The longest scheduled passenger flight in the world is Singapore Airlines’ New York JFK to Singapore, about 15,330 km, taking around 19 hours on an Airbus A350-900ULR. It is followed by Newark–Singapore, Auckland–Doha, London Heathrow–Perth and Dallas/Fort Worth–Melbourne. Qantas plans to beat them all from October 2027 with Project Sunrise: non-stop Sydney to London, about 17,000 km and up to 22 hours, on a specially modified Airbus A350-1000ULR.
Ultra-long-haul flights are where aviation shows off: aircraft flying for most of a day, crossing oceans and continents without stopping. Lists of the “longest flights” differ depending on how they are measured, so here is how this one works:
- Ranked by great-circle distance, the shortest path between the two airports, which is the standard way to compare routes. Aircraft fly further in practice because of winds and airways.
- Scheduled passenger flights only, not one-off records, cargo or repositioning flights.
- Based on airline schedules published in 2025 and 2026. Routes are added, paused and dropped, so check before you book.
The 10 longest flights in the world
| Rank | Route | Airline | Distance | Aircraft |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York JFK – Singapore | Singapore Airlines | 15,332 km (9,527 mi) | A350-900ULR |
| 2 | Newark – Singapore | Singapore Airlines | 15,329 km (9,525 mi) | A350-900ULR |
| 3 | Auckland – Doha | Qatar Airways | 14,526 km (9,026 mi) | A350-1000 / 777-200LR |
| 4 | London Heathrow – Perth | Qantas | 14,499 km (9,009 mi) | 787-9 |
| 5 | Dallas/Fort Worth – Melbourne | Qantas | 14,468 km (8,990 mi) | 787-9 |
| 6 | Paris CDG – Perth | Qantas | 14,265 km (8,864 mi) | 787-9 |
| 7 | Auckland – New York JFK | Air New Zealand, Qantas | 14,209 km (8,829 mi) | 787-9 |
| 8 | Auckland – Dubai | Emirates | 14,193 km (8,819 mi) | A380 |
| 9 | Mexico City – Shenzhen | China Southern | 14,124 km (8,776 mi) | A350 |
| 10 | Los Angeles – Singapore | Singapore Airlines | 14,096 km (8,759 mi) | A350-900 |
Distances as published from OAG schedule data; the flew.world distance calculator gives the same figures to within about 10 km, depending on the exact airport coordinates used. Click any route for its map and flight time.
The top five in more detail
1. New York JFK – Singapore
Singapore Airlines flies New York to Singapore non-stop on the Airbus A350-900ULR, an “ultra long range” version with extra fuel capacity and fewer seats than a standard A350. Scheduled time is about 19 hours. Its sister route from Newark is only a few kilometres shorter.
3. Auckland – Doha
Qatar Airways’ link between New Zealand and the Gulf crosses Australia and the Indian Ocean. Flight times change a lot with the season’s winds.
4. London Heathrow – Perth
Qantas’s “Kangaroo Route” classic, non-stop since 2018 on the Boeing 787-9. It made Perth the gateway for one-stop journeys between Britain and the rest of Australia, about 17 hours in the air.
5. Dallas/Fort Worth – Melbourne
Qantas again, connecting Texas and Victoria across the whole Pacific in around 17 hours 40 minutes.
Project Sunrise: Sydney–London in 2027
Qantas has worked for years on flights that join Australia’s east coast to London and New York without a stop. The first, Sydney–London, is scheduled to start in October 2027:
- Distance: about 17,000 km. The great-circle distance between Sydney and Heathrow is 17,021 km, more than 1,500 km beyond today’s longest flight.
- Time: up to 22 hours.
- Aircraft: a modified Airbus A350-1000ULR with an extra fuel tank, carrying 238 passengers instead of the usual 400 or so.
- Cabin: six first-class suites, 52 business, 40 premium economy and 140 economy seats, and a “Wellbeing Zone” for stretching, open to every passenger.
A non-stop Sydney–New York service is part of the same plan. Its great-circle distance is about 16,010 km.
Dates for new ultra-long-haul routes depend on aircraft deliveries and regulators. Treat October 2027 as Qantas’s plan, not a booking date, until tickets go on sale.
Why these flights are possible now
- Twin-engine efficiency. Modern aircraft such as the A350 and 787 burn far less fuel per seat than four-engine jets of a generation ago, so they can carry enough fuel for 20 hours.
- Fewer seats. Ultra-long-haul aircraft often carry fewer passengers, trading seats for fuel and comfort.
- Demand for non-stop. Many travellers pay more to avoid a connection, especially on business trips.
What it is like to fly one
- Two long sleeps or one very long day. Plan sleep around the destination’s time zone.
- Move around. Walk the aisle, stretch and drink water; many airlines build menus and lighting around reducing jet lag.
- Choose the seat carefully. On a 19-hour flight, an aisle seat you can leave without waking anyone is worth a lot.
And the shortest
At the other end of the scale, the shortest scheduled flight in the world links two islands in Orkney, off the north coast of Scotland: Westray to Papa Westray, flown by Loganair. The islands are about 2.7 km apart and the flight takes around a minute and a half in good weather, less than the time it takes to taxi at most big airports.
The longest flights from Europe
From Europe, the longest scheduled flights today are Qantas’s London–Perth (about 14,500 km) and Paris–Perth (about 14,270 km), both on the Boeing 787-9. Flights from Europe to New Zealand still need a stop. If Project Sunrise launches as planned, Sydney–London will become the longest flight from Europe as well as the longest in the world.
Have you flown one?
If you have, it is probably your longest flight ever, and worth recording. Log it on flew.world and it shows up in your records, earns the Ultra long haul badge for any flight of 12,000 km or more, and pushes your total a long way towards the next lap of the Earth. See flight milestones for the distances that matter.
Questions
What is the longest flight in the world?
Singapore Airlines’ New York JFK to Singapore, about 15,330 km (9,530 mi) and around 19 hours, on an Airbus A350-900ULR.
What will be the longest flight in 2027?
If it launches as planned in October 2027, Qantas’s non-stop Sydney–London Project Sunrise flight, about 17,000 km and up to 22 hours.
What is the longest flight from London?
Qantas’s London Heathrow to Perth, about 14,500 km and around 17 hours.
How is flight distance measured in these lists?
By great-circle distance, the shortest path between the two airports. Aircraft fly further in practice because of winds and airways.
What is the longest flight in the USA?
Among flights from the United States, New York and Newark to Singapore are the longest, both on Singapore Airlines.
Sources
- World’s 5 longest non-stop flights and how Project Sunrise will top them The National, July 2026
- Top 10 longest flights in the world in 2026 Aviation A2Z, May 2026, from OAG data
- The world’s longest non-stop flight is set to start flying from Sydney in 2027 Time Out Sydney
Updated 2 November 2026. Spotted something out of date? Tell us at hello@flew.world.
