China Eastern Airlines has launched the world’s longest commercial flight, covering 12,400 miles and taking up to 29 hours from Shanghai to Buenos Aires.

The Inaugural Flight

China Eastern Airlines launched its inaugural Shanghai to Buenos Aires flight on December 4, 2025, covering nearly 20,000 kilometers (approximately 12,400 miles). The journey takes approximately 25 hours and 30 minutes from Shanghai to Buenos Aires, with the return journey taking up to 29 hours due to prevailing headwinds across the Pacific.

The flight includes a two-hour technical stopover in Auckland, New Zealand, where passengers remain on board for refueling and crew rotation.

Aircraft and Schedule

The route is operated by a Boeing 777-300ER with 316 seats—six in First Class, 52 in Business Class, and 258 in Economy Class. The service runs twice weekly year-round.

Breaking Records

This becomes the world’s longest one-stop commercial flight, surpassing Air China’s Beijing–Madrid–São Paulo route. However, Singapore Airlines still holds the record for the longest nonstop flight at 19 hours between New York and Singapore.

Australian airline Qantas has announced plans to launch a 22-hour nonstop route from Sydney to London in 2027, which would become the longest direct flight in the world.

Strategic Importance

China Eastern stated the route “fills the gap in direct flights between Shanghai and major South American cities” and strengthens connections between Asia and South America. The route serves Argentina’s sizeable East Asian diaspora, with over 55,000 Chinese-born residents in Argentina.

More than 96,000 passengers traveled between China and Buenos Aires in the 12 months to September 2025, demonstrating strong demand for the route.