Air journey has enhanced world connectivity over the previous a number of a long time. Journeys that might have as soon as taken weeks or months to finish now solely take hours. Not even a decade in the past, only a few airports supplied nonstop flights to all six inhabited continents. At this time, that quantity has elevated due to developments in plane expertise.

 

 

London Heathrow Airport (LHR)

 

London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR) is arguably probably the most well-known airports on the earth. Any overseas provider securing a slot at Heathrow treats this service as a flagship or a premium route. As of 2023, Heathrow presents essentially the most worldwide routes. Nonetheless, that doesn’t essentially imply that Heathrow serves essentially the most international locations out of any airport. That distinction belongs to Istanbul (IST).

 

In 2022, Heathrow was the second-busiest worldwide airport on the earth, behind solely Dubai. The airport serves airways worldwide, with flights to all six inhabited continents: North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia/Oceania.

 

 

North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa are extensively served, with many airways from these continents serving Heathrow. Some carriers even serve different London airports, the preferred one being Gatwick (LGW), town’s different major intercontinental airport. Avianca, British Airways, and LATAM Brasil function companies to South America.

 

 

Avianca serves Bogotá, Colombia (BOG) with the Boeing 787-8. This service takes anyplace from 9 to 10 hours every means. Hometown airline British Airways serves Rio de Janeiro (GIG) and São Paulo, Brazil (GRU), together with Buenos Aires, Argentina (EZE). São Paulo-Guarulhos is served on the Airbus A350-1000, and the flights to and from Heathrow take 10 to 11 hours.

 

Rio and Buenos Aires are operated on the identical flight operated by a Boeing 777-200ER. The flight departs Heathrow for Rio de Janeiro and continues to Buenos Aires. The alternative route takes place on the best way again to London. London to Rio is a roughly 11-hour flight, adopted by one other three hours to Argentina. Many airways serving Buenos Aires go for a stopover in Brazil. This fashion, they’ll serve each international locations if the demand for one vacation spot is inadequate.

 

British Airways and Emirates function the GIG-EZE sector, whereas extra airways go for GRU-EZE. These embody Air Canada, Turkish Airways, Ethiopian, and SWISS. LATAM Brasil additionally serves the Heathrow-São Paulo route. The airline flies its Boeing 777-300ER day by day between the 2 cities.

 

 

Shifting onto Oceania, Heathrow solely presents nonstop service to Australia, with Qantas having a nonstop path to Perth (PER), one of many longest flights on the earth. Heathrow to Perth is operated by the Boeing 787-9, an plane identified for its unbelievable vary. This flight takes 16-17 hours every means. 

 

The route originates and terminates in Melbourne (MEL), so technically, there’s a “direct” service between London and Melbourne; it’s not nonstop. The Melbourne extension is ready to finish in March 2024. Different routes between Heathrow and Oceania aren’t nonstop. 

 

British Airways presents service to Sydney, Australia (SYD) with the Boeing 777-300ER. Nonetheless, the flight stops in Singapore (SIN) attributable to vary limitations. Qantas additionally operates its flagship flights, QF1 and QF2, to Sydney, with a stopover in Singapore. This flight makes use of the Airbus A380-800.

 

 

Dubai Worldwide Airport (DXB)

 

Dubai Worldwide Airport (DXB) is the busiest worldwide airport by worldwide passengers and the fifth-busiest total as of 2022. Dubai is the only hub for world-renowned airline Emirates, one of many major causes behind Dubai’s huge connectivity. Emirates presents service to 150 cities throughout 80 international locations. Along with offering a variety of flights to North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa, there are various flights to Oceania and South America too.

 

 

In Australia, Emirates serves Sydney (SYD), Melbourne (MEL), Brisbane (BNE), and Perth (PER). Emirates’ New Zealand community includes Auckland (AKL) and Christchurch (CHC). Impressively sufficient, all of those flights are served on the Airbus A380-800. Christchurch is served through Sydney each methods on flights EK412 and EK413. Emirates additionally has two different day by day flights to Sydney from Dubai.

 

In South America, Emirates serves Buenos Aires, Argentina (EZE), together with São Paulo (GRU) and Rio de Janeiro (GIG) in Brazil. Dubai – Sāo Paulo is served on the Airbus A380-800, whereas Rio/Buenos Aires is mixed into one flight served by the Boeing 777-200LR.

 

 

Hamad Worldwide Airport (DOH)

 

Center Jap airports like Dubai and Doha have been particularly profitable with worldwide connectivity due to their world location. Whereas Hamad Worldwide Airport (DOH) just isn’t among the many world’s prime ten busiest airports by total site visitors, it’s the world’s eighth-busiest worldwide airport as of 2022.

