The 20 Longest Nonstop Flights In The World (Up To 9,537 Miles!)

Years ago, CXs JFK-HKG service was in the top 5 if not 3 longest flights in the world. Now it's just another long-haul flight.

Time certainly flies (excuse the pun)

I flew SIN-EWR in business last month (with two kids under 5) and surprisingly didn't think it was "too long". I had hemmed and hawwed over nonstop vs breaking it up... eventually chose a 3hr layover in IST on the way to Asia and the nonstop on the way back to NYC and I'm not sure which I preferred to be honest.

It's funny I was thinking the same - there's really been two rounds of evolution to this list. First was the rise of the ME3 where a ton of routes started from DFW/IAH/SFO/LAX to AUH/DXB/DOH/JED.

Then, as B789s and A350s started becoming ever more higher performing, a second wave came of more these point to point routes.

I distinctly remember a few years back (probably 7-8 years back) the various Middle East routes to LAX were all way higher up the list, and now they're barely in the Top-20.

I think you mean similar capacity as I don't think the A359/K is lower in capacity than its predecessor or even its competitor on the B team. 😉

Was the Newark to Bangkok on Thai airways the longest flight ever ?

CZ's SZX-MEX flight only operates as nonstop for SZX-MEX direction, on the return they stop in TIJ to refuel as MEX's elevation too high for 359 take off at MTOW.

It was from JFK rather than Newark and SQ started EWR service much earlier IIRC.

It's also worth noting that the flight times vary widely for the reasons mentioned, but also that due to Russian overflight restrictions, there are probably some theoretically much shorter flights that may actually have longer flying times right now. United's DEL-EWR flight has a scheduled block time of around 18 hours for example.

Sending this comment from seat 11k on SQ21 EWR-SIN

Then you're at 35,000 feet having just passed Newfoundland with a UPS 767 in front of you 😀

Thanks. The free WiFi up here is great, just had some nice 2018 Piper-Heidsieck!

Cheers, mate. Enjoy the satays up there. As Ben would say, Yum, yum, yum.

And another fyi, the closest a/c on your left would be an EK 77L from YUL and on your right, an AC to LHR from Halifax just in case you're wondering who's around you at the moment. 😉

Minor issue on the GC Map: it is showing JED-DOH rather than the intended JED-LAX.

Mexico City => Shenzhen likely requires a fuel stop b/c of altitude in the former, even MEX => ICN, PVG back in the day needed to stop in Tijuana or Monterey for refueling. So no way would MEX-SZX ever make it

Just to add, Turkish has apparently ordered some -1000s for flights down under.

And it's just a matter of when, not if until we see flights from Asia to Florida.

P.s. thanks to whomever is liking my contributions on here lol

It seems weird that Singapore to JFK is 14 miles further away than Newark (as the crow flies). You’d think over that distance they’d almost be the same (or is jfk directly past Newark)?

This list is incorrect! It doesn't include BOS-LAX in economy with the person in front of you fully reclined. I know they claim it's ~6h but it's obviously 16h and 10,000 miles... right?!

It's a fun quirk of geography that IAH-SYD is longer than DFW-SYD while SFO-SYD is shorter than LAX-SYD.

If we're playing that game, I'd personally suggest the ride to hell and back on Jetstar from HNL to MEL is worse. But $146 one way is tough to beat

To be honest, years ago I thought I would never fly one of these but being based in Australia, more often than not, they are the best option and I have flown many of these ex Asia, NZ and Australia. Sounds extreme but 18 hours doesn't really feel any worse than 12 hours especially for those of us where flights of minimum 8 hours are the norm. Plus unless the stopover is more than a day or two, the effort of dealing with bags, immigration, more check ins etc just doesn't outweigh the one flight and it's done. I definitely don't want to do a connecting flight at the end of that long haul flight although I have had to do it many times especially if it involves immigration, terminal changes & downsizing to a smaller plane, looking at you LAX & DFW, ugh!

A couple of years ago when AA started long haul Auckland to NYC, I was on one of their first flights in both directions and it was very clear that none of the crew had ever experienced such long haul flights. They were completely out of their depth from every aspect & I felt sorry for them. I'm sure they learned quickly especially as the passengers pretty much knew how to handle the eating, sleeping, moving routines necessary to get through.

Correct, that flight makes a Tijuana stop on the return. It's nonstop going eastbound to Mexico City.

Both MAA and HYD to SFO should likely happen in the next 3-5 years

In my earlier comment I actually mentioned SZX-MEX flight only operates nonstop eastbound, for westbound CZ do a refueling stop in TIJ, however no passenger can board at TIJ for this flight unlike HU's PEK-TIJ-MEX where passenger can only fly PEK-TIJ segment without go all the way to MEX

DFW is actually in the northwest of IAH that's why DFW-SYD is shorter than IAH-SYD

Wonder if they'll stretch them all the way to AKL. Would take the crown from Qantas' flagship route to LHR from SYD.

I actually really like the long SIN-JFK/EWR flights in business. There's plenty of time for both working and reading or watching a movie or two or three, AND getting a good 5 or 6 hours of solid sleep. No getting woken up early because we're about to land, and the FAs are very good about letting you eat on your schedule, not theirs. I just need white noise (I use Ozlo SleepBuds), an eye mask, a small portable fan, and comfortable clothes and I sleep really well on those flights.

And the SQ service is just delightful.

