The aviation world has reached a new milestone with the debut of the longest commercial flight, spanning an impressive 12,400 miles and lasting 29 hours. This groundbreaking journey, while daunting for some, is being hailed as a significant achievement for long-haul travelers, eliminating the need for layovers.
Inaugurated on December 4, the new route by China Eastern Airlines connects Shanghai to Buenos Aires. The outbound flight from China to Argentina is a marathon, taking over 25 hours, while the return trip is even longer, adding an extra four hours to the journey.
This flight doesn’t go directly from point A to point B; instead, it includes a two-hour stopover in Auckland, New Zealand. The launch of this route signals a growing trend toward ultra-long-haul flights, defined as flights lasting 16 hours or more, becoming more prevalent.
On its inaugural flight on December 4, passengers boarded a spacious 316-seat Boeing 777-300ER, which will operate this route twice weekly throughout the year.
While the path isn’t direct – there’s a two-hour breather in Auckland, New Zealand – its introduction is another indicator that ultra-long flights (defined as over 16 hours or more in one go) are set to become increasingly common.
On December 4, passengers on the China to Argentina flight were seated on the jumbo 316-seat Boeing 777-300ER – a plane which will run twice a week year-round.
The flight left Shanghai Pudong International Airport at 2am local time and arrived at Ezeiza International Airport ten minutes ahead of schedule at 4.45pm local time.
China Eastern Airlines previously described the flight as ‘the world’s first commercial route connecting antipodal cities’.
Launched on December 4, the China Eastern Airlines route sets off from Shanghai and lands in Buenos Aires. The flight from China to Argentina takes more than 25 hours, with the return journey taking four hours longer (stock image)
‘The Shanghai Pudong-Auckland-Buenos Aires route is seen as an important measure to build a new “Air Silk Road” channel between Asia-Pacific and South America,’ the airline added.
Previously, it was reported that ticket prices for the new route are between £1,130 to £1,670 ($1,525 to $2,254) for economy.
Business class is priced at around £3,700 ($4,994).
Before the new route, those wanting to travel between China and Argentina typically had to journey for more than 30 hours.
The trip would usually involve connecting flights and layovers.
More than 55,000 people born in China live in the South American country and comprise one of Argentina’s fastest-growing communities, according to data from Simply Flying.
In a statement, China Eastern said: ‘This new route fills the gap in direct flights between Shanghai and major South American cities.
‘It opens a “southbound corridor” connecting opposite ends of the Pacific and reshapes air travel between three continents.’
Qantas’ Project Sunrise launches in 2026, with new non-stop routes Sydney to London and Sydney to New York (Pictured: a cabin on board the airline’s A350-1000 aircraft)
As aviation technology improves, aircraft are lighter and more fuel-efficient, and 2026 will see Australian airline Qantas unveil more ultra-long-haul services, including a 20-hour non-stop flight between London and Sydney.
Dubbed Project Sunrise, the name was inspired by WWII endurance flights, where those on board saw dawn more than once during one journey.
The bespoke version of the A350-1000 aircraft is set to be delivered in October 2026, with the first routes set to be Sydney to London and Sydney to New York, and the aircraft armed with additional fuel tanks to handle the roughly 10,500 miles between the two destinations.
The airline currently already has one of the world’s longest direct flights, a 17-and-a-half-hour slog that connects London with Perth.
