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Fuel-efficient aircraft like the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Airbus A350 have allowed airlines to operate ultra-long-haul flights that connect far-away points on the globe. Routes that once required a connection, like the United Kingdom to Australia, can now be flown nonstop.
These flights can stretch up to 19 hours in one direction. While business and first class passengers have plenty of time and space to eat, rest and even eat again, those in economy may discover being in a confined space for that long could be truly unpleasant. However, a nonstop flight does save time, and potentially some stress, by reducing the risk of lost luggage and avoiding tight or missed connections.
What do we mean by 'longest' flights?
There are numerous longest-flight lists, many of which use the “great circle distance,” which refers to the shortest distance measured between two points along the circumference of a sphere.
Since great circle distance measurements are not equal to a flight’s actual distance, total flight time can vary as routes are adjusted for meteorological factors. This means the same flight can vary in length by an hour or longer, depending on factors such as wind, weather, and jet streams.
Our list will focus on the average time an ultra-long-haul flight lasts since passengers are more likely to care about how long they will be on the plane rather than which flight is a few hundred miles longer than another. This list examines historical flight data to determine the eight longest flights in the world, rather than relying on scheduled flight times, which can vary.
An overview of the longest nonstop flights
| Rank | Route | Airline / Flight # | Duration in hours | Number of miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York-JFK → Singapore. | Singapore Airlines 21. | 18:18. | 10,644. |
| 2 | San Francisco → Bengaluru. | Air India 176. | 17:51. | 9,737. |
| 3 | New York-JFK→ Auckland. | Air New Zealand 1. | 17:44. | 7,671. |
| 4 | Dallas-Fort Worth → Melbourne. | Qantas 22. | 17:34. | 7,814. |
| 5 | Perth → London Heathrow. | Qantas 9. | 17:30. | 7,829. |
| 6 | Auckland → Doha. | Qatar Airways 921. | 17:15. | 7,848. |
| 7 | Auckland → Dubai. | Emirates 449. | 17:10. | 7,668. |
| 8 | Los Angeles → Singapore. | Singapore Airlines 35/37. | 16:25. | 7,621. |
1. Singapore Airlines Flight 23: New York (JFK) to Singapore (SIN)
Flight SQ 23 is one of the longest commercial flights operating year-round. The Airbus A350-900s that fly this route only offer business and premium economy class seats. That’s right: Singapore does not offer economy class on this globe-crossing route.
- Flight distance: 8,288 nautical miles (great circle distance).
- Flight time: Scheduled 18:55; average 17:54.
- Frequency: Daily.
- Aircraft: Airbus A350-900.
- Typical flight path: SQ 23 typically crosses Europe, the Middle East and India en route to Singapore.
- Fun fact: Given time zone changes and the late-night departure, SQ 23 lands two calendar days after departure, and the return arrives under six hours after takeoff. Singapore Airlines passengers in both business and premium economy can take advantage of the carrier’s Book the Cook service. This allows travelers to pre-order their preferred meal from a wide range of options, including many designed by chefs at Golden Door Spa in California.
- Best award redemption options: The cost of one-way saver awards via Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer program is 84,500 miles in premium economy or 117,000 miles in business class (plus taxes and fees). You can top up your Singapore Airlines mileage balance with credit card transfers from AmEx Membership Rewards, Capital One Miles, Chase Ultimate Rewards® and Citi ThankYou Rewards.
» Learn more: What’s the value of Singapore KrisFlyer Miles?
2. Air India Flight 176: San Francisco (SFO) to Bengaluru (BLR)
Air India flies AI 176 nonstop from SFO to BLR a few times a week, but the flight is seasonal. During the alternate months, it flies between SFO and Kolkata (CCU) and continues on to Bengaluru.
- Flight distance: 7,561 nautical miles (great circle distance).
- Flight time: Scheduled 17:54; average 17:50.
- Frequency: Three times weekly, but not year-round.
- Aircraft: Boeing 777-300ER.
- Typical flight path: The plane flies north from San Francisco, crossing Canada and Alaska before flying over Russia and China toward India. This can change depending on the season and weather conditions.
- Fun fact: The flight alternates seasonally between flying nonstop from San Francisco to Bengaluru and continuing to Kolkata (CCU), to flying nonstop from San Francisco to Kolkata and continuing to Bengaluru. Kolkata was known as Calcutta until 2001, which is why the airport code remains CCU.
- Best award redemption options: The cost of a one-way award via Air Canada Aeroplan starts at 50,000 points in economy, 85,000 points in business class, or 130,000 points in first class (plus taxes and fees). Air Canada is a transfer partner of numerous credit card loyalty programs so that you can boost your Aeroplan balance. These include AmEx Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Capital One Miles and Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
3. Air New Zealand Flight 1 and Qantas Flight 4: New York (JFK) to Auckland (AKL)
Both airlines operate this flight between New York (JFK) and Auckland, which boosts competition between the Star Alliance and Oneworld alliances. The Qantas flight continues onward to Sydney after stopping in Auckland.
- Flight distance: 7,671 nautical miles (great circle distance).
- Flight time: Scheduled 17:40-18:10; average 17:44.
