China Eastern Launches World's Longest Direct Flight to Buenos Aires
China Eastern Airlines has made aviation history with the launch of the world’s longest intercontinental flight, establishing a direct connection between Shanghai and Buenos Aires via Auckland, New Zealand. The inaugural service, which successfully completed its first journey on December 4, 2025, represents a significant milestone in global aviation and marks a strategic expansion of connectivity across three continents.
Operating as Flight MU745, the service utilizes a Boeing 777-39P(ER) aircraft registered as B-7882, specially adorned with China Eastern Airlines’ inaugural ‘National Museum of China’ themed livery. The route comprises two substantial flight legs: a 9,346-kilometer journey from Shanghai Pudong International Airport to Auckland International Airport, followed by a 10,334-kilometer transoceanic flight to Buenos Aires Ministro Pistarini International Airport.
The operational performance demonstrates the capabilities of modern wide-body aircraft. The Shanghai-to-Auckland leg was completed in 10 hours and 53 minutes, while the Auckland-to-Buenos Aires segment took 11 hours and 22 minutes. Including the scheduled two-hour stopover in Auckland for crew changes and aircraft servicing, the complete journey from Shanghai to Buenos Aires spans approximately 25.5 hours, with return flights expected to take around 29 hours—a reduction of over four hours compared to existing routing options.
China Eastern highlighted the strategic importance of this connection in an official statement: “Our Shanghai-Auckland-Buenos Aires route will make travel between China, New Zealand, and Argentina easier, transport specialty goods to new markets faster, and build a bridge for cultural dialogue among the three countries.”
For New Zealand, the reestablishment of direct access to Buenos Aires carries particular significance. Auckland Airport Chief Executive Carrie Hurihanganui emphasized the importance of deepened aviation links with China, noting that approximately 94,000 passengers traveled between New Zealand and South America in 2025. The air trade between these regions reached NZ$129 million in the year ending October 2025, representing an 11% increase year-over-year.
This route exemplifies how modern aviation infrastructure enables unprecedented global connectivity, reducing travel times and opening new commercial opportunities across regions previously connected only through intermediate hubs. The service addresses growing demand for direct connections between Asia-Pacific and South American markets while reinforcing China’s strategic positioning in global aviation networks.
Source ID: SRCE-2025-1764932446948-1175