 

Nations just like the United Arab Emirates and Qatar are on the crossroads of a number of continents. Airways from these international locations and others within the area have been in a position to capitalize on their strategic location by permitting simple connectivity from one finish of the world to the opposite. Qatar Airways’ development can partly be attributed to its dwelling nation’s location. It serves over 170 locations throughout the six inhabited continents.

 

 

North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa have a number of routes from Doha. Oceania and South America are the extra distant continents, so extra focus has been given to those particular routes. Concerning South America, Qatar Airways solely presents service to São Paulo, Brazil (GRU). The provider operates two day by day flights to Guarulhos Airport with its Boeing 777-300ER and 777-200LR.

 

Taking a look at Oceania, Qatar Airways serves Adelaide (ADL), Brisbane (BNE), Melbourne (MEL), Perth (PER), and Sydney (SYD) in Australia. The provider served Canberra (CBR), Australia’s capital metropolis. Nonetheless, this service was suspended. Qatar Airways additionally serves Auckland (AKL) in New Zealand.

 

 

O. R. Tambo Worldwide Airport (JNB)

 

Johannesburg’s O.R. Tambo Worldwide Airport (JNB) is one other airport related to the six inhabited continents. It’s value mentioning that South Africa is the world’s solely nation with nonstop flights to all seven continents. Particular constitution companies have been operating from Cape City to Wolf’s Fang (WFR). Sadly, no such routes exist from Johannesburg. In the event that they did, it will change into the world’s solely metropolis with air hyperlinks to all seven continents.

 

 

Nonetheless, Johannesburg has service to all six inhabited continents. Taking a look at North America, Delta Air Traces presents nonstop service to Atlanta (ATL) and United Airways to Newark (EWR). South African Airways had its companies to New York (JFK) and Washington Dulles (IAD), which not function. South America sees two nonstop flights to São Paulo (GRU) in Brazil. LATAM Brasil and South African Airways function these flights.

 

 

The one nation in Oceania served nonstop from Johannesburg is Australia. Qantas flies to Sydney (SYD) with seasonal service to Perth (PER). South African Airways will resume its route from Johannesburg to Perth beginning April 28. Johannesburg additionally sees all kinds of flights to Europe and Asia, together with the anticipated big variety of flights to African international locations.

 

The Air China companies to Shenzhen (SZX) and Beijing-Capital (PEK) in China are examples of routes between Asia and South Africa. Each cities are served on one flight operated by the Airbus A350-900. The plane originates and terminates in Beijing, flying PEK-SZX-JNB and the alternative route on the best way again.

 

 

John F. Kennedy Worldwide Airport (JFK)

 

Like Heathrow, New York’s John F. Kennedy Worldwide Airport (JFK) has all the time been iconic. As of 2022, JFK was the Eleventh-busiest airport on the earth, the sixth-busiest in the US, and stays the busiest worldwide gateway into the US. JFK is served by over 90 airways hailing from all six inhabited continents.

 

JFK has loads of flights inside North America. Europe and Asia even have vital routes from the airport. The airport presents essentially the most flights to South America of the airports serving all six inhabited continents. Right here is the total checklist of all nonstop routes from JFK to South American international locations:

 

• Bogotá, Colombia (BOG) – Avianca
• Buenos Aires, Argentina (EZE) – Aerolineas Argentinas, American Airways, Delta (seasonal)
• Cali, Colombia (CLO) – Avianca (seasonal)
• Cartagena, Colombia (CTG) – Avianca
• Georgetown, Guyana (GEO) – American Airways, Caribbean Airways, JetBlue
• Guayaquil, Ecuador (GYE) – Avianca Ecuador, JetBlue
• Lima, Peru (LIM) – LATAM Perú
• Medellín, Colombia (MDE) – Avianca
• Pereira, Colombia (PEI) – Avianca (seasonal)
• Quito, Ecuador (UIO) – Avianca Ecuador
• Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (GIG) – American Airways and Delta (each seasonal)
• Santiago, Chile (SCL) – LATAM Chile
• São Paulo, Brazil (GRU) – American Airways, Delta, LATAM Brasil

 

 

JFK additionally has a large checklist of routes to Africa:

 

• Abidjan, Ivory Coast (ABJ) – Ethiopian Airways*
• Accra, Ghana (ACC) – Delta
• Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (ADD) – Ethiopian Airways*
• Cairo, Egypt (CAI) – Egyptair
• Casablanca, Morocco (CMN) – Royal Air Maroc
• Dakar, Senegal (DSS) – Air Senegal, Delta
• Nairobi, Kenya (NBO) – Kenya Airways

 

*Ethiopian’s service stops over in ABJ each methods, ADD-ABJ-JFK-ABJ-ADD.

