●Singapore Airlines’ Singapore (SIN) to New York (JFK) route is the longest nonstop flight, covering 9,537 miles in about 18 hours and 50 minutes.
●Singapore Airlines’ Singapore (SIN) to Newark (EWR) route is close behind, covering 9,535 miles in 18 hours and 25 minutes.
●Aircraft like the Airbus A350 and Boeing 787 Dreamliner are used for these long-haul flights for better fuel efficiency and passenger comfort.
For points-and-miles geeks, jetting around the world on one of the longest nonstop flights in existence means they get to maximize their time on the truly fantastic products they and their friends aspire to. It’s a big redemption win for hard-earned miles!
To that end, we’re diving into the 10 longest nonstop flights in the world and what they’re worth from a points perspective — along with fun facts about the aircraft primed to get you to your destination.
And if you didn’t pass the points-and-miles geek test this time, one of these fabulous redemptions might convert you!
The Top 10 Longest Nonstop Flights in the World
The Top 10 Longest Nonstop Flights in the World
Route; Airline; Distance; Scheduled Flight Time
1. Singapore (SIN) to New York (JFK);
Singapore Airlines; 9,537 miles;18 hours, 50 minutes
2. Singapore (SIN) to Newark (EWR); Singapore Airlines; 9,535 miles; 18 hours, 25 minutes
3. Doha (DOH) to Auckland (AKL); Qatar Airways; 9,032 miles; 17 hours, 35 minutes
4. Perth (PER) to London (LHR)
Qantas; 9,009 miles; 17 hours, 20 minutes.
5. Melbourne (MEL) to Dallas (DFW); Qantas; 8,992 miles; 17 hours, 35 minutes
6. Auckland (AKL) to New York (JFK);
Air New Zealand; 8,828 miles;17 hours, 50 minute.
7. Dubai (DXB) to Auckland (AKL):
Emirates:8,824 miles;17 hours, 10 minutes
8. Singapore (SIN) to Los Angeles (LAX)
Singapore Airlines; 8,770 miles; 17 hours, 50 minutes
9. Bengaluru (BLR) to San Francisco (SFO):Air India: 8,701 miles,17 hours, 40 minutes
10. Houston (IAH) to Sydney (SYD), United Airline 8,596 miles; 17 hours, 35 minutes;
Hot Tip:
Airlines use nautical miles, not on-the-ground miles. Every nautical mile is equal to a little over 1.15 land-based, or statute, miles. However, for the purposes of this article, we’re sticking to the more familiar statute miles unless otherwise stated. We’re also not including the return flights on the same routes.
1. Singapore (SIN) to New York (JFK) on Singapore Airlines: 9,537 Miles
Scheduled flight time: 18 hours, 50 minutes
Flight Number: SQ 24
Aircraft: Airbus A350-900ULR
Best business class redemption: 111,500 Singapore KrisFlyer miles one-way (transfer from Amex Membership Rewards, Brex Rewards, Capital One Miles, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards, or Marriott Bonvoy)
Though it was temporarily dethroned last winter by Cathay Pacific’s improvised Hong Kong-to-New York route (keep reading to find out why), Singapore Airlines has again regained its crown for longest-distance commercial flight.
You could:
Watch all 7 movies in the “Mission Impossible” franchise, “Top Gun,” and “Top Gun: Maverick” and still have about 25 minutes left over — or enough time to catch much of the 2005 episode of “The Oprah Winfrey Show” with that infamous couch-jumping interview with Tom Cruise.
Mileage-wise, drive from Portland, Maine, to Portland, Oregon, and back again — and then turn around and drive to Portland, Oregon 1 more time.
The A350-900ULR on this route uses 94 premium economy and 67 business class seats.
SIN JFK Portland Portland map
Singapore to JFK is like driving between both Portlands 3 times. Image Credit: Great Circle Mapper and MapQuest
Hot Tip:
These incredibly long flights halfway around the world won’t pay for themselves! Before you pack your bags, think about what you’re packing in your wallet: Check out our guide to the best credit cards for travelers.
The A350-900ULR on this route uses 94 premium economy and 67 business class seats.
Hot Tip:
These incredibly long flights halfway around the world won’t pay for themselves! Before you pack your bags, think about what you’re packing in your wallet: Check out our guide to the best credit cards .
What Happened to Cathay Pacific?
Though Singapore Airlines has long ruled the roost of long-distance flights, it wasn’t on top from 2022 to early 2023. That’s when Cathay Pacific flew A350-1000s from New York City (JFK) to Hong Kong (HKG), listed at 10,326 miles for 17 hours and 50 minutes. Cathay Pacific pilots relied on strong but seasonal tailwinds to make the flight possible without consuming too much fuel.
Cathay Pacific chose this incredibly long flight path because of the Russia-Ukraine war. The short-lived route took planes over the Atlantic Ocean, over the U.K., through southern Europe, and over parts of Central Asia to avoid flying through Russian airspace.
Japan Airlines similarly did a temporary, much longer rerouting for flights from Tokyo to London for the same reason, going eastbound over the Pacific instead of westbound through Russia. Cathay Pacific has since returned to a more conventional flight plan over the Pacific with a shorter official flight distance of just over 8,000 miles.
In terms of time, the temporary Cathay Pacific JFK to HKG route was long enough to watch all 10 of the “Star Trek” feature films in which James T. Kirk is the lead character (i.e., all of the original series and J.J. Abrams-reboot movies but omitting the “Star Trek: The Next Generation” films), with 1 minute to spare.
It was also about the same distance as driving from the southernmost point in the continental U.S. — Key West, Florida — to the northernmost U.S. settlement —- Utqiagvik, Alaska, formerly known as Barrow — then deciding it was too cold and driving back down to sunny San Antonio, Texas, instead. By the way, you should never attempt to drive to Utqiagvik, even in a snowcat, during the short window when the sea ice is solid enough for some crossings.