Me too! We did the nonstop EWR to SIN in business on the way over and the SIN-FRA-JFK in business on the way back. The stretch and short time in the lounge in FRA was actually kind of nice. Also, Ben's map is interesting in that I think that was the path of EWR-SIN back when Russian airspace was available, but our flight did not go polar at all but went straight through Europe, the Middle East, and India enroute to Singapore, and the screen at our seat showed 17,127km, or 10,642 miles.

Perth to Rome at 8332 miles should also be on here, unless you don't count seasonal flights (it operates only during the Northern summer).

Sat in SIA’s PEY cabin now on our way to Newark ..
If you can’t handle an ULH flight, you can’t call yourself a travel enthusiast!
Rolls eyes.

The Longest Flight has to be the "Air India" Flight. even a 10 hour Flight feels like 20 Hrs long. can you imagine sitting next to a Garlic/Ginger Curry Breath for 15 Hours? Not only that most have stomach issues also.

Don’t forget the Eurowings a320 from BER to DXB!

There are others that you did not report on....but this could be a paid article

These flights are too long period. Doesn’t matter if it’s in Y, J or F.

My max for a direct flight in J/F is 8 hours. Beyond that I try to break it up.

AA never flew NYC-AKL.nice try.

8 hours? Short haul! Try crossing the Pacific, you can do that from the US to Australia in two hops, but one of them is at least 10 hours. (I've flown no 5 [in PE] and 13 [in Y], both doable.)

Except dfw - syd is not shorter vs Iah- syd

SFO is also to the NW of lax but shorter distance to syd

Haven't done any of these but have flown one that's almost certainly in the 21-30 range of this list: YYZ to HKG. Absolute marathon of a flight.

I "get" to do #15 after a trip to MLE. First one this long. (that's what she said)
All my others have been short haul, 8 and 9 hours.

or dear god... YHZ-BCN. I get that the Canadians need to fly those MAXes somewhere other than RSW due to demand but damn... no thanks

My wife & I just did #1 (SIN - JFK) in January. Great airline & great flight, 16.5 hours.

Rather than making vitriolic comments, maybe you should try suggest what is missing.

Ho,
The problem with SQ ULR is their J sucks, and their PE sucks.

If only they could put the 787 or A380 J seats instead. Looking forward to their new J.

When I flew EWR-SIN actual flown was over 10000 miles and almost 19 hours.

That's why Americans feel like they're the center of the universe, except they couldn't even make it across the pacific.

Weird indeed.
You'd think over that distance the world would be flat?

I think she meant Air New Zealand, the 'couple of years ago' part matches that. (QF also flies the route so it is possible that AA had a codeshare on theirs.)

But DFW to SYD is shorter than IAH to SYD as Jane said in her first post. A further quirk, YVR-SYD is shorter than LAX-SYD.

It's funny I was thinking the same - there's really been two rounds of evolution to this list. First was the rise of the ME3 where a ton of routes started from DFW/IAH/SFO/LAX to AUH/DXB/DOH/JED.

Then, as B789s and A350s started becoming ever more higher performing, a second wave came of more these point to point routes.

I distinctly remember a few years back (probably 7-8 years back) the various Middle East routes to LAX were all way higher up the list, and now they're barely in the Top-20.

I actually really like the long SIN-JFK/EWR flights in business. There's plenty of time for both working and reading or watching a movie or two or three, AND getting a good 5 or 6 hours of solid sleep. No getting woken up early because we're about to land, and the FAs are very good about letting you eat on your schedule, not theirs. I just need white noise (I use Ozlo SleepBuds), an eye mask, a small portable fan, and comfortable clothes and I sleep really well on those flights.

And the SQ service is just delightful.

Me too! We did the nonstop EWR to SIN in business on the way over and the SIN-FRA-JFK in business on the way back. The stretch and short time in the lounge in FRA was actually kind of nice. Also, Ben's map is interesting in that I think that was the path of EWR-SIN back when Russian airspace was available, but our flight did not go polar at all but went straight through Europe, the Middle East, and India enroute to Singapore, and the screen at our seat showed 17,127km, or 10,642 miles.

It was from JFK rather than Newark and SQ started EWR service much earlier IIRC.

Then you're at 35,000 feet having just passed Newfoundland with a UPS 767 in front of you 😀

Correct, that flight makes a Tijuana stop on the return. It's nonstop going eastbound to Mexico City.

In my earlier comment I actually mentioned SZX-MEX flight only operates nonstop eastbound, for westbound CZ do a refueling stop in TIJ, however no passenger can board at TIJ for this flight unlike HU's PEK-TIJ-MEX where passenger can only fly PEK-TIJ segment without go all the way to MEX

Wonder if they'll stretch them all the way to AKL. Would take the crown from Qantas' flagship route to LHR from SYD.

Wonder if they'll stretch them all the way to AKL. Would take the crown from Qantas' flagship route to LHR from SYD.

Weird indeed.
You'd think over that distance the world would be flat?

If we're playing that game, I'd personally suggest the ride to hell and back on Jetstar from HNL to MEL is worse. But $146 one way is tough to beat

DFW is actually in the northwest of IAH that's why DFW-SYD is shorter than IAH-SYD

AA never flew NYC-AKL.nice try.

Ho,
The problem with SQ ULR is their J sucks, and their PE sucks.

If only they could put the 787 or A380 J seats instead. Looking forward to their new J.

Rather than making vitriolic comments, maybe you should try suggest what is missing.