 

JFK even has nonstop service to Oceania, specifically Australia and New Zealand. Each of those are reasonably current additions. Qantas has a nonstop flight to Auckland (AKL) with the Boeing 787-9. This flight continues to Sydney (SYD). The JFK-Auckland sector is about 15-17 hours every means. Air New Zealand additionally has a route from JFK to Auckland with the 787-9. This service operates underneath flight numbers NZ1 and NZ2.

 

 

O’Hare Worldwide Airport (ORD)

 

Chicago’s O’Hare Worldwide Airport (ORD) was the world’s ninth busiest airport in 2023. It was additionally the fourth-busiest in the US. O’Hare is taken into account to be the world’s most related airport, primarily due to its regional community throughout the Midwest and in addition giant short-haul community.

 

 

Most significantly, O’Hare additionally has nonstop service to all six inhabited continents. There are a lot of flights to North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, South America, and Oceania. The whole thing of Chicago’s South America community consists of a day by day flight to São Paulo, Brazil (GRU) operated by United Airways.

 

Equally, the whole lot of Chicago’s African community consists of a day by day flight to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (ADD) operated by Ethiopian Airways. This flight stops at Rome-Fiumicino, Italy (FCO) for refueling however solely on the best way to Chicago. The refueling stopover is due to Addis Ababa’s excessive elevation. Plane can’t be absolutely fueled in Addis Ababa for the total voyage to North America. Doing so would render the aircraft unable to elevate off due to the low air density. 

 

 

Due to this fact, Ethiopian’s North American routes make a refueling stopover someplace. In Chicago’s case, Ethiopian doesn’t have fifth-freedom rights to fly passengers solely between Rome and Chicago. This is smart as a result of the journey again to Addis Ababa is nonstop.

 

Shifting on, Chicago has just one hyperlink to Oceania: Auckland, New Zealand (AKL) through Air New Zealand. This service started in 2019 with the Boeing 787-9. After being suspended because of the pandemic, it resumed in late 2022. Air New Zealand flies twice every week to Chicago, taking anyplace from 13 to 16 hours.

 

Qantas had initially deliberate to launch flights between Brisbane (BNE) and Chicago in 2020. This by no means materialized because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nonetheless, there are rumors that Qantas is reevaluating the Brisbane-Chicago route, and it may begin someday quickly.

 

 

Fiumicino Worldwide Airport (FCO)

Rome’s Fiumicino Worldwide Airport (FCO) is subsequent on the checklist. Other than a number of companies to North America, Africa, Europe, and Asia, the airport has a number of routes to South America and Oceania.

 

ITA Airways, Italy’s new flag provider that succeeded Alitalia, flies to Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, and São Paulo. LATAM Brasil additionally operates to Fiumicino from São Paulo. Shifting to Oceania, Qantas operates seasonal service to each Perth and Sydney. 
 

 

Extra Airports to Come?

 

With fast developments in aviation, newer planes can fly additional for much less value, due to improved effectivity and vary. These particularly embody the Airbus A350-1000 and Boeing 787-9. As such, extra airports may serve each inhabited continent. Many airports have nonstop flights to 5 of the six inhabited continents.

 

Paris’ Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) is Europe’s third-busiest airport and can quickly be one other addition to this checklist of airports. Given its location, CDG has loads of European companies along with companies in Africa and North America. So far as South America goes, Air France flies nonstop to Buenos Aires, Argentina (EZE), Cayenne, French Guiana (CAY), Rio de Janeiro (GIG), and São Paulo, Brazil (GRU).

 

CDG will quickly have nonstop service to Oceania. The airport has direct service however not nonstop flights, as each Air France and Air Tahiti Nui fly to Papeete, Tahiti (PPT) however through Los Angeles. Qantas will resume service to Perth and new service to Sydney, Australia, on April 12.

 

 

The subsequent most possible addition to this checklist may very well be Istanbul Airport in Türkiye (IST). The airport has nonstop flights to 5 of the six inhabited continents, solely lacking Oceania. Nonetheless, Turkish Airways will launch a service to Melbourne, Australia (MEL) in March of this 12 months. The service will cease in Singapore for refueling.

 

It’s value noting that the Melbourne service will ultimately change into nonstop as soon as Turkish takes supply of the Airbus A350-1000. Nonetheless, There isn’t any particular time-frame for this. Regardless, it does present hope that Istanbul will ultimately be linked to all six inhabited continents.