China Eastern Airlines has pushed the boundaries of ultra-long-haul travel with a new Shanghai–Buenos Aires service that can keep passengers in the air and in transit for up to 29 hours, including a two-hour technical stop in Auckland. The marathon route, which officially launched on 4 December 2025, is now the world’s longest direct commercial flight by elapsed time and distance, linking three continents in a single journey and offering a new “southbound corridor” across the Pacific for travelers and cargo alike.

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World’s Longest Direct Commercial Flight Takes Off

The new service, operated under flight numbers MU745 and MU746, connects Shanghai Pudong International Airport with Buenos Aires’ Ezeiza International Airport via Auckland, New Zealand. China Eastern and aviation authorities describe it as a direct, rather than nonstop, flight: the aircraft pauses in Auckland for refuelling and crew rest, but the flight number and aircraft remain the same from origin to final destination. That technicality still makes it the longest bookable journey under a single flight number anywhere in commercial aviation.

Southbound from Shanghai to Buenos Aires, the trip clocks in at just under 26 hours gate-to-gate, depending on winds. Northbound, the return leg from Argentina to China stretches much further, with prevailing headwinds and the direction of travel pushing the schedule to as long as 29 hours, a new record for a scheduled passenger service. By distance, the route covers roughly 20,000 kilometers, or about 12,200 miles, eclipsing previous long-haul champions.

The launch on 4 December followed months of build-up from the carrier and government officials in China, New Zealand and Argentina. The inaugural Shanghai–Buenos Aires flight departed in the early hours, local time, and arrived the same afternoon in Argentina after traversing the Pacific and the Southern Ocean. Chinese state media reported a passenger load factor of around 96 percent on the first flight, a strong showing for a brand-new ultra-long-haul route.

This Shanghai–Auckland–Buenos Aires link also marks the first direct commercial air route between China and Argentina, filling what both governments had long described as a conspicuous gap in air connectivity between East Asia and South America. Until now, travelers between the two countries typically routed through Europe, North America or the Middle East, often with total journey times approaching or exceeding 30 hours.

A Continent-Spanning ‘Southbound Corridor’

China Eastern has framed the new service as more than an aviation milestone, casting it as a strategic “southbound corridor” that redraws the map of how people and goods move between Asia, Oceania and the Southern Cone of South America. The airline and Chinese officials have likened it to an “Air Silk Road,” echoing broader Belt and Road ambitions to deepen trade and cultural ties across the Global South.

The geography is striking. Shanghai and Buenos Aires are effectively antipodal cities, positioned on opposite sides of the globe. The route’s highly southerly track takes the aircraft from China’s industrial east coast deep into the South Pacific, with the Auckland–Buenos Aires sector skirting close to the fringes of Antarctica and traversing vast, sparsely trafficked stretches of ocean. For pilots and aviation planners, it is a complex long-range operation; for passengers, it is one of the most remote and dramatic itineraries now available on a scheduled commercial ticket.

Crucially, the new path trims hours off traditional routings. China Eastern and officials in all three countries say the southern corridor cuts at least four to five hours compared with journeys that detour through northern hemisphere hubs such as Dubai, Frankfurt or Dallas. For business travelers shuttling between Chinese manufacturing centers and South American agricultural or energy markets, those saved hours can mean same-day connections and more efficient itineraries.

New Zealand sits at the heart of this corridor. Auckland, long a key gateway between Oceania and both North America and Asia, now becomes a stepping stone between the Asia–Pacific and South America. Local aviation leaders have welcomed the route as a way to restore and expand New Zealand’s long-haul connectivity, particularly after the disruption of recent years and the loss of earlier nonstop links to Buenos Aires.

Inside the 29-Hour Journey

Flight MU745 departs Shanghai Pudong at 2:00 a.m. on Mondays and Thursdays, according to the initial schedule. After roughly 11 to 12 hours in the air, the Boeing 777-300ER touches down in Auckland in the early evening, local time. Following a ground stop of around two hours for refuelling, catering and crew changes, the aircraft continues across the South Pacific and Southern Ocean toward Buenos Aires, arriving late afternoon the same calendar day in Argentina.

On the return, MU746 pushes endurance to the limits of scheduled commercial flying. The aircraft leaves Buenos Aires around 2:00 a.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays, spends more than 13 hours flying to Auckland, then after another two-hour technical stop, departs for Shanghai. Headwinds on the westbound trans-Pacific sector mean passengers can spend close to 29 hours between boarding in Argentina and stepping off the aircraft in China.

