China’s Xiamen Air is operating the world’s longest non-stop flight this week, with a total duration of 19 hours and 20 minutes between New York’s JFK Airport and Fuzhou (FOC). The journey surpasses Singapore Airlines’ flights between Singapore and Newark (19 hours 10 minutes) and Singapore and JFK (18 hours 55 minutes), which until now held the record.
The service is flown using a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner and operates twice a week, on Mondays and Fridays. The route was originally launched in 2017 and relaunched in 2024. This new configuration, however, positions it at the forefront of the global long-haul flight competition.
The primary factor extending the flight is not the geographic distance, but the avoidance of Russian airspace. Following geopolitical tensions stemming from the war in Ukraine, several Chinese airlines, including Xiamen Air, have chosen to bypass Russia, forcing a longer southward route and increasing total flight time.
Despite the additional hours, the route holds significant commercial value. Industry data indicate that approximately 160,000 passengers travel annually between New York and Fuzhou, making this corridor one of the most active between the United States and China outside the major hubs of Beijing and Shanghai.
The return journey, from Fuzhou to New York, is shorter at 14 hours and 35 minutes, due to favourable Pacific winds and a more direct trajectory, arriving at JFK Airport at 10:55 a.m. local time on the same day of departure.
For comparison, other long-haul flights among the world’s longest include:
- JFK–Manila operated by Philippine Airlines – 18 hours 10 minutes
- JFK–Auckland operated by Air New Zealand – 18 hours 20 minutes
- Dallas–Melbourne operated by Qantas – 17 hours 40 minutes
None of these exceed 19 hours.
Xiamen Air’s record also illustrates the influence of geopolitics on commercial aviation. Other Chinese carriers, such as Air China and China Southern, continue to use routes crossing Russian airspace, enabling shorter flights.
The trend of longer journeys is set to continue. In December 2025, China Eastern Airlines plans to open a Shanghai–Buenos Aires service with a stopover in Auckland. The total flight time will reach 29 hours, although the service will not be non-stop.