The list of the longest airline routes in operation is hardly a surprise, but what about theoretical routes? What is possible with more technical innovation?
The 10 Longest Airline Routes Currently Flying
Currently, the 10 longest flights in the world include:
- Newark – Singapore // 9,534 miles
- Auckland – Doha // 9,032 miles
- Perth – London // 9,009 miles
- Auckland – Dubai // 8,823 miles
- Los Angeles – Singapore // 8,770 miles
- Houston – Sydney // 8,593 miles
- Dallas – Sydney // 8,577 miles
- New York – Manila // 8,520 miles
- San Francisco – Singapore // 8,446 miles
- Johannesburg – Atlanta // 8,439 miles
New Longhauls From Air New Zealand And Qantas
Air New Zealand has already announced new service from Newark to Auckland set to begin next year. Qantas is also eying nonstop flights from Sydney to both London and New York, set to begin in 2022. While Air New Zealand’s new flight will only come in at #5, both “Project Sunrise” flights on Qantas would top the list. If Air New Zealand ever started Auckland to London nonstop service, that would take the #1 spot.
Looking Beyond To New Routes
A fascinating YouTube video by Half as Interesting asks what routes are theoretically possible…and also practical.
The video above is worth five minutes of your life to watch. A few interesting points:
The longest theoretical route based upon geography would be from Tangier, Morocco to Whangarei, New Zealand. That distance would be 12,500 miles and easily be the theoretical longest route. But with a short runway in Whangarei and low-demand between the two cities, that is not at all practical.
Any guesses as to two routes that would be practical? Both involve service between two continents that currently lack a nonstop link.
If you guessed South American and Asia, you’d be correct.
Brazil has a large Japanese population and a smaller Chinese one. A nonstop from Sao Paulo to Tokyo Narita would be 11,490 miles…surpassing even Auckland to London. But the true longest “practical” route in theory would be Shanghai to Sao Paulo, 11,516 miles.
CONCLUSION
What is the longest possible (realistic) route? Shanghai to Sao Paulo at 11,516 miles. Will it happen? I bet it will one day as aircraft continue to become more nimble and cover great distances.
Any other ultra-longhaul routes you would love to see?
(H/T: View from the Wing)
Always thought Perth and Boston were the two most remote cities with a population >1 million, coming in at 11,618 Miles.
JFK to EWR, the long way!
We need those solar sails. Like cruise ships in the air. They never land. They are floating in the air all the time. You just take an elevator to a station at 30k feet to catch the solar sail going in the direction of your travel. Every city has its own station at 30k feet. Lots of these solar sails flying all the time.
Debit is off his meds again. LOL
“Shanghai to Sao Paulo at 11,516 miles. Will it happen? I bet it will one day as aircraft continue to become more nimble cover great distances.”
The issue would be if the planes could travel that route in a faster time than is currently available for today’s planes. Could you imagine anyone wanting to do a flight that long in economy? Heck, even in first or business class it would be a taxing experience.
How about EZE-PVG? 12,176 miles and not totally unreasonable.
Not totally unreasonable, but not a sizable Asian population in Buenos Aires compared to Sao Paulo.
Great article, Matt.
I’m a frequent business flyer on BR 51/52, and on my outbound trip (BR 51) IAH-TPE it may not crack the top 10 on distance but it often breaks 16 hrs 45 min to 17 hours in air. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/EVA51
In terms of time in the air, that has to be up there with the longest flights. With that said, the return flight (BR 52) is much shorter which must have to do with the winds on this route.
Technically speaking it would actually be Tokyo(Haneda) to Rio(Tom Jobin international) by around 15 miles longer but the demand for Shanghai to São Paulo is higher