SINGAPORE- Xiamen Air (MF) has overtaken Singapore Airlines (SQ) as the operator of the longest nonstop passenger flight in the world. The carrier’s service from New York John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) to Fuzhou Changle International Airport (FOC) is now blocked at 19 hours and 20 minutes.
The route, originally launched in 2017 and relaunched in 2024, reaches this record-breaking duration partly due to its flight path avoiding Russian airspace. According to Simple Flying, this block time surpasses all other currently scheduled passenger flights worldwide.
Photo: Clément AlloingXiamen Air Now Operates World’s Longest Flight
While Singapore Airlines has long dominated the ultra-long-haul segment with its Singapore (SIN) to Newark (EWR) and New York JFK routes, Xiamen Air’s return to the transpacific scene has shifted the rankings.
The airline’s JFK–Fuzhou service operates twice weekly using a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, with the westbound journey clocking in at 19h 20m.
Block time—defined as the duration from chocks-off to chocks-on—captures the complete operational length of a flight, including taxiing.
For context, Singapore Airlines’ Newark–Singapore service registers 19h 10m, and its JFK–Singapore leg reaches 18h 55m. Other major ultra-long routes include Philippine Airlines’ JFK–Manila (MNL) at 18h 20m and Air New Zealand’s JFK–Auckland (AKL) at 18h 10m.
The difference lies in geography and geopolitics. Xiamen Air must route south of Russia due to ongoing airspace restrictions, significantly extending flight time.
By contrast, carriers like Air China (CA), China Eastern (MU), and China Southern (CZ) still transit over Russia, shaving off hours from comparable routes.
Photo: AirbusThe Route and Its Passenger Market
Xiamen Air’s JFK–Fuzhou flights operate on Mondays and Fridays, departing New York at 12:55 and landing in Fuzhou at 21:15 the following day.
The return journey leaves Fuzhou at 09:20 and arrives in New York at 10:55 on the same day, taking 14h 35m eastbound.
The demand for this route is driven by deep cultural and family connections. The Fuzhou–New York market carries around 160,000 round-trip passengers annually, making it one of the busiest China–US flows outside of Shanghai (195,000 passengers) and Beijing (140,000).
New York’s Chinatown even includes a “Little Fuzhou,” reflecting the strong diaspora links that sustain this service.
Comparing Ultra-Long-Haul Contenders
Qantas (QF) continues to operate several of the world’s longest nonstop flights, including Dallas–Melbourne (17h 40m), Perth–London Heathrow (17h 40m), and Perth–Paris Charles de Gaulle (17h 35m).
United Airlines (UA) also flies Houston–Sydney (17h 35m) and San Francisco–Singapore (17h 40m). Despite these lengthy operations, none exceed the 19-hour mark set by Xiamen Air.
This makes the JFK–Fuzhou route an outlier—not because of sheer distance, but due to the added airspace limitations that elongate its journey.
Photo: By Anna Zvereva from Tallinn, Estonia – China Eastern Airlines, B-2021, Boeing 777-39P ER, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=67096372The Longest One-Stop Service
Beyond nonstop operations, China Eastern Airlines (MU) is set to launch one of the world’s longest one-stop services.
Starting December 4, 2025, it will operate Shanghai Pudong (PVG) to Buenos Aires (EZE) via Auckland (AKL) using a Boeing 777-300ER.
The return leg from Argentina to China will reach up to 29 hours block time, departing Buenos Aires at 02:00 and arriving in Shanghai at 18:00 the following day.
Stay tuned with us. Further, follow us on social media for the latest updates.
Join us on Telegram Group for the Latest Aviation Updates. Subsequently, follow us on Google News
Longest Flight in the World with A350 Does Not Have First Class, Really?
The post Singapore Airlines Loses its Crown of Longest Flight in the World appeared first on Aviation A2Z.
