summary
- Airlines are taking advantage of the long-range capabilities of the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, and several airlines operate long-haul flights.
- TUI Fly Nordic operates its longest flight distance, approximately 4,000 miles, from Helsinki to Cape Verde.
- Other airlines are also taking advantage of the 737 MAX’s increased range with flights to destinations such as Orlando, Buenos Aires, Tokyo and Reykjavik.
Airlines around the world have not hesitated to unleash the full potential of the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. Featuring new, more efficient engines, Boeing’s latest generation of best-selling narrow-body commercial aircraft is known for its advanced technology and long range.
Capable of so-called “long-range” flights, the 737 MAX 8 (the most popular member of the MAX family) has a range of just over 4,000 miles (6,437 km). The aircraft and its slightly larger sister, the MAX 9, are scheduled to fly well over 3,000 miles (4,828 km) this month, making it the world’s longest 737 MAX flight.
Less than 8 hours
Eight airlines around the world are flying the longest routes this month, according to Cirium data. Sweden-based charter airline TUI Fly Nordic took first place with 3,864 miles (6,218 km) flown. This service is numbered 6B647 and will be operated by MAX 8. The average journey time is 7 hours and 45 minutes, departing from Helsinki-Vantaa Airport and flying to Cape Verde’s Aristides Pereira International Airport on Boa Vista Island. As a seasonal service, the service will only operate one flight in November. Other frequencies departing from Stockholm Arlanda Airport operate on Saturdays.
Photo: Lukas Wunderlich | Shutterstock
The company’s other long-haul 737 MAX routes in November include:
Airlines | root | aircraft | Flights (between destinations in November 2023) | average distance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
TUI Fly Nordic | Helsinki, Finland – Sal Island, Cape Verde | Boeing 737 MAX 8 | Four | 3,827 miles (8,158 km) | |
TUI Fly Nordic | Stockholm, Sweden – Sal Island, Cape Verde | Boeing 737 MAX 8 | twenty two | 3,598 miles (5,790 km) | |
TUI Fly Nordic | Gothenburg, Sweden – Boavista Island, Cape Verde | Boeing 737 MAX 8 | 1 | 3,392 miles (5,458 km) | |
South America, Australia, all of Asia
Gol Linhas Aereas Intelligentes operates services between hubs Brasilia President Juscelino Kubitschek International Airport and Orlando International Airport. Flight G3 7602 is operated by a 737 MAX 8 with an average flight time of approximately 7 hours 45 minutes and an average distance of 3,778 miles (6,080 km). A total of 34 frequencies will operate between the two cities in November. There are apparently three flights per week on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
The airline also operates long-haul flights to South Florida.
Airlines | root | aircraft | Flights (between destinations this month) | average distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
gol airline | Brasilia, Brazil – Miami, Florida | Boeing 737 MAX 8 | 34 | 3,598 miles (5,790 km) |
gol airline | Fortaleza, Brazil – Miami, Florida | Boeing 737 MAX 8 | 8 | 3,458 miles (5,565 km) |
Ultra-low-cost airline Alajet flies the MAX 8 from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic to Buenos Aires, Argentina. The flight was the third longest for a 737 MAX, with an average distance of 3,734 miles (6,009 km) and a duration of approximately 7 hours and 50 minutes. The airline will operate 15 flights between the two destinations this month.
Photo: Daniel Martinez Garbuno | Simple Flight
Alajet will also operate 26 flights between Santo Domingo and Santiago, Chile. The route is 3,564 miles (5,735 km) and takes an average of 7 hours.
Virgin Australia operates 30 flights each way between Cairns, Australia and Tokyo (Haneda), Japan. The average flight time is 7 hours 30 minutes and the distance covered by this route is 3,627 miles (5,837 km). Virgin launched the service earlier this year after taking delivery of its first 737 MAX 8.
remaining flights
Other long-haul 737 MAX flights in November 2023 will be operated by Icelandair, Batik Air Malaysia, Smartwings, Copa Airlines and Turkish Airlines.
Airlines | root | aircraft | Flights (between destinations this month) | average distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
icelandair | Reykjavik, Iceland – Denver, Colorado | Boeing 737 MAX 8 | 49 | 3,568 miles (5,742 km) |
icelandair | Reykjavik, Iceland – Vancouver, Canada | Boeing 737 MAX 8 | 32 | 3,544 miles (5,703 km) |
icelandair | Reykjavik, Iceland – Orlando, Florida | Boeing 737 MAX 8 | twenty four | 3,534 miles (5,687 km) |
batik air malaysia | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Adelaide, Australia | Boeing 737 MAX 8 | 20 | 3,524 miles (5,671 km) |
batik air malaysia | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Tokyo (Narita), Japan | Boeing 737 MAX 8 | 35 | 3,357 miles (5,402 km) |
smart wing | Sal Island, Cape Verde – Warsaw, Poland | Boeing 737 MAX 8 | 16 | 3,414 miles (5,494 km) |
copa airlines | Panama City, Panama – Montevideo, Uruguay | Boeing 737 MAX9 | 180 | 3,384 miles (5,446 km) |
Turkish Airlines | Istanbul, Turkiye – Dar es Salaam, Tanzania | Boeing 737 MAX 8 | 52 | 3,377 miles (5,434 km) |
Technological advances and increased efficiency are clearly pushing narrowbody aircraft families such as the 737 MAX and Airbus A320neo to their operational limits to provide lower-capacity, long-haul services.
What’s the longest 737 MAX flight you’ve ever been on? Leave a comment and share your experience!
sauce: Kirium