The 2022 to 2023 Cathay Pacific
JFK to HKG was like driving from
Key West (bottom right pin 📌) to
Utqiagvik, Alaska (top left pin),
then back south to San Antonio,
Texas (white-ringed pin 📌)
Bottom Line:
Want to make the whole longest-flight-in-the-world debate even more confusing? Despite airlines’ listed flight distances for routes, pilots routinely take advantage of conditions like jet streams, which can shorten the flight time but increase the distance. So, though the official flight distance of SQ 24 is around 9,500 statute miles, in reality, it’s not unheard of for pilots on the route to actually cover more like 10,700 statute miles.)
Bottom line? Don’t take “official” records for longest flights too seriously.
2. Singapore (SIN) to Newark (EWR) on Singapore Airlines: 9,535 Miles
Scheduled flight time: 18 hours, 25 minutes
Flight number: SQ 22
Aircraft: Airbus A350-900ULR
Best business class redemption: 111,500 Singapore KrisFlyer miles one-way (transfer from Amex Membership Rewards, Brex Rewards, Capital One Miles, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards, or Marriott Bonvoy)
You could:
Watch all of the original “Harry Potter” movies (“Sorcerer’s Stone” to “Death Hallows: Part 2”) without credits, with 13 minutes left over, or about enough time for a quick meal with the Yule Ball dinner scene on pause during “Goblet of Fire.”
Mileage-wise, drive from The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios in Los Angeles to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resort in Florida and back — and then do most of the round-trip journey all over again. (Get your portkey ready as you near Tucson, Arizona, for the fourth time.)
This flight crosses a seemingly impossible 10 time zones!
Singapore to Newark is
like driving from Los Angeles
to Orlando and back twice.
3. Doha (DOH) to Auckland (AKL) on Qatar Airways: 9,032 Miles
Scheduled flight time: 17 hours, 20 minutes
Flight number: QR 920
Aircraft: Airbus A350-1000
Best business class redemption: 140,000 Avios plus about $150 (transfer from British Airways Executive Club, Aer Lingus AerClub, Iberia Plus, Bilt Rewards, Capital One Miles, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards, Amex Membership Rewards, or Marriott Bonvoy)
Qatar resumed the longest nonstop route in its network on September 1, 2023, after putting it on hold for 3 years during the COVID-19 pandemic. For its return, the route now features Qatar’s newest plane, the Airbus A350-1000.
You could:
Watch every Roger Moore James Bond movie, then throw in “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.” You could still get in 2 007-minute bathroom breaks.
In terms of distance, you could drive 3 times between New York City (the site of the opening scene of Moore’s first Bond movie, “Live and Let Die”) to San Francisco (as in Moore’s final scene as Bond in “A View to a Kill”). You’d have about enough leftover miles to make it from San Francisco to San Diego and back once, futilely searching for “Moonraker” villain Hugo Drax’s “California” mansion (which was actually a chateau in France).
Doha to Auckland is like
driving between New York
City and San Francisco 3
times with a single detour
to San Diego.
4. Perth (PER) to London (LHR) on Qantas: 9,009 Miles
Scheduled flight time: 17 hours, 35 minutes
Flight number: QF 9
Aircraft: Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner
Best business class redemption: 85,000 American miles one-way (transfer from Marriott Bonvoy)
Best first class redemption: 115,000 American miles one-way (transfer from Marriott Bonvoy)
You could:
Watch all 6 “Rocky” movies (including the 3 “Creed” spinoffs) and still have enough time to watch most of the “30 for 30” episode “42 to 1,” about Mike Tyson’s first defeat in the ring.
Mileage-wise, drive from the steps Rocky ran up (at the Philadelphia Museum of Art) to the site of Rocky’s last fight (Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas) and back nearly twice.
Perth to London is like driving from Philly to Vegas and back twice.
5. Melbourne (MEL) to Dallas (DFW) on Qantas: 8,992 Miles
Scheduled Flight Time: 17 hours, 35 minutes
Flight number: QF 21
Aircraft: Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner
Best business class redemption: 55,000 Alaska miles one-way (transfer from Marriott Bonvoy)
Best first class redemption: 70,000 Alaska miles one-way (transfer from Marriott Bonvoy)
You could:
Watch all 5 feature films in the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise, followed by both “Fantastic Beasts” movies that Johnny Depp appears in, leaving you about an hourlong break from your own personal Deppfest.
Mileage-wise, make a round trip from pirate Jean Lafitte’s favorite haunt, New Orleans, to Pittsburgh, home of baseball’s Pirates, 4 times.
Melbourne to Dallas is like
driving between New Orleans
and Pittsburgh 8 times.
Hot Tip:
Qantas plans to use the A350-1000 to fly 2 of the world’s longest routes, Sydney to New York and Sydney to London, as early as 2025.
6. Auckland (AKL) to New York (JFK) on Air New Zealand: 8,828 Miles
Scheduled flight time: 17 hours, 50 minutes
Flight number: NZ 2
Aircraft: Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner
Best business class redemption: 120,000 ANA miles one-way (transfer from Amex Membership Rewards or Marriott Bonvoy)
You could:
Watch “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy and “The Hobbit” trilogy (theatrical editions) and still have about 40 minutes to spare.
Mileage-wise, drive from Gimli, Manitoba, to Drake Bay, Costa Rica, and back — and still have time for a detour through part of the Rocky Mountains (which you can pretend are the Misty Mountains).
New Zealand to New York City
is like driving from Manitoba to
Costa Rica and back, with
many many miles to spare.
