The longest ocean gap on any flight map

South America and Australia share one of the most striking characteristics of global geography: they face each other across the South Pacific, the largest and deepest ocean on Earth. The straight-line distance from Santiago de Chile to Sydney covers roughly 11,336 km (7,043 miles) - nearly the same as flying from London to New York and back again in a single trip.

For most of aviation history, this crossing required at least one stop: Fiji, Tahiti, Auckland, or Los Angeles. Today, LATAM Airlines operates the only nonstop scheduled services between South America and Australia, linking Santiago directly to both Sydney and Melbourne. These routes rank among the longest transoceanic flights in the world and include one extraordinary geographic record: the Santiago–Melbourne service passes south of the Antarctic Circle , making it the world's southernmost commercial flight.

This article was inspired by the travel guide originally published by Chimu Adventures , an Australian operator specializing in South America and Antarctica expeditions. The route data, original analysis and visualizations on this page are our own editorial interpretation of publicly available flight schedules and historical records.

Route 1: Santiago (SCL) → Sydney (SYD)

The primary trans-Pacific crossing

Route: Arturo Merino Benítez International (SCL) → Sydney Kingsford Smith (SYD)

Distance: ~7,043 miles (~11,336 km)

Flight time: ~14h 35m westbound (SCL→SYD) | ~12h 50m eastbound (SYD→SCL)

Airlines: LATAM Airlines (own metal) · Qantas (codeshare on LATAM flights)

Aircraft: Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner

Frequency: Daily year-round

Economy fares: from ~USD $650–850 (advance purchase)

This is the workhorse of the South America–Australia air bridge. LATAM's Boeing 787-9 departs Santiago in the early evening and arrives in Sydney the following morning local time - crossing the International Date Line along the way, which means you effectively "lose" a day on the outbound journey and "gain" it back on the return.

Qantas passengers can book seats on LATAM's Santiago–Sydney flight using Qantas flight numbers (QF codeshare), allowing travellers to earn Qantas Points and benefit from Qantas' interline connections within Australia. LATAM's cabin on this route includes a Premium Business cabin with direct-aisle access lie-flat seats and an on-demand entertainment system.

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The International Date Line crossing

Flying westward from Santiago to Sydney, the flight crosses the International Date Line at roughly 180° longitude, somewhere over the central South Pacific. This means that if you depart Santiago on a Monday evening, you arrive in Sydney on a Wednesday morning local time - skipping Tuesday entirely on the outbound leg. On the return flight eastward, you gain the day back.

Many passengers find this disorienting, especially when combined with the 13-hour time difference between Santiago (UTC–3 in summer) and Sydney (UTC+11 in summer). Flying from Santiago to Sydney, you land roughly 13 hours ahead of Chilean time - so a 9 pm Monday departure lands as a 10 am Wednesday arrival.

Route 2: Santiago (SCL) → Melbourne (MEL)

The world's southernmost commercial flight

Route: Arturo Merino Benítez International (SCL) → Melbourne Tullamarine (MEL)

Distance: ~7,015 miles (~11,292 km)

Flight time: ~15h westbound (SCL→MEL) | ~13h eastbound (MEL→SCL)

Airline: LATAM Airlines

Aircraft: Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner

Frequency: 3x weekly year-round

Economy fares: from ~USD $680–900 (advance purchase)

Launched by LATAM on 5 October 2017 , the Santiago–Melbourne route holds a remarkable distinction: its great-circle path dips south of the Antarctic Circle (66.5°S), passing within approximately 800 km of the Antarctic mainland. This makes it the world's southernmost scheduled commercial passenger service - a record it still holds as of 2026.

The route is slightly shorter than Santiago–Sydney in terms of great-circle distance, but takes longer in the westbound direction because the great-circle arc curves further south toward Antarctica and then sweeps back up, while also flying against the high-altitude westerlies over the Southern Ocean. LATAM operates this route with the same 787-9 configuration as the Sydney service.

