Jax's longest flight so far was about 5 hours. When we told him some flights last almost an entire day, he couldn't believe it. Here are the routes where planes fly the farthest without stopping.
Top 5 Longest Flights
1. New York to Singapore — 18 hours 40 minutes
Airline: Singapore Airlines
Distance: 9,537 miles
Plane: Airbus A350-900ULR (Ultra Long Range)
This is the longest flight in the world! You could watch about 9 movies, eat 3 meals, sleep for 8 hours, and still have time left.
2. Auckland to Doha — 18 hours 30 minutes
Airline: Qatar Airways
Distance: 9,032 miles
Plane: Boeing 777-200LR
This flight goes from New Zealand all the way to the Middle East — almost halfway around the world!
3. Perth to London — 17 hours 15 minutes
Airline: Qantas
Distance: 9,010 miles
Plane: Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner
This flight connects Australia directly to England. Before this route existed, travelers had to stop somewhere in Asia or the Middle East.
4. Singapore to Los Angeles — 17 hours 50 minutes
Airline: Singapore Airlines
Distance: 8,770 miles
Plane: Airbus A350-900
Another super-long Singapore Airlines flight, crossing the entire Pacific Ocean!
5. Dallas to Sydney — 17 hours 15 minutes
Airline: Qantas
Distance: 8,578 miles
Plane: Airbus A350
This route connects Texas to Australia, flying over the Pacific Ocean the entire way.
How Do Planes Fly So Far?
Ultra-long-range planes carry HUGE amounts of fuel. An Airbus A350 on the Singapore-New York route carries about 43,000 gallons of fuel — that's enough to fill a swimming pool!
These planes are also designed to be extra lightweight and fuel-efficient. They use special engines and materials to travel farther on less fuel.
What's It Like on a Super Long Flight?
Airlines make these flights as comfortable as possible:
- Meals are served multiple times
- There are hundreds of movies and TV shows to watch
- The cabin lights change color to help your body adjust to the time zone
- Some airlines have special stretching areas where you can stand and move around
Fun Math
If the longest flight is about 9,500 miles and takes 18 hours, the plane is traveling at about 528 miles per hour. That's almost as fast as the speed of sound (767 mph)!
You can look up Singapore Airlines, Qantas, and Qatar Airways on our map to see what other planes they fly. These airlines all rank among the biggest airlines in the world. Want to learn more about the A350s and 777s that fly these routes? Check out our guide to the types of airplanes or Boeing vs Airbus.