Photo: Matthew Straubmuller/Flickr
Qantas announced this week that it may purchase several Boeing 777-8X jets in order to create a direct route from New York to Sydney that would take 20 hours to traverse. “Can an airline really pull off a 20-hour flight?” and “Does anybody really want to be on a plane for 20 hours straight?” are two different questions, but we may not know the answer to the latter until 2020. Condé Nast Traveler reports that deliveries of the Boeing jets won’t be fulfilled until then. In the meantime, adjust that travel pillow, charge your Kindle and let’s take a look at some of the longest flights that are currently available.
1. Dubai to Panama City: Emirates is known as much for its over-the-top luxury as it is for operating some of the longest hauls on the planet. This flight clocks in at 17 hours and 35 minutes, and traverses 8,588 miles.
2. Dallas/Fort Worth to Sydney: Qantas may not yet boast a 20-hour flight, but its 16 hour and 55 minute, 8,577 mile route isn’t too shabby either.
3. Los Angeles to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabian Airlines – also known as Saudia – may not have much name recognition here stateside, but one thing it is known for is operating this 16 hour and 55 minute 8,332 mile beast of a route.
4. Johannesburg to Atlanta: The longest route currently operated by an American carrier, Delta’s flight from South Africa to the American South takes 16 hours and 40 minutes to cross 8,439 miles.
5. Dubai to Los Angeles: Emirates returns to our list with this whopper, totaling 8,339 miles over the course of 16 hours and 35 minutes.
6. Abu Dhabi to Los Angeles: Etihad Airways makes its debut onto our list of long haul fliers with this arduous 8,390 mile, 16 hour and 30 minute run.
7. Dubai to Houston: Emirates is back again with this 8,167 mile route that takes 16 hours and 20 minutes to complete.
8. Dallas/Fort Worth to Hong Kong: DFW pops up again as the departure airport for American Airlines’ longest distance flight. It will take you 16 hours and 20 minutes to make this 8,123 mile journey.
9. Abu Dhabi to San Francisco: Etihad returns with this trek, covering 8,157 miles in 16 hours and 15 minutes.
10. Dubai to San Francisco: Rounding out our top 10 is – you guessed it – Emirates, with this 15 hour and 50 minute trip, totaling 8,103 miles.
The top 10 is always in flux – an Emirates Dubai to Panama City contender is coming in February, and Singapore is hoping to restore a route to NYC soon – as new technological advances make longer and longer flights possible. So while we may have to wait for that 20-hour Qantas direct flight from NYC to Sydney, you can bet that new routes will long-haul their way onto this list much sooner than that.