longest flight journey from india

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The longest and shortest routes in Indian aviation and the airlines flying them

Indigo may be the market leader, but it is air india that flies both the longest and shortest routes in the country.

The Tata Group acquired Air India back from the government with a winning bid of Rs 18,000 crore

The Northern summer 2022 schedule started with a lot of hope for airlines. The industry has been upbeat, even with rising costs and challenges on multiple fronts. Passengers have started travelling and business travel has returned in pockets. Yet, the flights deployed haven't crossed 75 percent of the approved schedule and passenger numbers are still 20 percent lower than the pre-Covid numbers.

Amidst this, a slew of new flights has been announced by airlines, with some new sectors and some reinstatements across the length and breadth of the country. This comes even when aviation in the region has taken a hit, with the likes of AirAsia group and Lion Air group, with operations in multiple countries, taking a hit like never before. Airlines in India, on the other hand, have managed to scrape through thus far with measures like employee salary cuts, which could start hurting later.

In the backdrop of new routes and reinstatements, a look at the longest and shortest flights in the domestic skies in India shows that the now privatised Air India holds the record for both. The airline operates a non-stop flight between Delhi and Port Blair, which at 2,482 km is the longest domestic flight in India.

With a good number of turboprops in Indian skies, one would have thought that the ATR or the Q400 would operate the shortest route in Indian skies, but that is not the case. Air India also operates the shortest flight in Indian skies, between Calicut and Kannur, which at 95 km is shorter than the extreme ends of the National Capital Region (NCR).

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The shortest routes in Indian skies

The route between Jammu and Srinagar is the most popular shortest route for airlines in India. At 143 km, this route is the shortest in the network for Go First, Vistara and the Boeing network of SpiceJet.

For IndiGo, the shortest route is between Jammu and Amritsar, operating only once a week. At 108 km, the route is shorter than the shortest route on its ATR network, between Silchar and Shillong, which covers a distance of 134 km.

SpiceJet, which also has a turboprop aircraft in its fleet, is no different. The shortest route on Q400, between Gorakhpur and Varanasi, is longer than the shortest route flown by its Boeing aircraft. The Gorakhpur-Varanasi route was started recently and covers a distance of 154 km.

For AirAsia India, an all-A320 operator, the shortest route is between Delhi and Jaipur, at 230 km.

The shortest route for Alliance Air, the only airline owned by the government after the sale of Air India, is the Dimapur-Imphal flight at 124 km. The airline is an all ATR 72-600 operator and is expected to induct two ATR 42-600 and two Do-228 aircraft in the near future, which could alter the shortest route in the network.

Star Air, the only operator of regional jets in India, operates the jet to its true potential with the shortest flight being 370 km, between Bengaluru and Hubli.

The longest routes 

While the longest flight is between Delhi and Port Blair, market leader IndiGo’s longest flight is between Delhi and Trivandrum, which is a distance of 2,232 km. Vistara also operates the same sector, making it the longest flight within its network.

IndiGo’s ATR network has its longest flight between Kolkata and Raipur, where one out of three daily flights is operated by ATR. The airline had categorically mentioned that it will not operate ATR flights on routes where the A320 operates to avoid confusing passengers.

The Kolkata-Raipur sector sees the ATR operate the last of the three flights and takes 45 minutes more than Airbus flights. ATR advertises the range of the ATR 72-600 at 1,528 km. Alliance Air, which also operates the ATR 72-600, operates its longest flight between Kolkata and Lilabari, which is a distance of 766 km.

The Q400, which SpiceJet operates, flies from Bengaluru to Gwalior, a distance of 1,456 km, in three hours and five minutes, making it the longest flight in SpiceJet’s turboprop network. The Q400 has a range of 2,000 km. The longest flight in SpiceJet’s Boeing network is also from Bengaluru, with the airline operating a 2,039-km-long flight to Guwahati.

Guwahati also figures in the list of longest flights for AirAsia India, which operates its longest flight between Mumbai and Guwahati, a distance of 2,070 km. Go First, the all-A320 operator, has its longest flight between Delhi and Bengaluru, at 1,708 km.

Star Air, the E-145 operator, operates its longest route between Bengaluru and Jamnagar, a distance of 1,312 km. The regional jets are meant for long thin routes and the airline, at least in this case, seems to be making good use of the aircraft.

For both IndiGo and SpiceJet, the shortest routes in their network are not on turboprops but on jets. Likewise, while IndiGo might be the market leader, it is Air India that has both the longest and shortest routes in the country.

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The 10 Longest Nonstop Flights in the World (From a Points and Miles Perspective)

Erin Miller

Content Contributor

187 Published Articles

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Keri Stooksbury

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Table of Contents

The top 10 longest nonstop flights in the world, mapping the flights, about the aircraft, final thoughts.

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Key Takeaways

• Singapore Airlines’ Singapore (SIN) to New York (JFK) route is the longest nonstop flight, covering 9,537 miles in about 18 hours and 50 minutes.
• Singapore Airlines’ Singapore (SIN) to Newark (EWR) route is close behind, covering 9,535 miles in 18 hours and 25 minutes.
• Aircraft like the Airbus A350 and Boeing 787 Dreamliner are used for these long-haul flights for better fuel efficiency and passenger comfort.

For points-and-miles geeks, jetting around the world on one of the longest nonstop flights in existence means they get to maximize their time on the truly fantastic products they and their friends aspire to. It’s a big redemption win for hard-earned miles!

To that end, we’re diving into the 10 longest nonstop flights in the world and what they’re worth from a points perspective — along with fun facts about the aircraft primed to get you to your destination.

And if you didn’t pass the points-and-miles geek test this time, one of these fabulous redemptions might convert you!

Airlines use nautical miles, not on-the-ground miles. Every nautical mile is equal to a little over 1.15 land-based, or statute, miles. However, for the purposes of this article, we’re sticking to the more familiar statute miles unless otherwise stated. We’re also not including the return flights on the same routes.

1. Singapore (SIN) to New York (JFK) on Singapore Airlines: 9,537 Miles

Scheduled flight time: 18 hours, 50 minutes Flight Number : SQ 24 Aircraft:  Airbus   A350-900ULR Best business class redemption: 111,500 Singapore KrisFlyer miles one-way (transfer from Amex Membership Rewards , Brex Rewards , Capital One Miles , Chase Ultimate Rewards , Citi ThankYou Rewards, or Marriott Bonvoy )

Though it was temporarily dethroned last winter by Cathay Pacific’s improvised Hong Kong-to-New York route (keep reading to find out why), Singapore Airlines has again regained its crown for longest-distance commercial flight.

• Watch all 7 movies in the “Mission Impossible” franchise, “Top Gun,” and “Top Gun: Maverick” and still have about 25 minutes left over — or enough time to catch much of the 2005 episode of “The Oprah Winfrey Show” with that infamous couch-jumping interview with Tom Cruise.
• Mileage-wise, drive from Portland, Maine, to Portland, Oregon, and back again — and then turn around and drive to Portland, Oregon 1 more time.

The A350-900ULR on this route uses 94 premium economy and 67 business class seats.

These incredibly long flights halfway around the world won’t pay for themselves! Before you pack your bags, think about what you’re packing in your wallet: Check out our guide to the best credit cards for travelers .

What Happened to Cathay Pacific?

Though Singapore Airlines has long ruled the roost of long-distance flights, it wasn’t on top from 2022 to early 2023. That’s when Cathay Pacific flew A350-1000s from New York City (JFK) to Hong Kong (HKG), listed at 10,326 miles for 17 hours and 50 minutes. Cathay Pacific pilots relied on strong but seasonal tailwinds to make the flight possible without consuming too much fuel.

Cathay Pacific chose this incredibly long flight path because of the Russia-Ukraine war. The short-lived route took planes over the Atlantic Ocean, over the U.K., through southern Europe, and over parts of Central Asia to avoid flying through Russian airspace.

Japan Airlines similarly did a temporary, much longer rerouting for flights from Tokyo to London for the same reason, going eastbound over the Pacific instead of westbound through Russia. Cathay Pacific has since returned to a more conventional flight plan over the Pacific with a shorter official flight distance of just over 8,000 miles.

• In terms of time, the temporary Cathay Pacific JFK to HKG route was long enough to watch all 10 of the “Star Trek” feature films in which James T. Kirk is the lead character (i.e., all of the original series and J.J. Abrams-reboot movies but omitting the “Star Trek: The Next Generation” films), with 1 minute to spare.
• It was also about the same distance as driving from the southernmost point in the continental U.S. — Key West, Florida — to the northernmost U.S. settlement —- Utqiagvik, Alaska, formerly known as Barrow — then deciding it was too cold and driving back down to sunny San Antonio, Texas, instead. By the way, you should never attempt to drive to Utqiagvik, even in a snowcat, during the short window when the sea ice is solid enough for some crossings.

Want to make the whole longest-flight-in-the-world debate even more confusing? Despite airlines’ listed flight distances for routes, pilots routinely take advantage of conditions like jet streams, which can shorten the flight time but increase the distance. So, though the official flight distance of SQ 24 is around 9,500 statute miles, in reality, it’s not unheard of for pilots on the route to actually cover more like 10,700 statute miles.)

Bottom line? Don’t take “official” records for longest flights too seriously.

2. Singapore (SIN) to Newark (EWR) on Singapore Airlines: 9,535 Miles

Scheduled flight time: 18 hours, 25 minutes Flight number: SQ 22 Aircraft: Airbus A350-900ULR Best business class redemption: 111,500 Singapore KrisFlyer miles one-way (transfer from Amex Membership Rewards, Brex Rewards, Capital One Miles, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards, or Marriott Bonvoy)

• Watch all of the original “Harry Potter” movies (“Sorcerer’s Stone” to “Death Hallows: Part 2”) without credits, with 13 minutes left over, or about enough time for a quick meal with the Yule Ball dinner scene on pause during “Goblet of Fire.”
• Mileage-wise, drive from The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios in Los Angeles to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resort in Florida and back — and then do most of the round-trip journey all over again. (Get your portkey ready as you near Tucson, Arizona, for the fourth time.)

This flight crosses a seemingly impossible 10 time zones!

3. Doha (DOH) to Auckland (AKL) on Qatar Airways: 9,032 Miles

Scheduled flight time:  17 hours, 20 minutes Flight number: QR 920 Aircraft: Airbus A350-1000 Best business class redemption: 140,000 Avios plus about $150 (transfer from British Airways Executive Club, Aer Lingus AerClub , Iberia Plus , Bilt Rewards , Capital One Miles, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards, Amex Membership Rewards, or Marriott Bonvoy)

Qatar resumed the longest nonstop route in its network on September 1, 2023, after putting it on hold for 3 years during the COVID-19 pandemic. For its return, the route now features Qatar’s newest plane, the Airbus A350-1000.

• Watch every Roger Moore James Bond movie, then throw in “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.” You could still get in 2 007-minute bathroom breaks.
• In terms of distance, you could drive 3 times between New York City (the site of the opening scene of Moore’s first Bond movie, “Live and Let Die”) to San Francisco (as in Moore’s final scene as Bond in “A View to a Kill”). You’d have about enough leftover miles to make it from San Francisco to San Diego and back once, futilely searching for “Moonraker” villain Hugo Drax’s “California” mansion (which was actually a chateau in France).

