China Eastern Airlines has completed the world’s longest commercial flight, a 29-hour journey covering 12,400 miles from Shanghai to Buenos Aires. The flight departed Shanghai on 4 December at 2am local time and arrived at Ezeiza International Airport in Buenos Aires at 4.45pm local time, 10 minutes ahead of schedule.
The route includes a stop in Auckland, New Zealand, for refuelling and crew rotation, meaning it does not qualify as the longest direct flight. However, the total journey time of over 25 hours, with the return leg taking an additional four hours, secures its title as the world’s longest commercial flight route.
Celebrations were held in Shanghai and Buenos Aires to mark the milestone, while Auckland hosted a welcome ceremony for the arriving aircraft. The 316-seat Boeing 777-300ER will operate twice a week year-round, catering to Argentina’s sizable East Asian diaspora, one of the country’s fastest-growing communities.
“This new route fills the gap in direct flights between Shanghai and major South American cities,” China Eastern Airlines said in a statement. “It opens a ‘southbound corridor’ connecting opposite ends of the Pacific and reshapes air travel between three continents.”
The service surpasses Singapore Airlines’ 19-hour New York–Singapore flight as the world’s longest commercial airline route. Meanwhile, Qantas has announced plans for “Project Sunrise” flights between Sydney, London and New York, with a 22-hour non-stop capability, aiming to launch in 2027.
