Do airlines provide a hotel during a layover in Shanghai?

Yes, some Chinese airlines may provide a free hotel and transfer during a long layover in Shanghai, but this is not their obligation. Contrary to popular belief, the airline is not required to provide free accommodation, even if you are flying on a single ticket. It is rather a bonus to attract passengers, which depends on your fare, connection time, and route. Conditions often change, approximately every six months, so even if a hotel was included when you bought the ticket, the rules may have changed by the time of your flight.

To find out if you are eligible for a free hotel, it is best to check the information on the official websites of the airlines, rather than asking on forums. Here are links to the pages with conditions for the main Chinese carriers:

• China Southern — conditions page.
• China Eastern — check and application form. If the form does not open, contact support via WeChat.
• Air China — conditions page.
• Hainan Airlines — conditions page.

Search for conditions using queries like "airline name transit hotel" or "airline name free hotel". If a hotel is not provided, you can always go into the city under the visa-free transit (currently up to 10 days) and book accommodation yourself. For booking hotels in Shanghai with Russian cards, sites like Trip.com or Hotellook.ru are suitable.

More useful details about the layover, including nuances with different airlines and terminal changes, can be found in our detailed guide: Layover at Shanghai Airport – What Travelers Need to Know.

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