China Eastern Airlines has begun operating what it bills as the world’s longest scheduled one-way flight, linking Shanghai Pudong with Buenos Aires via Auckland. The first southbound flight MU745 departed at 00:10 on 4 December and touched down in Argentina after covering roughly 20,000 km and shaving more than four hours off the typical Asia–South America journey.
Route details – The thrice-weekly service uses Airbus A350-900 aircraft configured with 288 seats, including 42 lie-flat business-class beds and a new premium-economy cabin aimed at corporate travellers and Latin American agribusiness executives. Northbound legs (MU746) operate as Buenos Aires–Auckland–Shanghai with a crew change in New Zealand but no aircraft swap, enabling same-day connections to Beijing, Guangzhou and Chengdu.
![China Eastern inaugurates record-breaking Shanghai–Auckland–Buenos Aires service]()
Strategic significance – The launch follows the November signing of a China-Argentina Air Services Protocol that grants Chinese carriers fifth-freedom rights beyond New Zealand. For exporters, the “southern corridor” avoids congested North Pacific routes and delivers Argentine beef and wine to Chinese distributors a day faster, while Chinese e-commerce parcels reach South America in as little as 48 hours.
Implications for mobility programmes – Multinationals with operations in both hemispheres can cut per-diem and hotel costs associated with lengthy stopovers in Europe or the U.S. Travel managers should note that the through fare (business class) is priced about 12 percent below the prevailing two-ticket combination via Doha or Dubai.
Looking ahead – China Eastern says it will petition regulators for traffic rights to extend the service onward to São Paulo after runway upgrades at Buenos Aires’ Ezeiza airport are completed in 2026.
Route details – The thrice-weekly service uses Airbus A350-900 aircraft configured with 288 seats, including 42 lie-flat business-class beds and a new premium-economy cabin aimed at corporate travellers and Latin American agribusiness executives. Northbound legs (MU746) operate as Buenos Aires–Auckland–Shanghai with a crew change in New Zealand but no aircraft swap, enabling same-day connections to Beijing, Guangzhou and Chengdu.
Strategic significance – The launch follows the November signing of a China-Argentina Air Services Protocol that grants Chinese carriers fifth-freedom rights beyond New Zealand. For exporters, the “southern corridor” avoids congested North Pacific routes and delivers Argentine beef and wine to Chinese distributors a day faster, while Chinese e-commerce parcels reach South America in as little as 48 hours.
Implications for mobility programmes – Multinationals with operations in both hemispheres can cut per-diem and hotel costs associated with lengthy stopovers in Europe or the U.S. Travel managers should note that the through fare (business class) is priced about 12 percent below the prevailing two-ticket combination via Doha or Dubai.
Looking ahead – China Eastern says it will petition regulators for traffic rights to extend the service onward to São Paulo after runway upgrades at Buenos Aires’ Ezeiza airport are completed in 2026.
