On October 5, 1941, the first non-stop flight across the Pacific Ocean ended in Wenatchee, Washington, 41 hours after the plane left Japan. Thankfully, transoceanic flights are much faster nowadays, though being stuck in a 1-inch coach seat for 17 hours may make you want to take up boating.
24/7 Tempo has compiled the longest direct flights in the world, many of which have only been running since 2016, with the advent of dramatic advances in flight technology.
New fuel efficient jumbo jets equipped for the super-haul flights between Australia and Europe or Asia and the United States have made direct flights between several major cities possible, and expedited access to some very popular destinations, such as the world’s fastest-growing vacation spots.
Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner and the Airbus A350 are not only more efficient than older aircraft their size, but are also equipped with better climate control and pressurization to help fight jet lag. Some even offer first class lounges, showers, and private suites to take the edge off of the long flight.
These long hauls may not be the most popular international flights in the world, but they are ushering in a new era of more comfortable and convenient jet travel.
Click here for the 15 longest direct flights in the world
Methodology
24/7 Tempo used numerous articles and press releases to compile the longest direct flights in the world. Flight times may vary and are dependant on airline estimates for a single direction of travel.
15. Toronto — Manila
> Mileage: 8,221 miles
> Approximate flight duration: 16h 40 min
This flight from the capital of Ontario in eastern Canada to the capital of the Philippine Islands in Southeast Asia can take multiple air routes, including a Polar route that flies over the Arctic Circle, covering parts of Greenland, Russia, and Mongolia.
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14. Doha — Los Angeles
> Mileage: 8,306 miles
> Approximate flight duration: 16h 15 min
After taking off from the capital of Qatar, this flight traverses northern Europe, Greenland, and Canada before landing in California.
13. Jeddah — Los Angeles
> Mileage: 8,332 miles
> Approximate flight duration: 16h 10 min
From Jeddah on the west coast of Saudi Arabia to Los Angeles is 8,332 miles. Considering that a large commercial jet like Boeing’s 747 burns about five gallons of fuel per mile, this flight potentially uses about 41,660 gallons of fuel.
12. Dubai — Los Angeles
> Mileage: 8,339 miles
> Approximate flight duration: 16h 20 min
The flight from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates to Los Angeles is serviced by multiple jets, including the Emirates A380, a double-decker jumbo jet that features private first class suites, showers, business class beds, and a bar lounge. First class tickets on this flight can cost $26,000.
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11. Abu Dhabi — Los Angeles
> Mileage: 8,390 miles
> Approximate flight duration: 16h 30 min
Currently the longest direct flight into Los Angeles, the non-stop trip from the capital of the United Arab Emirates is run by Etihad Airways. If one is tempted to travel first class on this 16+ hour flight, one-way tickets are nearly $10,000.
10. Johannesburg — Atlanta
> Mileage: 8,439 miles
> Approximate flight duration: 16h 50 min
Non-stop service from Johannesburg, South Africa, to Atlanta, Georgia, is run once daily by Delta Airlines, and is the only flight on this list that flies over the Atlantic Ocean from the Southern to Northern Hemisphere.
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9. San Francisco — Singapore
> Mileage: 8,446 miles
> Approximate flight duration: 17h 5 min
Two airlines offer direct service between San Francisco and Singapore: United and Singapore Airlines. No first class service is available on either of the flights, which can run as quickly as 15 hours and 15 minutes, or upwards of 17 hours.
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8. Manila — New York
> Mileage: 8,520 miles
> Approximate flight duration: 16h 35 min
Since October 2018, Philippine Airlines has run a direct flight between Manila and New York’s JFK Airport. The new route launched just in time for the reopening of Boracay, a popular beach vacation spot that had been closed since April 2018 for cleaning and rehabilitation.
7. Dallas/Fort Worth — Sydney
> Mileage: 8,578 miles
> Approximate flight duration: 17h 15 min
The flight between Dallas/Fort Worth in Texas and the Australian city is run by Qantas Airlines, whose recent federal approval for a joint business agreement with American Airlines means that more direct flights from the United States to Sydney and Brisbane are on the horizon.
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6. Houston — Sydney
> Mileage: 8,596 miles
> Approximate flight duration: 17h 30 min
The flight from Sydney, Australia to Houston, Texas — just 18 nautical miles longer than the flight from Sydney to Dallas — is serviced by United Airlines. Only a handful of aircraft, including Boeing 787s and Airbus A380s, have the fuel capacity necessary to make this flight over the Pacific Ocean.
5. Los Angeles — Singapore
> Mileage: 8,770 miles
> Approximate flight duration: 17h 50 min
After just a year of service, United Airlines dropped its Los Angeles to Singapore direct route in October of 2018, leaving Singapore Airlines as the only carrier servicing the LA to Singapore route.
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4. Auckland — Dubai
> Mileage: 8,824 miles
> Approximate flight duration: 17h 5 min
Since March 2016, Emirates has offered service between Auckland on New Zealand’s North Island and Dubai — the longest flight operated by the airline at 8,824 miles.
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3. Perth — London
> Mileage: 9,010 miles
> Approximate flight duration: 17h 20 min
Qantas launched the first ever direct flight between Australia and Europe on March 25, 2018. Its Dreamliner jet carries about 29,000 gallons of fuel — 20% less than a traditional plane of its size.
2. Auckland — Doha
> Mileage: 9,032 miles
> Approximate flight duration: 17h 40 min
The longest direct flight in the world when it first launched in February of 2017, this route from New Zealand to Qatar is over 9,000 miles and crosses 10 time zones.
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1. Singapore — Newark
> Mileage: 9,534 miles
> Approximate flight duration: 18h 30 min
Since October of 2018, the flight between Singapore and Newark has been the longest non-stop flight in the world. The route is operated by Singapore Airlines, which offers only business class and premium economy seats to keep customers more comfortable for the 18+ hour flight.
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