7. Dubai (DXB) to Auckland (AKL) on Emirates: 8,824 Miles
Scheduled flight time: 17 hours, 10 minutes
Flight number: EK 448
Aircraft: Airbus A380-800
Best business class redemption: 85,000 Japan Airlines miles plus a large cash surcharge one-way (transfer from Marriott Bonvoy)
Emirates used to fly this route on the Boeing 777-200LR but is currently operating the larger, 2-level Airbus A380.
You could:
Watch all 5 movies in the “Indiana Jones” franchise, plus all 3 movies in the “Jurassic Park” franchise (not including the “Jurassic World” sequels) with 1 minute of time to yourself free from adventuring scientists.
Mileage-wise, drive from the state of Indiana to the final resting place of the Ark of the Covenant (Roswell, New Mexico) and back nearly 4 times.
Dubai to Auckland is like
doing the round-trip drive from
Evansville, Indiana, to Roswell,
New Mexico, 4 times.
8. Singapore (SIN) to Los Angeles (LAX) on Singapore Airlines: 8,770 Miles
Scheduled flight time: 17 hours, 50 minutes
Flight number: SQ 38
Aircraft: Airbus A350-900ULR
Best business class redemption: 135,000 Asiana miles one-way (transfer from Marriott Bonvoy) or 200,000 United miles one-way (transfer from Bilt Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, or Marriott Bonvoy)
Best first class redemption: 180,000 Asiana miles one-way (transfer from Marriott Bonvoy)
You could:
Watch all 3 movies in “The Godfather” trilogy (original cuts), “Goodfellas,” “Casino,” and “The Departed” and still have a little under an hour to ponder the morality of your life choices.
Mileage-wise, you could make the trip between Little Italy in New York City to Las Vegas nearly 3.5 times. Don’t forget to take the cannoli!
Singapore to Los Angeles is
like doing almost 4 rounds trips
from New York City to
Las Vegas.
9. Bengaluru (BLR) to San Francisco (SFO) on Air India: 8,701 Miles
Scheduled flight time: 17 hours, 40 minutes
Flight number: AI 175
Aircraft: Boeing 777-200LR
Best business class redemption: 100,000 Air Canada points plus about $35 in taxes and fees (transfer from Amex Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Capital One Miles, Chase Ultimate Rewards, or Marriott Bonvoy)
You could:
Watch all 5 movies in the “Die Hard” franchise, plus “The Fifth Element,” “The Sixth Sense,” and “12 Monkeys” for a Bruce Willis festival. Then, top it off with “Over the Hedge,” in which Willis plays a raccoon.
Distance-wise, you could recreate the real-life trajectory of Bruce Willis by driving from his hometown of Carney’s Point, New Jersey, to Hollywood, California — 3 times.
Bengaluru to San Francisco is
about equivalent to doing
between New Jersey and
Hollywood, California, 3 times.
Hot Tip:
The ancient Indian city of Bangalore officially changed its name back to its traditional, non-Anglicized Kannada name, Bengaluru, in November 2014, though many still refer to it by its colonial name.
10. Houston (IAH) to Sydney (SYD) on United Airlines: 8,596 Miles
Scheduled flight time: 17 hours, 35 minutes
Flight number: UA 101
Aircraft: Boeing 787-9
Best business class redemption: 250,000 United miles one-way (transfer from Bilt Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, or Marriott Bonvoy)
United resurrected this route on October 28, 2023, after putting it on hold for 2 years because of the pandemic.
You could:
Watch all 5 movies in the “Scream” franchise, then all 5 movies in the “Scary Movie” franchise.
Mileage-wise, drive from the northern Illinois suburbs (where the granddaddy of slasher flicks, “Halloween,” was set) to Santa Rosa, California (the hub of most of the original “Scream” filming locations), and back. And then, like any horror franchise, do it all over again.
Houston to Sydney is like
driving round-trip twice from
the Chicagoland suburbs to
northern California.
Mapping the Flights
The longest commercial passenger routes of late 2023.
We ranked flights by distance rather than flight time because flight time can vary significantly for many reasons. Please note that because flight times vary so widely from flight to flight, the actual time you spend in the air will likely differ from the listed time if you take one of these trips.
We listed flights by the shortest distance between 2 points on the Earth’s surface, also known as the great circle distance. This can also differ from the actual distance for reasons including wind, severe weather, and the need to avoid closed airspace.
Different views of the
longest routes.
Hot Tip:
Need trivia to throw out at your next AvGeek party? The record for the longest nonstop commercial flight in terms of time in the air is held by Qantas for its August 30, 1943, flight in a Consolidated PBY Catalina seaplane from what is now Sri Lanka to Australia.
It took 32 hours and 9 minutes to travel 3,512 statute miles. The route was nicknamed “The Double Sunrise” because it experienced 2 sunrises per flight — scheduled that way so that it flew through Japanese-occupied territory at night.
About the Aircraft:
As planes become more fuel-efficient and fuel costs remain relatively low, we’ll continue to see big competition for a spot on the leaderboard for the longest nonstop flights in the world.
Boeing and Airbus continue to find new ways to increase the range and passenger capacity of their aircraft, allowing airlines to turn a profit from these ultra-long-haul flights.
These aircraft (currently) make up the roster for the longest nonstop flights in the world:
●Boeing 777-200LR — Air India
●Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner — Air New Zealand, Qantas, United
●Airbus A350-900ULR — Singapore Airlines
●Airbus A350-1000 — Qatar Airways, Qantas (by 2025)
●Airbus A380 — Emirates
●Boeing 777-200LR
Boeing 777-200LR
Range: 9,845 miles/8,555 nautical miles/15,843 kilometers
Capacity: 317 passengers
Maximum Cruising Speed: Mach 0.89/683 mph
Engine: GE90-115B turbofan
The Boeing 777 commercial series is made up of 3 long-range, wide-body, twin-engine jet airliners. Boeing says that the 777 aircraft provides considerably improved reach and increased revenue potential.
