Chinese airline selling tickets for 29-hour, 12,000-mile flight
Summary
China Eastern Airlines has begun selling tickets for what will be the world’s longest direct flight: a roughly 12,000-mile route from Buenos Aires to Shanghai that takes about 29 hours in total. The service launches in December and is operated using a Boeing 777-300. Due to the extreme distance the aircraft makes a two-hour technical stop in Auckland, New Zealand, but passengers do not appear to be allowed to disembark.
The westbound leg (Shanghai to Buenos Aires) is quicker—around 25.5 hours—thanks to favourable high-altitude winds. Both directions are scheduled twice weekly. One-way economy fares shown on China Eastern’s site for December range from about $1,538 to $2,270; business class fares start at roughly $5,000.
The route will eclipse the current direct-flight record (Air China 897 Beijing–São Paulo via Madrid) by about three hours. Note the distinction between a ‘direct’ flight with a technical stop and a ‘non-stop’ service; Singapore Airlines still holds the longest non-stop record currently, though Qantas’ Project Sunrise non-stop A350 services (scheduled from 2026) aim to set new non-stop benchmarks.
Key Points
- China Eastern is selling tickets for a Buenos Aires–Shanghai direct flight scheduled to take about 29 hours and cover ~12,000 miles.
- The service uses a Boeing 777-300 and includes a two-hour stop in Auckland, where passengers likely remain on board.
- Economy fares for December were listed between $1,538 and $2,270 one-way; business class starts at around $5,000.
- The return Shanghai→Buenos Aires flight benefits from tailwinds and is planned at about 25.5 hours.
- Flights will operate twice weekly in each direction starting in December.
- The route will be longer than the previous direct-flight record and highlights the difference between ‘direct’ (may include a technical stop) and ‘non-stop’ services.
- Qantas’ Project Sunrise non-stop A350 routes in 2026 are expected to challenge non-stop distance records further.
Why should I read this?
Want to know how far airlines will now push you without letting you stretch your legs? This is the skinny: China Eastern’s new Buenos Aires–Shanghai service is a flight marathon — expensive, eye‑popping and a sign airlines are chasing ultra‑long routes again. If you fly long haul (or just like aviation oddities), it’s worth a quick scan.
Author style
Punchy: We skimmed the long read so you don’t have to. This isn’t life‑or‑death news, but it’s a neat indicator of where long‑haul aviation is heading — and it saves you the hassle of digging through fares and timings yourself.
Context and Relevance
The story matters because it sits at the intersection of aircraft capability, route economics and passenger demand. Advances in range and fuel efficiency let carriers open extreme‑distance routes; airlines are balancing operational limits (technical stops, crew/rest rules), ticket pricing and passenger comfort. This launch also feeds into broader trends: post‑pandemic demand recovery for premium long‑haul travel, competition for headline‑grabbing ‘longest flights’, and investment in aircraft types that enable very long sectors.
