In the event you’re the kind of traveler who prefers a continuous flight, regardless of the fee or size, that is your period. Of the ten longest flights on the planet, Singapore Airways’ two flights between Singapore and NYC high out at practically 19 hours and greater than 9,500 miles; Air India’s flight between San Francisco and Bangalore is almost 18 hours. These are the most recent in what has been a gradual stream of super-long-haul flights previously few years.
Qantas—which at the moment flies from JFK to Auckland, New Zealand, in 17 hours 40 minutes—has plans to roll out a 20-hour flight between London and Sydney in mid-2025. If and when it does launch, it will take the highest spot because the longest flight.
And it isn’t simply worldwide flights which might be going the gap. Hawaiian Airways runs an 11-hour nonstop service between Boston and Honolulu, a 5,095-mile flight that’s the longest in the USA.
Nonetheless, whereas some vacationers are cheering on the development of ultra-long nonstop flights, others suppose that many hours is just too a lot time to spend on a single airplane.
The Benefits of Tremendous-Lengthy-Haul Flights
For a lot of jet-setters, the extra direct the higher, even when which means spending quite a few hours on a single flight.
“I’ll at all times select a super-long-haul flight as a substitute of a layover,” mentioned writer and professor Michael Meyer, who incessantly travels between the USA and Asia to offer talks on his nonfiction trilogy about China. He mentioned his largest subject with layovers is that they improve the chance of missed flights and may trigger additional delays to an already very lengthy journey.
Meyer additionally runs marathons, and he mentioned the identical mindset applies to super-long-haul flights. “Mentally divide the journey into quarters. I’ll learn a e book I’ve been saving for the primary 4 or 5 hours, then take an Advil PM and sleep for 4 or 5 hours, then watch two films for the subsequent quarter, after which return to studying,” mentioned Meyer, including that this method makes it really feel way more like a relaxed journey quite than an countless wrestle.
Nicola Farinetti, chairman of the board of Eataly, mentioned that whatever the distance or period of the flight, he at all times prefers to fly direct as a result of it’s much less traumatic for him, and it helps him preserve his schedule.
Singapore-based TV government Alysha Chopra usually travels to Sydney, the USA, and Europe, plus she grew up in Sydney, so she’s no stranger to hours on planes. Nonetheless, she prefers fewer, longer flights. “Lengthy-haul flights are tiring,” Chopra says, “however I’d a lot quite get there prior to cease someplace.”
Why Lengthy Hauls Aren’t for Everybody
Whereas few would debate the comfort of a single, longer flight, there are some well being considerations to think about, in keeping with Sheryl Hill, founding father of Depart Good, a company that advocates for journey security and is now owned by AIG.
“Flights, normally, have well being dangers. Flying at excessive altitudes [there is] thinner oxygen, extra air stress, and fewer humidity,” mentioned Hill. “You usually tend to get sick on a flight. So, build up your immune system with train, relaxation, and nutritional vitamins is an efficient protection.”
She advisable that long-haul vacationers get their flu photographs, deliver their very own crammed [reusable] water bottles on board, and use disinfectant wipes and hand sanitizer liberally.
“All of us suppose lengthy direct flights are finest, however they will not be finest for you,” mentioned Hill, noting that these in danger for blood clots or with sure medical circumstances ought to maybe think about shorter flight choices as a substitute.
Others admitted that the place they’re sitting on the airplane makes an enormous distinction in whether or not they can stand up to a marathon in-flight expertise.
“I’ll solely undertake a super-long-haul if I’m within the entrance of the airplane the place it’s doable to stretch and stroll about,” mentioned George Morgan-Grenville, the founder and CEO of luxurious journey firm Purple Savannah, referring to touring both enterprise or top notch. When touring an extended distance in financial system, Morgan-Grenville mentioned he prefers to interrupt up the journey, spend an evening on the bottom, train correctly, after which proceed on. It needs to be famous that on its super-long-haul nonstop flights, Singapore Airways has no common financial system class, solely premium.
Sangeeta Sadarangani, founder and CEO of London-based Crossing Journey, has household, purchasers, and workers primarily based all over the world and incessantly travels lengthy distances herself. She mentioned she’s going to nearly at all times select a flight with a stopover in order that she will stretch her legs, make calls and test emails, and have a more healthy meal and nicer restroom than on board.
The Airways Making Lengthy Flights Extra Comfy
Whereas some flyers could by no means take to the concept of seemingly interminable flights, Singapore Airways and different long-haul carriers have and proceed to make quite a few efforts to make sure that these longer jaunts are as comfy as will be, from jet-lag-reducing lighting to extra nutritious meals served on board.
Singapore Airways’ 9,500-mile flights between JFK and Newark and Singapore happen on the ultra-long-range Airbus A350-900ULRs, which have greater ceilings and bigger home windows than different Airbus planes, an extra-wide physique, and lighting designed to scale back jet lag. The inside cabins are pressurized to a decrease altitude (6,000 ft versus 8,000 ft), and a HEPA airflow administration system replaces cabin air each two minutes.
Singapore Airways has partnered with wellness model Golden Door to develop nutrition- and hydration-focused menus in addition to guided stretching workout routines that passengers can entry through their seatback leisure programs, obtainable on the service’s long-haul flights.
The super-long-haul flights provided by United and Qantas are carried out by Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, plane with Boeing’s most enhanced air flow programs and greater home windows than Airbus’ A350; additionally they have cabins pressurized to a decrease altitude.
The Way forward for the World’s Longest Flights
“The actual focus of those flights is a mix of some saving in flight time and the comfort,” mentioned John Grant, companion with aviation consulting group MIDAS Aviation, explaining why we’ve seen an uptick in these long-haul flights.
However, he added, “these 14-hour-plus sector lengths are stretching each passengers’ service necessities and the creativity of airways’ in-flight providers.”
Love ’em or hate ’em, there’s a good likelihood we’ll proceed to see a number of extra super-long-haul flights launch within the close to future, not least due to developments in plane expertise which might be making these epic journeys doable.
This text was initially printed in 2018 and most just lately up to date on July 5, 2024, with present info.
