Travel more than 8,000 km in one hop

Traveling more than 8,000 km (about 5,000 miles) in one hop means crossing a fifth of the way around the planet in a single go: London to Singapore, New York to Tokyo, Los Angeles to Sydney. It's the trip that swaps seasons, time zones and alphabets overnight, and it's longer than most people guess: London to New York doesn't come close.

Where to do it

The distances below are straight lines between the main airports, so the flight itself covers a little more.

Singapore

From London it's about 10,900 km (6,760 miles), one of the classic nonstop routes from Europe to Asia. You land in Singapore, where the airport itself is a sight, with a garden and a waterfall indoors. The catch is the humidity at the terminal door.

Tokyo, Japan

New York to Tokyo Haneda is about 10,900 km (6,760 miles). Japan rewards the effort with a city that runs on time, so even with jet lag you can get around easily. Expect to wake very early for the first few days.

Sydney, Australia

Los Angeles to Sydney is about 12,100 km (7,490 miles); Dallas to Sydney is about 13,800 km (8,580 miles), among the longest routes anywhere. Flying west across the date line, you lose a calendar day. Australia's seasons are the reverse of the north's.

Auckland, New Zealand

Dubai to Auckland is about 14,200 km (8,820 miles), one of the longest nonstop flights in the world. Arriving in New Zealand from Europe on this route usually means two very long flights back to back, so plan a quiet first day.

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Frankfurt to Buenos Aires is about 11,500 km (7,150 miles). You cross the equator and land in the opposite season, with a body clock only a few hours out. Argentina makes the north-south flip easy on jet lag.

Cape Town, South Africa

London to Cape Town is about 9,700 km (6,020 miles), and the clocks differ by only one or two hours. That makes it the gentlest long hop for a European: a whole night flight, no real jet lag. South Africa's summer is Europe's winter.

Santiago, Chile

Madrid to Santiago is about 10,700 km (6,660 miles). The approach crosses the Andes, and the city sits with snowy peaks behind it for much of the year. Chile is a natural start for Patagonia or the Atacama.

Los Angeles, United States

London to Los Angeles is about 8,760 km (5,440 miles): just over the line. Crossing the Atlantic alone isn't enough: London to Seattle (about 7,700 km) or Dallas (about 7,630 km) falls short, so in the United States it takes California.

Close, but short

Some long flights don't make it. London to New York is about 5,540 km (3,440 miles), London to Delhi about 6,730 km (4,180 miles), and New York to São Paulo about 7,660 km (4,760 miles). Check any pair with the flight distance tool.

How to make it happen

• Move on the plane. The CDC notes that any trip longer than four hours carries some risk of blood clots, and advises moving your legs often and walking around every one to two hours. An aisle seat makes that easy.
• Use light to reset your clock. Daylight at the right time of day is the main cue your body clock follows. Stay awake until local bedtime on the first day.
• Drink water, go easy on alcohol, and keep a layer handy: cabins get cold on night flights.
• Get the proof on the ground. Take a photo in the city you leave and another soon after you land, both with camera location on.

A long hop like this adds up fast in a log of your flights; see how far you've flown for how to total them.