I was browsing Wikipedia the other day looking for a ranking of the top US Domestic airlines based on passengers carried and came across this:

I had no idea that Delta was the largest airline in the world as of 2012! This got me thinking: what are Delta’s longest non-stop routes? This installment joins the others I’ve compiled including:

• Top 7: Longest domestic US flights
• Top 10: Longest Domestic Flights in the World
• Top 10: World’s longest non-stop flights

Top 12 Longest Non-Stop Delta Flights

1. Johannesburg-JNB –> Atlanta-ATL comes in to take the lead with an 8,439 mile journey on a Boeing 777-200LR. JNB-ATL is scheduled at 16 hr 55 mins, however, the reverse route is only 15 hr 25 mins. This is currently the 2nd longest non-stop flight in the world!
   
   
2. Dubai-DXB –> Atlanta-ATL is scheduled at 15 hr 44 mins of flying and covers 7,599 miles on Delta’s Boeing 777-200LR.
   
3. Los Angeles-LAX –> Sydney-SYD is operated on a B777-200LR for a 15 hr 00 min flight. Total miles = 7,488.
   
4. Detroit-DTW –> Shanghai-PVG is on a, you guessed it, Boeing 777-200LR. The 7,137 mile flight is scheduled to take 14 hr 40 mins. Note: Sample dates I found price the flight at around $1,100 if booked through codeshare partners China Eastern and China Southern, but the price is near $1,900 if booked through Delta.
   
5. Atlanta-ATL –> Tokyo-NRT is one of Delta’s very few Boeing 747-400 routes covering 6,850 miles over a period of 14 hr 20 mins. Of the 16 B747 planes remaining in Delta’s fleet, 0 were purchased by Delta–all 16 of them were inherited when they merged with Northwest Airlines in 2010.
   
6. New York-JFK –> Tokyo-NRT is just marginally shorter than the ATL-NRT route at 6,745 miles. It is also flown on a B747-400 and is scheduled to take 14 hr 05 mins.
   
7. Detroit-DTW –> Seoul-ICN takes 13 hr 50 mins to fly the 6,636 mile route on a Boeing 747-400.
8. Detroit-DTW –> Beijing-PEK comes in at 6,631 miles. The 13 hr 45 min flight is operated by Delta’s Boeing 777. Note: codeshare partners China Southern and China Eastern price this flight at $1,102 but on the same dates Delta prices it at $1,890.
9. Detroit-DTW –> Nagoya-NGO = 6,552 miles and takes 13 hrs 25 mins on a B747-400.
   
10. Seattle-SEA –> Hong Kong-HKG is one of the newer Delta flights and comes in at #10 on the list. An Airbus A330-200 covers the 6,500 mile trip in 14 hr 11 mins. Service beings June 16, 2014 (link to article).
    
11. Detroit-DTW –> Tokyo-NRT is coded as flight # DL 275 and is scheduled to take 13 hr 35 mins on a Boeing 777. Total distance covered is 6,397 miles.
12. Minneapolis-MSP –> Tokyo-NRT switches between an Airbus A330-200 and Boeing 777. The distance of 5,950 miles is covered in 12 hr 50 mins.
    

    Other Notable Mentions

13. Lagos, Nigeria-LOS –> Atlanta-ATL =  5,843 miles and 13 hr 30 mins on a B767.
14. Seattle-SEA –> Shanghai-PVG = 5,722 miles and 13 hrs 25 mins on a A330.
15. Tel Aviv-TLV –> New York-JFK = 5,677 miles and 12 hr 05 mins on a B747.
16. Los Angeles-LAX –> Tokyo-NRT / Tokyo-HND = 5,451 miles and 11 hr 40 mins on a B747 (Narita route).
17. Seattle-SEA –> Beijing-PEK = 5,407 miles and 12 hr 05 mins on a B767. Cheap prices now = $724.
18. Seattle-SEA –> Seoul-ICN = 5,216 miles and 11 hr 10 mins on a B767. Service begins June 2, 2014.
19. Accra-ACC –> New York-JFK = 5,111 miles and 11 hr 44 mins on a B767.
20. São Paulo-GRU –> Detroit-DTW = 5,094 miles and 11 hr 00 mins on a B767.
21. Paris-CDG –> Salt Lake City-SLC = 5,080 miles and 11 hr 20 mins on a B767.
22. Rome-FCO –> Atlanta-ATL = 5,036 miles and 11 hr 10 mins on a A330.
23. Istanbul-IST –> New York-JFK = 5,016 miles and 11 hr 06 mins on a B767. Seasonal service only.

Discontinued longest non-stop Delta Flights

• Mumbai-BOM –> Atlanta-ATL was discontinued in 2009. It used to be the 2nd longest flight in the world and Delta’s longest flight overall at 8,510 miles. It was flown on a Delta B777-200LR. Scheduled flying time: 17 hr 55 mins!
  
• Detroit-DTW –> Hong Kong-HKG was cancelled in August 2012. This was Delta’s 2nd longest flight for a while taking 15 hr 45 mins on a B777-200LR. The journey covered 7,857 miles, which means it would have ranked near the 11th or 12th longest flights in the world today.
• Mumbai-BOM –> New York-JFK ended in October 2008, right around the time the Mumbai-Atlanta flight was announced. At 7,790 miles it also would have ranked around the 11th or 12th longest in the world taking 16 hr 00 mins on a B777-200LR.