express Rapi:t takes 34 minutes at the fastest and needs a limited express ticket plus a seat reservation ticket; the Airport Express takes about 45 minutes and needs only the ordinary fare. Rapi:t e-ticket (one-way fare plus limited express ticket): adult/child 1,410/710 yen ordinary seat, 1,590/910 yen business seat, valid between Kansai Airport and Sakai, Sumiyoshitaisha, Tengachaya, Shin-Imamiya and Namba. | Destinations around Namba | Destinations away from the Nankai line |
| JR West to Tennoji, Osaka or Kyoto | JR West's "Usage guide from Kansai International Airport" and "HARUKA one-way ticket" pages: the limited express HARUKA runs straight to Kyoto and needs a limited express fee on top of the fare; the Kansai Airport Rapid Service runs straight to Osaka (Umeda, Tennoji). HARUKA one-way ticket (page information including prices as of 5 Feb 2025, may change): adult/child to Tennoji 1,300/650 yen, Osaka/Shin-Osaka 1,800/900 yen, Kyoto 2,200/1,100 yen. For holders of a non-Japanese passport entering as a "temporary visitor"; buy an exchange order (E-TICKET) at a travel agency outside Japan, or reserve through JR-WEST ONLINE TRAIN RESERVATION. | Destinations around Tennoji, Osaka (Umeda), Shin-Osaka or Kyoto | The discounted ticket cannot be bought in Japan |
What does a Chinese passport holder need for Japan?
The Consulate-General of Japan in Shanghai's "Information on visa applications" page (no date) says China (excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan) is not a visa-exempt country, so Chinese citizens need a visa before travelling. Applications go in principle through a designated agent (non-tourist visas) or designated travel agency (tourist visas). If the review raises no problem, the earliest issue date is the 5th working day, counted from the working day after the agent or agency delivers the documents.
The Embassy of Japan in China's "Tourist visa (group and individual)" page says an individual single-entry tourist visa is valid for 3 months, for a stay of 15 or 30 days. It also lists multiple-entry tourist visas valid for 3 years (30-day stay; Okinawa and the six Tohoku prefectures, or sufficient financial means) and 5 years (90-day stay; considerably higher income). For repeat trips, see our guides to the Japan 3-year multiple-entry visa and the Japan 5-year multiple-entry visa.
The Digital Agency's Visit Japan Web page (it shows "Last Updated: Jul 16, 2024") says immigration, customs and tax-free procedures can be done online. The Japan Customs leaflet in Chinese says you log in, enter your details to get a QR code, scan your passport and smartphone at the electronic declaration terminal in the customs area, and take off any face covering.
FAQ
Does China Eastern's Shanghai–Osaka flight land at Kansai or Itami?
Kansai. China Eastern's airport list includes Kansai and not Itami, whose international flights ended in 1994.
Can you fly from Hongqiao to Osaka?
None of the timetable pages lists one. ANA's page lists Hongqiao only for Tokyo Haneda flights.
How many bags can you check on China Eastern's Japan routes?
Two pieces in most Economy fare types and one in Basic Economy. Each Economy piece is limited to 23 kg and 158 cm (sum of three sides).
Which change and refund rules apply to a China Eastern ticket for Japan?
The 2026-01-26 notice covers only tickets issued or reissued at or before 12:00 that day. Other tickets follow the fare conditions and the rules that apply from 20 Jan 2026.
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