The Airbus A350 has become the backbone of ultra-long-haul aviation, enabling airlines to operate some of the longest nonstop commercial flights ever attempted. With variants like the Airbus A350-900ULR and A350-1000, carriers such as Singapore Airlines (SQ), Qatar Airways (QR), and Air India (AI) are pushing the limits of range and endurance.
Based on Cirium flight data, Simple Flying reported about the top 10 longest Airbus A350 routes currently operated worldwide, ranked by block time.
1. New York (JFK) – Singapore (SIN)
Operated by Singapore Airlines, this is the world’s longest international flight.
- Aircraft: Airbus A350-900ULR
- Frequency: Daily
- Flight time: ~19h 15m
This ultra-long-haul service connects Singapore Changi Airport with New York JFK, covering nearly 9,700 nautical miles. It is configured with a premium-heavy layout of business and economy seating to support long-duration comfort.
Singapore Airlines has seven A350-900ULRs. Unlike typical widebody configurations, these aircraft are intentionally designed without an economy cabin. Instead, the layout prioritizes premium travel, combining comfort with operational efficiency for some of the world’s longest nonstop flights.
The cabin configuration is structured around exclusivity and endurance-focused design:
- 67 Business Class suites
- One of the largest Premium Economy cabins in the industry
- No Economy Class seating
This premium-heavy layout plays a dual role. It reduces overall aircraft weight—an important factor when operating routes of up to 9,000 miles or more—while also ensuring a significantly higher level of comfort for passengers spending close to 18 hours onboard.
Singapore Airlines is now actively upgrading its A350 fleet as part of a broader cabin modernization program. A key development in this retrofit is the introduction of a First-Class cabin on the A350-900ULR for the first time, marking a major shift in how ultra-long-haul premium travel will be positioned in the market. The airline announced a US$1.1 billion refurbishment program of the ULRs in 2024.
2. Newark (EWR) – Singapore (SIN)
This is another Singapore Airlines ultra-long-range flagship route.
- Aircraft: Airbus A350-900ULR
- Frequency: Daily
- Flight time: ~19h 10m
Similar to the JFK service, this route ranks among the longest nonstop flights globally.
3. Los Angeles (LAX) – Singapore (SIN)
A key transpacific connection linking the U.S. West Coast to Southeast Asia.
- Aircraft: Airbus A350-900 / A350-900ULR
- Frequency: Up to 10x weekly
- Flight time: ~17h 50m
According to Simple FLying, the flag carrier of Singapore is “the only carrier to operate direct flights from its home in Singapore to both New York City and Los Angeles“. However, the airline competes directly with United Airlines on the San Francisco route, where the Star Alliance partner operates Boeing 787-9 aircraft on the same service.
These flights are presently operated using the A350-900, although Singapore Airlines is set to bring back the A350-900ULR on services to Los Angeles starting in November.
4. Doha (DOH) – San Francisco (SFO)
This is one of Qatar Airways’ longest A350-1000 routes.
- Aircraft: Airbus A350-1000
- Frequency: Up to 4x weekly (temporarily paused)
- Flight time: ~17h 40m
This ultra-long-haul link is currently suspended due to regional airspace disruptions due to the Iran War, which saw USAF’s A-10 being destroyed. Many carriers have also suspended their flights over the Iranian airspace.
5. San Francisco (SFO) – Singapore (SIN)
This is another cornerstone route in Singapore Airlines’ network, and the final route of the airline on the list.
- Aircraft: Airbus A350-900 / A350-900ULR
- Frequency: 2x daily
- Flight time: ~17h 30m
This high-frequency ultra-long-haul service highlights Singapore Airlines’ operational scale on transpacific routes.
6. Doha (DOH) – Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW)
A major Qatar Airways U.S. gateway route.
- Aircraft: Airbus A350-1000
- Frequency: Up to 2x daily (reduced currently)
- Flight time: ~17h 30m
The route has seen temporary reductions but remains one of Qatar Airways’ flagship long-haul U.S. connections. Qatar has 28 aircraft of this type in its fleet and these average 5.5 years. There are two versions in which Qatar configures its A350-1000s:
| Category | A350-1000 V.1 | A350-1000 V.2 |
|---|---|---|
| Total seats | 327 | 395 |
| Business Class seats | 46 | 24 |
| Economy Class seats | 281 | 371 |
| Business Class pitch | 103″ | 103″ |
| Business Class width | 21″ | 21″ |
| Business Class recline | 180° | 180° |
| Economy Class pitch | 31–32″ | 31–32″ |
| Economy Class width | 16.9–17.4″ | 16.9–17.4″ |
| Economy Class recline | 5″ | 5″ |
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7. Delhi (DEL) – New York (JFK)
This is a flagship long-haul route for Air India and one of the two routes of the carrier that makes it to the list.
