The 10 longest airplane flights on Earth
Popular Science...
The airline industry is entering an era of aerial endurance. Just 10 years ago, only one commercial airline offered a one-way flight topping 17 hours. Now, passengers are filing onto hundreds of these “ultra-long-haul flights,” which transport travelers to distant corners of the globe without any dreaded layovers. Pretty soon, these grueling long-haul flights may be measured not in hours, but in days.
Just this week, Australian carrier Qantas reportedly broke the record for the longest-ever flight by a commercial-style aircraft. The 24-hour, 24-minute odyssey began on July 23 in Melbourne, and ended July 24 in Toulouse, France, where plane-maker Airbus is headquartered. It was the latest in a series of tests for Airbus’ new A350-1000ULR model, which is being designed specifically to serve Qantas’s new Project Sunrise routes connecting Sydney to London and New York as soon as next year. Prior to this test, the mantle for longest belonged to a one-off, special delivery flight between Hong Kong and London. That flight, flown in a Boeing 777-200LR Worldliner, took 22 hours and 42 minutes.
Qantas may have broken the record for longest commercial flight, but given current trends, it’s unlikely to hold that record for long. Innovation in more advanced twin-engine aircraft and fuel capacity over the past decade or so has led to a surge in ocean-crossing long flights. And while a handful come close to reaching the 20-hour mark, there’s an even larger cohort operating in the 15-to-17-hour range. Just this year, new long-haul routes were added connecting Atlanta to Riyadh, Sydney to Las Vegas, Jordan to Dallas, and Egypt to Chicago and Los Angeles.
But those can seem like a brief stroll in the park compared to the longest flights currently available. Unsurprisingly, given their unique remoteness, Australia and Singapore are frequent destinations for long-haul flights. A handful of some of the longest commercial flights currently available, which will test even the most battle-hardened frequent flier’s resolve are listed below.
Project Sunrise: 24 hours and 24 minutes
July’s record-breaking flight landed with a sparse cabin made up primarily of pilots and test engineers. By this time next year, Qantas hopes to pack these planes with 238 paying customers. Those seats will be spread out across four cabins: six in first class, 52 in business class, 40 in premium economy, and 140 in coach. All of those passengers will also have access to a “wellbeing zone,” where people can walk about, access self-service food stations, and stretch their legs. That focus on health is not an after-thought. Stretching is so critical for personal health on long journeys like this that this area may as well be called a survival zone.
As the name suggests, passengers on this globe-spanning haul will see several sunrises and sunsets. A massive 5,300-gallon rear center fuel tank makes this whole endeavor possible. Airbus estimates this tank will extend the jet’s range by 1,000 nautical miles. That extended range alone is roughly the distance from Austin to Miami.
The new A350-1000ULR will also reportedly come equipped with “highly sensitive sensors” to constantly monitor fuel flow and make sure nobody’s nightmare of running out of fuel mid-flight becomes reality.
Singapore (SIN) to New York (JFK): 18 hours and 10 minutes
The 9,542-mile journey from New York to Singapore takes nearly 19 hours. Passengers gazing out the window can see the Atlantic Ocean, parts of Europe, and India before finally reaching their destination. That is, of course, if the route decides to go east to west, which isn’t actually decided until close to the flight’s departure. This flight is made possible by a massive Airbus A350-900 run by Singapore Airlines. The route began in 2021 and now runs every single day.
Singapore (SIN) to Newark, New Jersey (EWR): 18 hours and 30 minute
It’s a testament to the economic and cultural gravitas of New York and Singapore that the next entry on this list is only about an hour’s drive away from one of the previous takeoff points. This flight, also operated by Singapore Airlines, runs from Newark, New Jersey, to Singapore. It takes somewhere between 17 hours and 50 minutes and 18 hours and 30 minutes, depending on the end destination and winds. Like the JFK flight, this one also utilizes an Airbus A350-900.
