This Major Chinese Airline Will Set The New Record For The World's Longest Direct Flight

If you thought flying 22 hours from New York to Sydney was a doozy, one airline is about to blow that route out of the water. Starting December 4, 2025, China Eastern Airlines will launch the world's longest direct flight from Buenos Aires, Argentina to Shanghai, China. China Eastern Flight 746 will cover around 12,000 miles in about 29 hours, with a technical stop in Auckland, New Zealand. Passengers will stay onboard during the two-hour pitstop, which means same flight number, same aircraft — hence the "direct" classification rather than "non-stop."

China Eastern will operate the route using a Boeing 777-300 plane twice a week. Passengers eager to experience this long-haul flight can already buy tickets, but according to a report from Business Insider, they start around $1,500 for a one-way economy seat. But not everyone is so enthusiastic. Redditor u/RamTank said, "This sounds like an awful experience," and u/the_silent_redditor added, "You could not pay me to sit on a plane for that long." Luckily, travelers who would rather avoid an ultra-long-haul flight can always piece together shorter routes to get to their final destination with some savvy travel planning.

This route will beat the previous record-holder, Air China's Beijing to São Paulo via Madrid route, adding several hours and thousands of miles more in travel. But not for too long — Australia's Qantas airline reportedly has plans to launch two new flights in 2026 that will reclaim the title of world's longest flight. The two routes will connect Sydney with both New York and London, and both of them are said to actually be non-stop. While they might be shorter in total trip duration (around 20 hours), they're an impressive first — no other airlines have been able to make the journey without a fuel pitstop.

While this Buenos Aires to Shanghai direct route sets a new benchmark, there are some trade-offs. A 29-hour journey, even with a stop in Auckland, is a seriously long time to be in the air, meaning passengers will have limited opportunities to stretch. You also have to share a tiny airplane bathroom with everyone else — so you may want to avoid indulging any unusual food cravings in the airport before boarding.

How comfortable the flight is will likely depend on your ticket class. Passengers in economy will be crammed into tighter seating for a long time, while business class passengers will actually have a bed that lies flat — however, that upgrade comes at a steep cost of at least $5,000. It's also worth knowing that, while the plane will stop in Auckland for refueling and possibly crew changes, passengers may not be able to get off the plane and move around. Even with a long list of tips for surviving a long-haul flight, there's really only so much you can do. At the end of the day, you're still stuck on a plane for more than an entire day.

It's true that long flights can affect your health, from creating added stress to leaving you dehydrated, jet-lagged, and bloated. But, passengers can take some steps to make the best of it. Eat mild, healthy foods before flying and drink lots of water throughout your journey. Crossing multiple time zones can be tricky, so many travelers adjust their routine a few days beforehand to minimize the jet-lag. Going to bed earlier or later can give you a headstart to adjusting to a new time zone, and short naps after arriving can keep you refreshed.