It’s safe to say, I’m one of the crazy people in the world that enjoys long flights as long as I am at the front of the plane. In today’s article, we talk about three of the longest domestic flights in the world.
#1 Paris to Reunion & Paris to Tahiti – France
The world’s longest domestic flight, developed during the COVID pandemic was operated by Air Tahiti Nui, a French airline based in French Polynesia. Operated from Paris CDG airport to Faa’a International Airport near Papeete, it covered a great circle distance of 15,715km (9765 mi). The flight took approximately 16 hours and 20 minutes. At the time, it set the record for the world’s longest domestic flight and the world’s longest commercial flight. Normally, flying from Paris to Tahiti would involve a stop in Los Angeles. Now air travel has returned to a level of normality, this is now the way you would get to Tahiti.
Prior to this record, the longest commercial flight by great-circle distance was Singapore to Newark operated by Singapore Airlines with a distance of 15,343km.
The Tahiti flight is no longer non-stop. However, France still holds the record for the longest domestic flight. Paris (CDG) to Saint Denis, Reunion island (RUN) now holds the French record at 9,349 km (5,809 mi).
Since both Tahiti and Reunion Island are considered part of the French republic, they count as domestic flights as even though you fly through international airspace, you never leave France.
#2 Boston to Honolulu – USA
The second-longest domestic flight in the world is from Boston to Honolulu, operated by Hawaiian airlines. The flight covers a distance of around 8,199 km (5,095 mi) taking approximately 11 hours and 20 minutes.
Similar long domestic flights in the USA are also operated. Flights are readily available from New York (JFK) and Newark (EWR) to Honolulu. They have a similar distance and flight time to Hawaii as the route is similar to the Boston flights.
#3 Amsterdam to Aruba – The Netherlands
Aruba is one of the overseas territories of The Netherlands. It is connected to Amsterdam by a direct flight run by KLM. There is a total flight distance of 7,883 km (4,898 mi). Flight time is approximately 10 hours and 15 minutes.
Aruba is an overseas territory of The Netherlands so this is considered a domestic flight.
KLM also run similarly long flights to Curaçao and Bonaire from Amsterdam at 7,838 km and 7,796 km respectively.
Final word
Interestingly, 22 of the top 25 longest domestic flights belong to either France, The Netherlands or the USA. The remaining 3 flights belong to Russia.
France and The Netherlands have lots of remote overseas territories and all of the US flights are due to Hawaii being so far from the US mainland.
