Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport

Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport(IATA:SHA,ICAO:ZSSS) is one of twointernational airportsservingShanghai, China.
The airport is located near the town of Hongqiao in the outskirts ofChangningandMinhangdistricts, 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) west of downtown, and is closer to the city center thanShanghai–Pudong.
Hongqiao Airport is the corporate headquarters and a major hub forChina Eastern Airlines,Shanghai Airlines, andJuneyao Air, as well as a major hub forSpring Airlines. In 2016, Hongqiao Airport handled 40,460,135 passengers, making it the7th busiest airport in Chinaand the43rd busiest in the world.By the end of 2011, Hongqiao Airport hosted 22 airlines serving 82 scheduled passenger destinations.Shanghai Hongqiao Airport was also certified with theSkytrax5-Star Airport Rating for facilities, terminal comfort and cleanliness, shopping, food & beverages, and staff service in 2019.
Hongqiao Airport served as Shanghai's primary airport until the completion ofPudong International Airporton 1 October 1999, when most international flights were gradually moved to Pudong.
The construction of Hongqiao airport started in 1921. In May 1923, the airport opened for mixed civilian use. TheChinese Air Forcedeployed fighter-attack planes to Hongqiao in an operational response to theShanghai Incident of 1932, and engaging Japanese carrier-based planes for the first time that day.In 1937, Hongqiao was the site of the so-called 'Oyama Incident' in which a Japanese lieutenant was shot dead by Chinese Peace Preservation Corps soldiers in the lead-up to theBattle of Shanghai. During theSecond Sino-Japanese War, the airport was occupied by the Japanese and used as an air force base. Its military use continued after being handed over to theRepublic of Chinagovernment and, later, the People's Republic of China government. From late 1963, it was rebuilt for civilian use, and was re-opened in April 1964. A major expansion took place from March to September 1984, and another from December 1988 to December 1991.
In 1964, the original Terminal 1 and the control tower opened to public. The terminal was entirely built by China itself and was advanced for its time, equipped with many modern facilities such as barbershops, bookstores, banks, cafes, telecommunication offices, canteens, and even a hotel.The first international charter flight to Hongqiao wasPakistan International AirlinesBoeing 720fromDhakawith astopoverfromGuangzhou, making it one of the very few non-communist airlines to fly into China before theCultural Revolution. In the mid-1960s, Air Franceand Lufthansaboth began service directly fromPhnom Penh; however they were both suspended not long after. In 1972, the airport was visited by U.S. President Richard Nixon using an Air Force One before flying to Pekingduring his visit to China.
In 1974,Japan Airlinesbegan services fromHanedato Hongqiao. In 1979,CAAC Airlinesbegan services from Hongqiao toNagasakiusing aBoeing 707aircraft; by 1985, aTridentwas used for just two flights a week. AfterChina's reform and opening up in 1978, it then evolved into one of the busiest airports in China, alongsideBeijing-Capital, particularly due to increasing passenger demand. Since 1981, Hongqiao Airport became a popularstopoverfor many airlines flying fromBeijingto many other countries such asCanada,JapanandUnited Statesin particular.In 1985,Airbus-built aircraft started having hubsin this airport, due to it being delivered to the CAAC's Shanghai division (which would then becomeChina Eastern Airlines).Additionally, at that same decade, many foreign airlines likePan Am,United Airlines,Singapore Airlines,Northwest Airlines,Cathay Pacific(Dragonairreplaced theHong Kong-Shanghai route sometime in the early 1990s),Canadian Pacific Air Lines(which then becameCanadian Airlines International) began operating in Hongqiao around that time. During its international era, Hongqiao Airport was much different compared to today. It only had one 3,400 m (11,154 ft 10 in) runway at the time, Terminal 1 was its main terminal, and its former control tower was renovated sometime after Pudong Airport opened.
In the 1990s, many more foreign airlines began serving the airport compared to the previous decade.Examples areAll Nippon Airways,KLM,Lufthansa,Thai Airways International,Swissair,Air France,Malaysia Airlines,Korean Air,Garuda Indonesia,Air Macau,Royal Nepal Airlines,Asiana Airlines,Aeroflot,andQantas.
The airport presently offers mainly domestic flights with the exception of the cities inNortheast China(exceptShenyang(MU and FM fly once daily) andHarbin(MU flies once daily),Baotou,Tongren,Zhanjiang,Zhangjiajieand some smaller cities (which all are operating at Pudong Airport only), as well as five international routes to central Tokyo'sHaneda Airport, centralSeoul'sGimpo International Airport, centralTaipei Songshan Airport,Hong Kong International Airport, andMacau'sMacau International Airport. Previously, there were flights toHuaianfrom the airport until all flights to Huai'an were moved to Pudong Airport in May 2018.
Since 1 January 2013, holders of valid passports issued by 45 countries have not needed a visa if transiting through Hongqiao Airport.
In preparation for theShanghai Expo, on 16 March 2010, Hongqiao Airport completed a five-year 15.3-billion-yuan expansion project, which included a 3,300-meter (10,826 ft 9 in) second runway and the new Terminal 2, boosting Hongqiao's capacity to 40 million passengers a year.Terminal 2 is four times the size of Terminal 1 and houses almost 80% of domestic airlines at the airport (Terminal 1 is now used only for international flights,Spring Airlines,Hebei AirlinesandXiamenAir). With the new runway, Shanghai became the first city in China to have five (now seven) runways for civilian use (Pudong and Hongqiao combined).
Starting from the end of 2014, Hongqiao Airport Terminal 1 underwent its biggest renovation since 1921. The entire project was scheduled for completion in 2017.On 26 March 2017, Building A of Terminal 1 was fully renovated and reopened to the public.The old Building B was closed for reconstruction, and it was expected to be revamped and open to the public in mid-2018.
International flights were suspended on 25 March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. From 25 March 2020, all flights from the airport were domestic to other cities in mainland China. International flights resumed from the airport on 26 March 2023.
The airport has the head office ofChina Eastern Airlines, which is housed in the China Eastern Airlines Building,and was the head office ofChina Cargo Airlines.
Terminal 2 of the Hongqiao Airport is immediately adjacent toShanghai Hongqiao railway station, a major train hub served by theBeijing–Shanghai High-Speed Railway, theShanghai–Hangzhou High-Speed Railwayand theShanghai–Nanjing Intercity High-Speed Railway. The airport's other terminal, Terminal 1, is across the airfield from Terminal 2.
The airport and the railway station are served by three stations of themetro network:
The proposed extension of theShanghai Maglev Trainfrom Longyang Road throughShanghai South railway stationto Hongqiao would connect the two airports. At top speed, the maglev would take only 15 minutes to travel the 55 km (34 mi) route. Original plans called for completing the extension by 2010, in time for theExpo 2010; however, the Hongqiao extension has been indefinitely postponed due to protests. Another connection to Shanghai Pudong Airport was established in December 2024 with theAirport Link Line.
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