China Eastern Airlines will smash the record for the world’s longest direct flight with plans to launch a new service between Shanghai and Buenos Aires in December, covering more than 10,600 nautical miles and clocking in at a bum-numbing 29 hours for the return flight.
Although the flight will make a stopover in Auckland on this mammoth journey, passengers traveling between Shanghai and Buenos Aires are expected to remain on board the aircraft for the entire time.
China Eastern has already put the flights on sale with plans to operate the service on a Boeing 777-300. One-way flights start at an eye-watering US$1,718 for a standard Economy Class seat, while Business Class fares are being sold from $6,435.
The new flight will easily surpass previous records, although it’s important to understand the distinction between a direct flight and a non-stop flight.
In aviation speak, a direct flight means that a plane might need to make a stopover in a third country, but the plane and flight number remain the same. Passengers might be allowed to stretch their legs in the terminal, but their luggage remains on board, and they aren’t required to clear immigration checks in their layover destination.
In contrast, a non-stop flight flies, as the name suggests, non-stop to its final destination without any stopovers. These flights are, of course, limited by the range of the aircraft operating the flight.
At present, the longest non-stop flight in the world is operated by Singapore Airlines between Singapore and New York JFK. At 9,537 nautical miles and a flight time of nearly 19 hours, Singapore Airlines uses specially configured ultra-long range Airbus A350 aircraft for this flight that only have Business and Premium Economy seats.
Until December, the current longest direct flight in the world is operated by Air China, which is between Beijing and Sao Paulo with a short stopover in Madrid and which clocks in at 9,494 nautical miles.
That is closely followed by a route between London and Sydney, served by both British Airways and Qantas, which comes in at 9,274 nautical miles with a stopover in Singapore.
As you can see, the new China Eastern flight between Shanghai and Buenos Aires easily smashes those records at 10,600 nautical miles.
The outbound flight is expected to take around 25 hours and 30 minutes to complete, but due to headwinds, the return flight is currently scheduled at a shockingly long 29 hours.
The route is part of efforts to improve diplomatic relations between China and South America, although demand is expected to be limited.
China Eastern only plans to operate this flight twice per week, with the outbound flight departing every Monday and Thursday, and the return flight departing Buenos Aires every Tuesday and Friday.
Direct doesn’t have to be a stop in a 3rd country. It could be a stop in the same country. For instance this could be Shanghai to Beijing to Buenos Aires. I know that wouldn’t work for refueling in this case, which I assume is the reason for stopping in Auckland, but still direct is making one or more stops anywhere, not just another country.