4. Perth (PER) to London (LHR) on Qantas: 9,009 Miles

Scheduled flight time:  17 hours, 35 minutes Flight number: QF 9 Aircraft: Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner Best business class redemption: 85,000 American miles one-way (transfer from Marriott Bonvoy) Best first class redemption: 115,000 American miles one-way (transfer from Marriott Bonvoy)

• Watch all 6 “Rocky” movies (including the 3 “Creed” spinoffs) and still have enough time to watch most of the “30 for 30” episode “42 to 1,” about Mike Tyson’s first defeat in the ring.
• Mileage-wise, drive from the steps Rocky ran up (at the Philadelphia Museum of Art) to the site of Rocky’s last fight (Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas) and back nearly twice.

5. Melbourne (MEL) to Dallas (DFW) on Qantas: 8,992 Miles

Scheduled Flight Time:  17 hours, 35 minutes Flight number: QF 21 Aircraft: Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner Best business class redemption: 55,000 Alaska miles one-way (transfer from Marriott Bonvoy) Best first class redemption: 70,000 Alaska miles one-way (transfer from Marriott Bonvoy)

• Watch all 5 feature films in the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise , followed by both “Fantastic Beasts” movies that Johnny Depp appears in, leaving you about an hourlong break from your own personal Deppfest.
• Mileage-wise, make a round trip from pirate Jean Lafitte’s favorite haunt, New Orleans, to Pittsburgh, home of baseball’s Pirates, 4 times.

Qantas plans to use the A350-1000 to fly 2 of the world’s longest routes, Sydney to New York and Sydney to London, as early as 2025.

6. Auckland (AKL) to New York (JFK) on Air New Zealand : 8,828 Miles

Scheduled flight time: 17 hours, 50 minutes Flight number: NZ 2 Aircraft: Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner Best business class redemption: 120,000 ANA miles one-way (transfer from Amex Membership Rewards or Marriott Bonvoy)

• Watch “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy and “The Hobbit” trilogy (theatrical editions) and still have about 40 minutes to spare.
• Mileage-wise, drive from Gimli, Manitoba, to Drake Bay, Costa Rica, and back — and still have time for a detour through part of the Rocky Mountains (which you can pretend are the Misty Mountains).

7. Dubai (DXB) to Auckland (AKL) on Emirates: 8,824 Miles

Scheduled flight time:  17 hours, 10 minutes Flight number: EK 448 Aircraft:  Airbus A380-800 Best business class redemption: 85,000 Japan Airlines miles plus a large cash surcharge one-way (transfer from Marriott Bonvoy)

Emirates used to fly this route on the Boeing 777-200LR but is currently operating the larger, 2-level Airbus A380.

• Watch all 5 movies in the “Indiana Jones” franchise, plus all 3 movies in the “Jurassic Park” franchise (not including the “Jurassic World” sequels) with 1 minute of time to yourself free from adventuring scientists.
• Mileage-wise, drive from the state of Indiana to the final resting place of the Ark of the Covenant (Roswell, New Mexico) and back nearly 4 times.

8. Singapore (SIN) to Los Angeles (LAX) on Singapore Airlines: 8,770 Miles

Scheduled flight time:  17 hours, 50 minutes Flight number: SQ 38 Aircraft:  Airbus A350-900ULR Best business class redemption : 135,000 Asiana miles one-way (transfer from Marriott Bonvoy) or 200,000 United miles one-way (transfer from Bilt Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, or Marriott Bonvoy) Best first class redemption : 180,000 Asiana miles one-way (transfer from Marriott Bonvoy)

• Watch all 3 movies in “The Godfather” trilogy (original cuts), “Goodfellas,” “Casino,” and “The Departed” and still have a little under an hour to ponder the morality of your life choices.
• Mileage-wise, you could make the trip between Little Italy in New York City to Las Vegas nearly 3.5 times. Don’t forget to take the cannoli!

9. Bengaluru (BLR) to San Francisco (SFO) on Air India: 8,701 Miles

Scheduled flight time:  17 hours, 40 minutes Flight number: AI 175 Aircraft: Boeing 777-200LR Best business class redemption: 100,000 Air Canada points plus about $35 in taxes and fees (transfer from Amex Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Capital One Miles, Chase Ultimate Rewards, or Marriott Bonvoy)

• Watch all 5 movies in the “Die Hard” franchise, plus “The Fifth Element,” “The Sixth Sense,” and “12 Monkeys” for a Bruce Willis festival. Then, top it off with “Over the Hedge,” in which Willis plays a raccoon.
• Distance-wise, you could recreate the real-life trajectory of Bruce Willis by driving from his hometown of Carney’s Point, New Jersey, to Hollywood, California — 3 times.

The ancient Indian city of Bangalore officially changed its name back to its traditional, non-Anglicized Kannada name, Bengaluru, in November 2014, though many still refer to it by its colonial name.

10. Houston (IAH) to Sydney (SYD) on United Airlines: 8,596 Miles

Scheduled flight time: 17 hours, 35 minutes Flight number: UA 101 Aircraft: Boeing 787-9 Best business class redemption: 250,000 United miles one-way (transfer from Bilt Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, or Marriott Bonvoy)

United resurrected this route on October 28, 2023, after putting it on hold for 2 years because of the pandemic.

• Watch all 5 movies in the “Scream” franchise, then all 5 movies in the “Scary Movie” franchise.
• Mileage-wise, drive from the northern Illinois suburbs (where the granddaddy of slasher flicks, “Halloween,” was set) to Santa Rosa, California (the hub of most of the original “Scream” filming locations), and back. And then, like any horror franchise, do it all over again.

We ranked flights by distance rather than flight time because flight time can vary significantly for many reasons. Please note that because flight times vary so widely from flight to flight, the actual time you spend in the air will likely differ from the listed time if you take one of these trips.

We listed flights by the shortest distance between 2 points on the Earth’s surface, also known as the great circle distance. This can also differ from the actual distance for reasons including wind, severe weather, and the need to avoid closed airspace. 

Need trivia to throw out at your next AvGeek party? The record for the longest nonstop commercial flight in terms of time in the air is held by Qantas for its August 30, 1943, flight in a Consolidated PBY Catalina seaplane from what is now Sri Lanka to Australia.

It took 32 hours and 9 minutes to travel 3,512 statute miles. The route was nicknamed “The Double Sunrise” because it experienced 2 sunrises per flight — scheduled that way so that it flew through Japanese-occupied territory at night.

As planes become more fuel-efficient and fuel costs remain relatively low, we’ll continue to see big competition for a spot on the leaderboard for the longest nonstop flights in the world.

Boeing and Airbus continue to find new ways to increase the range and passenger capacity of their aircraft, allowing airlines to turn a profit from these ultra-long-haul flights.

These aircraft (currently) make up the roster for the longest nonstop flights in the world:

• Boeing 777-200LR — Air India
• Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner — Air New Zealand, Qantas, United
• Airbus A350-900ULR — Singapore Airlines
• Airbus A350-1000 — Qatar Airways, Qantas (by 2025)
• Airbus A380 — Emirates

Boeing 777-200LR

Range: 9,845 miles/8,555 nautical miles/15,843 kilometers Capacity: 317 passengers Maximum Cruising Speed: Mach 0.89/683 mph Engine:  GE90-115B turbofan

The Boeing 777 commercial series is made up of 3 long-range, wide-body, twin-engine jet airliners. Boeing says that the 777 aircraft provides considerably improved reach and increased revenue potential.

In 2015, General Electric proclaimed the GE90-115B turbofan engine the most powerful engine in the world . The GE90 series held the title of history’s largest aviation engine until the introduction of the GE9X, which began flight testing in 2018. The Boeing 777 series has also won several awards for its interior cabin design and passenger satisfaction.

The 777-200LR (the “LR” is for “Long Range”) is the aircraft of choice for Emirates’ Dubai-to-Auckland route and Air India’s Bengaluru-to-San Francisco route. Air India flies a 777-200LR previously flown by Delta Air Lines for this journey.

Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner

Range:  8,786 miles/7,635 nautical miles/4,140 kilometers Capacity: 290 passengers Maximum Cruising Speed: Mach 0.85/652 mph Engine: GEnx-1B/Trent 1000

Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner series comprises 3 midsize, wide-body, twin-engine jet airliners. Combined, the 787 series currently services over 170 nonstop flights worldwide. The 787-9, however, is the only Dreamliner to make it on the list of longest nonstop flights in the world.

Boeing says that its 787 series provides advantages. including higher distance range and fuel efficiency, more cargo volume, lower operating costs, and a more reliable aircraft.

The 787-9 is the aircraft of choice for all Qantas Perth-to-London and Melbourne-to-Dallas routes, and United’s Houston-to-Sydney flight.

Airbus A350-900ULR

Range:  11,163 miles/9,700 nautical miles/17,964 kilometers Capacity: 161 (SQ configuration — premium economy and business class only) Maximum Cruising Speed: Mach 0.89/683 mph Engine: Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-84

Airbus introduced the A350 series in response to the success of Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner, and the A350-900 is the first member of the company’s Extra Wide Body, or XWB, a family of next-generation, high-efficiency, high-capacity passenger jets for long-haul flights.

The A350-900’s first test flight was in 2013, and it flew its first commercial flight (with Qatar Airways) in 2015. Currently, however, Singapore Airlines is the only airline to fly the A350-900ULR version of the -900.

That A350-900ULR variant (“ULR” for “Ultra Long Range”) is a lighter aircraft that can fly farther and is more cost-efficient than large double-decker jets like the 747 or A380. Because of the materials used, there’s also less maintenance required — an important aspect for global airlines. Passengers find the engine noise substantially quieter , too.

The main feature of the ULR is that the fuel tanks hold more fuel, critical for ultra-long-haul flights. In addition to extra fuel storage, there are aerodynamic improvements that allow the aircraft to serve routes that previously would have required a technical stop.

The A350-900ULR is the aircraft of choice for Singapore Airlines’ routes from Singapore to New York, Newark, and Los Angeles.

Airbus A350-1000

Range:  10,001 miles/8,700 nautical miles/16,112 kilometers Capacity: 480 passengers maximum (327 on Qatar Airways) Maximum Cruising Speed: Mach 0.89/683 mph Engine: Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97

Qatar Airways launched the first A350-1000 route in February 2018, traveling from Doha, Qatar, to London with 46 Qsuites and 281 economy seats in a 3-3-3 configuration.

Measuring 23 feet longer than the A350-900, the fuel-efficient A350-1000 is the largest version of the A350. It can squeeze in more dedicated passenger space, has a more powerful engine, and fits in more comfort-focused technology like climate zones, improved air circulation and filtration, and ambient lighting designed to reduce jet lag.

With a maximum range that’s 1,000 nautical miles shorter than the A350-900ULR’s, the A350-1000 hasn’t received Airbus designation as a ULR model.