In 2015, General Electric proclaimed the GE90-115B turbofan engine the most powerful engine in the world. The GE90 series held the title of history’s largest aviation engine until the introduction of the GE9X, which began flight testing in 2018. The Boeing 777 series has also won several awards for its interior cabin design and passenger satisfaction.
The 777-200LR (the “LR” is for “Long Range”) is the aircraft of choice for Emirates’ Dubai-to-Auckland route and Air India’s Bengaluru-to-San Francisco route. Air India flies a 777-200LR previously flown by Delta Air Lines for this journey.
The Boeing 777-200LR has expanded
fuel tanks for longer flights.
Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner
Range: 8,786 miles/7,635 nautical miles/4,140 kilometers
Capacity: 290 passengers
Maximum Cruising Speed: Mach 0.85/652 mph
Engine: GEnx-1B/Trent 1000
Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner series comprises 3 midsize, wide-body, twin-engine jet airliners. Combined, the 787 series currently services over 170 nonstop flights worldwide. The 787-9, however, is the only Dreamliner to make it on the list of longest nonstop flights in the world.
Boeing says that its 787 series provides advantages. including higher distance range and fuel efficiency, more cargo volume, lower operating costs, and a more reliable aircraft.
The 787-9 is the aircraft of choice for all Qantas Perth-to-London and Melbourne-to-Dallas routes, and United’s Houston-to-Sydney flight.
.
Boeing's 787-9 Dreamliner is a long-
range, midsized passenger jet.
Airbus A350-900ULR
Range: 11,163 miles/9,700 nautical miles/17,964 kilometers
Capacity: 161 (SQ configuration — premium economy and business class only)
Maximum Cruising Speed: Mach 0.89/683 mph
Engine: Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-84
Airbus introduced the A350 series in response to the success of Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner, and the A350-900 is the first member of the company’s Extra Wide Body, or XWB, a family of next-generation, high-efficiency, high-capacity passenger jets for long-haul flights.
The A350-900’s first test flight was in 2013, and it flew its first commercial flight (with Qatar Airways) in 2015. Currently, however, Singapore Airlines is the only airline to fly the A350-900ULR version of the -900.
That A350-900ULR variant (“ULR” for “Ultra Long Range”) is a lighter aircraft that can fly farther and is more cost-efficient than large double-decker jets like the 747 or A380. Because of the materials used, there’s also less maintenance required — an important aspect for global airlines. Passengers find the engine noise substantially quieter, too.
The main feature of the ULR is that the fuel tanks hold more fuel, critical for ultra-long-haul flights. In addition to extra fuel storage, there are aerodynamic improvements that allow the aircraft to serve routes that previously would have required a technical stop.
The A350-900ULR is the aircraft of choice for Singapore Airlines’ routes from Singapore to New York, Newark, and Los Angeles.
.l
The A350-900LR was designed
specifically for long-haul flights.
Airbus A350-1000
Range: 10,001 miles/8,700 nautical miles/16,112 kilometers
Capacity: 480 passengers maximum (327 on Qatar Airways)
Maximum Cruising Speed: Mach 0.89/683 mph
Engine: Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97
Qatar Airways launched the first A350-1000 route in February 2018, traveling from Doha, Qatar, to London with 46 Qsuites and 281 economy seats in a 3-3-3 configuration.
Measuring 23 feet longer than the A350-900, the fuel-efficient A350-1000 is the largest version of the A350. It can squeeze in more dedicated passenger space, has a more powerful engine, and fits in more comfort-focused technology like climate zones, improved air circulation and filtration, and ambient lighting designed to reduce jet lag.
With a maximum range that’s 1,000 nautical miles shorter than the A350-900ULR’s, the A350-1000 hasn’t received Airbus designation as a ULR model.
Qantas has ordered A350-1000s that it plans on putting into service starting in 2025. Singapore, which has today’s largest fleet of A350s, has standing orders with Airbus for dozens of A350s, with a clause that allows it to pick from either the -900 or -1000 variants closer to delivery.
The A350-1000 is the newer,
longer version of the A350-900.
Airbus A380-800
Range: 9,206 miles/8,000 nautical miles/14,800 kilometers
Capacity: 555 passengers maximum (489 on Emirates)
Maximum Cruising Speed: Mach 0.88/675 mph
Engine: Rolls-Royce Trent 900 or GE-Pratt & Whitney GP-7200 turbofans
Also called the Super Jumbo, the Airbus A380-800 is the largest commercial passenger airplane in the world. It’s a double-decker that began development all the way back in the 1990s as a direct challenger to the then-dominant Boeing 747 when it came to long-haul flights. Early company visions of the plane even included the possibility of onboard shops, restaurants, and casinos.
The A380-800, sometimes called the A388, was the passenger variant of the 2 A380 models Airbus originally offered. The other option was the freighter version, the A380F.
Singapore Airlines was the first airline to fly the A380 in October 2007, with Emirates eventually amassing the largest fleet of A380s and becoming the leading A380 customer by far, accounting for nearly half of all orders of the A380.
But the shifting realities of the industry didn’t mesh well with a jet even larger than the 747, and the last A380 rolled off the production line in 2021, eclipsed by smaller, more efficient planes like the A330, A350, and 787.
Airbus stopped producing the A380 in 2021.
Final Thoughts
The competition for the top spot on the list of the longest nonstop flights in the world won’t end any time soon. The only question is: How will the airlines choose to get there?
