China Eastern Airlines has officially begun operating the world’s longest scheduled commercial itinerary—a 29-hour, 20,000-kilometre journey linking Shanghai Pudong, Auckland and Buenos Aires. The first Monday flight of the new MU745/746 rotation departed on December 15, 2025, cementing what the carrier calls a new “southbound corridor” between Asia and South America.
Although the service includes a technical stop in Auckland for refuelling and crew change, door-to-door travel time surpasses Singapore Airlines’ New York–Singapore sector and creates the first direct connection between Mainland China and Argentina. Operated twice weekly with 316-seat Boeing 777-300ERs configured for long-haul comfort, the route is expected to support Argentina’s growing ethnic Chinese community, agricultural exporters targeting Asia and multinational firms shuttling engineers between the continents.
For corporate mobility managers the new link eliminates the need for circuitous routings via Europe or North America, reducing total journey time by roughly five hours and cutting exposure to multiple transit-visa regimes. Forwarders specialising in high-value air cargo—particularly chilled beef, lithium-battery components and biotech samples—are likewise eyeing the belly-hold capacity as a competitive boon.
![China Eastern Launches Record-Breaking 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Service]()
Whether you’re a travel coordinator arranging staff movements or a freight specialist handling time-critical shipments, navigating the visa and transit rules for China, New Zealand and Argentina can be daunting. VisaHQ’s digital platform streamlines the process with real-time requirement checks, online applications and door-to-door passport handling, helping stakeholders avoid last-minute documentation snags on this record-breaking route. Find out more at https://www.visahq.com/china/.
China Eastern’s decision comes amid a rebound in ultra-long-haul experimentation as airlines leverage fuel-efficient twin-jets and re-optimised polar routings that skirt geo-political no-fly zones. Rival carriers such as Qantas and Singapore Airlines have announced similar ambitions, but China Eastern has now proved that demand exists on what was once considered an esoteric trade lane.
Travel buyers should note that the outbound leg departs Shanghai at 02:00 CST on Mondays and Thursdays, arriving in Buenos Aires at 16:55 local time, with the return leaving on Tuesdays and Fridays. Corporate travellers are advised to build in additional recovery time given the extreme 11-hour time-zone shift and to check visa requirements for the Auckland transit stop, which currently remains air-side for Chinese nationals.
Although the service includes a technical stop in Auckland for refuelling and crew change, door-to-door travel time surpasses Singapore Airlines’ New York–Singapore sector and creates the first direct connection between Mainland China and Argentina. Operated twice weekly with 316-seat Boeing 777-300ERs configured for long-haul comfort, the route is expected to support Argentina’s growing ethnic Chinese community, agricultural exporters targeting Asia and multinational firms shuttling engineers between the continents.
For corporate mobility managers the new link eliminates the need for circuitous routings via Europe or North America, reducing total journey time by roughly five hours and cutting exposure to multiple transit-visa regimes. Forwarders specialising in high-value air cargo—particularly chilled beef, lithium-battery components and biotech samples—are likewise eyeing the belly-hold capacity as a competitive boon.
Whether you’re a travel coordinator arranging staff movements or a freight specialist handling time-critical shipments, navigating the visa and transit rules for China, New Zealand and Argentina can be daunting. VisaHQ’s digital platform streamlines the process with real-time requirement checks, online applications and door-to-door passport handling, helping stakeholders avoid last-minute documentation snags on this record-breaking route. Find out more at https://www.visahq.com/china/.
China Eastern’s decision comes amid a rebound in ultra-long-haul experimentation as airlines leverage fuel-efficient twin-jets and re-optimised polar routings that skirt geo-political no-fly zones. Rival carriers such as Qantas and Singapore Airlines have announced similar ambitions, but China Eastern has now proved that demand exists on what was once considered an esoteric trade lane.
Travel buyers should note that the outbound leg departs Shanghai at 02:00 CST on Mondays and Thursdays, arriving in Buenos Aires at 16:55 local time, with the return leaving on Tuesdays and Fridays. Corporate travellers are advised to build in additional recovery time given the extreme 11-hour time-zone shift and to check visa requirements for the Auckland transit stop, which currently remains air-side for Chinese nationals.