- Frequency: Almost daily with at least one airline operating the flight (sometimes both).
- Aircraft: Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.
- Typical flight path: Both flights head west or southwest from New York, crossing the United States and Mexico before continuing over the Pacific Ocean.
- Fun fact: This flight arrives two days after departure due to the time zone change and crossing the international date line. In economy class, this flight will be one of the first to feature the new SkyNest, which are bunk beds available for rent in four-hour increments.
- Best award redemption options: As a Star Alliance member, Air New Zealand offers round-trip low-season awards through the ANA Mileage Club program for 60,000 miles in economy, 88,000 miles in premium economy, or 137,000 miles in business class (plus taxes and fees). For the Qantas flight, booking one-way awards through American Airlines AAdvantage costs 40,000 miles in economy, 65,000 miles in premium economy, or 80,000 miles in business class (plus taxes and fees), when space is available.
» Learn more: The best credit cards for New York City-based travelers
4. Qantas Flight 22: Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) to Melbourne (MEL)
At a latitude of 37.8136° S, Melbourne is the most southerly of all the cities on this list (barely beating out Auckland at 36.8666° S).
- Flight distance: 7,814 nautical miles (great circle distance).
- Flight time: Scheduled 17:40; average 17:34.
- Frequency: Between three times weekly and daily, depending on the season.
- Aircraft: Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.
- Typical flight path: QF 22 heads west from DFW airport over the southwest U.S. before crossing the Pacific Ocean.
- Fun fact: All passengers on Qantas long-haul flights have access to a snack bar between meal services, often highlighting Australian snacks.
- Best award redemption options: Booking one-way awards through American Airlines AAdvantage costs 40,000 miles in economy, 65,000 miles in premium economy, or 80,000 miles in business class (plus taxes and fees), when space is available.
» Learn more: The best credit cards for Qantas points
5. Qantas Flight 9: Perth (PER) to London (LHR)
This Australia-to-London flight is a precursor to Qantas’ Project Sunrise, which aims to bypass one-stop flights between Australia and Europe by operating nonstop on many routes. This was the first nonstop route from Australia to Europe.
- Flight distance: 7,829 nautical miles (great circle distance).
- Flight time: Scheduled 17:50; average 17:30.
- Frequency: Daily.
- Aircraft: Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.
- Typical flight path: These flights leave the west coast of Australia and fly northwest over the Indian Ocean, the Middle East and Europe to reach London.
- Fun fact: In preparation for these ultra-long-haul flights, the airline worked with researchers and volunteer passengers who agreed to have their vital statistics tracked in flight to study how to reduce jet lag, improve sleep on the flight, and improve post-flight cognitive performance. Their findings were incorporated into the onboard menus and meal service patterns to adapt to body clocks and time zone changes.
- Best award redemption options: Booking one-way awards from Perth to London through American AAdvantage costs 60,000 miles in economy, 70,000 miles in premium economy or 85,000 miles in business class (plus taxes and fees) when space is available.
6. Qatar Airways Flight 921: Auckland (AKL) to Doha (DOH)
With so many airlines flying long-haul to or from Auckland, this airport is home to several of the world’s longest flights. Qatar’s connection to Doha is one of the longest.
- Flight distance: 7,848 nautical miles (great circle distance).
- Flight time: Scheduled 17:10; average 17:15.
- Frequency: Daily.
- Aircraft: Boeing 777-200LR.
- Typical flight path: QR 921 heads west across the Tasman Sea and over Australia, turning northwest across Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean before reaching Doha.
- Fun fact: Qatar Airways is well known for its Qsuite business class cabin, featuring private suites with doors that close. There is also the option to create a double or quad suite, ideal for couples and families.
- Best award redemption options: Since American Airlines AAdvantage only allows South Pacific redemptions on a transpacific routing, it is not possible to travel from the U.S. to Auckland via Doha. But you can start in Doha (or other points in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, or Asia) for a variable number of miles. The carrier’s partner award chart provides the number of miles needed. For example, a one-way flight between Paris and Auckland via Doha would cost 60,000 AAdvantage miles in economy or 85,000 miles in business class, plus taxes and fees.
7. Emirates Flight 449: Auckland (AKL) to Dubai (DXB)
This Emirates route operates aboard the airline’s famous Airbus A380 with two full decks of seats.
- Flight distance: 7,668 nautical miles (great circle distance).
- Flight time: Scheduled 17:10; average 17:10.
- Frequency: Daily.
- Aircraft: Airbus A380-800.
- Typical flight path: These flights fly west from Auckland over the Tasman Sea and Australia before crossing southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean to arrive in Dubai.
- Fun fact: First class passengers can enjoy unlimited caviar and in-flight showers on this ultra-long flight; business class passengers have an in-flight bar with a full menu of snacks and drinks. This is the kind of long flight where you can truly enjoy these amenities.
- Best award redemption options: Using Japan Airlines’ distance-based award chart is the best way to redeem for Emirates flights. A round trip from New York to Auckland via Dubai would cost 70,000 miles in economy and 130,000 in business. To book first class, however, you’ll need to use Emirates Skywards and have elite status. It would cost a whopping 525,000 miles in first class for a round-trip ticket. If you have elite status, you are also eligible for discounts in other cabins, but the deal is not as good as what you’ll achieve with Japan Airlines Mileage Bank. Japan Airlines is a transfer partner with Bilt Rewards and Capital One Rewards if you need to top up your account.
