How long can a 737 fly without refueling?

Most of us have taken at least a few airplane rides in our lifetime. They are truly marvels of modern technology, making it possible to travel between the corners of the globe in a very short time. Perhaps the most amazing thing about them is how long they can fly without stopping for fuel.

So, how long can an airplane fly without refueling? The longest commercial flight without refueling lasted 23 hours, covering a distance of 12,427 miles (20,000 km ). The longest non-stop commercial flight route as of today is 9,540 miles (15,300 km) long and lasts nearly 18 hours. 

In this article, we will discuss the factors that determine how long an airplane can fly without refueling. We will also discuss record-holders and emerging technologies that promise to make longer flights possible. We will also discuss briefly what the longest distance is that an airplane can travel before it starts getting closer to the starting point. Confused? Read on!

• The Record-Holder: Longest Flight Without Refueling
• Longest non-stop commercial flights today
• Fuel Economy
• 20-hour flights are coming
• What is the farthest distance a plane can travel?
• Conclusion
• Sources

The Record-Holder: Longest Flight Without Refueling

The all-time record holder for the airplane that traveled the longest without refueling is the Rutan Model 76 Voyager.

As mentioned above, this plane wasn’t a commercial plane. It was a 2-crew airplane, approximately 9 meters long and 3 meters high with a wingspan of approximately 34 meters. The plane weighed 1,020 kg (2,248 lbs) without fuel and 4,397 kg (9,693lbs) with fuel. Evidently, it was vastly smaller and lighter compared to the big commercial airplanes we are used to flying in.

In December 1986, the Rutan Model 76 Voyager took off from the Edwards Air Force in the Mojave Desert, and stayed in the air for a total of 216 hours, setting a flight endurance record. In total, the plane traveled 40,000 km (24,854 miles).

Obviously, this record cannot be held against a commercial airplane. These planes are much heavier, can carry many more people, and, in the end, end up being more economical.

The record holder for a commercial flight is a 23-hour flight from Hong Kong to London. The Boeing 777-200 LR that achieved the feat in 2005 covered a distance of 20,000 km (12,427 miles).

Longest non-stop commercial flights today

Below, we will list the 10 longest non-stop flights in the world as of 2020. Most of these flights are pushing the limit when it comes to their flight duration.

1. Singapore to New York (Singapore Airlines)

• Distance: 15,300 km (9,540 miles)
• Normal Flight Duration: 17 hours, 50 minutes

2. Auckland to Doha (Qatar Airways)

• Distance: 14,500 km (9,032 miles)
• Normal Flight Duration: 17 hours, 40 minutes

3. Perth to London (Qantas Airways)

• Distance: 14,500 km (9,010 miles)
• Normal Flight Duration: 17 hours, 20 minutes

4. Auckland to Dubai (Emirates Airline)

• Distance: 14,200 km (8,824 miles)
• Normal Flight Duration: 17 hours, 5 minutes

5. Los Angeles to Singapore (United Airlines)

• Distance: 14,100 km (8,770 miles)
• Normal Flight Duration: 17 hours, 50 minutes

6. Houston to Sydney (United Airlines)

• Distance: 13,830 km (8,596 miles)
• Normal Flight Duration: 17 hours, 30 minutes

7. Dallas/Fort Worth to Sydney (Qantas Airways)

• Distance: 13,800 km (8,578 miles)
• Normal Flight Duration: 17 hours, 15 minutes

8. San Francisco to Singapore (United Airlines/Singapore Airlines)

• Distance: 13,590 km (8,446 miles)
• Normal Flight Duration: 17 hours, 5 minutes (United), 16 hours, 40 minutes (Singapore)

9. Johannesburg to Atlanta (Delta Air Lines)

• Distance: 13,580 km (8,439 miles)
• Normal Flight Duration: 16 hours, 35 minutes

10. Abu Dhabi to Los Angeles (Etihad Airways)

• Distance: 13,500 km (8,390 miles)
• Normal Flight Duration: 16 hours, 30 minutes

Fuel Economy

Let us now look at the fuel economy of a typical commercial airplane.

The fuel capacity of a Boeing 747 is approximately 180,000 liters. When the 747 is cruising in air, it burns approximately 4 liters of fuel per second. That equals 240 liters per minute and 14,400 liters per hour. So that means the plane can technically cruise on air for around 11 hours, after considering take-off and landing.

The average cruise speed of a Boeing 747 is around 900 km/h (or 550 mph). That means for 14,400 liters, the plane can get you 900 km. This translates to 0.0625 km per liter or 16 liters per km.

Now, of course, for one individual, this may be an extremely expensive fuel economy. But if you consider that the plane can carry over 500 passengers, it translates to around 30 km per liter per person or 100 km per gallon!

That is a vast improvement over the fuel economy of even the best cars in the market today. Not to mention, planes are much, much faster at getting you to your destination.

20-hour flights are coming

So what does the future hold for commercial airlines? How long will planes be able to travel without refueling?

Well, we might be very close to seeing the world’s first 20-hour flight. This would be a direct (non-stop) flight from Sydney to London. Of course, 20 hours on a flight does seem awfully long. But consider this: Just a couple of centuries ago, it took people more than 21 days to travel between the same cities.

The flight will be conducted by Qantas Airways, and the plane will travel a distance of approximately 17,000 km (10,563 miles). We have reached a point of technological advancement where such a flight is possible.

The only potential problem is whether the pilots, the flight attendants, and the passengers will be able to handle a flight this long. We will have to wait and see how Qantas Airways manages it. One would expect at least three meals and plenty of in-flight entertainment.

What is the farthest distance a plane can travel?

There is one last question that seems relevant to this article. If your goal is to fly as far as you can on an airplane without stopping to refuel, you might also ask: What is the farthest distance one can travel on a plane before they start getting closer to the starting point again?

This might sound confusing, but it really isn’t. The earth is roughly a sphere with a circumference of about 40,000 km (or 24,900 miles). If you started from any point and traveled straight in any direction, there will come a point where you start moving closer towards the starting point.

This distance is approximately 20,000 km (12,450 miles), which is half of the earth’s circumference. So technically, even after the 21-hour flight is introduced, we would still be 3000 km short of the longest possible flight on earth.

Conclusion

The longest that most modern commercial airplanes travel is a little less than 18 hours. The world record for any airplane was set in 1986 by a two-person aircraft known as the Rutan Model 76 Voyager, which flew for over 9 days without refueling. Of course, at just over 4000 kg in weight, this plane was almost 50 times lighter than your typical commercial airplane, such as the Boeing 747.

The longest that a commercial airplane has flown without refueling is a little over 23 hours. This was achieved by a Boeing 777-200 LR that flew between Hong Kong and London, covering a distance of almost 20,000 km.

A new 21-hour flight between Sydney and London is being introduced in the coming years. And that would only be 3000 km short of the longest distance possible for a plane to fly before it starts getting closer to the starting point again.

Sources

• Wikipedia: Fuel economy in aircraft
• Upgradedpoints.com: The 10 Longest Non-Stop Flights in the World
• The Guardian: What is the furthest an aircraft can fly?
• Wikipedia: Flight endurance record
• ExplainThatStuff.com: How do planes fly?