China Eastern Airlines introduces world's longest direct flight route

China Eastern Airlines, a state-owned airline based in China, commenced ticket sales for its new flight route connecting Shanghai to Buenos Aires, Argentina. This route is touted to be the longest direct flight in the world, departing from Shanghai's Pudong International Airport. The flight duration to Buenos Aires is approximately 25.5 hours, with the return leg taking about 29 hours. Notably, both trips include a two-hour stop in Auckland, New Zealand, allowing passengers to disembark, making it technically 'direct' but not non-stop. The new service is set to operate twice weekly starting December 4, 2025, initiating an aviation link between two antipodal cities. This flight route strategy is intended to enhance connectivity between Asia-Pacific and South America, contributing to a concept dubbed the 'Air Silk Road' that promotes greater travel and trade links across regions. This is an important strategic move, especially considering the competitive landscape of long-haul air travel, marked by other airlines trying to claim the title of the world's longest flight. Other carriers have operated flights from Shanghai to Buenos Aires that have been significantly longer due to layovers, highlighting China Eastern’s effort to streamline travel on this unorthodox route. Overall, this initiative reflects the airline's aspirations for innovation in global air travel, catering to demands for efficiently connecting distant continents, even as competitors like Qantas seek to create more passenger-friendly flight options for ultra-long-haul routes in the future.