The cheapest order to fly Kuala Lumpur, Shanghai and Singapore from San Francisco
There are 6 ways to fly these cities. They do not cost the same. The cheapest works out at about $1,098 a person and the most expensive at $1,217, a difference of $119 for visiting exactly the same places.
Fly them in this order
San Francisco → Shanghai → Kuala Lumpur → Singapore → San Francisco
About $1,098 per person in flights, based on fares recently seen on these routes.
Every order, priced
- San Francisco → Shanghai → Kuala Lumpur → Singapore → San Francisco$1,098cheapest order
- San Francisco → Kuala Lumpur → Singapore → Shanghai → San Francisco$1,111$13 more per person
- San Francisco → Shanghai → Singapore → Kuala Lumpur → San Francisco$1,116$18 more per person
- San Francisco → Singapore → Kuala Lumpur → Shanghai → San Francisco$1,129$31 more per person
- San Francisco → Kuala Lumpur → Shanghai → Singapore → San Francisco$1,207$109 more per person
- San Francisco → Singapore → Shanghai → Kuala Lumpur → San Francisco$1,217$119 more per person
Why Shanghai first
- San Francisco to Shanghai$459
- Shanghai to Kuala Lumpur$120
- Kuala Lumpur to Singapore$30
- Singapore to San Francisco$489
- Out of San Francisco, Shanghai is the cheapest first stop at about $459. Kuala Lumpur would be $504.
- Going home, the cheapest flight leaves from Shanghai at about $461, but the cheapest order ends in Singapore at $489 because the rest of the route is cheaper that way.
- Kuala Lumpur to Singapore is about $30, but the other way round is $65. Same two cities, $35 apart on direction alone.
- Singapore to San Francisco is 45% of what the cheapest order spends on flights, so it is the leg to watch.
Between the cities
- Shanghai to Kuala Lumpur: about 3,750 km (2330 miles) as the crow flies. No train or bus we would suggest instead of flying.
- Kuala Lumpur to Singapore: about 310 km (190 miles) as the crow flies. Also by ground: Aeroline / KKKL / Transtar coaches, about 6h, usually $10 to $45.
Entry rules on a US passport
- US passport: a visa is normally required for mainland China, but a visa-free transit of up to 240 hours is available at major hubs when continuing to a third country; conditions apply. Official source
- US passport: visa-free in Malaysia for up to 90 days; submit the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card. Official source
- US passport: visa-free in Singapore; submit the SG Arrival Card in the 3 days before you arrive. Official source
Rules change; check the official source for your passport and dates before you book.
How much the order matters here
Getting the order right is worth $119 a person on this trip, 11% of what the cheapest way round costs. Of the 107 trips we price in full, that is number 97 for how much the order matters, one of the smaller gaps: on this trip your dates are likely to matter more than the order.
What these numbers are
Cached one-way fares, 12 of 12 legs priced from real observations, put together on November 12, 2026, from fares departing November 13, 2026 onwards. Right for comparing one order with another, not a quote for your dates.
A plan prices your own dates and weighs hours as well as fares, so it can pick a different order from this page.
Put dates on it
Same cities on real dates, plus what one search cannot show: layovers long enough to count as a free city, two tickets that beat one, and cheaper days either side. No account and no card.
One press starts it on January 16, 2027 to January 30, 2027, 14 days, for 2 travelers. Our dates, not yours, and about two minutes.
Plan Kuala Lumpur, Shanghai and Singapore from San Francisco nowOpen the form instead and pick your own datesSigned out, 3 trips a day per address, priced from cached fares and the free sources, so some legs may be estimates and the plan says which. Signed in, your first trip also searches Google Flights live, and you can change your trips afterwards.