Shanghai becomes the final route to be reinstated to the Virgin Atlantic network following the pandemic on May 1.
The daily service will resume from Heathrow as previously reported, with fares starting at £432.
The move comes following a relaxation in travel restrictions between the two countries for the first time since December 2020.
The Chinese city is the airline’s final route to return, having been impacted by suspensions and closures since February 2020.
Virgin Atlantic reported “strong demand” for both business and leisure travel in both directions following the restart announcement in February.
Shanghai is also a hub for the airline’s new SkyTeam alliance partner China Eastern.
Virgin Atlantic will deploy Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft on the route from London.
New services to the Maldives and Turks and Caicos will also start later this year.
Chief commercial officer said: “The restart of our services to Shanghai is a major milestone for Virgin Atlantic.
“Shanghai was the first of our routes to be suspended in 2020 at the start of the global pandemic and the last to return, making it the final piece to restore our flying programme to full capacity.
“After such a long hiatus, we’re looking forward to welcoming our customers back to Shanghai and providing vital links to one of the UK’s largest trading partners, for both passenger and cargo services.”
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