AM1 distance and great-circle path
AM1 covers 9,066 km, or 5,633 miles. That makes it an ultra-long-haul flight, near the limit of what most twinjets can fly non-stop. Of the 439 routes we track, it ranks 104 by distance.
The plane leaves Mexico City heading north-east. On the map above, the line looks curved. That is normal. The shortest path over a round planet never looks straight on a flat screen. Our guide explains how the MEX-MAD route appears on a tracker map.
Why AM1 block time differs from cruise time
The schedule allows 10.3 hours from gate to gate. That works out to about 877 km/h. A Boeing 787-9 cruises faster than that. The gap is taxi time, climbing, descending and holding.
Flying east, this route usually picks up tailwinds high up. The flight back west normally takes longer, even though the distance is identical. See how timing changes the trip in our red-eye flight guide.
Can the Boeing 787-9 comfortably fly AM1?
Not really. It uses about 65% of the Boeing 787-9's range. That leaves room for a full load of passengers and bags. The full numbers are on our aircraft page for the Boeing 787-9.
What to know about AM1
- Time change: you land 7 hours ahead of the time you left. That is enough to cause jet lag. Here is how pilots handle it.
- High airport at the start: MEX sits 7,316 ft up. Thin air means a longer takeoff run.