The Airbus long-hauler: The top 10 longest A350 passenger routes in 2025 

The Airbus A350 twin-engine passenger jet has become a modern-day success story. So far, the type is operated by 44 airlines, and in October 2025,  there were around 635 active aircraft in service.

The aircraft comes in two variants, with the A350-900 being the standard version with 535 aircraft currently flying. Its larger sister, the A350-1000, is less common, with 100 in active service with airlines worldwide.

The aircraft, still relatively new (its first flight was in 2013), has been used by carriers to replace older, less fuel-efficient aircraft on long-haul routes, although some can also be found flying higher-density regional routes, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region. 

The largest operator of the type is Singapore Airlines, which has 65 aircraft in service. Next in line is Qatar Airways (58), Cathay Pacific with 47 planes flying, followed by Delta Air Lines (35), Air France (34), Lufthansa (30), and Air China (also 30).

juanpabloms / Shutterstock Rather predictably, then, some of these carriers appear in the list of operators of the longest A350 routes being operated in October 2025. Using the type’s unique ability to fly many hours without the need to refuel, the A350 has become the long-haul of choice for many carriers, with it forming the backbone of their widebody fleets. 

The type has become so popular that it is becoming the leading type to replace other long-haul aircraft such as the Boeing 767-300, 777-200, and 777-300, as well as the A330-200 and even the Boeing 747-8 on some select routes.

The A350’s reliability means it can operate to ETOPS 370 rules, meaning it can take more direct transoceanic routes as long as it remains within 370 minutes from a suitable diversion airport. That is, should an engine fail over water, the aircraft is certified to fly for another six hours and ten minutes from landing, operating on a single engine.

Passengers have also taken to the A350, with operators recording the highest levels of positive customer feedback of any aircraft flying today. Passengers enjoy the A350’s wider cabin, lower interior noise levels, and the modern amenities on board that make flying on the type an enjoyable experience, even on the very longest sectors.

ILya Oslyakov / ShutterstockWith 435 and 260 Airbus A350-900s and A350-1000s on order, respectively, the type will be in commercial airline service for many years to come. With the aircraft’s extraordinary ability to operate the longest commercial routes currently in service, the type has become a trailblazer for long-haul flying, opening up new routes that were previously unfeasible.

In this article, AeroTime looks at the world’s ten longest A350 routes by distance, which airline operates that route, and how often it is flown in October 2025. All data included in this article were obtained from the aviation route analysis website Cirium, as well as additional flight schedule data from Flightradar24 and fleet information from ch-aviation.  

#1. Singapore Airlines  –  Singapore (SIN) to New York JFK (JFK)

Total distance – 9,487 miles / 15,179 km

Operated daily as flights SQ24 (SIN-JFK) and SQ23 (JFK-SIN), these flights are operated by Singapore Airlines’ fleet of 65 A350-900s.

Bradley Caslin / ShutterstockEach accommodates 253 passengers in a three-class configuration, equating to 1,771 in each direction weekly. The flights take on average 18 hours flying in each direction.          

#2. Singapore Airlines – Singapore (SIN) to Newark Liberty (EWR)

Total distance – 9,484 miles /  15,174 km

Failing to make position number one on this list by just three miles, this service to the New York area is also operated daily as flights SQ22 (SIN-EWR) and SQ21 (EWR-SIN). Like the carrier’s flights to JFK, these flights are also operated by the A350-900s in the same configuration. The flights also take around 18 hours to complete.

#3. China Southern – Shenzhen (SZX) to Mexico City (MEX)

Total distance – 8,778 miles / 14,044 km

GCMap.comThis somewhat unusual route takes third place on this list. Operated three times per week by China Southern using its fleet of 20 Airbus A350-900s, the flight operates as CZ8031.

Each accommodates 314 passengers in a three-class configuration, equating to 942 seats in each direction weekly. The flight takes around 15 hours to complete.  

   

N509FZ / Wikimedia Commons#4. Singapore Airlines – Singapore (SIN) to Los Angeles (LAX)

Total distance – 8,758 miles  / 14,012 km

GCMap.comThe airline operates multiple flights on this route, both using the carrier’s A350-900s. Flight SQ36 (SIN-LAX) and SQ35 (LAX-SIN) operate three times per week, while SQ38 (SIN-LAX) and SQ37 (LAX-SIN) operate daily.

The eastbound flight takes 15 hours to complete, while the westbound leg takes around an hour longer at 16 flight hours. Between the two services, the airline offers 2,530 seats in each direction weekly, or a route total of 5,060 seats weekly.  

#5. Philippine Airlines – Manila (MNL) to New York JFK (JFK)

Total distance – 8,513 miles / 13,620 km

This route is Philippine Airlines’ longest and is the fifth longest anywhere on the A350’s international network. The carrier operates flights PR126 (MNL-JFK) and PR127 (JFK-MNL) three times per week in either direction using its pair of A350-900s.

