Qatar Airways announces a new route between Doha and Auckland which could just break a new world record of being the longest direct flight ever launched.

The company said that the new route is part of its expansion plans which is expected to hit the skies in the coming months. The new route will reportedly have a total distance of 14,538.81 kilometers with travel time lasting for an estimated 18 hours and 34 minutes.

Like Us on Facebook

The record-breaking flight was first hinted at the recently concluded Bahrain air show wherein Akbar Al Baker, CEO of Qatar Airways said in a talk with Bloomberg Business that the company plans to launch its new long direct flights to Auckland and Santiago, The Guardian reported.

In the meantime, another Middle East carrier, Emirates, is set to launch a route between Dubai and Panama City which will cover a distance of 13,821 kilometers. Lasting for around 17 hours and 35 minutes, the airline had previously unveiled its plans to launch the long and non-stop route in August 2015.

Emirates' flight from Dubai to Panama City will reportedly begin on Feb. 1.

The Dubai-based airline will also be launching daily Boeing 777-200LR flights between Dubai and Auckland starting on March 1.

If Qatar Airways will push through with plans to launch flights between Doha and Auckland, the flight would be 334.744 kilometers longer as compared to the Emirates route that will cover between Dubai and Auckland.

At present, the world's three longest flights are those that fly between Dallas to Sydney (Qantas), Abu Dhabi to Los Angeles (Etihad) and Johannesburg to Atlanta (Delta).

The Dallas-Sydney flight by Qantas is said to cover a distance of 13,804.95 kilometers and will have a total flight hours of under 17.

It seemed like a number of airlines are interested to jump in the longest flight bandwagon as a way perhaps to showcase their capabilities in handling several hours of non-stop flying. In 2018, Singapore Airlines plans to re-launch its 19-hour flight service to New York, Digital Trends reported

Qatar Airways will also be using the Boeing 777-200LR aircraft for its new routes. This type of aircraft can accommodate 217 passengers in the economy class while its premium class has at least 42 seats. Lastly, the Boeing 777-200LR has a range that covers up to 17,541.85 kilometers, fully loaded.