Within the past few years, we’ve seen the final flight of the last U.S. carrier-operated Boeing 747, once the hallmark of long-haul flights. In 2021, we saw several carriers announce plans to move away from the behemoth A380 to save on fuel and match current passenger demands. Moving forward, will airlines shy away from enormous jets in search of slimmer, more efficient aircraft? Or will the so-called superjumbos also evolve, eventually providing a more efficient and profitable means of carrying passengers around the world?
From a points perspective, we certainly hope jumbo jets make a comeback at some point. The optimized business and first class cabins of the more upscale carriers are every miles chaser’s dream.
Rewarding your hard-earned miles with 17 hours in business class on a 787-9 is unbeatable.
What is the longest flight time in the world?
The longest nonstop commercial flight in the world is usually scheduled to last 18 hours and 50 minutes from Singapore (SIN) to New York City (JFK), serviced by Singapore Airlines.
What is the longest flight in the world by distance?
The longest flight in the world by distance is Singapore (SIN) to New York (JFK) on Singapore Airlines, officially measuring 9,537 miles.
What plane can fly the farthest in the world?
The current record for the longest-distance commercial flight is held by a Boeing 777-200LR for a journey in 2005. This flight from Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) to London Heathrow (LHR) took the long way (vs. great circle distance) and was logged at 21,602 km (13,423 miles/11,664 nautical miles).
What is the largest plane in the world?
The largest commercial jet airliner in the world by capacity is the double-decker Airbus A380-800, which can hold up to 863 passengers. It’s also the biggest in terms of wingspan, at 261.7 feet. But the Airbus Super Jumbo loses out in length to the Boeing 747-8I (“I” for “Intercontinental”), which is 250 feet long, compared to the A380’s 238 feet.
How many A380s are flying?
How many A380 global fleet in the world?
Active = 129
Inactive = 2
Lying-in-wait = 17
Maintenance = 2
Retired = 20
Stored = 75
Stored / For sale = 2
Test aircraft = 1
Total = 248.
As of 28 June 2022, 129 A380s are in revenue service with seven airlines. It is no surprise that Emirates leads the way with 88 active A380s, or 68% of active aircraft. British Airways has returned its entire fleet of 12 A380s to service, Singapore is operating 10, while Qatar has brought back 8.
With the return of two Asiana A380s this week, more than half of the global A380 fleet is now back in service.
ANA has three A380s in special liveries that it purchased for exclusive use between Tokyo and Hawaii. The first will return to service in July for twice weekly service through October. The airline took delivery of its third and final A380 mid-pandemic and placed the aircraft directly into storage. No date has yet been set for the sunset orange livery’s introduction to passenger service.
Qantas brought forward the A380’s initial return to its fleet thanks to the faster than anticipated recovery in travel demand. Currently the airline has four active A380s with two more in Abu Dhabi for maintenance. Four of the five still in storage will return to service eventually, while one of those will join VH-OQF in the scrap heap. All Nippon Airways Co., Ltd. (全日本空輸株式会社, Zen Nippon Kūyu Kabushiki gaisha, ANA) is a Japanese airline headquartered in Minato, Tokyo. ANA operates services to both domestic and international destinations and is Japan's largest airline, ahead of its main rival flag carrier Japan Airlines.
Lufthansa has said it will return at least a portion of its 14 A380s to service for summer 2023. The airline has not yet said how many aircraft will return, nor which routes they will fly. Deutsche Lufthansa AG, or simply Lufthansa, is the flag carrier and largest airline of Germany 🇩🇪 .
Korean Air recently reactivated two A380s and will recall a third from storage before the end of the year. Korean Air Lines Co., Ltd., operating as Korean Air, is the flag carrier of South Korea and its largest airline based on fleet size, international destinations, and international flights. It is owned by the Hanjin Group. The present-day Korean Air traces its history to March 1, 1969, when the Hanjin group acquired government-owned Korean Air Lines, which had operated since June 1962. Korean Air is a founding member of SkyTeam alliance and SkyTeam Cargo. As of 2024, it is one of the 10 airlines ranked 5-star airline by Skytrax, and the top 20 airlines in the world in terms of passengers carried and is also one of the top-ranked international cargo airlines. Korean Air's international passenger division and related subsidiary cargo division together serve 126 cities in 44 countries. Its domestic division serves 13 destinations. The airline's global headquarters is located in Seoul, South Korea. The airline had approximately 20,540 employees as of December 2014.
The biggest open question for A380 fleet planners is Etihad Airways’ fleet of 10. The airline has hinted that it could return a least some of its A380s to service, but hasn’t made any official announcement about the aircraft’s fate.
Supers in retirement
Air France swiftly retired their entire fleet of 10 A380s not long after the pandemic halted international travel, putting nearly all of them into deep storage by mid-2020.
China Southern Airlines maintained A380 service throughout the pandemic with its fleet of five, but the airline announced at the beginning of 2022 that it would retire the entire fleet by the end of the year. The first two were sent to the desert in California at the end of February.
Buy your own A380
A380
Two airlines have placed some of their A380s up for public sale. Thai Airways is offering two of its A380s, HS-TUE and HS-TUF for sale in an as-is, where-is format, which judging by the photo above means you’ll need a good mechanic if you want to fly either of them out of Rayong. It’s not the type of auction you see every day. The invitation called for qualified buyers to offer bids for any of its six Airbus A380 aircraft — the massive four-engine, double-decker jet that can carry more than 500 passengers.
None of the planes are particularly old. They couldn’t possibly be: The A380 has been in the air for less than two decades.
Nonetheless, Thai Airways hasn’t flown its A380s since the pandemic, and a subsequent plan last year to get them back in the air didn’t materialize.
The auction seemingly marks the end of Thai’s run with the aircraft, with bidding reportedly starting at an initial deposit of just $50,000 per plane — which once had a list price of roughly $450 million.