Aaron Davis / Wikimedia CommonsEach accommodates 295 passengers in a three-class configuration – 30 in business class, 24 in premium economy, and 241 in economy.

The eastbound flight takes 15 hours to complete, while the westbound leg takes slightly longer at around  16:30 flight hours.

#6 Singapore Airlines  – Singapore (SIN) to San Francisco (SFO)

Total distance – 8,440 miles / 13,504 km

GCMap.comReturning to Singapore Airlines, the carrier has its fourth route in the top ten longest A350 routes. Just 158 miles shorter than the airline’s flights from Singapore to Los Angeles (see above), the flights SQ32/SQ 31 operate daily on the A350-900 while the carrier also operates its SQ34/SQ33 flights seven times a week.  

Between the two services, the airline offers 3,542 seats in each direction weekly, or a route total of 7,084 seats weekly.     

#7. Delta Air Lines – Atlanta (ATL) to Johannesburg (JNB)

Total distance – 8,433 miles / 13,493 km

GCmap.comThe first appearance of a US carrier on the list, and the only current US-based operator of the A350. Delta uses A350-900s on this route, which operates daily as DL200 (ATL-JNB) and DL201 (JNB-ATL).

Karolis Kavolelis / ShutterstockThe flight from the US takes around 14:15 hours, while the flight from Johannesburg to Atlanta takes around 16 hours and 30 minutes. Delta’s fleet of 38 A350-900s carries 306 passengers in a three-class configuration.

#8. Qatar Airways  – Doha (DOH) to Los Angeles (LAX)

Total distance – 8,301 miles / 13,282 km

With Qatar Airways, Etihad, and Emirates now all flying the A350 on their networks, it is the first of the ‘Big Three’ that features on the list. The airline currently has 59 A350s in its fleet, with the carrier being the first on the list to fly the longer variant, the A350-1000.

Vytautas Kielaitis / ShutterstockThe airline’s flights QR739 (DOH-LAX) and QR740 operate daily in each direction on the larger A350-1000, which carries 327 passengers. The flight from DOH takes around 15 hours, while the return flight takes approximately 14:45 hours of flying time.

#9. Philippine Airlines – Manila (MNL) to Toronto (YYZ)

Total distance – 8,217 miles / 13,147 km

A second appearance of Philippine Airlines on the list sees the carrier take ninth spot with its scheduled passenger flights between Manila and Toronto. Also operated by its A350-900s, the route is around 300 miles shorter than its JFK connection (see above).

Brian Bukowski / Wikimedia CommonsThe journey times on the route are PR118 (MNL-YYZ) takes around 14hours and 30 minutes, while it takes the return leg (PR119) around 15:30 hours to fly back to Manila.

#10. Delta Air Lines – Atlanta (ATL) to Cape Town (CPT)

Total distance – 8,127 miles / 13,003 km

Similar in length to its link to Johannesburg, the carrier’s flights to Cape Town come in at just 300 miles shorter, meaning they take slightly less time to complete. The eastbound sector (ATL-CPT) takes around 14 hours and 30 minutes, while the return leg (CPT-ATL) takes around 15 hours and 15 minutes.

Clement AllongThe flights operate three times per week in each direction, and all are operated by the carrier’s A350-900s.

Special mention: Cathay Pacific – Hong Kong (HKG) to Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW)

Total distance – 8,120 miles  / 12,992 km

GCMap.comWorth a special mention, as it just misses our list by a mere seven miles, is Cathay Pacific’s new route between Hong Kong and Dallas-Fort Worth in Texas.

Operated four times per week in each direction, the flights (CX876/CX877) are flown by the airline’s fleet of 18 A350-1000s, which each seat 334 passengers in a three-class layout. This equates to a capacity of 1,336 seats in each direction per week.

A Periam Photography / ShutterstockLonger, and longer still…

With the A350 commonly operating flights of between 15-17 hours in length, the aircraft type’s reputation as the future workhorse of long-haul aviation is well established.

Its reputation will be expanded even further when, in early 2027, Australian carrier Qantas will employ brand new A350-1000s on the first-ever non-stop flights between Sydney and London, and Sydney to New York JFK.

Known as Project Sunrise, and with great circle distances of 10,573 miles (16,967km) and 9,950 miles (15,920km), respectively, these flights will even exceed the current longest A350 routes by some distance.

QantasThese flights, with durations of around 19 hours, will teach the industry a great deal about how humans endure such long-distance flights and what is feasible for the average passenger.

However, with the carrier’s specially equipped super long-range A30-1000s likely to operate some of the very longest routes on the planet, any airline will have to go some way to pip Qantas to the top spot if this list is recreated in a couple of years from now.      

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