China Launches World’s Longest Direct Flight

China Eastern Airlines has opened ticket sales for its new route connecting Shanghai and Buenos Aires, Argentina, promoting it as the “world’s longest” with a journey of nearly 29 hours.

According to China Eastern Airlines, this is the “world’s longest direct flight,” connecting antipodal cities (cities located on opposite sides of the earth). The route will be operated by a Boeing 777-300ER wide-body aircraft with a frequency of two flights per week, starting on December 4. The flight from Shanghai (PVG) to Buenos Aires (EZE) takes about 25.5 hours, while the return trip lasts 29 hours.

Both legs of the journey include a two-hour stop in Auckland, New Zealand. During this time, passengers can disembark to rest. China Eastern explained that the flight is considered “direct” because it uses the same aircraft and flight number. However, it is not classified as one of the world’s longest “non-stop” flights.

According to the common international aviation convention, a direct flight can include one or more intermediate stops. The flight is still considered direct because passengers do not have to change planes, and the flight number remains the same throughout the journey. A non-stop flight, on the other hand, is a route with no stops at all. Passengers stay on the same aircraft from takeoff until landing at the final destination.

The title for the world’s longest non-stop flight currently belongs to Singapore Airlines. The airline’s route connects Singapore’s Changi Airport and New York’s JFK Airport, covering a distance of 15,349 km and lasting over 18 hours. This is a “feat” of the aviation industry, which CNN reporter Richard Quest experienced and praised in October 2018.

According to the booking site Skyscanner, the fastest routes from Shanghai to Buenos Aires (offered by Air France and Lufthansa) typically take more than 30 hours and require a layover in a European city like Paris or Amsterdam. Compared to these options, the China Eastern flight provides a new, more streamlined route.

A one-way economy class ticket is currently sold on the China Eastern website for prices ranging from 1,538 USD to 2,270 USD. A lie-flat seat in business class costs at least 5,000 USD per one-way trip.

Below is the ranking of the world’s longest “direct” flights as published by Business Traveler USA:

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(According to CNN, Business Traveler USA)