China Eastern deploys its 316-seat Boeing 777-300ER on the route, configured with three cabins: six first-class suites, 52 business-class seats and 258 economy seats. The airline has highlighted lie-flat seats and upgraded soft products in premium cabins, clearly aware that comfort becomes a central selling point when passengers are facing more than a day in transit. Economy class, by contrast, offers a standard 3-4-3 configuration with seat widths around 17 inches and a pitch of roughly 32–33 inches, meaning savvy travelers will likely pay close attention to seat selection and in-flight routines to manage fatigue.

Adding a cultural flourish, the inaugural flight was operated by a specially liveried “National Museum of China” aircraft, the latest in a series of themed planes in the carrier’s fleet. The exterior design and select interior touches reference iconic artifacts from the Beijing museum, which the airline describes as bringing an “art gallery in the sky” to passengers making the epic trek between East Asia and the South Atlantic.

Strategic Bet on Trade, Tourism and the Global South

Beyond prestige, the Shanghai–Buenos Aires route is a calculated economic play. For China, it offers a direct bridge into South America’s second-largest economy and a convenient staging post for trade with neighboring countries. For Argentina, it opens a nonstop pipeline to one of the world’s most important consumer markets, with opportunities stretching from agribusiness to tourism and education.

China Eastern and Chinese officials have highlighted the route’s cargo potential, especially on the return legs toward Asia. Early flights are already carrying shipments of high-value perishables such as chilled salmon from Chile and fresh cherries and beef from the Southern Cone, with promises that other premium agricultural products and wines will follow. In the opposite direction, exporters in China envision faster delivery for electronics, machinery and everyday consumer goods to markets across Argentina and beyond.

New Zealand also stands to gain. Auckland Airport executives have described the service as a strategic connection that deepens aviation links with China while restoring direct access to Buenos Aires. They point to opportunities for New Zealand’s exporters, tourism operators and universities, as well as for residents using Auckland as a springboard to both Asia and South America. For passengers, the new route effectively stitches three national markets together under a single ticket, with options to stopover or continue on the same aircraft.

In Argentina, the launch has been greeted as a sign of renewed interest from Chinese travelers and investors. China Eastern has signed a cooperation agreement with Aerolíneas Argentinas to coordinate more than 50 onward routes, allowing passengers to connect from Buenos Aires deeper into South America or to regional destinations within Argentina. Officials say they hope the air bridge will broaden cooperation in business, culture, sports and tourism, helping to rebalance a relationship that has traditionally relied heavily on commodities trade.

How It Compares With Other Ultra-Long Routes

The record-setting nature of the Shanghai–Buenos Aires service has inevitably invited comparisons with other giant leaps in long-haul flying. For years, Singapore Airlines’ Singapore–New York flights have held the title of the world’s longest nonstop commercial services, with a block time of about 19 hours and a distance of more than 15,000 kilometers. Qantas’ Perth–London marathon and previous record-holders like Qatar Airways’ Doha–Auckland link also represent the upper limits of nonstop flying.

China Eastern’s new route is different in a crucial respect: it is direct but not nonstop. The distinction matters in aviation parlance. A nonstop flight involves no intermediate landings between origin and destination. A direct flight, by contrast, keeps a single flight number even if the aircraft lands en route, as MU745 and MU746 do in Auckland. That nuance allows China Eastern to claim the record for the longest direct flight by elapsed time and distance, while Singapore Airlines still controls the pure nonstop crown.

By distance, the Shanghai–Auckland–Buenos Aires itinerary outstrips other direct services, including Air China’s Beijing–São Paulo route via Madrid, which previously ranked among the longest by total kilometers and scheduled time. Where those flights typically run to about 26 hours gate-to-gate, China Eastern’s westbound MU746 adds several hours more, pushing into uncharted territory for regular passenger operations.

For travelers, the comparison is less about technical classifications and more about endurance and connectivity. A 29-hour journey tests the limits of what many passengers consider acceptable in a single trip, even with a change of crew and a chance to stretch during the Auckland stop. Yet for those who previously stitched together two or three separate tickets through multiple hemispheres, the convenience of a one-ticket, one-airline journey with synchronized schedules may outweigh the prospect of nearly a day and a half in transit.