Qantas has ordered A350-1000s that it plans on putting into service starting in 2025 . Singapore, which has today’s largest fleet of A350s, has standing orders with Airbus for dozens of A350s, with a clause that allows it to pick from either the -900 or -1000 variants closer to delivery.

Airbus A380-800

Range:  9,206 miles/8,000 nautical miles/14,800 kilometers Capacity: 555 passengers maximum (489 on Emirates) Maximum Cruising Speed: Mach 0.88/675 mph Engine: Rolls-Royce Trent 900 or GE-Pratt & Whitney GP-7200 turbofans

Also called the Super Jumbo, the Airbus A380-800 is the largest commercial passenger airplane in the world. It’s a double-decker that began development all the way back in the 1990s as a direct challenger to the then-dominant Boeing 747 when it came to long-haul flights. Early company visions of the plane even included the possibility of onboard shops, restaurants, and casinos.

The A380-800, sometimes called the A388, was the passenger variant of the 2 A380 models Airbus originally offered. The other option was the freighter version, the A380F.

Singapore Airlines was the first airline to fly the A380 in October 2007, with Emirates eventually amassing the largest fleet of A380s and becoming the leading A380 customer by far, accounting for nearly half of all orders of the A380.

But the shifting realities of the industry didn’t mesh well with a jet even larger than the 747, and the last A380 rolled off the production line in 2021, eclipsed by smaller, more efficient planes like the A330, A350, and 787.

The competition for the top spot on the list of the longest nonstop flights in the world won’t end any time soon. The only question is: How will the airlines choose to get there?

Within the past few years, we’ve seen the final flight of the last U.S. carrier-operated Boeing 747, once the hallmark of long-haul flights. In 2021, we saw several carriers announce plans to move away from the behemoth A380 to save on fuel and match current passenger demands. Moving forward, will airlines shy away from enormous jets in search of slimmer, more efficient aircraft? Or will the so-called superjumbos also evolve, eventually providing a more efficient and profitable means of carrying passengers around the world?

From a points perspective, we certainly hope jumbo jets make a comeback at some point. The optimized business and first class cabins of the more upscale carriers are every miles chaser’s dream.

Rewarding your hard-earned miles with 17 hours in business class on a 787-9 is unbeatable.

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The 15 Longest Flights in the World

From New York to Singapore and Perth to London, these are the longest flight routes in the world.

If you’re looking to maximize your time in the sky, you might consider taking the current longest flight in the world — just board a Singapore Airlines plane in New York City and disembark in Singapore 9,537 miles (and nearly 19 hours) later.

While that flight holds the current record, it isn’t the longest flight ever flown — the longest nonstop commercial flight ever operated happened back in March 2020. Air Tahiti Nui flew nonstop from Papeete, Tahiti to Paris, traveling 9,765 miles, bypassing its usual stopover in Los Angeles due to pandemic-related travel restrictions in place at the time. That record, however, will be surpassed by Qantas in 2025, when the airline launches its 10,573-mile flights between Sydney and London and its 9,950-mile flights between Sydney and New York.

Here is the current list of the top 15 longest flights in the world that are in operation. They are ordered according to distance, since this metric remains constant, as opposed to flight timing, which can vary according to season, weather, and airport conditions at different times of the year.

Of the below flights, the shortest estimated flight time clocks in at a whopping 14 hours and 30 minutes, so you’ll need to come prepared for the long haul. Wear a comfortable airplane outfit, grab your best travel pillow , and queue up your favorite TV shows and movies — you’ve got time to kill. And if there was ever a time to upgrade to first class , this is it.   

1. New York City (JFK) – Singapore (SIN)

Airline: Singapore Airlines

Distance: 9,537 miles

Estimated Flight Time: 18 hours, 50 minutes

2. Singapore (SIN) – Newark (EWR)

Distance: 9,523 miles

Estimated Flight Time: 18 hours, 45 minutes

3. Perth (PER) – London (LHR)

Airline: Qantas

Distance: 9,010 miles

Estimated Flight Time: 17 hours, 15 minutes

4. Melbourne (MEL) – Dallas (DFW)

Distance: 8,992 miles

Estimated Flight Time: 17 hours, 35 minutes

5. Auckland (AKL) – New York (JFK)

Airline: Air New Zealand and Qantas

Distance: 8,828 miles

6. Dubai (DXB) - Auckland (AKL)

Airline: Emirates

Distance: 8,824 miles

Estimated Flight Time: 17 hours, 10 minutes

7. Singapore (SIN) - Los Angeles (LAX)

Distance: 8,770 miles

Estimated Flight Time: 17 hours, 50 minutes

8. Bangalore (BLR) - San Francisco (SFO)

Airline: Air India

Distance: 8,701 miles

Estimated Flight Time: 17 hours, 40 minutes

9. Houston (IAH) - Sydney (SYD)

Airline: United Airlines

Distance: 8,596 miles

10. Sydney (SYD) - Dallas (DFW)

Distance: 8,576 miles

Estimated Flight Time: 15 hours, 20 minutes

11. Manila (MNL) - San Francisco (SFO)

Airline: Philippine Airlines

Distance: 8,520 miles

Estimated Flight Time: 17 hours

12. Singapore (SIN) - San Francisco (SFO)

Airline: Singapore Airlines and United Airlines

Distance: 8,446 miles

Estimated Flight Time: 14 hours, 30 minutes

13. Atlanta (ATL) - Johannesburg (JNB)

Airline: Delta

Distance: 8,439 miles

14. Mumbai (BOM) - San Francisco (SFO)

Distance: 8,406 miles

Estimated Flight Time: 16 hours

15. Dubai (DXB) - Los Angeles (LAX)

Distance: 8,339 miles

Estimated Flight Time: 16 hours, 20 minutes

Related Articles

Simple Flying

World's longest routes: which ones are in operation now.

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Why Are The Engines On The Airbus A340 So Small?

Three big snubs: why don't airlines want the airbus a330neo, air india to reportedly add new us destinations after almost a decade.

The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has forced airlines to take an adaptable approach to their networks due to the changing nature of travel restrictions. As a result, the leaderboard of the world's longest routes has been rather more changeable than pre-pandemic. Let's take a look at which of the longest routes are operating now, and what 2022 has in store.

Top of the pile

At the end of 2021, Simple Flying took an in-depth look at the world's longest airline routes . In terms of which of these have been operating in recent days, we can see that the longest has flown almost every day this week. We are, of course, talking about Singapore Airlines flight SQ24 from Singapore to New York JFK. It will also operate alongside flights to Newark Liberty, which was the first airport to see the airline bring its Airbus A350s nonstop between the New York City area and Singapore.

According to data from RadarBox.com , the only day this week when SQ24 didn't operate was January 29th. The 9,537-mile route has a scheduled duration of 18 hours and five minutes, and is operated by Singapore Airlines' low-density Airbus A350-900ULRs.

The best of the rest

Services from New Zealand to the Middle East have typically ranked highly among the world's longest flights. However, the country's border situation has paused these, with second place on the list instead being SQ38 from Singapore to Los Angeles. This 8.770-mile service has operated every day this week, with a scheduled duration of 15 hours and 10 minutes.

Operating consistently but on a less frequent basis is Air India flight AI175 from Bangalore (BLR) to San Francisco (SFO). The Indian flag carrier flies this route weekly, namely every Monday. It has a scheduled duration of exactly 16 hours, and is 8,701 miles long.

Fourth on the list is Qantas' route from Darwin to London. This represents the second leg of the carrier's services from Sydney to the UK, with Darwin having recently taken over from Singapore as the stopover . Numbered as QF1 , Qantas has flown on-stop from Darwin to London every day this week. The 8,620-mile flights are timed for 16 hours and 20 minutes.

Rounding out the top five in terms of the world's longest active airline routes is PR127 from Manila to New York JFK. Operated by Philippine Airlines' A350s, it flew three times this week. Clocking in at 8,520 miles, the scheduled duration is 15 hours and five minutes.

Stay informed:   Sign up for our daily and weekly aviation news digests.

Long routes resuming this year

Later this year, the rankings are set for a further shake-up when the IATA summer schedule begins in late March. As noted earlier, this is when Singapore Airlines will switch the world's longest flight's destination from New York JFK to Newark.

One Mile At A Time reports that this is also when Qantas will recommence direct flights between Perth and London, as well as Dallas-Sydney a month beforehand. Elsewhere in Texas, United's Houston-Sydney services will also restart in March. Later in the year, ultra-long-haul services to the Middle East will grow with the resumption of Emirates' route from Auckland to Dubai (July), as well as Saudia's flights from Jeddah to Los Angeles (April).

How many of the world's longest routes have you flown on? Do you enjoy ultra-long-haul flying? Let us know your thoughts and experiences in the comments.

These Are the Longest Flights in the World

On these flights, you could watch the entire “jurassic park” franchise and still take a five-hour nap..

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During the world’s longest flights, sometimes fliers will experience more than one sunrise.

Photo by Shutterstock

As flight technology advances (such as being able to hold more and burn less fuel) and long-haul carriers make improved efforts to provide a more comfortable journey (be that with jet lag–reducing lighting, serving healthier food , and enhancing business-class and economy seats for a more comfortable journey), the longest flights in the world are gradually getting even longer. The lengthiest now connect cities on opposite sides of the globe and are upwards of 17 hours.

When Australia’s national carrier Qantas debuts its Project Sunrise routes in 2025 (which will include nonstop service between Sydney and both London and New York, at 10,573 and 9,950 miles, respectively), they will be the longest flights in the world ; the longer flight (London) will clock in at a staggering 20 hours.

What is the world’s longest flight?

Currently, the longest flight in the world is the 18 hour 50 minute-long route between New York City (JFK) and Singapore, operated by Singapore Airlines. It is 9,585-miles long and takes place on an Airbus A350-900ULR, which is configured with 67 pod-style business-class seats and 94 premium economy seats—there are no regular economy seats.

As of fall 2023, the world’s longest flight is between New York City and this city-state in Asia.

Courtesy of Hu Chen/Unsplash

The longest flights in the world

Whether you love the idea of knocking out most or all of your travel time (and likely a few seasons of your favorite show) in one go or would rather avoid an ultra-long-haul journey and break it up with a layover ( stopover programs are a great way to sneak in added sightseeing between two legs of a trip), here are the 10 current longest flights in the world by hours.

On Board the Longest Flight in the World: What It's Like to Fly 19 Hours Nonstop

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Airlines are pushing boundaries to connect far-flung global cities every year. The longest flight in the world, currently flown by Singapore Airlines , is proof. For travelers who want to visit loved ones—not to mention frequent fliers looking for new ways to earn and burn miles and points —this 19-hour journey from John F. Kennedy is a gem in the crown of ultra-long-haul travel. But even in first and business class, the prospect of such a long journey can be daunting. 

To see what the experience was really like, I recently hopped on Singapore Airlines’ nonstop route from New York to Singapore . On Singapore’s specially designed Airbus A350-900ULR (ultra long range) I was seated in business class, which takes up most of the plane ( premium economy occupies the back third of the aircraft—in a merciful move, the airline opted to not offer traditional economy class on such a long journey). True to Singapore's style, there were plenty of comfortable touches. Likewise, there were things I wish I knew about before, and would plan ahead for in the future. 