Malaysia Airlines has also tendered its 6 A380s for sale. The airline first put its fleet up for bidding in July 2021, but no offers have been publicly disclosed and the aircraft remain in storage.
Airbus delivered a total of 251 A380s over roughly 14 years. Today, just 154 remain in service. Nearly 80 A380s are currently in “storage,’ meaning they haven’t moved in the past 30 days. The rest have been retired. By year’s (2023) end, global airlines will fly an estimated 77,000 flights with the A380. That’s down from nearly 120,000 in 2019.
And passengers can still fly on the planes over the remaining years — if not decades — of life left in the world’s existing A380s.
But that will likely be it.
Airbus stopped building the A380 after delivering its final 123rd superjumbo in the waning days of 2021.
The full Airbus A380 fleet
See the table below for the status of the full fleet. We’ll update it as airlines make changes or update their fleet plans.
| Airline | Registration | Type | MSN | First flight | Last landing | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air France | F-HPJA | Airbus A380-861 | 33 | 12-Feb-2009 | 18-Aug-2020 | Retired |
| Air France | F-HPJB | Airbus A380-861 | 40 | 2-Jun-2009 | 20-Feb-2020 | Retired |
| Air France | F-HPJC | Airbus A380-861 | 43 | 20-Jul-2009 | 23-Apr-2020 | Retired |
| Air France | F-HPJD | Airbus A380-861 | 49 | 22-Feb-2010 | 22-Feb-2022 | Retired |
| Air France | F-HPJE | Airbus A380-861 | 52 | 10-Aug-2010 | 21-Apr-2021 | Retired |
| Air France | F-HPJF | Airbus A380-861 | 64 | 27-Aug-2010 | 25-Apr-2020 | Retired |
| Air France | F-HPJG | Airbus A380-861 | 67 | 23-Sep-2011 | 25-Apr-2020 | Retired |
| Air France | F-HPJH | Airbus A380-861 | 99 | 18-Oct-2011 | 16-Jul-2020 | Retired |
| Air France | F-HPJI | Airbus A380-861 | 115 | 8-Mar-2013 | 28-May-2020 | Retired |
| Air France | F-HPJJ | Airbus A380-861 | 117 | 16-Jan-2014 | 7-Sep-2020 | Retired |
| Airbus | F-WWOW | Airbus A380-841 | 1 | 27-Apr-2005 | 20-May-2022 | Test aircraft |
| All Nippon Airways | JA381A | Airbus A380-841 | 262 | 17-Sep-2018 | 25-Jun-2022 | Lying in wait |
| All Nippon Airways | JA382A | Airbus A380-841 | 263 | 18-Dec-2018 | 4-May-2022 | Lying in wait |
| All Nippon Airways | JA383A | Airbus A380-841 | 266 | 10-Oct-2019 | 14-May-2022 | Lying in wait |
| Asiana Airlines | HL7625 | Airbus A380-841 | 152 | 13-Dec-2013 | Active | |
| Asiana Airlines | HL7626 | Airbus A380-841 | 155 | 25-Feb-2014 | Active | |
| Asiana Airlines | HL7634 | Airbus A380-841 | 179 | 17-Dec-2014 | 29-Jun-2020 | Stored |
| Asiana Airlines | HL7635 | Airbus A380-841 | 183 | 10-Feb-2015 | 25-Aug-2020 | Stored |
| Asiana Airlines | HL7640 | Airbus A380-841 | 230 | 17-May-2016 | 29-May-2021 | Stored |
| Asiana Airlines | HL7641 | Airbus A380-841 | 231 | 10-Aug-2016 | 19-Aug-2021 | Stored |
| British Airways | G-XLEA | Airbus A380-841 | 95 | 9-Nov-2012 | Active | |
| British Airways | G-XLEB | Airbus A380-841 | 121 | 4-Feb-2013 | Active | |
| British Airways | G-XLEC | Airbus A380-841 | 124 | 25-Mar-2013 | Active | |
| British Airways | G-XLED | Airbus A380-841 | 144 | 1-Aug-2013 | Active | |
| British Airways | G-XLEE | Airbus A380-841 | 148 | 9-Oct-2013 | Active |
Airline Registration Type MSN First flight Last landing Status
Air France F-HPJA Airbus A380-861 33 12-Feb-2009 18-Aug-2020 Retired
Air France F-HPJB Airbus A380-861 40 2-Jun-2009 20-Feb-2020 Retired
Air France F-HPJC Airbus A380-861 43 20-Jul-2009 23-Apr-2020 Retired
Air France F-HPJD Airbus A380-861 49 22-Feb-2010 22-Feb-2022 Retired
Air France F-HPJE Airbus A380-861 52 10-Aug-2010 21-Apr-2021 Retired
Air France F-HPJF Airbus A380-861 64 27-Aug-2010 25-Apr-2020 Retired
Air France F-HPJG Airbus A380-861 67 23-Sep-2011 25-Apr-2020 Retired
Air France F-HPJH Airbus A380-861 99 18-Oct-2011 16-Jul-2020 Retired
Air France F-HPJI Airbus A380-861 115 8-Mar-2013 28-May-2020 Retired
Air France F-HPJJ Airbus A380-861 117 16-Jan-2014 7-Sep-2020 Retired
Airbus F-WWOW Airbus A380-841 1 27-Apr-2005 20-May-2022 Test aircraft
All Nippon Airways JA381A Airbus A380-841 262 17-Sep-2018 25-Jun-2022 Lying in wait
All Nippon Airways JA382A Airbus A380-841 263 18-Dec-2018 4-May-2022 Lying in wait
All Nippon Airways JA383A Airbus A380-841 266 10-Oct-2019 14-May-2022 Lying in wait
Asiana Airlines HL7625 Airbus A380-841 152 13-Dec-2013 Active
Asiana Airlines HL7626 Airbus A380-841 155 25-Feb-2014 Active
Asiana Airlines HL7634 Airbus A380-841 179 17-Dec-2014 29-Jun-2020 Stored
Asiana Airlines HL7635 Airbus A380-841 183 10-Feb-2015 25-Aug-2020 Stored
Asiana Airlines HL7640 Airbus A380-841 230 17-May-2016 29-May-2021 Stored
Asiana Airlines HL7641 Airbus A380-841 231 10-Aug-2016 19-Aug-2021 Stored
British Airways G-XLEA Airbus A380-841 95 9-Nov-2012 Active
British Airways G-XLEB Airbus A380-841 121 4-Feb-2013 Active
British Airways G-XLEC Airbus A380-841 124 25-Mar-2013 Active
British Airways G-XLED Airbus A380-841 144 1-Aug-2013 Active
British Airways G-XLEE Airbus A380-841 148 9-Oct-2013 Active
It’s not that the A380 doesn’t have incredible technology — it does, it was sort of the wrong plane at the wrong time.
