[SH Transit] China Eastern Adds Flights On World's Longest Air Route

China Eastern Airlines will add more flights on the world's longest scheduled passenger route, a marathon link between Shanghai, Auckland and Buenos Aires.

The route covers about 20,000 kilometers and takes about 25 hours one way, making it the longest one-stop scheduled flight in the world. It opened December 4, 2025, as China's first direct air link to a major South American city.

Starting December 5, the airline will fly the route four times a week, up from twice weekly.

Flight MU745 will leave Shanghai Pudong International Airport on Mondays and Thursdays, as before, and add Wednesdays and Saturdays.

The return flight, MU746, will depart Ezeiza International Airport in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Tuesdays and Fridays, as before, and add Thursdays and Sundays.

China Eastern flies a Boeing 777-300ER on the route. The widebody jet can fly long distances and offers more comfort than smaller planes, the Shanghai-based airline said.

Passengers can check their bags straight through to their final stop without picking them up and rechecking them in Auckland, New Zealand.

The airline picks up and drops off passengers and cargo in Auckland under a fifth freedom right, an aviation agreement that lets an airline serve a third country on the way to its final destination.

The route offers a shorter alternative to flights through Europe or North America and eases jet lag for travelers heading to South America, the airline said.

It links Asia, Oceania and South America, and feeds into China Eastern's hub in Shanghai, connecting travelers from East Asia, Southeast Asia and Oceania with South America. The added flights are meant to serve business travel and cargo shipping between the three regions, the airline said.