Global travel is back, and this time, it seems no one wants to take stopovers. First there was a brand-new route letting travellers travel from New York to New Zealand in one epic 17-hour trip. And now, not to be outdone, Qantas has launched a direct flight from Melbourne, Australia, to Dallas, Texas, which also takes around 17 hours.
The new route – the first non-stop flight between the two destinations, which are 8,994 miles apart – will begin in December. It means travellers can make the most of Australia’s newly reopened borders, as testing requirements are scrapped and the country finally welcomes back tourists.
The airline has made no secret of its ambition to launch some really, really long new flights. Pre-pandemic, there was even talk of a non-stop Sydney-London route, which might yet be revived.
The longest passenger flight in the world is currently the Singapore Airlines route between Singapore and New York, covering 9,534 miles and lasting around 18 hours. Our advice? Make sure you’ve downloaded a whole load of films before boarding.
Want to book a spot on the Melbourne-Dallas route? Tickets start from A$2,199 (£1,259 or $1,649). Find out more on the Qantas website.
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