From the in-flight menu to the best seats in the house, this is exactly what it's like on the longest flight in the world, plus what to know before boarding it yourself.

What is the longest flight in the world really like?

Gearing up for a flight that stretches 19 hours takes mental preparation. I started by thinking about how I planned to spend time on board and what I wanted to do when I landed—and slowly adjusting my sleep pattern days before the flight.

Once on board, I settled into my seat, which is one of the widest business class thrones in the sky . I prepared my new home, laying out what I’d need during the flight and finding all the charging ports. The amenity kit and lavatories have some thoughtful products like a wrinkle-reducing spray for clothes (important after a long flight). Because this flight departs in the evening, some people opted to change into pajamas or loose-fitting clothing to help them get better rest—I committed to the spray.

Donning Pierre Balmain-designed sarong kebayas, flight attendants introduce themselves while I perused the nearly 1,000 entertainment options. The crew addresses every passenger by their last name, and by the end of the flight, they have memorized every passenger, even as they say goodbye one by one at the departure door.

After takeoff, it was time for drinks and a movie. Singapore flight attendants are masters at the craft of hospitality. Wine and Champagne are poured at the seat with an explanation of the vineyard and how each pairs well with dishes from the menu.

The multi-course meal was served with great fanfare and includes appetizers and main dishes from the airline’s partnership menu with Golden Door Spa . Served atop linens and tableware, the impressive meals specifically created for these super-long flights are served course by course. The menu and beverage list (including mocktails, juices, and smoothies) are designed for passengers to choose between more rest or energy before arrival. Some are high in anti-inflammatory properties while others are rich in free radicals and antioxidants.

Menu dishes include Hudson Valley-sourced trout with greens from the airline’s own aeroponic farm , or a braised short rib with cornbread pudding. Flight attendants told me that the Singaporean chicken rice is one of the most popular pre-order dishes.

Later in the flight, the mood lighting changes, even pulsing a bit at times. It’s all been thoughtfully designed to help ease jet lag as much as possible en route. The bathrooms are immaculate, and flight attendants typically clean them between passengers.

Singapore serves a meal after takeoff, but unlike most airlines, the second meal is mid-flight rather than before landing. It’s not a dine on demand service, like Qatar Airways , either. This is meant to follow peoples’ body clocks, but may interrupt your sleep. Midway through the flight, the lights come on, and flight attendants (still as immaculate as after takeoff) present another multi-course meal service. The airline’s famous satay and peanut sauce arrived with great fanfare, which was enough to make me feel ok about having to get up in the middle of my sleep.

After that, there is no other formal meal service, but the crew can deliver a range of menu items like sandwiches, soups, and salads, at any time. Luckily, this presents another chunk of time for sleeping: On the 19-hour flight, I slept for 11 hours in varying intervals, in large thanks to the meticulous turn down with linens and pillows.

What I wish I had known before departure

Singapore Airlines has two flights a day from the New York area (JFK and Newark). Technically, the JFK flight is just a bit longer at two miles more than Newark (9,527 miles versus 9,525).

The Singapore flight from JFK leaves in the evening, which means you can eat and then sleep hours after takeoff without needing to reset your internal clock . About halfway through the flight, you can wake up and enjoy more food, movies, and drinks (or catch up on work). Since the flight is so long, you still have time for another several hours of sleep before landing in Singapore in the morning, with the whole day ahead of you.

When departing Newark , the flight leaves in the morning. This means the reverse is true: you’re up for at least the first half of the flight and then naturally ready to sleep after that. But because the Newark flight lands in the evening, you probably don't want to sleep much mid-flight if you hope to rest on arrival.

My tips? Ask before takeoff for the exact meal service timing to mentally prepare your own sleeping and eating timetable. Also, don’t forget about Singapore’s Book the Cook service that allows you to order your preferred dish before takeoff. You’ll be able to select from more than a dozen options, which is more than what is offered on board. Lobster Thermidor? Thai or Indian curry dishes? Laksa soup? It’s all on offer (including for premium economy passengers), but only if you choose in advance.

If you’re curious about the menu, the airline makes it available within the reservation page online about one week before departure. There’s also unlimited, free Wi-Fi for business class passengers. If I had known, I wouldn’t have downloaded so much work in advance, but I was grateful for the option to stay productive.

If you are flying premium economy, you’ll want to choose one of the solo window seats at the very back of the plane, which have extra space due to the curvature of the aircraft. But act fast: there are only six. Luckily, in business class, all seats are in a 1-2-1 configuration with maximum privacy.

Some travelers will prefer making a stop somewhere rather than such a long flight, but Singapore Airlines has a highly sought after product. On several days this summer, the cheapest roundtrip airfare was about $2,700 in premium economy and $6,600 in business class. But, don’t be surprised to see the premium cabin reach into the five-digit range on many dates of the year. On the longest flight in the world, many fliers may want to trade cash for decent rest and more time at their destination. After all, that’s the benefit of a nonstop ultra-long-haul flight.

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Exploring The World's 10 Longest Non-Stop Airline Routes

**Updated May 2024**

The world’s first commercial flight  took off from St Petersburg, Florida on January 1 st 1914, and landed about 30 minutes later in Tampa, Florida, covering a distance of 17km. Since then, advances in aviation technology have made it possible to fly thousands of kilometers non-stop, and as of October 2023, the list of the world’s top 10 longest flights includes destinations in Europe, Asia, North America, and the Middle East.

Using OAG’s airline schedules data , our table of the longest routes ranks commercial flights by Great Circle Distance (GCD) in kilometers. GCD is a way of measuring a flight’s length, taking into account the fact that the Earth is spherical, and therefore the shortest route for a flight to take is not a straight line drawn from point to point on a 2D map. Let's take a look at the current longest flights in the world.

The Longest Commercial Flight Leaderboard

 1. the world’s longest flight: new york (jfk) to singapore changi (sin).

Distance (GCD): 15,332km

Airline: Singapore Airlines

Aircraft: Airbus A350-900

New York John F Kennedy Airport – Singapore Changi is currently the longest commercial flight it is possible to book. At 15,332km, this route has been at the top of the table since 2021, and takes an average of 18 hours and 40 minutes to complete.

2. Newark Liberty International (EWR) to Singapore Changi (SIN)

Distance (GCD): 15,329km

Offering direct links to other Asian countries and Australia, Singapore Changi also features in the second longest flight route of 2024. In fact, the Newark – Changi route is just 3km shorter than the longest route, and until Singapore Airlines introduced flights from JFK to Singapore this was the world’s longest route from 2004-2013 and again from 2018-2020.

3. Auckland (AKL) - Doha (DOH)

Distance (GCD): 14,526km

Airline: Qatar Airways

Having been dropped a couple of years after its 2017 launch during the Covid-19 pandemic,  this route is back. Auckland-Doha was once the world's longest non-stop commercial flight but now sits in a respectable third place on our top ten list.

4. Perth (PER) – London Heathrow (LHR)

Distance (GCD): 14,499km

Airline: Qantas Airways

Aircraft: Boeing 787-9

With a scheduled flight time of 17 hours and 45 minutes, this is one of just two routes in our top 10 that features a European airport, both of which depart from Perth. This route operated until early August 2024, so it remains on the list of the longest non-stop flights of Summer 2024, however Qantas has paused this direct flight due to tensions in the Middle East. It now takes an alternative route with a fuelling stop in Singapore.

5. Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) – Melbourne (MEL)

Distance (GCD): 14,468km

Dallas Fort Worth has been a permanent fixture on our monthly list of busiest airports  this year, offering Australian visitors onward flights to 193 US destinations. The flight from Dallas to Melbourne is scheduled for 17 hours 35 minutes.

6. Paris Charles De Gaulle (CDG) - Perth (PER)

Distance (GCD): 14,265km

This is one of two routes in the top 10 longest commercial flight routes that includes a European airport, both of which depart from Perth, Australia.

7. Auckland International (AKL) – New York (JFK)

Distance (GCD): 14,209km

Airline: Air New Zealand, Qantas

Launched in 2022, this is the first Air New Zealand route flying non-stop to New York. The scheduled flight time is 16 hours 15 minutes. In 2023, Qantas entered the AKL-JFK market, introducing some competition for Air New Zealand.

8. Auckland International (AKL) – Dubai International (DXB)

Distance (GCD): 14,193km

Airline: Emirates

Aircraft: Airbus A350

In 2016, this was the world’s longest flight at 14,193km, and the fact that it’s taken just eight years to move down to 8 th  place on the list demonstrates how quickly things can change in the world of aviation! The flight is scheduled to last 17 hours and 5 minutes, landing in  one of the world’s busiest global airports .

9. Shenzhen (SZX) - Mexico City Juarez Intl (MEX)

Distance (GCD): 14,124km

Airline: China Southern

This is the only flight on this list to feature either a Chinese or Latin American airport,  and the only one operated by a Chinese carrier. Interesting fact: This route operates direct from Shenzhen to Mexico City but returns with a layover in Tijuana because of the high altitude at Mexico City.

10. Los Angeles (LAX) – Singapore Changi (SIN)

Distance (GCD): 14,096km

Singapore Changi Airport makes its third and final appearance at number 10 on the list of longest non-stop commercial flights, on a route that was first flown by United Airlines in 2016 and was, at the time, the longest scheduled non-stop flight from the US.

Infographic: The World's Longest Flights

Aircraft On The Longest Routes

Airbus a350-900.

Range: Up to 18,000km

Engine: Rolls-Royce Trent XWB

Capacity: 300-500 passengers

Up until as recently as 2016 , the world’s longest flights were flown by four-engine aircraft, but one third of the longest routes now operate on the wide-bodied, twin-engine Airbus 350-90: JFK-SIN, EWR-SIN, LAX-SIN. Since its entry into service in 2015, the global A350 fleet has completed more than 1,025,000 flights on more than 1000 routes.

Airbus A350-1000

Range: Up to 16,100km

Engine: Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 turbofans

Capacity: 350-410 passengers

The Airbus A350-1000 has the longest fuselage of the A350 family, seven-metres-longer than Airbus’ A350-900 version. This aircraft also boasts the quietest twin-aisle cabin in the skies and ambient lighting that claims to minimize the effects of jet-lag.

Boeing 787-9

Range: Up to 15,400km

Engine: General Electric GEnx or Rolls-Royce Trent 1000

Capacity: 296 passengers

Another twin-engine aircraft, the Boeing 787-9, otherwise known as the Dreamliner, flies four out of ten of the longest nonstop flights: LHR-PER, DFW-MEL, AKL-JFK and CDG-PER. In addition to Qantas and Air New Zealand, more than 70 other airlines count the B787-9 in their fleets, including All Nippon Airways, which has 40, the most of any airline.

Airbus A380-800 Passenger

Range: Up to 15,700km

Engine: Rolls-Royce Trent 900, Engine Alliance GP7000

Capacity: 500 + passengers

Unlike the other aircraft on this list, the Airbus A380-800 has four engines. It’s currently the world’s largest passenger airliner with its double-deck design. Production of the A380 ended in 2021, but it is still a favored aircraft and as long-haul travel returns post-pandemic, more A380s are taking to the skies again.

