FILE: Shanghai, China - October 2025 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
1. Various of planes at airport
2. Sign on plane fuselage reading "China Eastern Airlines"
3. Planes at airport

Shanghai, China - Dec 4, 2025 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
4. Various of people checking in at counters
5. People at airport
6. Sign reading "Shanghai-Auckland-Buenos Aires"

Shenzhen City, Guangdong Province, south China - December 2025 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
7. People at airport

Shanghai, China - Dec 4, 2025 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
8. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Liu Yanan, assistant general manager, online revenue department, marketing division, China Eastern Airlines (starting with shot 7):
"With the Fifth Freedom of the Air, Auckland is no longer just a stopover, but a 'transit hub' connecting China, New Zealand, and Argentina. We can not only transport Chinese passengers and cargo to Argentina, but also disembark passengers and unload goods in New Zealand. And we can pick up local passengers and cargo in Auckland and fly them to Argentina. This effectively links the markets of several countries together."

Urumqi City, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, northwest China - December 2025 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
9. People lining in for boarding plane

Fujian Province, east China - December 2025 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
10. Various of people lining in for checking in at counters
11. People going through border checks

Shenzhen City, Guangdong Province, south China - December 2025 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
12. Plane ready to take off

FILE: Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province, south China - October 2025 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
13. Planes at airport

The Fifth Freedom of the Air granted to the world's longest one-way flight, connecting China's Shanghai with Argentina's capital Buenos Aires via a stopover in New Zealand's Auckland, has offered a competitive air logistics option, building a vital "air bridge" connecting three nations that span three continents.

The landmark new route was officially launched on Thursday by China Eastern Airlines.

Spanning some 20,000 kilometers and crossing both the Eastern and Western Hemispheres as well as the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, the route sets a new record for the world's longest one-way flight, while also slashing more than four hours off the travel time between China and South America.

The flight has been granted the Fifth Freedom of the Air, enabling it to embark and disembark passengers and cargo during its stopover in Auckland.

The fifth Freedom of the Air, also known as third-country transport rights, refers to the right granted to an airline of one country to make a stopover in a third country, while operating an international route, allowing it to load and unload passengers and cargo there. It is often described in the industry as the most commercially valuable traffic right, which greatly enhances the flexibility and profitability of flight routes.

This designation means Auckland doesn't just act as a technical stop, but will serve as a strategic commercial hub along this cross-continental journey, according to a representative from China Eastern Airlines.

"With the Fifth Freedom of the Air, Auckland is no longer just a stopover, but a 'transit hub' connecting China, New Zealand, and Argentina. We can not only transport Chinese passengers and cargo to Argentina, but also disembark passengers and unload goods in New Zealand. And we can pick up local passengers and cargo in Auckland and fly them to Argentina. This effectively links the markets of several countries together," said Liu Yanan, assistant general manager of the online revenue department of China Eastern Airlines' marketing division.

Liu said the new route will help bring high-value agricultural products from New Zealand and Argentina, such as beef and wine, to the Chinese market more quickly. Meanwhile, Chinese goods, including electronic products and high precision instruments will also now have direct access to South America.

As for travelers, the route offers a single "direct" ticket service across the three nations, which will significantly increase convenience for those traveling for family visits, tourism, and education, according to Liu.