Free tool
Flight time from Nairobi to Shanghai
About 12 hours and 10 minutes non-stop, 9,597 km (5,963 miles), with your local arrival time and the time difference.
Estimate for a direct flight from Nairobi (NBO, Jomo Kenyatta) to Shanghai (PVG, Pudong). Change the departure time below to see your local arrival time.
How long is the flight from Nairobi to Shanghai?
A non-stop flight from Nairobi to Shanghai takes about 12 hours and 10 minutes. The two cities are 9,597 km (5,963 miles) apart in a straight line, measured between Jomo Kenyatta (NBO) and Pudong (PVG).
This is a long-haul route. If there is no direct flight on your dates, a connection through a hub usually adds 2–6 hours to the journey.
The estimate assumes an average speed of about 830 km/h plus around 35 minutes for taxiing, take-off and landing. Real schedules vary with the airline, aircraft, route and winds – heading east with the jet stream, flights are often a little quicker than this. Check your booking for the exact time.
Time difference and arrival time
Shanghai is 5 hours ahead of Nairobi right now. A flight leaving Nairobi at 10:00 local time lands at about 03:10 local time in Shanghai the next day. With a 5h shift, expect some jet lag: as a rough guide the body adjusts by about an hour a day, and flying east (as on this trip) is usually harder than the other way.
Current time in Nairobi · Current time in Shanghai · Flight time from Shanghai to Nairobi
More flights from Nairobi
- Nairobi to Johannesburg 4h 5m
- Nairobi to Doha 4h 35m
- Nairobi to Cairo 4h 50m
- Nairobi to Dubai 4h 50m
- Nairobi to Mumbai 6h 5m
- Nairobi to Athens 6h 5m
- Nairobi to Auckland 17h 20m
- Nairobi to Vancouver 17h 55m
- Nairobi to Mexico City 18h 25m
- Nairobi to San Francisco 19h 10m
More flights from Shanghai
- Shanghai to Seoul 1h 35m
- Shanghai to Beijing 1h 55m
- Shanghai to Hong Kong 2h 5m
- Shanghai to Tokyo 2h 40m
- Shanghai to Manila 2h 50m
- Shanghai to Hanoi 2h 55m
- Shanghai to New York 14h 55m
- Shanghai to Mexico City 16h 5m
- Shanghai to Miami 16h 35m
- Shanghai to Cancún 16h 50m
Why arrival times look strange
Airline schedules always show local times: departure in the departure city’s time and arrival in the arrival city’s time. Fly east and you “lose” hours – a 7-hour flight from New York to London leaving at 19:00 lands at 07:00 the next morning. Fly west and you gain them, which is how you can land in Los Angeles almost at the same clock time you left Tokyo. This calculator handles the time zones and daylight saving time for you.
How the flight time estimate works
In estimate mode the calculator measures the great-circle distance between the two cities – the shortest route over the Earth’s surface – and assumes an average speed of about 830 km/h (515 mph), plus around 35 minutes for taxiing, take-off and landing. That gives a good guide for a non-stop flight. Real schedules vary with the airline, aircraft, winds and route: flights heading east with the jet stream are often quicker than the same trip heading west, so always check your booking for the exact time.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the flight from Nairobi to Shanghai?
A direct flight from Nairobi to Shanghai takes about 12 hours and 10 minutes. This is an estimate based on the distance; airline schedules can be shorter or longer depending on the route and winds.
How far is Shanghai from Nairobi?
The straight-line (great-circle) distance between Nairobi and Shanghai is about 9,597 km, or 5,963 miles.
What is the time difference between Nairobi and Shanghai?
Shanghai is 5 hours ahead of Nairobi at the moment.