A China Eastern Airlines passenger plane is parked on an airport tarmac with another plane behind it

A China Eastern Airlines Airbus A350-900 passenger plane is parked on the tarmac at an airport in Qingdao, China. By Sport car hub / Shutterstock.com.

World

China Eastern Launches World’s Longest Flight: How Shanghai to Buenos Aires Route Will Transform Travel and Trade

China Eastern will launch the world’s longest flight: Shanghai to Buenos Aires (Dec 2025), with a NZ stop.

byAndres Castro

September 20, 2025, 10:26 PM

Executive Summary

China Eastern Airlines will launch the world’s longest direct flight from Shanghai to Buenos Aires, with a refueling stop in Auckland, New Zealand, starting December 2025.

The new route will cover approximately 12,000 miles, take around 29 hours, and operate twice weekly using a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.

This service is strategically significant as China Eastern’s first direct link to South America via the southern hemisphere, aiming to boost tourism, trade, and educational exchanges.

The Story So Far

China Eastern Airlines is launching the world’s longest direct flight between Shanghai and Buenos Aires to significantly reduce travel time and foster tourism, trade, and educational exchanges between China and South America. This strategic new route, which includes a refueling stop in Auckland, represents the airline’s first direct service to South America via the southern hemisphere, bypassing traditional transit points in the United States or Europe, and capitalizes on existing demand for connections in the region.

Why This Matters

The introduction of China Eastern’s Shanghai-Buenos Aires route, with a refueling stop in Auckland, marks the world’s longest direct flight and fundamentally alters travel between China and South America by significantly reducing journey times and bypassing traditional transit hubs. This strategic new service is expected to substantially boost tourism, trade, and educational exchanges across the Pacific region, while also providing direct connectivity for the South American diaspora in New Zealand and potentially establishing new “fifth freedom” air links.

Who Thinks What?

China Eastern Airlines sees the new Shanghai-Buenos Aires route as strategically significant, being its first direct service to South America via the southern hemisphere, designed to significantly reduce travel time and potentially foster benefits for tourism, trade, and education.

Auckland Airport, through CEO Carrie Hurihanganui, believes the new flight will bolster tourism, trade, and educational exchanges, while also providing a direct travel option for the approximately 40,000 South Americans residing in New Zealand.

China Eastern Airlines is set to launch what will be the world’s longest direct flight, connecting Shanghai with Buenos Aires, Argentina, starting in December 2025. This new route, which includes a brief refueling stop in Auckland, New Zealand, is designed to significantly reduce travel time between China and South America, fostering potential benefits for tourism, trade, and education.

Flight Details and Schedule

The new service will cover approximately 12,000 miles across the Pacific Ocean, with the entire journey estimated to take around 29 hours. China Eastern plans to utilize a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft for this extensive route.

Flight 745 will depart from Shanghai to Buenos Aires on Mondays and Thursdays, beginning December 4, 2025. The airline anticipates a flight duration of about 25.5 hours for this leg, attributed to favorable winds. The return service, Flight 746, from Buenos Aires to Shanghai, will operate on Tuesdays and Fridays.

Ticket Pricing and Amenities

Tickets for the inaugural December flights are already available. Economy class fares range from $1,538 to $2,270. For passengers seeking enhanced comfort on the long-haul journey, business class tickets start at approximately $5,000 and include lie-flat beds.

Strategic Significance

This new route marks China Eastern’s first direct service to South America via the southern hemisphere, bypassing traditional transit points in the United States or Europe. The airline may also explore establishing a “fifth freedom” link between Buenos Aires and Auckland, a connection that has historically demonstrated demand.

Carrie Hurihanganui, CEO of Auckland Airport, highlighted the expected positive impacts of the new flight. She noted that it would bolster tourism, trade, and educational exchanges, while also providing a direct travel option for the approximately 40,000 South Americans residing in New Zealand.