China Eastern Airlines launched its inaugural flight from Shanghai to Buenos Aires on Dec 4, marking the first direct air route between China and Argentina. 

The flight, operated by a Boeing 777-300ER carrying 282 passengers, covered more than 20,000 kilometers in about 25 hours and 30 minutes. The journey included a two-hour stopover in Auckland, New Zealand. 

Compared with traditional flights linking China and South America that transit through Europe or North America, the Shanghai-Auckland-Buenos Aires route reduced travel time from approximately 30 hours to 25. 

The route is now the world's longest single commercial flight and the first to connect antipodal cities, as Shanghai and Buenos Aires lie almost exactly opposite each other on the globe. 

The service operates twice weekly, with eastbound flights departing Shanghai on Mondays and Thursdays and returning from Buenos Aires on Tuesdays and Fridays. 

This efficiency is further enhanced by New Zealand's streamlined transit policy, which allows Chinese passport holders to transit via Auckland with an electronic travel authorization rather than a full visa.

The airline has also launched a cold-chain logistics service to transport fresh Argentine produce, such as cherries and salmon, to China on return flights. 

The inaugural aircraft was decorated with cultural relics from China's National Museum. 

Source: Shanghai Observer