Upcoming Record-Breaking Flights

The next flight set to break the record for the longest nonstop air journey will likely happen in 2025, when Qantas plans to operate flights from New York to Sydney using a specially designed Airbus A350. The airline has included a ‘wellness’ space on board and has been researching ways to help travelers tackle jet lag , which will be important because the 16,020km flight will last more than 20 hours.

As markets worldwide continue to recover from the damage of the Covid-19 pandemic, long-haul travel has been one of the last areas to make progress , but it is slowly recovering. We will almost certainly see movement in the list of the top 10 longest routes in the future as new routes are added to the schedules and retired routes are re-introduced.

Now that you know the world's longest flights, check out the world's shortest commercial international flights .

Updated May 2024 to reflect new schedules.

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The World’s Longest Flights (and How to Book Them With Points and Miles)

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Table of Contents

What do we mean by “longest” flights?

An overview of the longest non-stop flights, the longest flights in the world, top cards for earning points and miles.

Spending 18 hours on an ultra-long-haul flight may sound like a grueling marathon to some, but to those with the right mindset (and in the right airline seat), it can be a gratifying adventure.

Here we’ll dig into eight of the longest flights in the world by duration, the routes they cover and the planes that fly them, as well as how you can use points and miles to travel these longest flights in comfort.

Answering "What is the longest flight in the world?" is more complicated than you might think.

The world’s longest flights are often ranked by something called the “great circle distance,” which represents the shortest distance between two points along the circumference of a sphere.

However, the great circle distance isn’t equal to the distance a flight actually travels. Flight plans routinely change to accommodate for weather, wind and other factors, so a plane may exceed the great circle distance on a given flight.

Furthermore, the experience of an ultra-long-haul flight is less a product of how far you go than of how long it takes. Thus, we are highlighting the longest flights in the world by duration instead of distance.

Rather than rely on scheduled flight times (which vary for many of the same reasons as distance), we looked at historical flight data to assess which flights actually last the longest from departure to arrival.

While this list includes eight of the world’s longest flights, we left a few out for the sake of variety. You can see what was excluded and why in the ‘honorable mentions’ list below.

Let's look closer at each of these routes, including recommendations for how you can use travel rewards credit cards to book the journey on points.

1. Singapore Airlines Flight 21: Newark (EWR) to Singapore (SIN)

Serviced by one of Singapore Airlines’ ultra-long-range A350-900 aircraft, flight SQ 21 tops our list as the longest non-stop flight.

It’s so long that the airline only offers business class and premium economy seating — you won’t find regular economy seats onboard.

Flight distance: Great circle 9,534 miles; average travel distance of 10,644 miles.

Flight time: Scheduled 18:50, average 18:18.

Frequency: Daily.

Aircraft: Airbus A350-900.

Typical flight path: Heading northeast from Newark, SQ 21 follows the coast to Newfoundland and crosses the Atlantic to Europe, passing the Alps and the Black Sea before flying over the Middle East, southern India, and the Bay of Bengal.

Fun facts: SQ 21 crosses 13 time zones, and typically flies over more than a dozen countries.

Best award redemption options: Book one-way saver awards through the Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer program for 80,500 miles in premium economy or 111,500 miles in business class (plus mandatory taxes and fees). Singapore Airlines is a transfer partner of the major transferable currency programs , including AmEx Membership Rewards, Capital One Venture Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards® and Citi ThankYou Rewards.

» Learn more: What’s the value of Singapore KrisFlyer Miles?

2. Air India Flight 176: San Francisco (SFO) to Bengaluru (BLR)

This flight is numbered AI 176.

Flight distance: Great circle 8,701 miles; average travel distance of 9,737 miles.

Flight time: Scheduled 17:50, average 17:51.

Frequency: Three times weekly.

Aircraft: Boeing 777-200LR.

Typical flight path: Heading north from San Francisco, AI 176 crosses Canada toward Greenland, frequently entering the Arctic Circle before heading south over Scandinavia, Russia and Central Asia on the way to India.

Fun facts: The return flight from Bengaluru to San Francisco (AI 175) has an average flight time of 15 hours and 28 minutes, or nearly two and a half hours less than AI 176.

Best award redemption options: You can book one-way awards through the Air Canada Aeroplan program for 70,000 points in economy, 110,000 points in business class, or 140,000 points in first class (plus mandatory taxes and fees). Air Canada is a transfer partner of AmEx Membership Rewards , Bilt Rewards , Capital One Venture Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards®, so you can accumulate Aeroplan points by transferring points from those programs.

3. Singapore Airlines Flight 23: New York-JFK to Singapore (SIN)

This journey's flight number is SQ 23, and it doubles as the longest commercial flight currently in operation by great circle measurements.

Like SQ 21 above, Singapore Airlines only offers business class and premium economy seats on this flight.

Flight distance: Great circle 9,537 miles; average travel distance 10,590 miles.

Flight time: Scheduled 18:35, average 17:50.

Typical flight path: SQ 23 follows a nearly identical path to SQ 21 above, crossing Europe, the Middle East and India.

Fun facts: Due to time changes and an evening departure, SQ 23 lands two calendar days after it takes off. However, the return flight from Singapore to New York (SQ 24) typically lands less than six hours after take-off as measured by local times at the origin and destination.

Best award redemption options: Book one-way saver awards through the Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer program for 80,500 miles in premium economy or 111,500 miles in business class (plus mandatory taxes and fees). Singapore Airlines is a transfer partner of AmEx Membership Rewards, Capital One Venture Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards® and Citi ThankYou Rewards .

» Learn more: The best credit cards for New York City-based travelers

4. Qantas Flight 9: Perth (PER) to London-Heathrow

This flight, dubbed QF 9, spends more than half of its flight length over the Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea.

Flight distance: Great circle 9,009 miles; average travel distance 9,171 miles.

Flight time: Scheduled 17:45; average 17:43.

Aircraft: Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.

Typical flight path: QF 9 heads west from Perth over the Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea, eventually crossing the Middle East and Europe on the way to London.

Fun facts: Of the flights on this list, QF 9 flies closest to its optimal geometric trajectory, with the average distance flown exceeding the great circle distance by less than 2%.

Best award redemption options: Book one-way awards through the American Airlines AAdvantage program for 60,000 miles in economy, 70,000 miles in premium economy, or 85,000 miles in business class (plus mandatory taxes and fees).

5. Qantas Flight 22: Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) to Melbourne (MEL)

At a latitude of 37.8136° S, Melbourne is the most southerly of all the cities on this list (barely beating out Auckland at 36.8509° S.

Flight distance: Great circle 8,992 miles; average travel distance 9,249 miles.

Flight time: Scheduled 17:50; average 17:34.

Typical flight path: QF 22 heads west from Dallas, traveling over the southwestern United States and sometimes northern Mexico before spending the majority of the flight over the Pacific Ocean.

Fun facts: All passengers on Qantas have access to a 24/7 snack bar.

» Learn more: The 10 best credit cards for Qantas points

6. Singapore Airlines Flights 35 and 37: Los Angeles (LAX) to Singapore (SIN)

Two Singapore Airlines flight numbers — SQ 35 and SQ 37 — fly this route.

Flight distance: Great circle 8,770 miles; average travel distance 9,148 miles.

Flight time: Scheduled 17:40; average 17:28.

Frequency: SQ 37 flies daily; SQ 35 flies three times weekly.

Typical flight path: These flights often head west from Los Angeles, spending most of the time over the Pacific Ocean before crossing the Philippines and Malaysia on approach to Singapore. However, some flights head northwest from Los Angeles, passing the Aleutian islands and the coast of Japan before reaching the South China Sea.

Fun facts: On days when both SQ 35 and SQ 37 fly, their scheduled departure times are separated by less than 3 hours.

Best award redemption options: Book one-way saver awards through the Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer program for 75,000 miles in premium economy or 107,000 miles in business class (plus mandatory taxes and fees).

7. Air New Zealand Flight 1: New York-JFK to Auckland (AKL)

While this flight is only number seven on our list, it might feel like the world’s longest flight according to your biological clock. Flight NZ 1 experiences the greatest time change.

Flight distance: Great circle 8,828 miles; average travel distance 9,109 miles.

Flight time: Scheduled 18:00; average 17:26.

Typical flight path: NZ 1 heads west or southwest from New York across the United States, sometimes also flying over parts of Mexico before spending the remainder of the flight over the Pacific Ocean. 

Fun facts: This flight often arrives more than 35 hours after departure as measured by local times at the origin and destination.

Best award redemption options: As a member of the Star Alliance , you can book round-trip low season awards through the ANA Mileage Club program for 60,000 miles in economy, 88,000 miles in premium economy, or 105,000 miles in business class (plus mandatory taxes and fees). Regular and high season rates are roughly 10-25% higher.

» Learn more: What are carrier-imposed fees on flights?

8. United Airlines Flight 101: Houston (IAH) to Sydney (SYD)

While U.S. airlines rank first (United Airlines), second (American Airlines) and fourth (Delta Air Lines) globally in total destinations served, UA 101 is the longest flight operated by a U.S. carrier (and the only such flight on this list).

Flight distance: Great circle 8.596 miles; average travel distance 8,895 miles

Flight time: Scheduled 17:30; average 17:22

Frequency: Daily

Aircraft: Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner

Typical flight path: UA 101 heads west from Houston, traveling over the southwestern United States and sometimes northern Mexico before spending the majority of the flight over the Pacific Ocean.

Fun facts: This flight crosses seven time zones.

Best award redemption options: Book one-way awards through the United Airlines MileagePlus program starting at 37,500 miles in economy, 70,000 miles in premium economy, and 100,000 miles in business class (plus mandatory taxes and fees).

» Learn more: The complete guide to United MileagePlus

Honorable mentions

These routes didn’t make the list, but like the others above, they’re served by some of the world’s longest commercial flights.

Singapore (SIN) to New York-JFK: Singapore Airlines flight SQ 24 (the aforementioned return flight of SQ 23) averages over 18 hours in the air — that’s long enough to rank third on our list.

San Francisco (SFO) to Singapore (SIN): Singapore Airlines flights SQ 31 and SQ 33, and United Airlines flight UA 829, offer non-stop service between these cities. This route has a great circle distance a few hundred miles short of the LAX-SIN flight discussed above.

Auckland (AKL) to Doha (DOH): Qatar Airways flight QA 921 flies this route with a great circle distance of over 9,000 miles and an average flight time of just over 17:20. A long flight is a great excuse to book a Qsuite .

Points and miles can be redeemed for award flights, but before you can start using them, you have to earn them. Beyond flying, another way to amass a large number of travel rewards is to earn a welcome bonus for a credit card.

There are trade-offs to spending on a general travel credit card versus a co-branded airline credit card. If you desire more flexibility to book across several brands, stick with a card that earn transferable currencies like Citi ThankYou Points or Chase Ultimate Rewards®. If you are more loyal to one brand or alliance, consider an airline credit card .

This sum of points can typically net you several round-trip flights.

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Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply.

Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

Earn 70,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $700 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com

• 5 points per $1 on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel, on up to $500,000 spent per year.

• 5 points per $1 on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.

• 1 point per $1 on other eligible purchases.

Terms apply.

• 5 miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.

• 2 miles per $1 on all other purchases.

• 5 points per $1 on travel booked through Chase.

• 3 points per $1 on dining (including eligible delivery services and takeout), select streaming services and online grocery purchases (not including Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs).

• 2 points per $1 on other travel.

• 1 point per $1 on other purchases.

• 10 ThankYou® points per $1 spent on hotels, car rentals and attractions booked through the Citi Travel site.

• 3 points per $1 on air travel and other hotel purchases.

• 3 points per $1 on supermarkets.

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• 3 points per $1 on restaurants.

• 1 point per $1 on all other purchases.

The more high-end (or 'premium' ) the travel credit card, the more benefits you can enjoy, including airport lounge access or automatic elite status in certain programs. That said, a brand-specific airline card can net you benefits like waived baggage fees , which can have meaningful dollar value.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2024 :

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

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60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1.5%-5% Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

Up to $300 Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!

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75,000 Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

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On board the longest flight in the world: What it's like to fly 19 hours nonstop

Airlines are pushing boundaries to connect far-flung global cities every year. The longest flight in the world, currently flown by Singapore Airlines , is proof. For travellers who want to visit loved ones—not to mention frequent fliers looking for new ways to earn and burn miles and points—this 19-hour journey from John F. Kennedy is a gem in the crown of ultra-long-haul travel. But even in first and business class, the prospect of such a long journey can be daunting.

To see what the experience was really like, I recently hopped on Singapore Airlines’ nonstop route from New York to Singapore . On Singapore’s specially designed Airbus A350-900ULR (ultra long range) I was seated in business class, which takes up most of the plane (premium economy occupies the back third of the aircraft—in a merciful move, the airline opted to not offer traditional economy class on such a long journey). True to Singapore's style, there were plenty of comfortable touches. Likewise, there were things I wish I knew about before, and would plan ahead for in the future.

From the in-flight menu to the best seats in the house, this is exactly what it's like on the longest flight in the world, plus what to know before boarding it yourself.

What is the longest flight in the world really like?

Gearing up for a flight that stretches 19 hours takes mental preparation. I started by thinking about how I planned to spend time on board and what I wanted to do when I landed—and slowly adjusting my sleep pattern days before the flight.

Once on board, I settled into my seat, which is one of the widest business class thrones in the sky . I prepared my new home, laying out what I’d need during the flight and finding all the charging ports. The amenity kit and lavatories have some thoughtful products like a wrinkle-reducing spray for clothes (important after a long flight). Because this flight departs in the evening, some people opted to change into pyajamas or loose-fitting clothing to help them get better rest—I committed to the spray.

Donning Pierre Balmain-designed sarong kebayas, flight attendants introduce themselves while I perused the nearly 1,000 entertainment options. The crew addresses every passenger by their last name, and by the end of the flight, they have memorised every passenger, even as they say goodbye one by one at the departure door.

After takeoff, it was time for drinks and a movie. Singapore flight attendants are masters at the craft of hospitality. Wine and Champagne are poured at the seat with an explanation of the vineyard and how each pairs well with dishes from the menu.

The multi-course meal was served with great fanfare and includes appetisers and main dishes from the airline’s partnership menu with Golden Door Spa . Served atop linens and tableware, the impressive meals specifically created for these super-long flights are served course by course. The menu and beverage list (including mocktails, juices, and smoothies) are designed for passengers to choose between more rest or energy before arrival. Some are high in anti-inflammatory properties while others are rich in free radicals and antioxidants.

Menu dishes include Hudson Valley-sourced trout with greens from the airline’s own aeroponic farm , or a braised short rib with cornbread pudding. Flight attendants told me that the Singaporean chicken rice is one of the most popular pre-order dishes.

Later in the flight, the mood lighting changes, even pulsing a bit at times. It’s all been thoughtfully designed to help ease jet lag as much as possible en route. The bathrooms are immaculate, and flight attendants typically clean them between passengers.

Singapore serves a meal after takeoff, but unlike most airlines, the second meal is mid-flight rather than before landing. It’s not a dine on demand service, like Qatar Airways , either. This is meant to follow peoples’ body clocks, but may interrupt your sleep. Midway through the flight, the lights come on, and flight attendants (still as immaculate as after takeoff) present another multi-course meal service. The airline’s famous satay and peanut sauce arrived with great fanfare, which was enough to make me feel ok about having to get up in the middle of my sleep.

After that, there is no other formal meal service, but the crew can deliver a range of menu items like sandwiches, soups, and salads, at any time. Luckily, this presents another chunk of time for sleeping: On the 19-hour flight, I slept for 11 hours in varying intervals, in large thanks to the meticulous turn down with linens and pillows.

What I wish I had known before departure

Singapore Airlines has two flights a day from the New York area (JFK and Newark). Technically, the JFK flight is just a bit longer at two miles more than Newark (9,527 miles versus 9,525).

The Singapore flight from JFK leaves in the evening, which means you can eat and then sleep hours after takeoff without needing to reset your internal clock . About halfway through the flight, you can wake up and enjoy more food, movies, and drinks (or catch up on work). Since the flight is so long, you still have time for another several hours of sleep before landing in Singapore in the morning, with the whole day ahead of you.

When departing Newark , the flight leaves in the morning. This means the reverse is true: you’re up for at least the first half of the flight and then naturally ready to sleep after that. But because the Newark flight lands in the evening, you probably don't want to sleep much mid-flight if you hope to rest on arrival.

My tips? Ask before takeoff for the exact meal service timing to mentally prepare your own sleeping and eating timetable. Also, don’t forget about Singapore’s Book the Cook service that allows you to order your preferred dish before takeoff. You’ll be able to select from more than a dozen options, which is more than what is offered on board. Lobster Thermidor? Thai or Indian curry dishes? Laksa soup? It’s all on offer (including for premium economy passengers), but only if you choose in advance.

If you’re curious about the menu, the airline makes it available within the reservation page online about one week before departure. There’s also unlimited, free Wi-Fi for business class passengers. If I had known, I wouldn’t have downloaded so much work in advance, but I was grateful for the option to stay productive.

If you are flying premium economy, you’ll want to choose one of the solo window seats at the very back of the plane, which have extra space due to the curvature of the aircraft. But act fast: there are only six. Luckily, in business class, all seats are in a 1-2-1 configuration with maximum privacy.

Some travellers will prefer making a stop somewhere rather than such a long flight, but Singapore Airlines has a highly sought after product. On several days this summer, the cheapest roundtrip airfare was about $2,700 in premium economy and $6,600 in business class. But, don’t be surprised to see the premium cabin reach into the five-digit range on many dates of the year. On the longest flight in the world, many fliers may want to trade cash for decent rest and more time at their destination. After all, that’s the benefit of a nonstop ultra-long-haul flight.

First published on CNT US

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Top 13+ Longest Flights In The World: From One End Of The Earth To The Other

In the old days, it tools months, if not years, to travel to another country. Now, it will only take a blink of an eye. With the development of transportation, even the farthest destination can be reached within an unbelievably short amount of time.

Don’t believe it yet? Let the list of the Top 15 longest flights in the world show you that anything is possible today!

• New York to Singapore | 18 hours 50 minutes | Singapore Airlines
• Newark to Singapore | 18 hours 30 minutes | Singapore Airlines
• Perth to London | 17 hours 20 minutes | Qantas
• Dallas to Melbourne | 17 hours 35 minutes | Qantas
• New York to Auckland | 17 hours 35 minutes | Air New Zealand
• Auckland to Dubai | 15 Hours and 45 Minutes | Emirates
• Los Angeles to Singapore | 17 Hours, 10 Minutes | Singapore Airlines
• San Francisco to Bengaluru | 17 Hours, 55 Minutes | Air India
• Houston to Sydney | 17 Hours, 35 Minutes | United
• Dallas to Sydney | 17 Hours, 20 Minutes | Qantas
• New York to Manila |  17 Hours, 15 Minutes | Philippine Airlines
• San Francisco to Singapore | 17 Hours, 35 Minutes | United & Singapore Airlines
• Johannesburg to Atlanta | 16 hours, 20 minutes | Delta
• Mumbai to San Francisco | 15 hours, 25 minutes | Air India
• Dubai to Los Angeles | 16 hours, 20 minutes | Emirates.

The list is compiled based on great-circle distance travelled rather than duration, which varies depending on the weather, maintenance, staff, etc.

Key takeaways:

• The longest commercial flight travels from New York (JFK) to Singapore (SIN) and takes over 18 hours.
• Singapore Airlines operates the two longest flights globally, with Qantas coming in next, operating the third and fourth longest flights.
• The shortest flight in this ranking has a duration of at least 15 hours.
• Qantas is gearing up to set a new record in 2025 with a 20-hour route connecting Sydney to London, spanning over 17,000 km.

1. New York to Singapore

• Flight number: SQ23
• Aircraft flying: Airbus A350-900ULR
• Calculated distance: 15,349km
• Duration of flight: 18 hours 50 minutes

The title of the longest flight in the world belongs to the flight from New York to Singapore. Covers more than 15,000km, this flight takes about 19 hours to finish depending on the weather condition.

The fees for these flights vary from £1,000 to £1,500 per one-way ticket. To save time and money, you can book your tickets online . This flying route is operated by Singapore Airlines.

2. Newark to Singapore

• Flight number: SQ21
• Calculated distance: 15,345km
• Duration of flight: 18 hours 30 minutes

Another route ran by Singapore Airlines. Being the first flight route from Singapore to the New York area, this one used to serve mostly New Yorkers. However, it was once suspended due to travel restrictions and low demand. After the pandemic, they decided to re-open it.

Only 4km shorter than the above route, the flights from Newark to Singapore usually take around 18 hours 30 minutes to 18 hours 45 minutes. You can book the ticket at an estimated price of £1,600.

3. Perth to London

• Flight number: QF9
• Aircraft flying: Boeing 787-9
• Calculated distance: 14,498km
• Duration of flight: 17 hours 20 minutes

If you are looking for a non-stop flight from Australia to Europe, this is perfect! Operated by Qantas, the most popular airline in Australia, citizens of West Australia can now arrive at the capital of England in just over 17 hours. The flight will cost an estimated £1,500 and land at London Heathrow. Sadly, the only non-stop flight between Australia and the United Kingdom will cease to operate due to the latest development over Iranian airspace .

4. Dallas to Melbourne

• Flight number: QF22
• Calculated distance: 14,472km
• Duration of flight: 17 hours 35 minutes

Another long non-stop flight operated by Qantas. It is the route that connects Melbourne and Dallas. Cost around £1,500 for 17 hours and half an hour on the plane. This flight is only 30km shorter than the longest flight of this airline. 

5. New York to Auckland 

• Flight number: NZ1, UA6751
• Calculated distance: 14,207km

Travelling from New York to Auckland is now easier than ever. Air New Zealand offers this route. United Airlines also has flights on this route.

