Chinese Carrier Launches World's Longest Route

• 22.09.2025, 8:40

A full one-way trip will take up to 29 hours.

China Eastern Airlines has started selling tickets for a new flight from Shanghai to Buenos Aires, which will be the longest direct route in the world. A full one-way trip will take up to 29 hours.

The Shanghai-Buenos Aires route will be operated twice a week using Boeing 777-300ER aircraft starting December 4. The total length of the segment will be about 20,100 kilometers, which is about half the circumference of the Earth. The direct flight includes a two-hour stopover in Auckland, New Zealand, where passengers can disembark. The Independent reports that the journey to Argentina will take 25.5 hours, with the return trip taking 29 hours.

The airline says the choice of a southern route near Antarctica will cut the total travel time by four hours. The flight will also be the world's first commercial service between the antipodean cities.

The longest non-stop flight is currently operated by Singapore Airlines between Singapore and New York - it takes about 18 hours and 30 minutes. China Eastern does not claim non-stop status, but claims its route is the longest in terms of total time.