In truth, many of the A380’s greatest attributes helped fuel its downfall — from its four huge engines, to its unprecedented maximum takeoff weight of 1 million pounds, along with 500+ passenger capacity.
In theory, the A380 should have been successful because it lowered the per-passenger cost. But that assumed that all of the seats — or at least most of the seats — would be full. Airlines thought the demand would be there, unfortunately, it wasn’t necessarily the case.
Airline; Registration; Type MSN First flight Last landing Status
British Airways G-XLEF Airbus A380-841 151 13-Jan-2014 Active
British Airways G-XLEG Airbus A380-841 161 24-Apr-2014 Active
British Airways G-XLEH Airbus A380-841 163 19-May-2014 Active
British Airways G-XLEI Airbus A380-841 173 22-Sep-2014 Active
British Airways G-XLEJ Airbus A380-841 192 12-Jun-2015 Active
British Airways G-XLEK Airbus A380-841 194 14-Sep-2015 Active
British Airways G-XLEL Airbus A380-841 215 15-Feb-2016 Active
China Southern Airlines B-6136 Airbus A380-841 31 3-Mar-2011 24-Feb-2022 Retired
China Southern Airlines B-6137 Airbus A380-841 36 6-May-2011 25-Feb-2022 Retired
China Southern Airlines B-6138 Airbus A380-841 54 12-Aug-2011 Active
China Southern Airlines B-6139 Airbus A380-841 88 26-Mar-2012 Active
China Southern Airlines B-6140 Airbus A380-841 120 25-Sep-2012 Active
Emirates A6-EDA Airbus A380-861 11 4-Sep-2007 25-Jun-2020 Retired
Emirates A6-EDB Airbus A380-861 13 2-Apr-2008 27-Oct-2020 Retired
Emirates A6-EDC Airbus A380-861 16 28-May-2008 29-Jun-2020 Stored
Emirates A6-EDD Airbus A380-861 20 15-Jul-2008 22-Mar-2020 Stored
Emirates A6-EDE Airbus A380-861 17 29-Sep-2008 10-Mar-2020 Stored
Emirates A6-EDF Airbus A380-861 7 19-Feb-2006 24-Mar-2020 Stored
Emirates A6-EDG Airbus A380-861 23 6-May-2009 29-Feb-2020 Stored
Emirates A6-EDH Airbus A380-861 25 13-Jul-2009 24-Mar-2020 Stored
Emirates A6-EDI Airbus A380-861 28 15-Oct-2009 18-Mar-2020 Stored
Emirates A6-EDJ Airbus A380-861 9 25-Aug-2006 24-Mar-2020 Stored
Emirates A6-EDK Airbus A380-861 30 14-Jan-2010 13-Mar-2020 Stored
Emirates A6-EDL Airbus A380-861 46 29-Jan-2010 21-Jul-2020 Stored
Emirates A6-EDM Airbus A380-861 42 6-Apr-2010 19-Mar-2020 Stored
Emirates A6-EDN Airbus A380-861 56 17-May-2010 9-Jul-2020 Stored
Emirates A6-EDO Airbus A380-861 57 11-Jun-2010 25-Mar-2020 Stored
Emirates A6-EDP Airbus A380-861 77 18-Mar-2011 5-Jul-2020 Stored
Emirates A6-EDQ Airbus A380-861 80 18-Apr-2011 Active
Emirates A6-EDR Airbus A380-861 83 31-May-2011 16-Jul-2020 Stored
Emirates A6-EDS Airbus A380-861 86 17-Jun-2011 Active
Emirates A6-EDT Airbus A380-861 90 5-Jul-2011 19-Mar-2020 Stored
Emirates A6-EDU Airbus A380-861 98 29-Aug-2011 Active
Emirates A6-EDV Airbus A380-861 101 28-Oct-2011 17-Apr-2022 Inactive
Emirates A6-EDW Airbus A380-861 103 10-Jan-2012 16-Jul-2020 Stored
Emirates A6-EDX Airbus A380-861 105 28-Feb-2012 14-Jul-2020 Stored
Emirates A6-EDY Airbus A380-861 106 5-Apr-2012 Active
Emirates A6-EDZ Airbus A380-861 107 26-Apr-2012 17-Mar-2020 Stored
Emirates A6-EEA Airbus A380-861 108 10-Aug-2012 Active
Emirates A6-EEB Airbus A380-861 109 11-May-2012 21-Mar-2020 Stored
Emirates A6-EEC Airbus A380-861 110 5-Jul-2012 20-Jul-2020 Stored
Emirates A6-EED Airbus A380-861 111 19-Jul-2012 Active
Emirates A6-EEE Airbus A380-861 112 2-Aug-2012 Active
Emirates A6-EEF Airbus A380-861 113 26-Nov-2012 Active
Emirates A6-EEG Airbus A380-861 116 14-Dec-2012 Active
Emirates A6-EEI Airbus A380-861 123 17-Jan-2013 Active
Emirates A6-EEJ Airbus A380-861 127 23-Apr-2013 Active
