Your Guide To The Longest Jet Charter Flights Around The World

A long-haul flight can feel like a never-ending trip for passengers. Especially when you need to make one or two stops at airports so that your plane can re-fuel. It makes what is already a very long flight even longer, as you often have several hours spent waiting for your plane to re-board.

Which is why, with advancements in flying technology, passengers are very excited about the introduction of non-stop long-haul flights, where flights from the likes of Texas to Australia are now possible without your plane needing to stop for fuel.

How Can an Airplane Manage Such a Long Flight?

When you think of a long-haul flight, you’re likely to imagine a flight where you have to make at least two or three stops in different countries, allowing planes to receive more fuel to finish their journey. Yet, when it comes to developing new aircraft jets, engineers have been developing new technologies for aircrafts, which allows for these planes to stay in the air longer.

One of the biggest advancements in aircraft technology is the fact that these newer aircrafts have a far improved fuel efficiency as well as further range. So, because of these improvements, some jets are now able to fly non-stop for very large distances across the globe.

Some of the most advanced jets to date include:

Airbus A350-900 ULR

When you think of advanced aircrafts, it’s likely that Airbus will spring to mind. That’s because Airbus has been responsible for developing many of the best incredibly efficient jets available to date. With the A350-900 ULR, this aircraft has twin engines, where these engines run specifically to burn through fewer amounts of fuel while in the air. Similarly, this aircraft has a very large fuel carrying capacity of 24,000 liters. Due to these engines and fuel capacity, this impressive plane can stay in the air for approximately 20 hours or 10,000 miles. Which is impressive for an aircraft that has 161 seats.

Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner

While the Airbus A350-900 ULF has 161 seats, the Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner can carry an immense 330 passengers. Now, with a bigger capacity, you’d expect this large aircraft to have a high fuel-per-passenger ratio. Well, no! This Boeing actually loses 25% less fuel per person, which is one of the reasons this plane can travel 6,430 nautical miles. Indeed, this lightweight aircraft has helped introduce numerous long-haul flights for various airlines. Plus, the plane itself benefits from a very modern and comfortable interior, including LED lighting.

In fact, having a comfortable and roomy interior is more than just nice for your passengers. When it comes to a plane that might spend as many as 16 or 17 hours in the air, it’s an essential addition to keep passengers happy and allow them to move around to avoid swelling. This comfort is also seen in technology that will improve the air pressure onboard and with the LED lighting that aims to lower any jet lag that passengers might suffer on reaching their destination.

What Are the Five Longest Flights in the World?

1: Singapore to Newark – Singapore Airlines

The thought of spending 19 hours stuck on a plane might be a nightmare for many, however, Singapore Airlines have made the world’s longest flight far more pleasant than you might have imagined. For one, this Singapore to Newark flight has no economy seats, so you’ll be in for more luxury than your regular plane.

On this particular flight path, the Airbus A350-900 ULR has been split into two compartments – one business cabin with 67 seats and a premium-economy section that seats 94. Which means, with a total of 161 passengers, fuel consumption is lessened allowing for such a long time in the air.

Time in Air: 19 hours

Distance: 10,330 miles

Aircraft: Airbus A350-900 ULR

Airline: Singapore Airlines

2: Auckland to Doha – Qatar Airways

While Singapore Airlines might hold the record for the longest flight time, it’s Qatar Airways that takes the crown for the longest flight seating economy passengers, flying from Auckland International to Hamad International Airport. Which, with over 17 hours in the air, is a scary prospect for passengers stuck with a seat kicker behind them.

Overall, this jet, which can carry a total of 266 passengers over 9,420 miles without stopping, is an incredibly advanced technological achievement. Which is good, as by connecting two of the busiest airports in the world, this is a very popular flight pass for business travellers and holiday-goers alike.

Time in Air: 17 hours 40 minutes

Distance: 9,032 miles

Aircraft: Boeing 777-200LR

Airline: Qatar Airways

3: Perth to London – Qantas Airlines

This flight, which is the first regular flight from Britain to Australia without stopping, spends an impressive 17 hours and 20 minutes in the air. Not only is this an impressive flight time but, with the ability to seat 236 people, you can understand the popularity of this flight for business and holiday passengers.

These Qantas flights run with three classes of seats (economy, premium economy and business) and has an on-flight menu which features healthy options to help combat jet-lag for its passengers. Which is important considering this is an incredibly long flight, without any breaks at stop-over airports.

Time in Air: 17 hours 20 minutes

Distance: 9,010 miles

Aircraft: Boeing 787 Dreamliner

Airline: Qantas

4: Houston to Sydney – United Airlines

First flown back in 2018, this United Airline non-stop flight seeks to unite two of the world’s biggest destinations for business – Houston and Sydney. So, it’s no surprise then that this flight is extremely popular with those travelling for business (particularly in the financial sector). Which is why this Boeing offers 48 business seats on each flight, all with flat beds to get some well needed rest. For other passengers, there are 63 premium-economy seats and 141 seats for economy.

Time in Air: 17 hours 15 minutes

Distance: 8,596 miles

Aircraft: Boeing 787 Dreamliner

Airline: United Airlines

5: Los Angeles to Singapore – Singapore Headlines

As well as hosting the longest flight across the globe, Singapore Airlines is home to the fifth longest flight too. This time flying from Los Angeles International Airport over to Singapore Changi, where it will spend just approximately 17 hours in the air. Like the previous flight, the plane operated on this service is an Airbus A350-900 ULR.

It’s interesting to note that this flight path was cancelled by Singapore Airlines back in 2013 because of the rising prices of fuel. It was only re-started in November 2018 because of these new fuel-efficient aircrafts like the A350-900 ULR.

Time in Air: 17 hours

Distance: 8,759 miles

Aircraft: Airbus A350-900 ULR

Airline: Singapore Airlines

It’s important to remember that, on the day of a flight, these flight times might be slightly longer. This is due to alternations in headwinds or tailwinds. Flight times may also vary due to the weather, where slight alterations might be required to avoid certain conditions.

The Future of Non-Stop Flights

While just a few years ago the idea of a non-stop flight to the likes of Australia felt like something out of a sci-fi movie, these days airlines are constantly announcing intentions to launch new non-stop flight paths. Even better, while some airlines market these flights to premium-paying customers who fly business or first class, many of these airlines now have more affordable economy seats for the regular passenger.

In the next few years, you can expect to see long-haul flights from Poland to San Francisco and Dallas to Tokyo – all without any stops.