In a landmark moment for global aviation, China Eastern Airlines (CEA) has officially inaugurated the first direct air route between China and Argentina. Flight MU745 departed from Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) at 2:19 a.m. Beijing time on 4 December, made a two-hour technical stopover in Auckland Airport (AKL), New Zealand, and landed at Ezeiza International Airport (EZE) in Buenos Aires — marking the beginning of a historic connection between the two countries.
The route spans nearly 20,000 km and encompasses roughly 25 hours and 30 minutes of flight time from Shanghai to Buenos Aires. For the return leg — flight MU746 — the journey is expected to last around 29 hours, including a two-hour stop in Auckland. Passengers remain on board during the layover, and the aircraft and flight crew remain unchanged throughout, qualifying the journey as a “direct” flight under commercial aviation definitions.
Landed in #BuenosAires!✨
— China Eastern Airlines (@CEAirglobal) December 5, 2025
Our #Shanghai– #Auckland –#BuenosAires route will make travel between #China, #NewZealand, and #Argentina easier, transport specialty goods to new markets faster, and build a bridge for cultural dialogue among the three countries.🤩#FlywithCEAir pic.twitter.com/iemqdjqOeI
Operated with Boeing 777-300ER aircraft — a wide-body jet capable of enduring ultra-long-haul flights — the route will run twice weekly: departures from Shanghai on Mondays and Thursdays, with the return trips from Buenos Aires on Tuesdays and Fridays.
The #Shanghai–#Auckland–#BuenosAires route will soon launch on a Boeing 777-300ER, debuting #CEAir's inaugural "National Museum of China" themed flight. ✨A brand new journey, full of excitement! @MuseumsChina @skyteam @Boeing #FlywithCEAir pic.twitter.com/Ie5Ezc7Aid
— China Eastern Airlines (@CEAirglobal) December 3, 2025
The launch of this route not only sets a new world record — making it the longest one-way commercial flight — but also represents the first scheduled air link between mainland China and South America. The southern route via Auckland offers a faster alternative to the traditional northern‑hemisphere connections through Europe or North America, cutting four to five hours off the previous 30‑hour ordeal and providing a smoother link between East Asia and South America.
“It opens a ‘southbound corridor’ connecting opposite ends of the Pacific and reshapes air travel between three continents,” China Eastern Airlines wrote in its statement.
🇨🇳你好 🛫 🇳🇿Kia ora 🛬 🇦🇷Hola
— NZinShanghai 🇳🇿 (@NZinShanghai) December 4, 2025
China Eastern Airlines’ Shanghai–Auckland–Buenos Aires service launches today, flying twice a week covering 20,000km. Exciting milestone for New Zealand’s tourism & trade links with Asia & South America. Congratulations @AKL_Airport @CEAirglobal pic.twitter.com/0FUWnsRIBC
The Shanghai–Auckland–Buenos Aires route has become the world’s longest commercial flight, overtaking Xiamen Airlines’ nonstop service from New York’s JFK to Fuzhou, which took 19 hours and 20 minutes. Close behind are Singapore Airlines’ direct flights connecting Singapore with Newark (19 hours and 10 minutes) and JFK (18 hours and 55 minutes), followed by Air New Zealand’s Auckland–JFK route at 17 hours and 45 minutes.
As airlines continue to push the boundaries of ultra‑long‑haul travel, Qantas aims to set a new benchmark in 2027 with its planned nonstop Sydney–London service, covering roughly 9,500 miles in around 22 hours aboard the Airbus A350‑1000ULR.
For travellers, new routes offer a simpler journey: instead of juggling multiple flights and long layovers, passengers can now travel between distant parts of the world more efficiently and with far less hassle.
