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The world recently witnessed the debut of its longest flight, a journey that spans 12,400 miles and lasts 29 hours.
While some might dread the idea of such an extended airborne experience, this monumental flight marks a significant achievement for long-haul travelers who can now bypass the need for connecting flights.
Inaugurated on December 4, this new route by China Eastern Airlines takes off from Shanghai and touches down in Buenos Aires.
The one-way trip to Argentina clocks in at over 25 hours, while the return flight extends to 29 hours due to additional air time.
Though the flight includes a two-hour stopover in Auckland, New Zealand, its introduction signals a growing trend toward ultra-long-haul flights, defined as those lasting 16 hours or more.
On December 4, passengers on the China to Argentina flight were seated on the jumbo 316-seat Boeing 777-300ER – a plane which will run twice a week year-round.
The flight left Shanghai Pudong International Airport at 2am local time and arrived at Ezeiza International Airport ten minutes ahead of schedule at 4.45pm local time.
China Eastern Airlines previously described the flight as ‘the world’s first commercial route connecting antipodal cities’.
Launched on December 4, the China Eastern Airlines route sets off from Shanghai and lands in Buenos Aires. The flight from China to Argentina takes more than 25 hours, with the return journey taking four hours longer (stock image)
‘The Shanghai Pudong-Auckland-Buenos Aires route is seen as an important measure to build a new “Air Silk Road” channel between Asia-Pacific and South America,’ the airline added.
Previously, it was reported that ticket prices for the new route are between £1,130 to £1,670 ($1,525 to $2,254) for economy.
Business class is priced at around £3,700 ($4,994).
Before the new route, those wanting to travel between China and Argentina typically had to journey for more than 30 hours.
The trip would usually involve connecting flights and layovers.
More than 55,000 people born in China live in the South American country and comprise one of Argentina’s fastest-growing communities, according to data from Simply Flying.
In a statement, China Eastern said: ‘This new route fills the gap in direct flights between Shanghai and major South American cities.
‘It opens a “southbound corridor” connecting opposite ends of the Pacific and reshapes air travel between three continents.’
Qantas’ Project Sunrise launches in 2026, with new non-stop routes Sydney to London and Sydney to New York (Pictured: a cabin on board the airline’s A350-1000 aircraft)
As aviation technology improves, aircraft are lighter and more fuel-efficient, and 2026 will see Australian airline Qantas unveil more ultra-long-haul services, including a 20-hour non-stop flight between London and Sydney.
Dubbed Project Sunrise, the name was inspired by WWII endurance flights, where those on board saw dawn more than once during one journey.
The bespoke version of the A350-1000 aircraft is set to be delivered in October 2026, with the first routes set to be Sydney to London and Sydney to New York, and the aircraft armed with additional fuel tanks to handle the roughly 10,500 miles between the two destinations.
The airline currently already has one of the world’s longest direct flights, a 17-and-a-half-hour slog that connects London with Perth.