What It Means for Passengers

Early pricing underscores the premium nature of the new route. Fares listed for the first months of operation place one-way economy tickets from Shanghai to Buenos Aires at around US$1,700, with business-class seats starting near US$5,000, depending on the date and demand. Those figures position the service at the upper end of long-haul pricing, though not radically out of step with multi-stop itineraries on rival carriers.

The passenger mix is expected to be diverse: business travelers working in sectors from energy and infrastructure to agrifood and technology; students and academics commuting between universities; members of the Chinese and Argentine diasporas visiting family; and a cohort of aviation enthusiasts drawn by the novelty and challenge of testing the world’s longest direct commercial flight. With only two round trips per week in each direction, seats on peak dates are likely to be scarce.

For those who do book, the journey requires planning. Travel doctors recommend paying extra attention to hydration, movement and sleep strategies on flights of this length, particularly for passengers in economy cabins. Travelers also face one of the world’s most dramatic time shifts, leaping across more than 11 time zones in a single journey. Jet lag can be pronounced and may be compounded by the extended period spent in artificial cabin lighting and pressurized air.

Yet for many passengers on the inaugural flight, the overwhelming sense was one of excitement and relief. After years of patchwork connections and lengthy layovers through distant hubs, the prospect of boarding in Shanghai and stepping off, a full day later, in Buenos Aires on a single, continuous itinerary represents a powerful new option. As one Argentine traveler put it on arrival, the route “saves time and makes travel more convenient,” capturing the appeal that China Eastern is betting will sustain this ultra-long experiment in commercial aviation.

FAQ

Q1. How long does China Eastern’s Shanghai–Buenos Aires flight actually take?
The southbound journey from Shanghai to Buenos Aires, including the technical stop in Auckland, is scheduled at just under 26 hours gate to gate, while the northbound return from Buenos Aires to Shanghai can stretch to about 29 hours due to prevailing headwinds and the direction of travel.

Q2. Is this flight nonstop, or does it land along the way?
The service is direct but not nonstop. It operates under a single flight number, MU745 or MU746, but makes a scheduled two hour technical stop in Auckland, New Zealand, for refuelling and crew changes before continuing to the final destination.

Q3. When did the route launch, and how often does it operate?
China Eastern inaugurated the Shanghai–Auckland–Buenos Aires route on 4 December 2025. According to the initial schedule, flights depart Shanghai for Buenos Aires on Mondays and Thursdays, with return services leaving Buenos Aires on Tuesdays and Fridays.

Q4. Which aircraft does China Eastern use on this route?
The airline operates the service with a Boeing 777 300ER wide body jet configured with 316 seats, including six first class suites, 52 business class seats and 258 economy seats, optimized for very long haul operations.

Q5. How far is the Shanghai–Buenos Aires route via Auckland?
The full journey covers roughly 20,000 kilometers, or about 12,200 miles, making it the longest direct commercial flight in the world by total distance when considering both segments between Shanghai, Auckland and Buenos Aires.

Q6. Can passengers get off the plane during the Auckland stop?
The Auckland stop is primarily a technical layover for refuelling and crew rest. Transit procedures are managed by the airline and airport; passengers do not change aircraft and remain under airport transit control rather than starting a separate check in or entering New Zealand as regular arrivals.

Q7. How does this route compare with the Singapore–New York flight?
Singapore Airlines’ Singapore–New York service remains the world’s longest nonstop flight by block time and distance. China Eastern’s Shanghai–Buenos Aires link, however, is longer overall because it includes two segments under a single flight number, making it the world’s longest direct commercial flight by elapsed journey time.

Q8. What are typical ticket prices on the Shanghai–Buenos Aires service?
Early fare data show one way economy tickets priced around US$1,700 from Shanghai to Buenos Aires, with business class seats starting near US$5,000. Prices vary by date, demand and point of purchase, and may fluctuate as the route matures.

Q9. Who is the route aimed at, business travelers or tourists?
China Eastern targets a mix of travelers: business passengers connecting major commercial centers in China and South America, tourists exploring new long haul itineraries, students and academics, and members of both countries’ diasporas. The schedule and aircraft choice are designed to balance premium demand with strong interest in economy cabins.

Q10. Why is this new route considered strategically important?
The Shanghai–Auckland–Buenos Aires flight creates a new southbound corridor linking Asia, Oceania and South America, cutting hours off traditional routings via Europe or North America. It opens fresh opportunities for trade in high value goods, boosts tourism and education links, and strengthens aviation connectivity between three regions that previously relied on more circuitous paths to reach one another.