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Shanghai,China
Headquarters
Is China Eastern a good airline?
China Eastern is China's second largest airline and a member of the SkyTeam alliance. It's based in Shanghai with hubs at Pudong and Hongqiao airports, plus secondary hubs in Kunming and Xi'an. The airline operates a modern widebody fleet including Airbus A350-900s and Boeing 787-9s on long-haul routes. It's a full-service carrier with meals, entertainment, and generous checked baggage included on international fares — and often at very competitive prices.
Does China Eastern fly direct from Australia?
Yes — China Eastern operates nonstop flights from Sydney and Melbourne to Shanghai Pudong daily. Brisbane is increasing to daily flights from June 2026, and there's a new seasonal Adelaide–Shanghai service running three times per week over the Australian winter. There's also a new Sydney–Beijing Daxing service three times weekly from March 2026, with a same-plane stop in Wuhan — you keep your boarding pass and bags are through-checked. From Shanghai, you can connect onward to dozens of cities across China, Asia, and Europe.
What baggage allowance does China Eastern offer?
On international flights, Economy passengers get two checked bags at up to 23kg each — that's a generous allowance compared to many airlines. Business Class gets two bags at 32kg each. Carry-on is one bag up to 8kg for Economy and Business. The two-bag Economy allowance is standard on long-haul routes to and from Australia, which makes China Eastern good value if you tend to pack heavy.
Does China Eastern include meals and entertainment?
Yes — all fares include meals and drinks on long-haul flights. On the ten-hour Australia to Shanghai route, expect two full meal services with a mix of Chinese and Western options. Every seat has a personal entertainment screen with movies, TV shows, and music. Wi-Fi is available on most widebody aircraft for a fee.
What cabin classes does China Eastern offer?
On the A350-900, China Eastern offers Business Class in a 1-2-1 layout with individual suites and sliding privacy doors — every passenger gets direct aisle access. There's also a Premium Economy cabin with wider seats and extra legroom, plus standard Economy. The Boeing 787-9 has a similar 1-2-1 Business Class layout and may also include Premium Economy depending on the configuration. Business class fares on China Eastern are often significantly cheaper than Gulf or European carriers on comparable routes.
Can I earn Qantas points on China Eastern?
Yes — China Eastern has a partnership with Qantas, so you can earn Qantas Points and Status Credits on eligible China Eastern flights. For maximum earning, book flights with a QF codeshare number where available. You can also redeem Qantas Points for China Eastern flights. Alternatively, China Eastern's own programme is called Eastern Miles, and as a SkyTeam member, you can also credit flights to Delta SkyMiles, Korean Air SKYPASS, or other SkyTeam partner programmes.
Can I use China Eastern to get to Europe?
Yes — Shanghai Pudong is a major connecting hub with flights to cities across Europe. This makes China Eastern a one-stop option from Australia to Europe via Shanghai. Business class fares in particular can be noticeably cheaper than comparable Gulf or European carriers. If you're flexible on your routing, it's worth comparing China Eastern's prices — especially if you'd also like to add a Shanghai stopover to your trip.
Do I need a visa to transit through Shanghai?
Australian passport holders can transit through Shanghai visa-free for up to 240 hours (10 days) when travelling onward to a third country. You don't need to apply in advance — just present your passport and onward ticket at immigration. This makes it easy to add a short Shanghai stopover to a connecting itinerary without the hassle or cost of a visa.
How do I find cheap China Eastern flights?
Track China Eastern fares on IWantThatFlight and set up alerts for your preferred routes. China Eastern regularly offers competitive pricing on flights from Australia to China and onward to Europe. With two free checked bags in Economy, the total value often beats airlines with cheaper headline fares but paid baggage. Their business class is also worth watching — it's frequently one of the cheapest lie-flat options from Australia to Europe or Asia.
China Eastern Airlines is a Chinese airline that has its main hub in Shanghai Hongqiao Airport. Since its foundation in 1988, China Eastern has acquired other regional airlines to expand the number of destinations served. Currently, China Eastern is the second biggest airline in China in terms of passenger numbers and destinations served. Every year, more than 80 million travellers choose to fly with China Eastern, as the airline flies to over 1,000 destinations in 187 countries thanks to its alliance with 19 SkyTeam codeshare partners. China Eastern operates domestic and international routes, including non-stop flights between Shanghai and New York and frequent connections between mainland China and several major cities along the western coast of North America.
The airline's key strengths include a good safety record, below-average fares on transcontinental flights, and a generous luggage allowance. Frequent flyers can sign up to the airline's Eastern Miles programme, which also offers VIP membership.
China Eastern flys to:
Auckland, Bangkok, Paris - Ch. De Gaulle, Delhi, Denpasar/Bali, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Incheon - Incheon Intl, Osaka - Kansai International, Kuala Lumpur, Los Angeles, Lyon, Nice, Nagoya, Tokyo - Narita, Chicago - OHare, Beijing (Peking), Shanghai, Singapore, Taipei, Vancouver
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