» Learn more: What are carrier-imposed fees on flights?
8. Singapore Airlines Flights 35/37: Los Angeles (LAX) to Singapore (SIN)
This flight is the only one that links these two cities nonstop; at times, there are two flights a day.
- Flight distance: 7,621 nautical miles (great circle distance).
- Flight time: Scheduled 17:35; average 16:25.
- Frequency: Daily flights, plus twice a day on certain days of the week.
- Aircraft: Airbus A350-900.
- Typical flight path: Depending on the season and weather conditions, these flights often head west from Los Angeles, cross the Pacific Ocean, and then fly over the Philippines and Malaysia before reaching Singapore. Another route takes a northwestern course, passing the Aleutian Islands and Japan before heading southwest over the South China Sea.
- Fun fact: On days when both SQ 35 and SQ 37 operate, their departures are separated by less than 3 hours. Passengers in business class and premium economy can take advantage of the Book the Cook service to choose from a wide variety of meals (rather than the traditional 2-4 meal options other airlines offer).
- Best award redemption options: The cost of one-way saver awards via Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer program is 79,000 miles in premium economy or 112,500 miles in business class (plus taxes and fees).
» Learn more: The complete guide to United MileagePlus
Honorable mentions
These routes didn’t make the main list due to similar departure/arrival cities, but they’re still among the world’s longest commercial routes.
- Newark (EWR) to Singapore (SIN): Singapore Airlines flight SQ 21 averages about 18 hours in the air, similar to the JFK-Singapore flight. It earns an honorable mention to highlight a similar option available in the New York City area.
- Perth (PER) to Paris (CDG): Another Qantas ultra-long-haul flight from Perth, QF 33 uses a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner to make the scheduled 17.5-hour journey. Qantas also flies from Perth to Rome (FCO) during the northern summer months. QF 5 is scheduled for 16 hours 25 minutes.
- Houston (IAH) to Sydney (SYD): United 101 operates the 17+-hour flight on a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.
- San Francisco (SFO) to Singapore (SIN): Singapore Airlines and United Airlines fly a total of four flights a day on this route. The journey covers 7,340 nautical miles, just a few hundred miles shorter than the LAX-to-Singapore route. It is scheduled for 17 hours and 25 minutes.
- New York (JFK) to Manila (MNL): Philippine Airlines uses its new Airbus A350-1000 to traverse the nonstop journey between these two major cities. The trip is scheduled for 17 hours and 20 minutes.
Top cards for earning points and miles
There are also credit cards that can provide multiples of miles or points in certain spending categories, like grocery stores, travel, gas stations or restaurants. Sign-up bonuses can also deliver an immediate stash, too.
If you use a general travel credit card (like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card) versus a co-branded airline card, you have more flexibility to book across several brands or transfer what you earn in programs like Citi ThankYou Points or Chase Ultimate Rewards® to the airline that has the best redemption for you. If you are more loyal to one brand or alliance, an airline credit card can make sense to take advantage of perks like priority boarding and waived baggage fees, but you are locked into redeeming only on that carrier’s partner network.
Popular travel cards
Annual fee
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Welcome offer
You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $12,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Terms apply.
LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Enjoy $250 to use on Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year, plus earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening - that’s equal to $1,000 in travel.
Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $600 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com.
Earn rate
• 5 points per $1 on flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express, on up to $500,000 spent per year.
• 5 points per $1 on prepaid hotels booked through American Express.
• 1 point per $1 on other eligible purchases.
Terms apply.
• 5 miles per $1 on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
• 2 miles per $1 on all other purchases.
• 5x points on all Chase Travel℠ purchases (exclusions apply).
• 5x on Lyft rides and Peloton equipment (for a limited time; terms apply).
• 2x points on all other travel.
• 3x points on dining, takeout and eligible delivery worldwide.
• 3x points for online grocery purchases (exclusions apply).
• 3x points on some streaming services.
• 1x point on all other purchases.
• 10 ThankYou® points per $1 spent on hotels, car rentals and attractions booked through Citi's travel portal.
• 3 points per $1 on air travel and other hotel purchases.
• 3 points per $1 on supermarkets.
• 3 points per $1 on gas stations and EV charging stations.
• 3 points per $1 on restaurants.
• 1 point per $1 on all other purchases.
Still not sure?
Premium travel credit cards provide the most benefits for frequent travelers. This includes features such as airport lounge access or automatic elite status in certain programs, depending on the card. The right card depends on your travel patterns and the redemptions you plan to make.
One thing is for sure: these ultra-long flights are always more comfortable in a premium cabin, and booking with miles or points makes that luxury much more accessible.
To view rates and fees of the American Express Platinum Card®, see this page.
How to maximize your rewards
You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2026:
- Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- No annual fee: Wells Fargo Autograph® Card
- Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
- Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®
- Luxury perks: American Express Platinum Card®
- Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
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