Discover America’s 10 Longest Domestic Flights—Up to 12 Hours, No Passport Needed
In a recent update to the scheduling of flights, the longest domestic flight in the United States now extends from Boston to Honolulu, with a remarkable travel time of up to 11 hours and 40 minutes. This shift has dethroned the previous longest flight, which was set to operate from Newark to Honolulu through United Airlines in 2026. The change comes as Delta Air Lines prepares to reinstate service on this route in December, just in time for the holiday travel season.
Key Details of the Longest Domestic Flights
- Flight Pair: Boston to Honolulu
- Duration: 11 hours and 40 minutes
- Reintroduction by: Delta Air Lines starting December 19, 2026
- Aircraft: A330-300, with a frequency ranging from four times weekly to daily
Overview of the Top Ten Longest Domestic Flights
According to Cirium Diio schedules, all ten of the United States’ longest nonstop flights involve Hawaii and predominantly utilize widebody aircraft. The subsequent longest flights after the Boston to Honolulu route are:
| Duration | Route | Airline | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11h 28m | Newark to Honolulu | United | Three times weekly to daily |
| 11h 26m | New York JFK to Honolulu | Alaska, Delta | Daily |
| 10h 58m | Washington Dulles to Honolulu | United | Weekly to daily |
| 10h 21m | Atlanta to Honolulu | Delta | Daily to twice daily |
| 10h 15m | Detroit to Honolulu | Delta | Five times weekly to daily |
| 10h 13m | Atlanta to Kahului | Delta | Five times weekly to daily |
| 9h 45m | Chicago O’Hare to Kahului | American, United | Daily |
| 9h 28m | Chicago O’Hare to Honolulu | American, United | Daily |
| 9h 17m | Chicago O’Hare to Kona | United | Weekly |
The Boston to Honolulu Market Analysis
The Boston to Honolulu route covers a distance of approximately 4,427 nautical miles (8,199 km) and has been unserved since Hawaiian Airlines ceased operations in November 2025. Delta previously operated nonstop flights on this route from November 2024 to April 2025 but ended its service due to lower than expected passenger loads.
In a previous six-month period, Delta carried 43,436 round-trip passengers, filling only 62.8% of its seats. The overall market between the two cities accounted for over 155,000 round-trip local passengers, indicating a strong demand for the route.
As Delta aims to relaunch its nonstop service, the airline hopes for a more favorable performance this time around, particularly since it will be the only carrier on this extensive domestic flight.
