29-Hour Direct Flight: Shanghai to Buenos Aires Debuts in December

(SHANGHAI, CHINA) China Eastern Airlines will launch a new ultra-long-haul direct flight linking Shanghai Pudong and Buenos Aires via Auckland on December 4, 2025, creating the world’s longest “direct” commercial passenger route as of September 15, 2025. The service carries one flight number and uses the same aircraft across both legs, but it is not nonstop. With a scheduled westbound journey of up to 29 hours, the route highlights both a logistical feat and a practical shift in how travelers plan visas, transits, and long-haul connections between Asia, Oceania, and South America.

Schedule, aircraft and capacity

China Eastern will operate two weekly rotations using a Boeing 777-300ER configured with 316 seats:
– First: 6 seats
– Business: 52 seats
– Economy: 258 seats

Flight pattern and frequency:
– Eastbound (Shanghai → Buenos Aires): Mondays and Thursdays
– Westbound (Buenos Aires → Shanghai): Tuesdays and Fridays
– The airline will sell both the full Shanghai–Auckland–Buenos Aires itinerary and the Auckland–Buenos Aires segment alone under fifth freedom rights.

Key distances and times:
– Total distance: 12,229 miles
– Shanghai → Auckland: 5,808 miles
– Auckland → Buenos Aires: 6,421 miles
– Scheduled durations:
– Eastbound: just under 26 hours
– Westbound: up to 29 hours (winds and routing can extend this)

Representative timetable (subject to change):
– MU745 (eastbound): departs Shanghai 02:00, reaches Auckland 18:30, departs 20:55, arrives Buenos Aires 16:55.
– MU746 (westbound): departs Buenos Aires 02:00, reaches Auckland 08:40 (next day), departs 10:40, arrives Shanghai 18:00 (following day).

This schedule is designed to balance aircraft utilization, crew duty limits, and airport slots across three continents.

Economic, tourism and community impacts

Officials and industry stakeholders emphasize multi-region benefits:
– New Zealand: projected to gain NZD $48 million in annual visitor spend (projection cited by NZ Prime Minister Christopher Luxon at a June 2025 ceremony).
– Tourism, international education, trade, and community ties stand to benefit—particularly for the estimated 40,000-strong South American community in New Zealand.
– Argentina: a faster link to Asian markets may help exporters and student flows.
– China: widens access to South America and extends airline network reach.

Additional effects:
– Fifth freedom sales on Auckland–Buenos Aires reintroduce trans-Pacific competition after earlier operators withdrew pre- and during the pandemic.
– For small businesses and freight planners, a twice-weekly widebody can improve predictability even if most cargo follows other routes.
– The route signals a shift in long-haul patterns—routing via New Zealand instead of Europe or North America—and tests whether ultra-long “direct” services with a technical stop can be commercially sustainable.

Immigration, transit and visa considerations

Even a “direct flight” can include a stop, and that stop matters for visas.

Many passengers will transit New Zealand. Entry and transit rules vary by nationality and travel history. Some travelers qualify for visa-free transit or an NZeTA (New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority), while others will need a Transit Visa. Requirements change depending on whether you must clear immigration or remain airside during the layover.

Important points and practical checklist:
– If you remain airside in Auckland and continue to Buenos Aires:
– Check whether your passport allows visa-free transit.
– Confirm if you need an NZeTA or a Transit Visa in advance.
– If you plan an Auckland stopover (entering New Zealand):
– Standard visitor or entry rules apply based on passport and purpose.
– Always consult official guidance for the most current rules:
– Immigration New Zealand – Transit visa: https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-zealand-visas/apply-for-a-visa/about-visa/transit-visa
– Travelers to Argentina should review Argentina’s entry rules (visas, e-permits) relevant to their nationality.
– Travelers returning to China must confirm Chinese entry or transit rules, including any visa-free transit schemes.

Practical recommendations:
1. Map your document path: Shanghai departure rules → Auckland transit/entry → Buenos Aires arrival rules.
2. Check airline minimum connection times and whether you’ll clear immigration in Auckland.
3. Carry both digital and printed copies of visas, NZeTA approvals, and ticket confirmations.
4. Recheck rules a week before departure in case of policy changes.

Special notes for families and mixed-nationality travelers:
– Document needs can differ within a family; plan around the strictest requirement.
– VisaVerge.com analysis notes that mixed-nationality families often face varying transit rules and last-minute rebooking if one traveler lacks correct documents.

Health, medical and practical travel tips

• For the long westbound leg (up to 29 hours):
  • Pack prescriptions in original packaging and keep them in your carry-on.
  • Carry a printed list of generic drug names.
  • If you need seat changes or assistance for medical reasons, contact the airline in advance.
• If your passport requires a visa label or paper proof:
  • Carry printed copies in addition to digital confirmations to reduce boarding issues.

Competitive and operational considerations

Industry analysts highlight both opportunities and risks:
– Opportunities:
– No nonstop competitor on this route creates an opening.
– Fifth freedom pricing may attract backpackers, students, and price-sensitive travelers.
– Reopens a Pacific corridor that previously existed (Air New Zealand ran Auckland–Buenos Aires 2015–2020; Aerolíneas Argentinas operated until 2012).
– Risks and operational challenges:
– Twice-weekly ultra-long rotations require steady demand and careful cost control.
– Key cost and reliability drivers include fuel prices, crew staging, and maintenance windows.
– A westbound 29-hour duty cycle will test scheduling and operational resilience, especially in peak weather seasons.

If China Eastern maintains schedules and healthy cabin loads, the airline could demonstrate that a direct service with a technical stop can reshape how travelers cross the Pacific.

Practical summary and booking considerations

• The route reduces multi-stop journeys by offering one aircraft and one flight number from Shanghai to Buenos Aires with a technical stop in Auckland.
• The Auckland stop creates immigration and visa implications for some nationalities but also allows booking flexibility to travel only the Auckland–Buenos Aires leg.
• Before booking:
  • Confirm transit/entry rules for each country on your itinerary.
  • Ensure documentation and visas/NZeTA are in order.
  • Keep printed and electronic copies of approvals.
  • Recheck requirements close to departure.

China Eastern’s move restores a long-missing Pacific link and replaces multiple awkward connections with a single plane and a long layover. It is a bet on travelers’ willingness to accept a 26–29 hour ride in exchange for a simpler itinerary—provided visas and transit documents are correctly arranged. As the first flights begin in December 2025, airports, immigration officers, and communities across three countries will all feel the ripple effects.