Both options take the same time to land. The flight with Air New Zealand costs around £1,260, while the one with United Airlines is a little more expensive, at £1,360.

Qantas is also planning to operate flights from New York to Auckland. The flights are expected to launch on June 14, 2023.

6. Auckland to Dubai

• Flight number: EK448
• Aircraft flying: Airbus A380
• Calculated distance: 14,200km
• Duration of flight: 15 Hours, 45 Minutes

Auckland can be considered an important intersection when another longest direct flight heads to this destination. Operated by Emirates, at first, the route included transit in Kua Lumpur. However, later, they decided to make it into a direct flight, with a total travel time of almost 16 hours. You can find the tickets for these flights at a price of £1,400.

7. Los Angeles to Singapore

• Flight number: SQ37
• Aircraft flying: Airbus A350-900
• Calculated distance: 14,114km
• Duration of flight: 17 Hours, 10 Minutes

The ambition of Singapore Airlines has not been satisfied with the two longest direct flights in the world, so they made another one! The flights connecting LA and Singapore take a little more than 17 hours and mostly travel across the North Pacific. The prices for these flights vary from £1,000 to £1,800, depending on the time.

8. San Francisco to Bengaluru

• Flight number: AI176
• Aircraft flying: Boeing 777-200LR
• Calculated distance: 14,004km
• Duration of flight: 17 Hours, 55 Minutes

This is a direct flight route operated by Air India, which takes almost 18 hours to complete. 

It will only cost an estimated £399 for a one-way flight for one person. This will also be a wonderful choice if you are travelling with your pet because the airline is also famous as one of the best pet-friendly airlines in the world. 

Fun fact : The first flight of this route was actually piloted by an all-women crew!

9. Houston to Sydney 

• Flight number: UA101
• Calculated distance: 13,834km
• Duration of flight: 17 Hours, 45 Minutes

Though not as common as the flying route from Dallas to Melbourne, there are actually direct flights from Houston to Sydney.

Operated by United Airlines since 2020, the route was closed due to the pandemic but has recently opened again. It will take you less than 18 hours to travel between these two destinations. 

10. Dallas to Sydney

• Flight number: QF8
• Calculated distance: 13,804km
• Duration of flight: 16 Hours, 45 Minutes

Only 30km shorter than the route from Houston, the flight from Dallas to Sydney is much more common, with many flights to choose from in a week. 

Also operated by Qantas, the flights take less than 17 hours and cost around £1,300. It was once required to transit through Brisbane but now became a direct flight with full service available.

11. New York to Manila

• Flight number: PR127
• Calculated distance: 13,711km
• Duration of flight: 17 hours

Given the development of New York, there is no surprise that this is the destination for many long direct flights in the world. But what most might need to learn is Manila is also a destination with many long direct flights.

The Philippines actually have up-to-date aviation technology. This route is operated by Philippine Airlines as proof of it. With 17 hours of travelling, passengers only need £1,100 to travel from New York to Manila and even less on the way back.

12. San Francisco to Singapore

• Flight numbers: SQ31, SQ33, UA1, UA29
• Aircraft flying: Airbus A350-900 & Boeing 787-9
• Calculated distance: 13,593km
• Duration of flight: 16 hours, 40 minutes - 16 hours, 55 minutes

Once again, Singapore has made it to the top of the longest flights in the world. This route requires about 17 hours to get to its destination. It is operated by United Airlines and Singapore Airlines. The price for these flights starts from £750. However, the flights from Singapore Airlines are normally faster.

13. Johannesburg to Atlanta

• Flight numbers: DL201
• Calculated distance: 13,581km
• Duration of flight: 16 hours, 40 minutes

Flying through the South Atlantic Ocean, this route connects North America to Africa at their busiest airport after a 16-hour-and-a-half flight. The uncommon flying route is operated by Delta, one of the airlines with the biggest seats . The price of these flights starts from £750.

14. Mumbai to San Francisco

• Flight numbers: AI179
• Aircraft flying: Airbus Boeing 777-200LR
• Calculated distance: 13,521km
• Duration of flight: 16 hours

Air India opened this route in December 2022 to enhance this airline's global impact. With the price of around £1,000, there are three flights on this route every week. The route connects Chhatrapati Shivaji International and San Francisco International Airports.

15. Dubai to Los Angeles

• Flight numbers: EK215
• Calculated distance: 13,420km
• Duration of flight: 16 hours, 20 minutes

Connecting two vibrant cities of the USA and the UAE, this is an important transport route operated by the Emirates. You can easily find direct flights from Dubai to LA at a price of £757. 

Fun fact: Do you know about the shortest flight in the world? The flight between Westray and Papa Westray in the United Kingdom takes an astounding two minutes , and on clear days, even about 53 seconds!

How Do You Calculate The Longest Flight In The World?

There are various methods to describe how long a flight is. Some of the most popular are calculating the great-circle distance, flight time, and actual ground travelled.

However, the flight time is something changeable. Numerous factors, such as planned routings, weather, and traffic, can have an impact on a route's flight time. The type of aircraft used can also affect the scheduled durations for the same route and carrier.

In this article, we used the distance between the two destinations to decide the rank of the longest flights in the world.

How Do You Survive A 20-Hour Flight?

One of the outstanding strengths of direct flights is that they help you save the time and effort of running around with paperwork and changing planes. All you have to do is get on a plane, relax, and boom, there you are at your desired destination.

However, this also means that your body will have to face constant pressure and inconvenience while being in a narrow space like a plane. So what should you prepare beforehand?

First , we do not recommend you get on these flights if you are travelling with your babies . It is almost impossible for toddlers to stay still in their seats for such a long time without disturbances. And it’s best to prevent this from happening on a plane with everyone being tired after long hours.

Secondly , plan your schedule ahead. You will likely sleep on your long flight. However, if you sleep too much, your biological clock may keep you awake unwantedly when you arrive at your destination. Think of what you will do after check-in at your hotel. What time will it be? Should you get some sleep or go out to explore?

Thirdly , prepare yourself some amenities in your carry-on luggage. Being on a long flight can make you feel hungry, dry your skin, or even hurt your back. It is best to keep some of your snacks, compression socks, lotion, etc., in your bag if you need them on the plane.

To do this, you should actually get a hip bag instead of a normal fashion purse. They are more flexible for adjusting its strap and can pack your stuff neatly all at once. This allows you to bring as many things as you need and change the position of the pack to decrease the pressure of it on your body.

Lastly , you should dress comfortably. The long hours in a narrow space, despite how convenient it might be, can make your body itch and tired. Wearing comfortable clothes can lessen the pressure on your muscles and can even allow you to stretch a little bit on the plane.

How To Kill Time When You Are On A Long-haul Flight?

Being on long direct flights means you have plenty of time for yourself. And though talking with your friends, family, or even strangers might help you chase away the boredom, keeping it up for the whole 16 hours or more doesn’t sound appealing.

So prepare some activities to entertain yourself! Here are some suggestions to help you out

• Get some sleep : Of course, the best way to kill time and preserve your excitement for the upcoming trip is to sleep. Although we did mention before that you should take your plan for the day into account, a quick nap to avoid travel-sick or relax your muscles will cause no harm.
• Watch movie/film series : Watching movies has never grown old as a way of entertainment. However, we would recommend film series rather than a long list of movies. The reason is that they can keep you interested for a long time with their plots. But, eventually, it’s your choice. So choose what you feel is best for yourself.
• Reading books : Another efficient way to distract yourself from boredom is to read. Bring a book of your interest along. Just make sure that you can keep on reading it for hours because you won’t be able to bring a whole series with you. Though if you usually get travel-sick, this activity might not be suitable.

Can A Plane Fly For 24 Hours?

Technically, the answer is yes. More and more technologies are being developed to strengthen the engine of aircraft, allowing them to fly for a long time without weakening.

However, most commercial aircraft that are used for travelling can not fly non-stop for that long without refuelling. Plus, it may take a heavy toll on our human body.

What Is The World's Longest Flight By Time?

The world's longest flight took 64 days, 22 hours and 19 minutes to complete. In 1959, Robert Timm and John Cook flew in the skies of Las Vegas for almost two months.

What's The World's Longest Nonstop Flight?

At the moment, the world’s longest nonstop flight is the route between New York and Singapore. With a calculated distance of 15,349km and almost 19 hours of flying, the route operated by Singapore Airlines is the longest in the world.

Journey Across Continents: Embrace the Wonder of the World's Longest Flight

That’s the list of the top 15 longest flights in the world. With the incredible development of technology, the impossible has become easier and within grasp.

Despite still having weaknesses regarding the comfortable for passengers, these flights have truly maximised the miracle of transportation and created the opportunity to travel to its fullest.

Claire Thuc

Very interesting and great article…..

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Kathakali has been a journalist for a decade and a half, working previously with The Telegraph and Times of India. An MA in political science and a Chevening Fellow, she is a feature writer covering themes as varied as sports, F&B, pop culture, startups. She hosts Sports UnLtd, a podcast on the business of sports, and runs a monthly column, From The Field, featuring elite athletes. She is also part of the newsdesk, where she edits and rewrites stories, and puts the print edition to bed. Kathakali is a sports nut and collects autographs as a hobby. She enjoys travelling and music, and you'll often find her humming completely out of tune.

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The longest and shortest flights this summer in India

Planning your summer trip by air here is a vital checklist that every passenger must know..

The Northern Summer schedule for 2024 became operational on March 31, 2024. The DGCA has approved 24,275 weekly departures, translating into 3,467 average daily departures. On the very first day of the schedule, airlines operated 3035 scheduled domestic flights, which is just 87.5% of the approved schedule.

An analysis done exclusively by Cirium, an aviation analytics company, for this publication, throws up some interesting data about the longest and shortest flights crisscrossing the country.

The longest and shortest route in India

The only government-run airline in India, Alliance Air, will operate an ATR 72-600 on the shortest route in the country, that between Guwahati and Shillong. The airline has a block time of 50 minutes for a route that is a mere 60 kilometres long. Block time is the total time a flight takes, from pushing back from the departure gates to arriving at the destination.

Air India’s (AI) thrice-a-week service from Delhi to Port Blair is the longest flight in India. The airline’s Airbus A320neo takes 3 hours and 35 minutes to fly the 2,467 km to Port Blair from Delhi. The return has a block time of four hours. The airline deploys the A320neo on this route.

Also read: Top 5 things every air passenger looking to travel this summer should know

How are other airlines doing?

Market leader IndiGo’s longest route is to Srinagar from Bengaluru, a distance of 2307 kms which is scheduled with a block time of three hours and thirty minutes. The shortest route for the airline is from Jammu to Srinagar (or vice versa) is the favourite shortest route for airlines. This is the shortest route for IndiGo, Vistara and SpiceJet. The distance between the two cities is 144 kms and an average block time across airlines is 45 minutes.

Interestingly, IndiGo’s turboprop network’s shortest route is longer than the Airbus routes. For the ATR 72-600, the shortest route this season is to Prayagraj from Lucknow, which is 168 kms in length. The airline has been pushing its ATRs longer and longer each passing season. The longest route this time around is the 774 km long flight to Varanasi from Indore, which will take two hours and 15 minutes. Its erstwhile longest flight between Vijayawada and Shirdi continues.

