The fifth longest flight in the world operates out of Melbourne – but a new Aussie route is set to be a record-breaker
Don't get us wrong, we love living in Melbourne (duh, have you been to our restaurants, bars and coffee spots?). But it's really not cute having to sit in a plane for 14-plus hours whenever we want to visit our fave overseas destinations.
Nevertheless, we do it – and frequently. Did you know a popular route that connects Melbourne to the USA is actually one of the longest in the whole world? Qantas' Dallas to Melbourne route clocks in at around 14,472 kilometres – that's 17 hours and 35 minutes in the air. But that's nothing compared to Qantas' ambitious plan to launch a direct 20-hour flight between Sydney and London.
So how do these local long-haul flights stack up against other routes? Let's find out.
As of 2025, the world's longest flight is the 18-hour 50-minute journey between New York City and Singapore. First launched by Singapore Airlines in 2020, this 15,349-kilometre route is operated on an Airbus A350, which features 67 business class seats and just 94 premium economy seats (there are no standard economy seats on board). In that time, you could binge-watch all eight Harry Potter movies and still have one minute to spare.
Singapore Airlines also runs the second-longest flight on Earth, an 18-hour and 45-minute journey spanning 15,344 kilometres from Newark in New Jersey to Singapore. If we're measuring by distance, Qatar Airways' Doha to Auckland route is the next longest, covering 14,535 kilometres in roughly 17 hours and 35 minutes. But if we're going off estimated flight duration, Qantas' Perth to London route takes the bronze, with the 14,499-kilometre journey taking around 17 hours and 45 minutes.
The sixth longest flight in the world by distance also depart from Australia, and is also run by Qantas. The Perth to Paris flight follows at 14,264 kilometres (17 hours, 15 minutes).
In 2027, all these flights will be bumped down the rankings when Qantas debuts its non-stop Sydney to Heathrow route. With an air time of around 20 hours across 17,015 kilometres, it'll be more than an hour longer than the current longest flight! Qantas has also teased a direct 18- or 19-hour flight from Sydney to New York, which will cover roughly 16,200 kilometres. However, we'll have to wait and see when this one is ready for takeoff.
The 10 longest flights in the world, by miles
New York (JFK) to Singapore (SIN) – 15,349km (18 hours, 50 minutes)
Newark (EWR) to Singapore (SIN) – 15,344 km(18 hours, 45 minutes)
Auckland (AKL) to Doha (DOH) – 14,535km (17 hours, 30 minutes)
Perth (PER) to London (LHR) – 14,499km (17 hours, 45 minutes)
Dallas (DFW) to Melbourne (MEL) – 14,472km (17 hours, 25 minutes)
Perth (PER) to Paris (CGD) – 14,264km (17 hours, 15 minutes)
New York (JFK) to Auckland (AKL) – 14,207km (17 hours, 30 minutes)
Auckland (AKL) to Dubai (DBX) – 14,200km (17 hours, 5 minutes)
Shenzhen (SZX) to Mexico City (MEX) – 14,147km (16 hours, 20 minutes)
Los Angeles (LAX) to Singapore (SIN) – 14,114km (17 hours, 15 minutes)
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The fifth longest flight in the world operates out of Melbourne – but a new Aussie route is set to be a record-breaker
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