- Aircraft: Airbus A350-900
- Frequency: 5x weekly
- Flight time: ~17h 20m (nonstop conditions)
The route has occasionally required technical stops in Rome due to airspace constraints but is expected to return to nonstop operations. According to data from planespotters.net, Air India has total of six A350-900s in its fleet and these average 2.5 years:
| Reg | Delivered | Age |
|---|---|---|
| VT-JRA | Dec 2023 | 2.7 Years |
| VT-JRB | Feb 2024 | 2.6 Years |
| VT-JRE | Mar 2024 | 2.6 Years |
| VT-JRF | Apr 2024 | 2.5 Years |
| VT-JRH | Feb 2024 | 2.4 Years |
| VT-JRI | Apr 2024 | 2.4 Years |
8. Delhi (DEL) – Newark (EWR)
Air India uses the same aircraft type on the DEL-EWR service as it does for the DEL-JFK route:
- Aircraft: Airbus A350-900
- Frequency: 4x weekly
- Flight time: ~17h 20m
Let’s take a look at the way the carrier configures its A350-900:
| Feature | Business Class | Premium Economy | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Check-in | Dedicated counter | Dedicated counter | Standard |
| Boarding | Priority | Priority | Standard |
| Seat pitch | N/A | 38″ | 31″ |
| Seat width | N/A | 18.5″ | 17.5″ |
| Seat recline | Full flatbed (79″) | 8″ | 6″ |
| Seat type | Private suite with doors | Recliner seat | Standard seat |
| Headrest | N/A | 4-way adjustable | Adjustable |
| Leg/foot rest | N/A | Leg rest with foot paddle | None |
| Entertainment screen | 21″ HD | 13.3″ HD touchscreen | 12″ HD touchscreen |
| Audio | Noise-cancelling headphones | Active noise-cancelling headsets | Earbuds |
| Meals | Gourmet meals on bespoke tableware | Full-course meals (global/local) | Full-course meals |
| Amenity kit | Ferragamo | TUMI | Basic kit (blanket/pillow) |
| Storage | Personal wardrobe + ample stowage | Standard | Standard |
| Power outlets | Universal AC + USB | Universal AC + USB | USB |
| Lighting | N/A | Reading light | Standard cabin lighting |
Data: Air India
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9. Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) – Hong Kong (HKG)
This is the only route operated by Cathay Pacific (CX) on this list.
- Aircraft: Airbus A350-1000 / A350-900
- Frequency: Daily
- Flight time: ~17h 15m
Cathay Pacific is an airline which has some of the best economy class, and one can hope that Cathay serves this on the DFW-HKG route on its A350. The carrier operates this flight with its -1000s currently and will use the -900 from October:
| Aircraft Type | Count | Extra | Total | Age (Avg) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbus A350-900 | 29 | 1 | 30 | 8.1 Years |
| Airbus A350-1000 | 17 | 1 | 18 | 6.4 Years |
10. Johannesburg (JNB) – Atlanta (ATL)
Delta Air Lines (DL) operates one of the longest A350 services in Africa–U.S. operations as it flies to Johannesburg.
- Aircraft: Airbus A350-900
- Frequency: Daily (reduced to 5x weekly in winter)
- Flight time: ~17h 05m
This ultra-long-haul route connects South Africa directly with the United States, forming a key Southern Hemisphere–North America link. Delta has 40 Airbus A350-900s in its fleet and these average a little over 5 years.
Here’s how Delta configures its A350-900:
| Category | Delta One® | Delta Premium Select | Delta Comfort | Delta Main |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation (306 seats) | 32 seats | 48 seats | 36 seats | 190 seats |
| Seat Width / Pitch | 20.46 in / 76–77 in (layflat bed) | 18.5 in / 38 in (47 cm / 97 cm) | 17.4 in / 34 in (44 cm / 86 cm) | 17.4 in / 31–32 in (44 cm / 79–81 cm) |
| Child Seat Fit Guide (Aircraft seat width min–max) | 20.46 in / 52 cm | 18.5 in / 47 cm | 17.37 in / 44.1 cm | 16.19 in / 41.1 cm |
| Underseat Dimensions (D × W × H) | No underseat storage space | 14 in × 18 in × 5.5 in | 14 in × 15 in × 8.8 in | 14 in × 15 in × 8.8 in |
| Amenities | Bed, Wi-Fi, USB, Power outlet, Screen | Wi-Fi, USB, Screen, Power outlet | Wi-Fi, USB, Screen, Power outlet | Wi-Fi, USB, Screen, Power outlet |