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Why does the Melbourne route go via Antarctica?

The route follows the great-circle path - the shortest possible line between two points on a sphere. Because Santiago sits at roughly 33°S and Melbourne at 37°S, and because both cities are far into the Southern Hemisphere, the shortest route between them curves dramatically southward, passing over the Drake Passage and reaching latitudes that brush the edge of the Antarctic continent. The flight never actually crosses Antarctica itself, but it flies over the Southern Ocean at altitudes where, on a clear night, passengers in south-facing seats can sometimes see sea ice below.

Route 3: Via Auckland (AKL)

The trans-Pacific with a New Zealand stopover

Example routing: Santiago (SCL) → Auckland (AKL) → Sydney (SYD) or Melbourne (MEL)

SCL–AKL distance: ~5,921 miles (~9,529 km)

Airlines: LATAM (SCL–AKL), then Air New Zealand or Qantas for the AKL–SYD/MEL leg

Total journey time: ~18–22 hours including stopover

Economy fares (SCL–AKL–SYD/MEL): from ~USD $600–850 (advance purchase)

LATAM operates a year-round nonstop service from Santiago to Auckland, which can serve as a two-stop itinerary to reach Sydney or Melbourne. From Auckland, Air New Zealand, Qantas and LATAM all operate frequent services to both Australian cities, with flight times of 3–4 hours.

This routing is popular for travellers who want to combine a visit to New Zealand en route, or who find better fares on split bookings. Air New Zealand is particularly well-suited here, offering generous luggage allowances and interline connections that many travellers use when building their own itinerary. However, if you book separately, be aware that airlines are not responsible for missed connections on separate tickets.

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Flying from Buenos Aires (EZE)

Argentina's path to Australia

Typical routing: Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) → Santiago (SCL) → Sydney (SYD) or Melbourne (MEL)

EZE–SCL distance: ~745 miles (~1,199 km) | ~1h 55m

Total journey: ~18–21 hours (connection in Santiago)

Airlines: LATAM, Aerolíneas Argentinas or JetSmart for EZE–SCL, then LATAM for SCL–SYD/MEL

Economy fares from Buenos Aires: from ~USD $850–1,100

There are no nonstop flights from Buenos Aires to Australia. Argentine travellers must connect in Santiago, which sits just across the Andes - a short 1h 55m flight from Ezeiza (EZE) or Jorge Newbery (AEP). Multiple daily departures on LATAM, Aerolíneas Argentinas and JetSmart serve the Buenos Aires–Santiago corridor, making connections straightforward. A same-day connection is often possible, but many travellers prefer an overnight in Santiago to reduce fatigue before the long Pacific crossing.

Alternatively, Buenos Aires–Los Angeles is served by LATAM (via Lima or Bogotá) and from LAX it's possible to connect to Sydney with Qantas or LATAM - though total journey times via the US typically exceed 24 hours.

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Flying from Lima (LIM)

Peru's Pacific gateway to the Pacific's far side

Typical routing: Lima Jorge Chávez (LIM) → Santiago (SCL) → Sydney (SYD) or Melbourne (MEL)

LIM–SCL distance: ~1,638 miles (~2,636 km) | ~3h 40m

Total journey: ~20–22 hours (connection in Santiago)

Economy fares from Lima: from ~USD $900–1,200

Lima is LATAM's primary hub in South America for international connections. Multiple daily LATAM flights connect Lima with Santiago, and LATAM's frequent-flyer programme (LATAM Pass) allows travellers in Peru, Colombia and Ecuador to earn miles across both legs of the journey when booked as a single itinerary. Connecting through Lima's Jorge Chávez International Airport is straightforward, though the airport is notoriously busy - allow at least 2 hours for international connections.

