Terminal T1 hosts 2 airlines. You'll find 2 dining options, 3 lounges, 3 shops here.

Japan and Korea flights mostly leave from Hongqiao’s smaller T1

T1 at Shanghai Hongqiao sits in its own older building, separate from the big China Eastern operation in T2, and handles most non‑mainland international routes plus some domestic flights for Spring Airlines and Juneyao Airlines. Check your booking carefully: many Japan and Korea services list “SHA T1” explicitly, and turning up at T2 can add a 10‑15 minute transfer by shuttle or taxi back to T1.

Layout: compact check-in and a short walk to the gates

Security to gate on a quiet day takes under 10 minutes, according to regulars, which is a very different story from the 15‑20 minute walks you get in T2. T1’s check‑in hall feels older and tighter, and it can clog up around the Japan/Korea departure banks, so build a 20‑30 minute buffer for check‑in plus outbound immigration if you’re on a morning or evening wave.

Domestic vs international in T1

Spring Airlines and Juneyao Airlines run both domestic and regional flights from T1, with international departures sent through a dedicated immigration channel into the separate international pier. If your boarding pass shows a gate on the international side, clear exit immigration immediately after security instead of lingering in the domestic area, as you still need 5‑10 minutes to walk out to the bolt‑on concourse.

Lounges: three options in the same cluster

All three international lounges in T1 — V01 China Eastern First & Business Lounge, V02 Air China Premium Lounge, and V03 VIP Lounge — sit within a few minutes’ walk of each other just past security. Frequent flyers talk about the V01 China Eastern lounge being the default contract spot for multiple alliances and Priority Pass, but also say none of them match the newer lounges at Pudong or Hongqiao T2, so keep expectations moderate.

Picking the quieter lounge

The Air China Premium Lounge V02 is often the sleeper pick, with one FlyerTalk poster noting it tends to be quieter than V01 even for eligible Star Alliance passengers who could use either space. Regulars with overlapping access (airline status plus Priority Pass or Plaza Premium) sometimes walk all three lounges on arrival and then settle in whichever one looks least packed, which usually takes only 3‑4 minutes of back‑and‑forth.

Spring Airlines lounge and what to expect inside

Spring Airlines runs its own lounge on the T1 side, mainly used by its premium customers and some bank card tie‑ups, and it sits on the same general concourse as the other lounges. Reports put T1 lounge offerings at the basic end: simple hot dishes, instant noodles, soft drinks, and limited alcohol, so treat it as a seat with power and snacks rather than a full pre‑flight meal stop.

Food and coffee: Starbucks plus Canton Paradise

On the public side and airside, Starbucks is the reliable coffee anchor in T1, with prices in line with downtown Shanghai (expect around RMB 30–40 for a latte), and lines spike in the 07:00–09:00 window. For a proper sit‑down meal, Canton Paradise serves Cantonese staples like dim sum and congee near the gate area, and it’s one of the few spots where a table for 2–3 people is still realistic even when the main check‑in hall feels jammed.

Shops: quick duty free and basics

Sunrise Duty Free in T1’s international pier carries the usual liquor, cosmetics, and tobacco, and you can walk the whole shop in under 5 minutes, which suits short connection times. For last‑minute reading or chargers, Relay stocks magazines, books, and travel electronics, while Shanghai Gifts sells local snacks and souvenirs like packaged pastries and tea tins, often priced a bit higher than in the city but fine for under‑RMB‑200 presents.

Where to sit and charge devices

Google reviews call out that the gates at the far end of the T1 international pier stay noticeably less crowded than the first few gates past security, with more open seating and spare power outlets. If your flight departs from an early gate cluster, you can still walk 5 minutes down to the quieter end to charge up and then head back once boarding for your specific gate shows on the screens.

Watch out for peak‑time congestion and dated feel

Even after renovation, several travelers still describe T1 as feeling older than T2, with narrow security lanes and tight queuing areas that back up during Japan/Korea banks. Aim to hit security at least 60–75 minutes before departure on regional international flights, especially for Spring Airlines and Juneyao Airlines services, since a 10‑minute queue can turn into 30 when two or three widebodies depart in the same 45‑minute window.

One last tip

If you qualify for multiple lounges, check V01, V02, and the VIP Lounge V03 in a single loop right after security, then pick the quietest and plug in there; after that, walk toward the far end of the pier around 30–40 minutes before departure to get a seat near your gate and avoid last‑minute crowds.