World’s Longest Route: China Eastern Expands 2025 Winter–Spring Flights

China Eastern Airlines (MU), which recently announced that it will the first airline based in mainland China to provide passenger services on all six inhabited continents, launched its highly anticipated winter‑spring 2025 schedule that was posted in Business Wire, and is set to:

• deploy 820 aircraft to cover 253 destinations across 39 countries
• serve 88 overseas points
• introduce what it describes as the world’s longest commercial scheduled route.

China Eastern’s is set to link continents and hemispheres, anchoring its network in China’s major hubs while tapping sun‑belt leisure markets in Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia during the Southern Hemisphere summer. The carrier was he second-busiest carrier int he nation for September, and you can read about it in our guide below:

[China’s Busiest Airports and Airlines and Routes for September 2025: Aviation Market Overview – Avio Space]

China Eastern Airlines	Details
ICAO Code	CES
Callsign	CHINA EASTERN
Founded	1988
Headquarters	Shanghai, China
Main Hub	Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG), Shanghai
Secondary Hub	Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport (SHA)
Fleet Size (2025)	820 aircraft
Fleet Composition	Airbus A320 family, A330, A350; Boeing 737, 777; COMAC C919
Average Fleet Age	~7–10 years (varies by aircraft type)
Destinations Served	253 destinations in 39 countries (88 overseas)
Alliance / Partnerships	SkyTeam
Annual Flights	~3,130 flights per day; 3,220 international/regional weekly
Notable Launch	Shanghai (PVG) – Auckland (AKL) – Buenos Aires (EZE), world’s longest scheduled route
Air Express Network	49 routes, 899 flights per day, key hubs: PVG, PEK, CAN
Website	www.ceair.com

China Eastern’s New Schedule: All You Need to Know

Among China Eastern’s schedule features around 3,130 flights per day, some of the most notable ones are:

• Beijing (PEK) to Muscat (MCT)
• Shanghai (PVG)‑Auckland (AKL)‑Buenos Aires (EZE) corridor, slated to launch 4 December 2025 and stretching roughly 20,000 km.
• Daily‑high‑frequency services are also increasing on routes such as Shanghai–Hanoi, Xi’an–Phu Quoc, Kunming–Vientiane and Kunming–Phnom Penh.

The carrier is set to have an average of approximately 3,220 international and regional flights per week. It is stated that China Eastern’s inauguration of the Shanghai–Auckland–Buenos Aires route on December 4, 2025 is set to “connect the Eastern and Western Hemispheres as well as the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, becoming the world’s first commercial route linking antipodal cities and the world’s longest single flight“.

Let’s have a look at the ten longest one-stop flights currently operating:

Rank	Route	Distance	Flight Time	Aircraft Type	Operator
10	Toronto – Sydney via Vancouver	8,853 miles (14,247 km)	23h 05m	Boeing 777-200LR	Air Canada
9	Sydney – New York JFK via Auckland	8,840 miles (14,226 km)	23h 05m	Boeing 787-9	Qantas
8	Singapore – New York JFK via Frankfurt	8,903 miles (14,327 km)	24h 20m	Boeing 777-300ER	Singapore Airlines
7	Sydney – Rome Fiumicino via Perth	8,983 miles (14,456 km)	23h 35m	Boeing 787-9	Qantas
6	Beijing Capital – Havana via Madrid	9,018 miles (14,513 km)	23h 40m	Boeing 787-9	Air China
5	London Heathrow – Sydney via Singapore	9,274 miles (14,925 km)	25h 20m	Airbus A380	British Airways
4	Sydney – Paris CDG via Perth	9,475 miles (15,248 km)	25h 20m	Boeing 787-9	Qantas
3	Beijing Capital – São Paulo Guarulhos via Madrid	9,494 miles (15,279 km)	25h 05m	Boeing 787-9	Air China
2	Nouméa – Paris CDG via Bangkok	9,514 miles (15,311 km)	25h 40m	Airbus A330neo	Aircalin
1	Singapore – Houston via Manchester	10,013 nmi (18,544 km)	26h 15m	Airbus A350-900	Singapore Airlines

Data: Simple Flying

China Eastern’s new route htat is set to be the lonegest in thee world is around 2,000 kilometers longer than Singapore Airlines’ Singapore – Houston via Manchester route. China Eastern’s operation of the longest-route is set to position the carrier at the cutting edge of ultra‑long‑haul network and leverage both emerging demand in the Southern Hemisphere and China’s hub‑connectivity ambition.

