Beijing to Rio De Janeiro
21h 56mgate to gate
The flight from Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) to Rio Galeão – Tom Jobim International Airport (GIG) covers 17,318 km (10,761 miles) and takes approximately 21h 56m gate to gate for a typical jet.
The route heads north-west on an initial great-circle bearing of 309°, passing near 37.6° N, 9.1° E at its midpoint.
Bearing 309° north-west Midpoint 37.6° N, 9.1° E Model 805 km/h + 25 min
SOURCE·OurAirports + great-circle computation·REVIEWED JUL 2026
How this is worked out
- Take both airports' published coordinates from OurAirports — nothing here is scraped from another flight site.
- Great-circle distance by haversine on a mean earth radius of 6,371.0088 km: 17,318 km.
- Airborne time = that distance ÷ 805 km/h, a representative jet cruise speed: 21h 31m.
- Add a flat 25 minutes for pushback, taxi, climb, descent and taxi-in — the reason a 400 km hop is never half an hour: 21h 56m gate to gate.
- Winds, aircraft type and airline schedule padding are not modelled. The cruise-speed table shows how much that assumption is worth.
17,318 km / 805 km/h = 21h 31m airborne
+ 25 min ground = 21h 56m gate to gate
SOURCE·OurAirports + great-circle computation·REVIEWED JUL 2026
The same route, plotted on a world grid
The strip above gives the route its length and its shape. This gives it a position: latitude and longitude only, no coastlines, because a hand-drawn coastline would be decoration pretending to be data. On a flat grid the shortest path looks bent; on a globe it is straight.
Flight time at different cruise speeds
Aircraft type, winds and routing all move the real number. This is the same distance flown at different speeds, plus the 25-minute ground and climb allowance.
| Typical of | Cruise speed | Airborne | Gate to gate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turboprop / regional | 550 km/h | 31h 29m | 31h 54m |
| Narrowbody jet (A320, 737) | 780 km/h | 22h 12m | 22h 37m |
| Widebody jet (777, 787, A350) | 900 km/h | 19h 15m | 19h 40m |
| Private jet (Gulfstream) | 850 km/h | 20h 22m | 20h 48m |
Headwinds on an eastbound long-haul routinely add 30–60 minutes; the same route westbound can be quicker. Airlines publish schedules with padding built in.
SOURCE·OurAirports + great-circle computation·REVIEWED JUL 2026
Both airports
| PEK | GIG | |
|---|---|---|
| Airport | Beijing Capital International Airport | Rio Galeão – Tom Jobim International Airport |
| City | Beijing | Rio De Janeiro |
| Country | China | Brazil |
| ICAO | ZBAA | SBGL |
| Coordinates | 40.0773, 116.5967 | -22.81, -43.2506 |
| Elevation | 116 ft | 28 ft |
Every figure on this plate is geometry. The shape of the earth is knowable; the airline's schedule is not.
Questions this plate answers
How long is the flight from Beijing to Rio De Janeiro?
A non-stop flight from Beijing (PEK) to Rio De Janeiro (GIG) takes about 21h 56m. The great-circle distance is 17,318 km (10,761 miles, 9,351 nautical miles), flying north-west on an initial bearing of 309°.
How far is Beijing from Rio De Janeiro?
17,318 kilometres in a straight line over the earth's surface — 10,761 miles or 9,351 nautical miles. Actual flown distance is usually 2–5% longer because aircraft follow airways, avoid weather and route around restricted airspace.
Is there a non-stop flight between PEK and GIG?
This page calculates the direct-line time and distance; it does not track airline schedules. At 17,318 km the route is at the extreme end of what any airliner can fly non-stop, so a connection is likely. Check an airline or booking site for what is actually scheduled.
What should I expect on a 21h 56m flight?
Anything past six hours is a long-haul flight: expect at least one meal service, a significant time-zone shift, and enough sitting that circulation and hydration start to matter. Cabin altitude, dry air and disrupted sleep do more damage to a training routine than the flight itself.
Airport coordinates from OurAirports (public domain). Distance is a great-circle calculation; flight time uses the model described on the method page. Flight times are great-circle estimates for planning only — always check the airline's published schedule.