Emirates A6-EEK Airbus A380-861 132 22-Feb-2013 Active
Emirates A6-EEL Airbus A380-861 133 10-Apr-2013 Active
Emirates A6-EEM Airbus A380-861 134 13-May-2013 14-Jul-2021 Stored
Emirates A6-EEN Airbus A380-861 135 22-May-2013 Active
Emirates A6-EEO Airbus A380-861 136 3-Jun-2013 Active
Emirates A6-EEP Airbus A380-861 138 24-Jun-2013 Active
Emirates A6-EER Airbus A380-861 139 5-Jul-2013 Active
Emirates A6-EET Airbus A380-861 142 6-Nov-2013 18-Jul-2020 Stored
Emirates A6-EEV Airbus A380-861 150 10-Dec-2013 Active
Emirates A6-EEZ Airbus A380-861 158 24-Mar-2014 Active
Emirates A6-EOA Airbus A380-861 159 14-Apr-2014 Active
Emirates A6-EOB Airbus A380-861 164 5-Jun-2014 Active
Emirates A6-EOC Airbus A380-861 165 24-Jun-2014 Active
Emirates A6-EOD Airbus A380-861 168 16-Jul-2014 Active
Emirates A6-EOF Airbus A380-861 171 27-Aug-2014 Active
Emirates A6-EOG Airbus A380-861 172 6-Oct-2014 Active
Emirates A6-EOH Airbus A380-861 174 7-Nov-2014 Active
Emirates A6-EOI Airbus A380-861 178 9-Dec-2014 Active
Emirates A6-EOM Airbus A380-861 187 10-Mar-2015 Active
Emirates A6-EOO Airbus A380-861 190 21-Apr-2015 20-May-2022 Inactive
Emirates A6-EOP Airbus A380-861 200 12-May-2015 10-Jul-2020 Stored
Emirates A6-EOR Airbus A380-861 202 25-Jun-2015 6-Jan-2021 Stored
Emirates A6-EOU Airbus A380-861 205 11-Aug-2015 Active
Emirates A6-EOV Airbus A380-861 206 28-Sep-2015 Active
Emirates A6-EOW Airbus A380-861 207 27-Oct-2015 Active
Emirates A6-EOX Airbus A380-861 208 23-Nov-2015 26-Aug-2020 Stored
Emirates A6-EOY Airbus A380-861 209 3-Dec-2015 9-Sep-2020 Stored
Emirates A6-EOZ Airbus A380-861 210 13-Jan-2016 Active
Emirates A6-EUA Airbus A380-861 211 22-Jan-2016 Active
Emirates A6-EUB Airbus A380-861 213 9-Feb-2016 Active
Emirates A6-EUC Airbus A380-861 214 26-Feb-2016 Active
Emirates A6-EUD Airbus A380-861 216 8-Mar-2016 Active
Emirates A6-EUE Airbus A380-861 217 21-Mar-2016 Active
Emirates A6-EUF Airbus A380-861 218 6-Apr-2016 Active
Emirates A6-EUG Airbus A380-861 219 19-Apr-2016 Active
Emirates A6-EUH Airbus A380-861 220 9-May-2016 Active
Emirates A6-EUI Airbus A380-861 221 24-May-2016 Active
Emirates A6-EUJ Airbus A380-861 222 14-Jun-2016 Active
Emirates A6-EUK Airbus A380-861 223 29-Jun-2016 Active
Emirates A6-EUL Airbus A380-861 224 19-Jul-2016 Active
Emirates A6-EUM Airbus A380-842 225 23-Jun-2016 Active
Emirates A6-EUN Airbus A380-842 226 12-Jul-2016 Active
Emirates A6-EUO Airbus A380-842 227 26-Jul-2016 18-Dec-2020 Stored
Emirates A6-EUP Airbus A380-842 228 14-Sep-2016 20-Aug-2020 Stored
Emirates A6-EUQ Airbus A380-842 229 29-Sep-2016 Active
Emirates A6-EUR Airbus A380-842 232 28-Oct-2016 Active
Emirates A6-EUS Airbus A380-842 234 9-Feb-2017 Active
Emirates A6-EUT Airbus A380-842 236 24-Jan-2017 Active
Emirates A6-EUV Airbus A380-842 239 20-Feb-2017 Active
Emirates A6-EUW Airbus A380-842 240 3-May-2017 Active
Emirates A6-EUX Airbus A380-842 241 8-Mar-2017 Active
Emirates A6-EUY Airbus A380-842 242 3-Apr-2017 Active
Emirates A6-EUZ Airbus A380-842 244 8-Jun-2017 19-Aug-2020 Stored
Emirates A6-EVA Airbus A380-842 167 17-Oct-2017 16-Sep-2020 Stored
Emirates A6-EVB Airbus A380-842 162 2-Apr-2014 Active
Emirates A6-EVC Airbus A380-842 248 13-Mar-2018 Active
Emirates A6-EVD Airbus A380-842 249 24-Apr-2018 Active
Emirates A6-EVE Airbus A380-842 250 30-May-2018 Active
Emirates A6-EVF Airbus A380-842 252 11-Jul-2018 Active
Emirates A6-EVH Airbus A380-842 257 30-Jul-2018 Active
Emirates A6-EVI Airbus A380-842 258 4-Apr-2019 Active
Emirates A6-EVJ Airbus A380-842 259 5-Feb-2019 Active
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