Sydney to Santiago flight time: flat Earth vs globe
Qantas QF27 flies nonstop from Sydney to Santiago, and Flightradar24 records how long each flight stays in the air and how far it flies. On Gleason’s flat Earth map the straight route is about 25,660 km, on the globe about 11,340 km. The evidence map shows the speed each route would need in the recorded time.
Astronomy and geodesy describe the Earth as a slightly flattened sphere about 12,742 km across, with the Sun about 150 million km away (NASA: Earth facts). FlatAtlas shows the published flat-Earth models next to that, so you can compare both with what you see.
Evidence map
Cited by globe supporters
Critics of the flat Earth cite southern nonstop flights like this one: on the flat Earth the route is more than twice as long as the distance the plane is recorded flying, so it would need speeds far above an airliner’s.
Source: Metabunk: QF27/QF28 thread
The length of the route between Sydney and Santiago
Flat Earth model
25,659 km
On Gleason’s north-polar map the shortest route is a straight line across the disc, past the equator.
Globe
11,340 km
On the globe the shortest route is the great circle over the Southern Ocean (mean Earth radius 6,371 km).
Source: NASA: Earth facts
The average speed each route needs in the recorded time in the air
Flat Earth model
2,050 km/h
Flat Earth authors suggest that southern flights may use jet streams and abnormal winds; the model gives no figure for them.
Globe
910 km/h
Over the great circle, the recorded time in the air needs the speed shown.
Source: NASA: Earth facts
Evidence and data quality
- Instrument record Both Flightradar24: QF27 flight history: Recorded positions of recent QF27 flights, checked against both routes in the FlatAtlas flight calculator.
- Single report Flat Earth model The Flat Earth Wiki: Southern Hemisphere: Jet streams and abnormal southern winds as a possible explanation.
- Single report Flat Earth model The Flat Earth Wiki: Flight Anomalies: Max Igan’s compass headings on a flight between Chile and Australia.
- Single report Globe Metabunk: QF27/QF28 thread: A thread that cites QF27 against the flat Earth map.
Data quality says how a figure was obtained, on the same scale for both sides. It does not rate which model is right.
Run the test
In the Flight simulator the model route and the real flight take off together; the real flight follows the great circle checked against the positions Flightradar24 recorded.
Why is this flight cited in the flat Earth debate?
It is one of the longest nonstop flights over the far south. On the north-polar flat Earth map Sydney and Santiago lie on opposite sides of the disc, so the straight route passes the equator. On the globe the shortest route crosses the Southern Ocean.
What does the model say about southern flights?
The Flat Earth Society wiki suggests that southern flights may take advantage of jet streams and abnormal wind conditions. It gives no figure for those winds, so FlatAtlas shows the speed the model route would need in the recorded time and leaves the comparison to you.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the Sydney to Santiago flight?
QF27 is scheduled for about 12½ hours. The evidence map shows the time in the air and the distance flown that Flightradar24 recorded on the newest verified flight.
Can I check the flight myself?
Yes. Flightradar24 lets you replay recent QF27 flights and compare their path and time with both routes here.