Replacing Qantas ! Emirates to Launch “World’s Longest Flight” in 2016

▲Emirates to launch the world’s longest flight. (Photo / Chen Rui-zhong, Reporter)

Travel Centre / Compiled Report

The title of “world’s longest flight” is getting a new holder in 2016 ! Emirates Airlines has announced that it will launch a non-stop route between Dubai and Panama on February 1st next year, with a total flight time of 17 hours and 35 minutes, which will replace Qantas as the world’s longest non-stop flight.

Currently, the world’s longest flight is Qantas’ Dallas–Sydney route, with a flying time of about 17 hours. However, the upcoming Emirates “Dubai–Panama” route is not the longest ever operated in history — Singapore Airlines previously flew a non-stop service from Singapore to Newark, USA, with a total flight time of up to 19 hours, but that route was discontinued in 2013.

Emirates stated that Panama will be its first Central American destination. The upcoming route will be operated using the Boeing 777-200LR aircraft, with an estimated seating capacity of 8 first class, 42 business class, and 216 economy class seats. The flight schedule includes a morning departure and evening return: the outbound flight departs Dubai at 08:05 and arrives in Panama at 16:40 local time; the return flight departs Panama City at 22:10 and arrives in Dubai at 22:55 the following day.