China Eastern’s “Sky Express” Strategic Layer

China Eastern’s “Air Express” brand will expand to 49 routes, operating about 899 flights per day, with core coverage centred on Shanghai, Beijing (PEK) and Guangzhou (CAN), while also covering cities, such as:

• Shenzhen
• Chengdu
• Xi’an
• Kunming
• Qingdao
• Chongqing
• Wuhan
• Changsha

Notably, the Beijing–Shanghai trunk will sustain 66 round‑trip flights daily, effectively providing departures every half‑hour during peak day hours, reported ShFlyLight:

“Furthermore, China Eastern Airlines maintains a high frequency of round-trip flights on international express routes such as Shanghai-Bangkok and Shanghai-Singapore. Taking advantage of visa-free policies in many countries in Southeast Asia and other regions, passengers can easily travel abroad.”

Alongside this, the airline has deployed all 11 of its COMAC C919 aircraft across 12 routes in 10 cities via 11 airports this season.

Which aircraft is China Eastern operating on the Longest Route in the World?

China Eastern is set to operate the Boeing 777-300ER aircraft on the longest route in the world: the carrier has twenty of these.  According to planespotters.net:

• These have an average age of 9.8 years.
• Aircraft registered B-7882 is the youngest aircraft of this type that China Eastern operates and is 8.3 years old
• Aircraft registered B-2001 is the youngest aircraft of this type that China Eastern operates and was delivered to the carrier in September 2014.

Let’s look at how the carrier configures this aircraft type, as reported by aerolopa.

Cabin Class	Seat Dimensions	Features & Layout	Entertainment & Power
Economy Class	Seat width: 17.05″ (between armrests) Row pitch: 32″ Recline: 6″	258 seats in 3-4-3 layout; each seat includes bi-fold table and independent cup holder	10.6″ HD touchscreen display USB-A socket
Business Class	Seat width: 20.33″ (between armrests) Row pitch: 43″ Bed length: 75″ fully flat	52 Safran Cirrus II seats with open shelf and small storage compartments under armrest and foot stool	15.4″ HD touchscreen display (stowed during takeoff/landing) Universal AC + USB-A sockets
First Class	Seat width: 26.5″ (between armrests) Bed length: 78″ fully flat	Six suites featuring electric window shades, privacy doors, and wardrobes large enough to hang a coat. Shallow storage cubby beneath the ottoman.	24″ HD screen Universal AC + USB-

Some Additional Notes on China Eastern Airlines’ 2025 Winter-Spring Flight Season

For Double Ninth Festival, China Eastern has launched New Senior Products, such as the upgrade in its “Silver Wing Benefits” for older passengers. These include the following:

Promotion	Eligible Passengers	Benefits	Booking Method	Additional Services
Silver Wing Seniors Double Ninth Festival Leisure Tour	Individual travelers aged 55+	Up to 12% discount on select domestic fare classes	Book via China Eastern Airlines App	—
Silver Wing Seniors Double Ninth Festival Happy Journey	Small groups (3–9) aged 55+	¥50 discount per person per flight segment for every ¥300 spent (excluding taxes)	Book via China Eastern Airlines App	—
Companion Service	Passengers aged 55–70	Pre-bookable assistance for seniors	China Eastern Airlines App	Two options: Ground Guidance Service OR Full-Process Guidance Service at 16 airports, including Shanghai Pudong, Beijing Capital, Kunming, and Xi’an

China Eastern is set to introduce 38 new domestic routes, and its particularly focused on popular winter tourism destinations across China’s northeastern provinces and Xinjiang. It has also added several new seasonal “ice and snow” routes, and has added routes such as:

• Zhuhai–Changzhou–Shenyang,
• Ningbo–Changbai Mountain [Do not confuse Ningbo with Mingbo Airport in Nepal which is considered to be the most dangerous airport ever built]

Lukla Airport: Myths vs Facts of “the most dangerous airport”

• Changchun–Wuhan
• Lanzhou–Changchun
•  Kunming–Harbin
• expanded services on the Qingdao–Changchun route.