Discover The Longest Nonstop Flights In The World

On January 1st, 1914, the world’s first commercial flight took off from St Petersburg, Florida, and touched down in Tampa, Florida, approximately half an hour later. The trip had traveled 17 kilometers. Since then, thousands of kilometers have been traveled nonstop thanks to advancements in aviation technology. As of October 2023, the top 10 longest flights in the globe include stops in Europe, Asia, North America, and the Middle East.

Because the Earth is spherical, the quickest path for a flight is not a straight line drawn from point to point on a 2D map. Instead, the Great Circle Distance (GCD), measured in kilometers, accounts for this. Let’s examine the existing longest flights in the world.

Top 10 Longest Flights In The World

Let’s explore the longest direct flight in the world in Summer 2024 by Great Circle Distance (GCD). Everything about the airline and the airport is mentioned in the table below; read carefully.

Airport	Dep Airport Name	Arr Airport Name	GCD (km)	Time Duration	Carrier
JFK-SIN	New York J F Kennedy International Apt	Singapore Changi Apt	15332	18 hours, 40 minutes	Singapore Airlines
EWR-SIN	Newark Liberty International Apt	Singapore Changi Apt	15329	18 hours, 25 minutes	Singapore Airlines
AKL-DOH	Auckland International Apt	Doha (QA)	14526	17 hours, 25 minutes	Qatar Airways
LHR-PER	Perth	London Heathrow Apt	14499	17 hours, 45 minutes	Qatar Airways
DFW-MEL	Melbourne Airport	Dallas Dallas/Fort Worth Intl Apt	14468	17 hours, 45 minutes	Qatar Airways
CDG-PER	Paris Charles de Gaulle Apt	Perth	14265	16 hours, 30 minutes	Qatar Airways
AKL-JFK	Auckland International Apt	New York J F Kennedy International Apt	14209	16 hours, 15 minutes	Qatar Airways, Air New Zealand
AKL-DXB	Auckland International Apt	Dubai International	14193	17 hours, 5 minutes	Emirates
SZX-MEX	Shenzhen (CN)	Mexico City Juarez Intl	14124	16 hours	China Southern
LAX-SIN	Los Angeles International Apt	Singapore Changi Apt	14096	17 hours, 50 minutes	Singapore Airlines

The Longest Nonstop Flights:

New York (JFK) to Singapore Changi (SIN)

Distance: 15,332km

Airline: Singapore Airlines

Aircraft: Airbus A350-900

The flight from New York John F Kennedy Airport to Singapore Changi is currently the longest commercial flight one can book. According to the Great Circle Distance (GCD), it covers almost half of the earth, 15,332 km. It has been in first place since 2021 and has not been dethroned by any airline route.

You can watch all seven “Mission Impossible” movies and still have 25 minutes left for the landing. If you plan to have this route, be prepared to be in the aircraft for the next 18 hours.

Newark Liberty International (EWR) to Singapore Changi (SIN)

Distance: 15,329km

Airline: Singapore Airlines

Aircraft: Airbus A350-900

Next in line is the EWR-SIN route, which offers direct flights to Australian and Asian countries. As of 2024, Singapore Changi is the second-longest flight in the world. It is important to note that the Newark-Changi route is just 3km less than the longest route, the longest airline route from 2004 to 2013 and again from 2018 to 2020. 

The fun fact is that the flight is around 18 hours and 25 minutes long, and one can watch all the Harry Potter movies without skipping. You will still be left with 13 more minutes for the final touchdown.

Auckland (AKL) to Doha (DOH)

Distance: 14,526km

Airline: Qatar Airways

Aircraft: Airbus A350-900

Qatar Airways relaunched its longest plane flight on September 1, 2023, after a three-year break during the COVID-19 pandemic.  It was one of the longest non-stop commercial flights in the world, but as of 2024, other airlines have taken over, but AKL-DOH still holds a respectable third position. It now features Qatar’s newest plane, the Airbus A350-1000, after its return covering a distance of 14,526km in 17 hours 25 minutes.

