These Are the 10 Longest Flights in the World — How Many Have You Flown?

Whether they’re traversing oceans or crossing the North Pole, these mega-flights push aviation limits – and test passengers’ patience.

Though they’re soon to be upset by projected routes (Dubai International Airport [DXB] – Panama City Tocumen International Airport [PTY] at 8,588 miles and Singapore Changi Airport [SIN] – Newark Liberty International Airport [EWR] at 9,506 miles), these flights are currently the longest-distance legs you can find.

10. John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) – Hong Kong International Airport (HKG)
Carrier: Cathay Pacific CX 831, CX 841, CX 845
Distance: 8,072 miles
Flight Time: 16 hours
Aircraft: Boeing 777-300ER

Hong Kong-based carrier Cathay Pacific offers this long haul for those leaving out of New York City. At 16 hours, it packs a wallop, but the carrier’s 5-star Skytrax rating helps ease the pain a little.

9. DXB – San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
Carrier: Emirates EK 225
Distance: 8,103 miles
Flight Time: 15 hours, 50 minutes
Aircraft: Airbus A380-800

This flight, along with many others operated by Emirates, heads due north from Dubai, taking passengers over the North Pole — probably one of the more comfortable ways to get there.

8. Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) – HKG
Carrier: American Airlines AA 137
Distance: 8,123 miles
Flight Time: 16 hours, 20 minutes
Aircraft: Boeing 777-300ER

With the longest flight time in American Airlines’ network, this leg clocks in at 8,123 miles. It launched in 2014 and was the first ever non-stop connection between DFW and China.

7. Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) – SFO
Carrier: Etihad Airways EY 183
Distance: 8,158 miles
Max Flight Time: 16 hours, 15 minutes
Aircraft: Boeing 777-300ER

This flight ran into some bad press back in January when fog conditions trapped passengers an additional 12 hours. Things seem to have calmed down since then, so you’ll in all likelihood just have a cool 16 hours and 15 minutes to kill.

6. DXB – Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)
Carrier: Emirates EK 211
Distance: 8,168 miles
Flight Time: 16 hours, 20 minutes
Aircraft: Airbus A380-800

Texans wanting a far-flung holiday have yet another option at their disposal. Economy seats offer 1800 channels, while first-class flyers enjoy private suites, access to showers and posh amenity kits.

5. Jeddah King Abdulaziz International Airport (JED) – Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
Carrier: Saudia SV 41
Distance: 8,332 miles
Flight Time: 16 hours, 55 minutes
Aircraft: Boeing 777-300ER

Targeted at students and Mecca pilgrims, this leg has one of the longest flight times here. Per executive vice president for commercial affairs Abdul Mohsen Junaid, it was created as a means to “boost trade exchange between [the U.S. and Saudi Arabia].”

4. Dubai International Airport (DXB) – LAX
Carrier: Emirates EK 215
Distance: 8,339 miles
Flight Time: 16 hours, 35 minutes
Aircraft: Airbus A380-800

Emirates makes the list yet again. To help their long flight times pass by more easily, Airbus A380s feature ICE, an inflight entertainment system ranked by Skytrax as the world’s best for 11 years running.

3. AUH – LAX
Carrier: Etihad Airways EY 171
Distance: 8,390 miles
Flight Time: 16 hours, 25 minutes
Aircraft: Boeing 777-200LR

The 51 miles between Dubai and Abu Dhabi helps this leg win out over the DXB – LAX flight in our #4 spot. Interestingly, the airline was a sponsor of the Vin Diesel flick Furious 7, so passengers on this route could ride in a 777 tagged with the movie’s logo.

2. Johannesburg OR Tambo International Airport (JNB) – Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
Carrier: Delta DL 201
Distance: 8,439 miles
Flight Time: 16 hours, 40 minutes
Aircraft: Boeing 777-200LR

The lone Delta flight on the list, this jaunt gives American travelers access to some of the most spectacular wildlife in the world: JNB being just a few hours away from the world-renowned Kruger National Park.

1. DFW – SYD
Carrier: Qantas QF 8
Distance: 8,578 miles
Flight Time: 16 hours, 55 minutes
Aircraft: Airbus A380-800

Topping the list — at least for a few more months — is Qantas’ Dallas to Sydney route. The carrier transitioned from B747s to the Airbus A380 during the 2014 holiday season, and currently provides the only direct connection from Australia to the inland United States.

H/T: MileCalc for route distances; FlightStats and FlightAware for flight times.

[Photo: Getty]