This Airline Is Launching the World’s Longest Flight (With a Catch)

If you’re someone who relishes the thought of sitting in a metal tube for more than 24 hours to jet halfway around the world, we have great news: Later this year, one airline is launching a new direct flight connecting two major cities that are more than 12,000 miles apart. Here are all the details.

A 29-Hour “Direct” Flight

On December 4, 2025, China Eastern Airlines will launch a new twice-weekly service from Shanghai’s Pudong International Airport to Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina. The journey will cover a distance of 12,229 miles and will take roughly 25.5 hours flying eastbound and a whopping 29 hours on the return leg.

While China Eastern is calling this the “world’s longest direct flight,” there’s an important distinction. Because the distance between the two cities is too long for any modern jetliner to fly nonstop, the flight will make a refueling stop en route in Auckland, New Zealand, for about two hours. That should be a welcome opportunity for passengers to stretch their legs on such a long journey.

So, how does the airline get away with marketing this as a direct service? In aviation terms, a “direct” flight — as opposed to a “nonstop” flight — refers to a service that operates with one single flight number, even if it makes stops in other cities along the way. These types of flights were more common in the early days of aviation, when jets had more limited range. Unlike on a connecting flight, passengers on direct flights need only one boarding pass and don’t have to switch planes at the stopover airport.

If you’re not up for the entire journey, China Eastern’s new Shanghai-Buenos Aires route is also sold as a “fifth-freedom flight,” which allows the airline to sell tickets on just the Auckland-to-Buenos Aires portion of the flight, too. 

That comes as welcome news for Kiwis. In a statement, Auckland Airport CEO Carrie Hurihanganui said, “This new service will reintroduce a direct flight connection between New Zealand and Argentina, enhancing not only tourism, trade, and international education, but providing another link home for the 40,000 South Americans who live in New Zealand.”

Connecting Antipodal Cities

China Eastern also touts this service as being “the world’s first commercial route connecting antipodal cities,” as reported by CNN.

Wondering what antipodes are? The geographical term refers to two points on Earth that are located diametrically opposite one another, most famously the North and South Poles. Two cities can also be antipodes of each other, like A Coruña, the second-largest city in Spain’s Galicia region, and Christchurch, New Zealand. 

Notably, the airline’s new service will also fly one of the southernmost regular routes in commercial aviation, with long stretches over remote portions of the Southern Ocean close to Antarctica.  

World’s Longest Nonstop Flights

While China Eastern’s announcement may seem like a clever marketing gimmick, it is possible to fly nonstop (no refueling stops) for up to 19 hours. Currently, Singapore Airlines holds the record for the longest nonstop flight in the world — a 9,527-mile journey from Singapore to New York’s JFK Airport. 

Singapore Airlines also flies the world’s second-longest flight, to nearby Newark Airport. Both journeys take about 19 hours flying westbound, and the carrier uses specially configured Airbus A350-900ULR aircraft that have only business class and premium economy seats — no regular cramped coach seats.

However, Singapore may not hold on to the title for long: Australian carrier Qantas plans to launch its ambitious “Project Sunrise” service in 2027, offering nonstop service from Sydney to both London and New York for the first time. Flight times for both routes are expected to exceed 20 hours. 

Featured image credit: Björn Forenius/ iStock Editorial via Getty Images Plus