Perth (PER) to London Heathrow (LHR)

Distance: 14,499km

Airline: Qatar Airways

Aircraft: Boeing 787-9

The Perth-London Heathrow flight by Qatar Airways is in fourth place. It covers a distance of 14,499km and has a scheduled flight time of 17 hours and 45 minutes. To calculate the distance and time, one can watch all six “Rocky” movies and still have plenty of time to watch other shows and movies. 

Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) to Melbourne (MEL)

Distance: 14,468km

Airline: Qatar Airways

Aircraft: Boeing 787-9

This year, Dallas, Fort Worth has consistently appeared on the monthly list of the busiest airports, providing Australian travelers with onward flights to 193 US locations. The planned flight from Dallas to Melbourne is 17 hours and 35 minutes, with a distance of 14,468km. After watching all five of the “Pirates of the Caribbean” feature films and the two “Fantastic Beasts” flicks in which Johnny Depp stars, take a break for approximately an hour from your own Deppfest.

Paris Charles De Gaulle (CDG) to Perth (PER)

Distance: 14,265km

Airline: Qatar Airways

Aircraft: Boeing 787-9

CDG-PER is one of the two routes, including a European airport departing from Perth, Australia. It offers a long commercial flight covering a distance of 14,265km in a flight time of 16 hours 30 minutes. 

Auckland International (AKL) to New York (JFK)

Distance: 14,209km

Airline: Air New Zealand, Qantas

Aircraft: Boeing 787-9

This is the first Air New Zealand route that goes nonstop to New York, launched in 2022. The flight is expected to last 16 hours and 15 minutes. Qantas began operating the AKL-JFK route in 2023, giving Air New Zealand some competition. You can watch the theatrical versions of “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings” and will still have  If you still have approximately forty minutes to spare.

Auckland International (AKL) to Dubai International (DXB)

Distance: 14,193km

Airline: Emirates

Aircraft: Airbus A350

It was the longest airline flight in 2016, covering a distance of 14,193km, but its competitors grew with time, and finally, it has come to the 8th position in 8 years. It has a flight time of 17 hours and 5 minutes, covering the distance mentioned above and landing at one of the busiest global airports. You can watch eight movies, including five from the “Indiana Jones” franchise and three from the “Jurassic Park” franchise.

Shenzhen (SZX) to Mexico City Juarez Intl (MEX)

Distance: 14,124km

Airline: China Southern

Aircraft: Airbus A350

It is the only Chinese or Latin American Flight to make it to the top 10 list. A Chinese Carrier operates this route and covers a distance of 14,124km in a flight time of 16 hours. It is worth noting that you’ll enjoy a direct, nonstop flight from Shenzhen to Mexico City. Still, while returning, it has a layover at Tijuana, considering Mexico City’s high altitude.

Los Angeles (LAX) to Singapore Changi (SIN)

Distance: 14, O96km

Airline: Singapore Airlines

Aircraft: Airbus A350-900

Last on the list of the longest nonstop flights in the world is the LAX-SIN route operated by Singapore Airlines. It was first flown by United Airlines in 2016. The flight covers a distance of 14,096km and has a scheduled flight time of 17 hours and 50 minutes. To spend time on the flight, you can watch all three “The Godfather” franchise movies and still have around an hour to spare.

Future Record-Breaking Flights

This was all about the list of flights with long nonstop airline routes worldwide. Other competitors in the aviation industry are all set to break records and grab the number one position. A nonstop air journey is about to take place in 2025 by the Qantas as it operates from New York to Sydney with the help of the specially designed Airbus A350. 

This particular aircraft’s flight experience will differ from that of regular planes. It will have a ‘wellness space’ to provide ways of helping travelers tackle jet lag. The flight will cover a distance of 16,020km and last more than 20 hours.

Reader’s Q&A Guide!