Originally Posted by
TWA884
Surely you meant to write "non-stop flights."
Direct flights keep the same flight numbers and planes but stop at airports en-route while some passengers exit and others board or remain seated on the plane.
Travel Guides
Not entirely true. Continental's flight 90, for example, is a direct flight from LAX to TLV, with both a stopover AND an equipment change in EWR (from a 737-900ER to a 777-200ER). Direct flights in reality have no connection to whether or not the plane remains the same, as frequently they involve equipment change. The reason for keeping the same number has something to do with how the flights appear on searches and/or landing spots.