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Via Houston: United Airlines

North America's gateway to Buenos Aires

Routing: Sydney (SYD) → Houston George Bush (IAH) → Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE)

SYD–IAH flight time: ~15h 30m

IAH–EZE flight time: ~9h

Total journey: ~27–30 hours including connection at Houston

Airline: United Airlines

Economy fares (SYD–IAH–EZE): from ~USD $900–1,400 (varies significantly by season)

United Airlines operates a Sydney–Houston George Bush Intercontinental (IAH) service, from which passengers can connect to Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE). The Sydney–Houston leg runs approximately 15.5 hours, and the Houston–Buenos Aires leg adds around 9 hours - making this a longer overall journey than the LATAM direct, but one that can be more competitive on price, especially for travellers who hold United MileagePlus status or find United fares lower on a given travel date. It also suits travellers who want to add a US stopover en route.

One important practical point: connections through the United States require a US visa or a valid ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization), even for passengers who do not leave the airport. Australian citizens can apply for an ESTA online; citizens of many South American countries require a full tourist visa. Factor in the processing time before booking.

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Via Dubai or Doha: Emirates and Qatar Airways

The westbound option - particularly useful for Perth travellers

Emirates routing: Perth (PER) → Dubai (DXB) → Rio de Janeiro (GIG) → Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE)

Qatar Airways routing: Perth (PER) → Doha (DOH) → São Paulo Guarulhos (GRU) → Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE)

Total journey: ~30–36 hours including connections

Airlines: Emirates · Qatar Airways

Economy fares (PER–DXB/DOH–EZE): from ~USD $1,200–1,800 (advance purchase; Business significantly higher)

For travellers based in Perth and Western Australia, routing to South America via the Middle East is a genuine alternative to flying across Australia to Sydney or Melbourne first. Emirates offers a service from Perth to Buenos Aires via Dubai and Rio de Janeiro - travelling westward around the globe rather than eastward across the Pacific. Qatar Airways , a Oneworld member airline, connects Perth via Doha to São Paulo Guarulhos (GRU) with onward connections to Buenos Aires.

While total journey times are longer, these routings have distinct advantages for certain travellers: no domestic connection needed from Perth, access to Emirates' and Qatar's highly rated premium cabin products (particularly appealing in Business and First), and strong frequent flyer earning potential - Skywards miles with Emirates, or Avios with Qatar/Oneworld. The Dubai–Rio de Janeiro leg on Emirates is a substantial long-haul flight (~15 hours) in its own right, making the cabin choice especially significant.

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The forgotten routes: what used to fly this corridor

The 1974 transpolar flight: the first South America–Australia crossing

Long before LATAM's 787s made this crossing routine, the history of South America–Australia aviation includes one genuinely extraordinary milestone. On 10 February 1974 , a LAN-Chile Boeing 707 captained by Jorge Jarpa Reyes completed the world's first transpolar nonstop commercial flight between South America and Australia , flying from Punta Arenas (the world's southernmost city with commercial air service) to Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport . The aircraft crossed directly over the South Pole, opening a new era of southern hemisphere intercontinental aviation.

That record-breaking LAN-Chile 707 route eventually became the ancestor of today's LATAM services - a lineage stretching more than 50 years from the early jet age to the 787 Dreamliner era.

Aerolíneas Argentinas: Buenos Aires – Auckland – Sydney

For many years, Aerolíneas Argentinas operated a service linking Buenos Aires (EZE) to Sydney via Auckland, using the Auckland–Sydney sector as a fifth-freedom flight (meaning passengers could purchase just the Auckland–Sydney leg without travelling to or from Argentina). This route - and particularly the fifth-freedom segment - was last documented in operation in 2012 , when it was discontinued as part of the airline's restructuring. It remains the only time an Argentine flag carrier operated scheduled service to Australian soil.

For more background on fifth-freedom flights in the region, see our complete guide to fifth-freedom routes and our deep-dive on Aerolíneas Argentinas' revival of fifth-freedom operations in 2025 .

