Ultra-long-haul flights: here are the 15 longest routes in the world in 2023
In recent years, one of the biggest trends in air transportation has been for airlines to launch [...]
United Airlines
Singapore Airlines
Qantas
Emirates
Delta
Air New Zealand
Air India
In recent years, one of the biggest trends in air transportation has been for airlines to launch more and more very long-range flights: a veritable "moon rush" interrupted only by the pandemic break due to travel restrictions and the subsequent collapse in business travel.
Over 8 thousand miles
In this article:
With the "return to normalcy" so the airlines have resumed launching direct flights over 8 thousand miles and some of these have been launched just in the last few months.
The ability to cover these long distances nonstop is mainly provided by the spread of aircraft Airbus A350 and Boeing B787 latest generation.
Both aircraft provide a lower fuel consumption with better performance than the previous generation aircraft and are easier to fill because they provide fewer seats on board than the "giant" B747 or A380.
A350 cockpit
Here is the list of the 15 longest flights in the world, given the distance in miles between the two reference cities. All of these flights, under normal conditions, have a duration of more than 15 hours, up to a maximum of nearly 19 hours of travel time.
The top five longest routes in 2023
The top two longest flights in the world are both operated by Singapore Airlines and both reach New York on the A350-900 Ulr (Ultra long range). There is no traditional Economy class on board: only Business and Premium Economy.
The first is the direct route from Singapore to New York Jfk for a total of 9,537 miles, followed by the almost identical route to New York Newark, operated with the same type of aircraft but traveling only 14 miles less.
A business class seat on Singapore Airlines' A350
The third and fourth places are occupied by two flights of the Australian airline Qantas, both operated with B787-9s. The Perth-London Heathrow route is 9,010 miles long; while the Melbourne-Dallas reaches 8,992 miles.
In fifth place is the flight between Auckland and New York Jfk operated by Air New Zealand with B787-9 for a total of 8,828 miles. However, the same route will also be operated by Qantas starting next June 14, 2023.
The flights of Emirates, Air India and United
Beyond the top five ticks Emirates' flight between Dubai and Auckland, the only one in the ranking operated with the "giant of the skies" A380 covering an impressive 8,824 miles.
In seventh place is the return of Singapore Airlines with the A350-900 on the 8,770-mile route between Singapore and Los Angeles; followed by the flight Bangalore-San Francisco by Air India traveling the 8,701 miles between the two cities with the B777-200LR.
In ninth place is the U.S. airline - United Airlines - which flies dHouston airport to Sydney with the B787-9 for a route of 8,596 miles.
Closing out the top ten longest flights in the world is Qantas' Sydney-Dallas connection, always operated with the B787-9 For a length of 8,578 miles.
Outside the top ten, but still long range
In 11th place in the ranking Philippine Airlines squares off traveling the 8,520 miles between the Asian country's capital, Manila, and New York's Jfk Airport on the Airbus A350-900.
They follow the flight between Singapore and San Francisco by Singapore Airlines with A350-900 (also operated, however, by United with B787-9)for a total of 8,446 miles; the route Atlanta-Johannesburg by Delta Air Lines (8,439 miles with A350-900) and Air India's Mumbai-San Francisco (8,406 miles with B777-200LR).
Closing out the top 15 is the Emirates Dubai-Los Angeles flight, which travels 8,339 miles again on the A380.
The longest flight from Italy
Beyond the 15th position, but remaining in the top 20 is also a flight departing from Italy. In fact, in 18th place is the vseasonal flight Perth-Rome Fiumicino, which will restart next June 17 after last summer's success.
Course, operated by Qantas with the Boeing 787-9, is 8,298 miles long and then continues on to Sydney.
Waiting for Project Sunrise
In the meantime, however, always Qantas has been working for years now, on the famous Project Sunrise, which promises to become the world's longest flight ever.
The goal of the Australian airline is to fly, nonstop, from Sydney to London and New York. Namely. travel more than 10 thousand miles safely and with a plane full of passengers.
Qantas is expected to sign, therefore, an order with Airbus for a special version of the A350/1000, i.e., the largest model of the made-in-Europe flagship. A modified version with two additional fuel tanks installed and, above all, enough power to ensure that it can safely carry passengers and cargo from the two poles opposites of the globe.
The plan before the pandemic was to launch the two routes commercially in 2023, in fact everything was postponed by 2 years and now the goal is to start by the end of 2025.
