SHANGHAI- China now sits at the center of the world’s longest one-stop scheduled passenger route, as China Eastern Airlines (MU) launches a new service connecting Shanghai to Buenos Aires through Auckland. The journey covers 10,627 nautical miles and can last up to 29 hours, placing it at the top of the global ranking for multi-stop flights.
Buenos Aires gains a major new intercontinental link as the service marks China Eastern’s first passenger operation to South America. The schedule also strengthens the airline’s presence on the Shanghai–Auckland corridor, a segment that now sees nine weekly flights due to rising demand across both passenger and freight markets.
Longest One-Stop Flight Takes 29 Hours
The new Shanghai–Auckland–Buenos Aires route surpasses the previous record set by Aircalin, which operates from Nouméa to Paris via Bangkok.
The top 10 longest one-stop routes include long-haul services from carriers such as Air China (CA), Qantas (QF), Air Canada (AC), Singapore Airlines (SQ), and British Airways (BA). These flights stretch across multiple continents and often exceed 23 hours in block time.
China Eastern’s Boeing 777-300ER operates the service twice weekly and offers 316 seats across three cabins.
The aircraft also provides extensive cargo capacity, making it suitable for long-haul missions where both passenger and freight demand play a role.
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Flight Demand and Market Trends
The airline expects strong demand from the Chinese-Argentine community. Argentina hosts more than 50,000 Chinese-born residents and over 350,000 individuals of Chinese descent, making it one of the region’s most significant overseas Chinese populations.
Travel between China and Buenos Aires reached 96,000 round-trip passengers in the 12 months ending September 2025.
Auckland and Buenos Aires previously saw direct service from Aerolíneas Argentinas and Air New Zealand, but traffic declined in recent years.
Only 9,000 passengers traveled between the two cities in the past year, down from 31,000 in 2019.
Most travelers shifted to connections through Santiago, often using LATAM. China Eastern aims to rebuild the link by offering a through-service that integrates both long-haul and regional markets.
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Fifth-Freedom Highlights
China Eastern gains fifth-freedom rights on the Auckland–Buenos Aires segment, enabling nonstop flights between the two cities for the first time since early 2020.
These rights allow the airline to sell tickets exclusively for this portion, expanding commercial opportunities while improving connectivity for Oceania–South America travel.
The airline’s 2:00 am departure from Buenos Aires suggests a strategy focused on optimizing connections to Shanghai.
The schedule also supports growing tourism movement, especially as Argentina enjoys visa-free access to China for stays of up to 30 days.
With more travelers choosing multi-continent itineraries, carriers continue to invest in long-range aircraft and route expansion to serve new demand patterns.
Bottom Line
The return of an ultra-long one-stop connection between Shanghai, Auckland, and Buenos Aires marks a milestone in global aviation.
With a journey of nearly 20,000 km and a duration of up to 29 hours, China Eastern now operates the world’s longest one-stop flight.
Strong passenger demand, strategic fifth-freedom rights, and expanding intercontinental ties position this route as a major development in Asia–South America travel.
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