For Air India, the longest route also scores as the longest in the country, but its shortest route is between Mumbai and Pune - a distance of 124 kms where the airline deploys the A319. AIX Connect (erstwhile AirAsia India) which is set to merge with Air India Express and could see this as its last season of operations has its longest route to Kochi from Delhi, covering 2028 kms in three hours and twenty minutes. Its shortest route is to Jaipur from Delhi, a distance of 230 kms taking an hour of block time. For Air India Express, the longest route is the newly launched Kolkata to Kochi route with a distance of 1876 kms, while its shortest route in the network is between Kannur and Mangalore which is 134 kms long and takes just less than an hour. The other Tata airline, Vistara, which is set to merge with Air India sees its flight to Trivandrum from Delhi being the longest of the domestic network at 2211 kms.

Also read: How Delhi's aviation hub ambition takes wings with Air India's expansion, US pre-clearance talks

Struggling low cost carrier SpiceJet is operating its longest domestic flight to Bagdogra from Bengaluru which is a distance of 1848 kms. For Akasa Air, Mumbai-Guwahati is the longest route (2,074 kms), while its shortest route is the 248 km between Guwahati and Agartala.

Regional carrier Star Air is making the most of its regional jets as it flies the long thin route to Jamnagar from Bengaluru, a distance of 1300 kms with its ERJ145s. Interestingly, its shortest route to Nanded from Hyderabad - a distance of 244 kms is serviced by the larger E175s. Recently launched Fly91, which is based at Goa has its routes rather long with the ATRs with the shortest route being 496 kms long to Bengaluru and longest being 542 kms between Bengaluru and Sindhudurg. Indiaone Air - which has limited operations in the east and an all Cessna fleet operates 417 km long flight to Cooch Behar from Kolkata as its longest while its flight between Jeypore and Vizag is the shortest at 140 kms.

Alliance Air operates a 881 km long route, the longest for any ATR in India between Delhi and Bilaspur. The airline also operates the Made in India Dornier Do-228 aircraft which operates a short 68 km hop between Itanagar and Zero and a long hop of 208 kms between Itanagar and Pasighat.

Also read: Air traffic shift: Bharat is finally catching up with India

For IndiGo, AIX Connect, Air India, Vistara - the longest route in their network begins and ends at Delhi. Interestingly, for the international routes, it's the Bengaluru - San Francisco flight of Air India which is the longest at 13,987 kms and operated by the former Delta airlines B777-200LR which sport the Premium Economy for Air India.

Ameya Joshi is an aviation research analyst.

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Longest Qantas Flight Diverts To India, Then Diverts Again To Singapore…

Passengers onboard Qantas flight 10 from London to Perth, the Australian carrier’s longest commercial flight, already had a long journey ahead of them, but no one imagined that included extra stops in Bengaluru and then Singapore in a story that demonstrates the downside to ultra-longhaul flights.

Qantas Ultra-Longhaul, One Of World’s Longest Flights, Diverts To Bengaluru Then To Singapore

Qantas 10 is currently one of the longest commercial flights in the world, a 9,009-mile journey between London (LHR) and Perth (PER) that takes 17 hours, 50 minutes flying westbound and one hour less flying east with the jet stream.

But passengers on Friday’s QF10 faced an even longer journey after a medical emergency followed by a crew timeout.

On September 5, 2024, QF10 took off from London Heathrow at 12:58 pm. But a medical emergency occurred onboard, prompting a diversion to the Indian city of Bengaluru (BLR). The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner landed at 2:07 am.

According to one passenger onboard, “Two cardiologists onboard thankfully, they were awesome, as were the crew.”

After the medical issue was handled, the flight took off again at 6:44 am, but by this time, the crew could not legally reach Perth due to maximum crew duty periods so the flight was forced to divert again, this time to Singapore (SIN). The flight landed in Singapore at 2:16 pm local time and was canceled.

Passengers are being rerouted to Perth or their final destinations from Singapore.

The Downsides To Ultra-Longhaul Flights

By all accounts, this appears to be a textbook diversion and was handled well by Qantas. After all, medical emergencies are beyond its control and keeping passengers safe is the most important thing an airline can do.

But the second diversion was all but predictable when you stretch duty limits, as QF10 or any ultra-longhaul flight does. Crews have a maximum time limit in the air for good reason and even with crew rest facilities onboard, we don’t want our pilots or flight attendants fatigued the way you or I would be fatigued if working a 16-hour shift.

I happen to really like ultra-longhaul flights, but I know many do not and I understand why. There is essentially little margin for error: even a longer departure delay could scuttle the flight and lead to this sort of time drain.

Qantas 10 from London to Perth diverted to Bengaluru and then Singapore. The pair of diversions show the downside to ultra-longhaul flying, though that risk would not stop me from boarding such a long flight.

Do you like ultra-longhaul flights?

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About author.

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

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11 comments.

The pax ought to have booked SQ .

At least the second diversion was to SIN, where presumably most of the passengers could leave the airport if they wished while making alternate arrangements. Far preferable to being left in a holding pen in BLR without proper visas. Hopefully QF communicated the plan to the passengers before starting the second leg, though.

Would this stop me from taking an ultra-long haul flight, no, but getting stranded from a diversion is a real risk you have to be willing to accept. I’m willing to accept that, but the bigger thing for me on ultra-long haul flights these days is, I just don’t have the physical stamina to handle 15+ hours in a seat that I used to…

The other advantage of SIN is the large number of flights from there to Aussie cities. And, most of these are on QF or partners. Thus, a pax who was connecting in PER to go to, say, SYD, may now end up on a SIN-SYD n/s.

A diverting tale to be sure.

@Christian … Good one ; another diverting tail was the cat who changed her mind .

It appears QF ran the involved equipment as QF210 about 4 hours after landing SIN-PER to complete the flight (more or less). It appears QF210 was an ‘extra’ section. I assume, but don’t know, that they had staff onboard and took revenue passengers on the flight.

Never got to do an ultra long haul flight. I think the longest flight I’ve been on has been around 14 hours from AKL-Beijing.

No ULH flights for me unless in first class with showers.

I noticed this on flightradar24 and really appreciate the explanations I received here. Thanks!

You must be bored. A flight diverted. Why not report all the other similar diversions every week ?

Had a similar situation on an ultra long flight with another operator. Flight ended up being cancelled after second attempt to taxi out. Crew really tried their best but the updated flight plan simply made it impossible due to crew duty limitations. I ended up being 19h delayed. What looked good on paper ended up being a very very long trip back home from US to Asia. I will not take ultra long flights anymore. Risk of delay is too high

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Air India operates the world's longest flight in the shortest time!

Times of India Times Travel Editor / TRAVEL NEWS , INDIA / Created : Aug 6, 2019, 14:55 IST

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Air India, the flag carrier airline of India, has set a new record that has taken the world of aviation with surprise. The carrier has the credit of operating the longest, non-stop flight in the world in the shortest time duration … Read more

Air India, the flag carrier airline of India, has set a new record that has taken the world of aviation with surprise. The carrier has the credit of operating the longest, non-stop flight in the world in the shortest time duration! The said flight was between Delhi and San Francisco; a distance of 15300 km covered in just 14.5 hours. The fact that has taken the world by surprise is that the flight took the trans-Pacific route, which is longer than the usual Atlantic route. Read less

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Air India, the flag carrier airline of India, has set a new record that has taken the world of aviation with surprise. The carrier has the credit of operating the longest, non-stop flight in the world...

‘I’m a Pilot, and These Are 5 Foods and Drinks I Strongly Advise Skipping In-Flight’

Ahead, find out which foods and drinks to avoid in-flight, according to Paul Janowicz , First Officer, A320, for Delta Airlines.

• Paul Janowicz , First Officer, A320, for Delta Airlines

It might be tempting to order a hard drink when the bar cart strolls your way, particularly if you want to take the edge off as a nervous flier or kick off your vacation with a bit of bubbly. As nice as the first sip or two might feel in the moment, it’s likely to do more harm than good by the time you land.

“ Alcohol can dehydrate you and make you feel groggy and tired after the flight,” says Janowicz. “Due to the pressure changes in the cabin, a person will get intoxicated faster drinking in-flight than on the ground.” In other words, chances are even a single Bloody Mary or glass of wine will make you feel hungover once you’re back on land.

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I take my caffeinating seriously, and it truly pains me to tell anyone to lay off the java—even more so if you’re out of sorts from an early wake-up or want to hack your biological clock to adapt more quickly to your destination’s time zone. However, Janowicz warns that coffee is one of the top foods and drinks to avoid in-flight.

“While it may be nice for those early morning flights, the caffeine in coffee will dehydrate you in an already dehydrating cabin environment,” he warns. Plus, food safety experts and flight crews alike are privy to a dirty little secret: The tank water used for airplane coffee (and tea) isn’t the cleanest, to say the least—so you’ll be doing yourself a favor in several ways by passing on a brew.

3. Carbonated drinks

You’re better off limiting sugary sodas for the sake of your health as a general rule. But other carbonated drinks, including diet soda and seltzer, also nail a spot on Janowicz’s no-fly list. “The carbonation can cause gas and bloating, especially if drinking while the plane is climbing or descending with the pressure changes that occur in the cabin,” he warns.

Those who already struggle with digestive distress may want to take extra care to limit these bubbly bevs on the day of travel. However, every flier would be all the wiser to sip on plain bottled H2O before, during, and after the flight—even if that warrants a few extra trips to the tight airplane lavatory.

4. Spicy foods

I love spicy foods just about as much as I love coffee, going as far to pack both cold brew packets and a bottle or two of hot sauce when I travel. But according to Janowicz, I’m better off keeping both in my checked luggage instead of having them accessible in my carry-on. “Generally our menus onboard are very mild, but I would not pack any snacks that might have spice involved as it may cause stomach discomfort in-flight,” he shares. It’s also smart to avoid a spicy meal before takeoff—whether at home or at an airport restaurant—if you want to reduce the risk of experiencing fiery digestion en route.

5. Fried foods

Fried foods are another category you’ll want to steer clear of on the day of flying (as well as limit in your daily diet for the sake of your heart health 1 , mental health 2 , and overall well-being). “Eating something fried before or during a flight usually has higher sodium involved, which dehydrates the body and can also cause symptoms like gas and bloating,” Janowicz explains.

Instead, aim to pack and fill up on nutritious fare that’s as fresh as possible, and enjoy your packaged in-flight freebies in moderation. Janowicz says Delta offers lightly salted almonds, which offer a decent amount of plant protein, healthy fats, and fiber—plus a majorly satisfying crunch .

• Qin P, Zhang M, Han M, et al Fried-food consumption and risk of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality: a meta-analysis of observational studies Heart 2021;107:1567-1575.
• “High Fried Food Consumption Impacts Anxiety and Depression Due to Lipid Metabolism Disturbance and Neuroinflammation.” PNAS , vol. 120, no. 18, 2023, https://doi.org/10.1073. Accessed 13 Sept. 2024.

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