LAN Chile's Airbus A340 era

Before LATAM took delivery of its first Boeing 787-9 in 2015, the Santiago–Sydney route was operated by Airbus A340-300s . The A340 is a four-engine wide-body that was purpose-built for ultra-long range, but its four Rolls-Royce or CFM engines made it less fuel-efficient than the modern twin-engine 787. The 787's greater range and efficiency were instrumental in allowing LATAM to add the Melbourne extension in 2017 - a route that the older A340 could not have flown nonstop from Santiago.

Practical tips

When to book

The South America–Australia corridor is not a high-volume leisure route - demand is mostly business, specialist travel (Antarctic expeditions, academic research), and visiting friends and relatives. This means seat availability is generally reasonable outside peak periods. The busiest travel times are:

• December–January (Australian and Chilean summer school holidays, Christmas/New Year)
• July (Chilean and South American winter school break)
• March–April (Easter period)

Booking 3–6 months in advance typically yields the best economy fares. Last-minute availability exists but premium pricing is common.

Which cabin to choose?

LATAM's 787-9 on these routes offers three cabin options. For a 14–15 hour flight, the choice matters:

• Economy – standard 3-3-3 layout, recline-only seat, IFE screen at every seat, meals included. Sufficient for most travellers with a good neck pillow and sleep strategy.
• Premium Economy – available on some LATAM configurations, offering extra legroom and priority boarding.
• Premium Business – lie-flat seat with direct-aisle access, 4-star meal service, larger IFE screen. Recommended for overnight crossings if budget allows; the difference in how you arrive is significant on a 14-hour flight.

Dealing with jet lag

Sydney is typically 13–14 hours ahead of Santiago (depending on daylight saving time in both countries, which run on opposite seasonal cycles). Melbourne is the same. This makes managing jet lag relatively predictable: on the westbound flight (SCL→SYD), you are effectively skipping forward nearly a full day, so most travellers find it easier to stay awake as long as possible after arrival and go to sleep at local Sydney bedtime. On the eastbound return, arriving in Santiago in the evening, a good night's sleep typically resets the body clock within 24 hours.

Luggage and stopovers in Santiago

If you are connecting through Santiago Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport from another South American city, the airport handles international connections efficiently. For same-day connections, LATAM typically checks bags through to the final destination when you book as a single itinerary. However, if you miss your connection due to a domestic delay and are on separate tickets, you will need to re-check and re-clear customs and immigration.

Santiago itself rewards an overnight stopover if your schedule allows - the city offers excellent food, wine, and easy access to the Andes. LATAM's lounge at Santiago (the Mistral Lounge and the Neruda Lounge) is accessible to Business class passengers and Platinum/Black LATAM Pass members.

Summary: all current options

Route	Airline(s)	Distance	Time	Stops
SCL → SYD	LATAM / Qantas (codeshare)	7,043 mi	~14h 35m	Nonstop
SCL → MEL	LATAM	7,015 mi	~15h	Nonstop
SCL → AKL → SYD/MEL	LATAM + Air New Zealand / Qantas	~9,800 mi	~18–22h	Via Auckland
EZE → SCL → SYD/MEL	AR/LA/JA + LATAM	~7,800 mi	~18–21h	Via Santiago
LIM → SCL → SYD/MEL	LATAM + LATAM	~8,700 mi	~20–22h	Via Santiago
EZE/SCL → LAX → SYD	LATAM + Qantas / United	~14,000+ mi	~24–30h	Via Los Angeles
SYD → IAH → EZE	United Airlines	~19,500 mi	~27–30h	Via Houston
PER → DXB → GIG → EZE	Emirates	~22,000+ mi	~30–36h	Via Dubai + Rio
PER → DOH → GRU → EZE	Qatar Airways	~22,000+ mi	~30–36h	Via Doha + São Paulo

All South America to Australia flight routes: interactive map and download

Every route covered in this guide on a single map, with a combined CSV download for all flights:

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