Twenty-nine hours in the air. Longer than a working day, a night out, a lie-in, and another working day combined. That is how long passengers will spend on China Eastern’s new direct long-haul route between Buenos Aires and Shanghai, a journey covering roughly 12,200 miles (19,650 km) and crossing 15 time zones. The new route is scheduled to begin in December 2025 using a Boeing 777-300ER, and will operate twice weekly as flights MU745 and MU746 via Auckland.
The Difference Between Direct and Non-Stop
It sounds like a fever dream at 30,000 feet, but this is aviation history in motion. The flight will become the world’s longest direct commercial route. The wording matters: “direct” does not mean “non-stop.” When most of us say “direct flight,” we picture one take-off and one landing. In airline terms, a direct flight can include a stop, as long as the flight number and aircraft remain the same. On this route, the plane lands briefly in Auckland to refuel. Passengers could step off the aircraft, stretch their legs, and continue on to Argentina without changing seats.
At present, the record for the longest non-stop flight belongs to Singapore Airlines, whose New York–Singapore service travels about 9,537 miles in just under 19 hours. That journey is operated by an Airbus A350-900ULR configured for maximum range and comfort. Qantas, meanwhile, plans to push the record further with Project Sunrise in 2027, linking London and Sydney in around 20 hours. The Australian carrier has already promised circadian lighting, stretching zones, and menu plans designed to adjust passengers’ body clocks. These flights turn endurance into luxury, though not at an economy price.
China Eastern’s new venture is a different kind of bold. It focuses on connectivity and accessibility rather than exclusivity. Until now, passengers travelling between East Asia and South America have needed at least one connection, often in the Middle East, Europe, or North America. The Shanghai–Buenos Aires service will provide the first continuous link between China and Argentina, strengthening business, tourism, and cultural exchange. New Zealand has even eased its transit visa requirements for Chinese nationals ahead of the launch to smooth the Auckland stop.
Testing Human Endurance
The long-haul flight will take roughly 29 hours westbound, depending on winds. That is more than a full day spent in a pressurised metal tube, seeing two sunrises and one sunset before touchdown. Travellers will experience everything from frozen dawns over the Pacific to tropical daylight above the Southern Hemisphere.
Pilots and aviation experts have compared ultra-long travel to “time travel for the body.” Mark Vanhoenacker, a British Airways pilot and author of Skyfaring, once described the sensation as “place lag”, the mind taking longer than the body to understand where it has arrived. The same effect will likely greet China Eastern’s passengers as they step out into Buenos Aires or Shanghai after what amounts to a moving day in the sky.
For some, this will be the ultimate bragging right: a chance to say they crossed half the world without changing planes. For others, it will be a test of patience. In the economy, even a strong Wi-Fi signal and steady caffeine supply may not make up for the cabin dryness or the endless hum of engines.
Long-haul veterans agree on a few essentials. Hydration is the first rule. The cabin’s recycled air can be drier than the Sahara, so water is your best friend. Small walks and stretches keep circulation moving and reduce swelling. Dressing in layers helps manage temperature swings. Sleep is best approached as a strategy: rest when the cabin lights dim, even if your watch says otherwise. Download everything you might want to read, watch, or listen to before boarding because Wi-Fi may fade for long stretches over the Pacific.
These habits sound simple, but they can make or break the experience.
Turning a Marathon into an Adventure
There is another way to make this route work. Instead of tackling the entire long-haul journey at once, travellers could break it up. Spend a few days in Auckland, explore New Zealand’s coastlines and Maori heritage, then continue to Argentina. On the way home, stop in Santiago or Lima to experience another continent’s rhythm before returning to China. Turning the flight into a multi-stop journey softens the fatigue and transforms the ordeal into exploration.
Still, for those who want simplicity, one seat, one ticket, one story. China Eastern’s new route deserves recognition. It reflects how far aviation has come since the Wright brothers and how demand for direct, affordable long-distance connections keeps growing.
The Bigger Picture
China Eastern is not just chasing records; it is chasing relevance in the ultra-long-haul market. Alongside Air China and China Southern, it forms part of China’s “Big Three” carriers, now looking outward. The Shanghai–Buenos Aires route sits at the heart of Beijing’s broader strategy to deepen trade and tourism ties with Latin America. According to media reports, the service could also carry significant cargo, especially agricultural goods and high-tech exports.
The route may test human patience, but it also proves human ingenuity. It represents both the power and the limits of what air travel can do, connecting two almost opposite points on Earth with one aircraft.
Would I take it? Maybe. If the legroom was decent, the Wi-Fi worked, and the moisturiser survived both hemispheres. For now, I’ll keep a close eye on what other routes China Eastern are cooking up.
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