Auckland, New Zealand (AKL) to New York (JFK): 17 hours and 30 minutes
New Zealand has seen a staggering rise in American tourism in recent years, thanks in no small part to its depiction in fantasy films, and its growing reputation as a hideout for Silicon Valley elites. Getting to the remote Oceanic island remains tricky, though. Air New Zealand made that a bit easier in 2022, when it began offering nonstop trips between JFK airport and Auckland. The 8,842-mile trip takes about 17 hours and 30 minutes if heading to New Zealand, and just over 16 hours if arriving in the U.S..
Despite its length, the flight seems quite popular. The U.S. Department of Transportation reported that Air New Zealand carried 53,573 round-trip passengers between the two cities between November 2024 and November 2025.
Perth, Australia (PER) to London (LHR): 17 hours and 15 minutes
Aussies and Brits have a long history matched maybe only by the time it takes to travel between the two countries. Until relatively recently, this epic 9,010-mile journey took multiple days and refueling stops.It even had its own name: the Kangaroo Route. That started to change in 2018, when Qantas began offering a non stop flight from Perth to London’s Heathrow airport.
The flight takes just over 17 hours when flying to London, and just under 17 hours if heading toward Australia. A Boeing 787 Dreamliner carrying around 236 passengers makes this flight possible.
Paris, France (CDG) to Perth (PER): 17 hours and 20 minutes
Brits aren’t the only Europeans interested in getting closer to the outback. In 2024, Qantas kept up its run of expanding travel to Australia by introducing the first nonstop flight connecting Paris and Perth. The trip takes about 17 hours and 20 minutes on a Boeing 787-9 to get to Paris, and slightly less time going if landing in Perth. The 8,878-mile route was completed just in time for sports fans to make their way to the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in France.
Doha, Qatar (DOH) to Auckland (AKL): 17 hours and 15 minutes
Long-haul air travel has truly blossomed in just the past 10 years. In 2018, Qatar Airlines had just launched a route linking Dohja, Qatar to Auckland, New Zealand. At the time, this 17 hour and 15 minute ride was the longest flight in the world. Now it doesn’t even crack the top five.
Like several others on this list, Qatar Airlines uses an Airbus A350-1000 (though initially a Boeing 777) for the trip. And while the route was initially popular, it was dropped several years later due to a steep decline in travel caused by Covid-era travel restrictions. Qatar Airlines did eventually end up resuming the route in 2024.
Dubai, United Arab Emirates (DXB) to Auckland (AKL): 17 hours and 10 minutes
Emirates Airlines was one of the first carriers based in the Gulf states to start exploring ultra-long-haul air travel. Its longest route from Dubai to Auckland, takes just over 17 hours on a double-decker Airbus A380-800 (the route initially used a Boeing 777-200LR).
When the route began in 2016, it was the longest commercial flight in the world. The 8,834-mile trip begins by crossing over Arabian Sea, before flying over the southernmost tip of India and crossing the Indian Ocean. The plane then flies over the entire continent of Australia before landing in New Zealand.
Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas (DFW) to Sydney, Australia (SYD): 17 hours
Until relatively recently, Texans looking to make their way Down Under had to ready themselves for a multi-legged, often multi-day journey. That ended in 2011, when Qantas started operating a direct route from Dallas to Sydney. But it’s still not a walk in the park. The 8,578 mile journey takes around 17 hours aboard an Airbus A380. Thankfully for those travelers, the return flight is often quite a bit shorter, clocking in around 15 hours and 15 minutes.
Shenzhen, China (SZX) to Mexico City, Mexico (MEX): 16 hours
The final entry into the list is a bit of an outlier. It is the only route that includes China and any country in Latin America. In 2024, state-run carrier China Southern introduced a new, 8,789 mile route connecting the southeastern city of Shenzhen to Mexico City. The flight takes about 16 hours and is only nonstop when traveling from China to Mexico. The return flight makes a refueling stop in Tijuana, Mexico though passengers reportedly stay on board rather than changing planes.
Chinese officials said the route was more relevant than ever due to the country’s increased economic interest and development both with Mexico and other countries in Latin America.
Bon voyage!
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