Circumnavigation world record progression

| {{time interval|1519-09-20|1522-09-06|show=ymd|sortable=on}}

| {{date|1519-09-20}}

| {{date|1522-09-06}}

| Magellan expedition

| {{cite book|last1=Townsend|first1=George Henry|last2=Martin|first2=Frederick W.|title=The Manual of Dates: a Dictionary of Reference to All the Most Important Events in the History of Mankind to be Found in Authentic Records|date=1862|url=https://archive.org/details/manualofdatesdic00town|page=[https://archive.org/details/manualofdatesdic00town/page/217 217]|accessdate=5 May 2015}}

| {{time interval|13 December 1577|26 September 1580|show=ymd|sortable=on}}

| {{date|13 December 1577}}

| {{date|26 September 1580}}

| Francis Drake's circumnavigation

|

| {{time interval|21 July 1586|9 September 1588|show=ymd|sortable=on}}

| {{date|21 July 1586}}

| {{date|9 September 1588}}

| Thomas Cavendish's circumnavigation

|

| {{time interval|14 June 1615|1 July 1617|show=ymd|sortable=on}}

| {{date|14 June 1615}}

| {{date|1 July 1617}}

|

| {{cite book|title=An Historical Account of the Circumnavigation of the Globe: And of the Progress of Discovery in the Pacific Ocean, from the Voyage of Magellan to the Death of Cook|date=1837|publisher=Harper & brothers|pages=[https://archive.org/details/anhistoricalacc00brotgoog/page/n107 100]|url=https://archive.org/details/anhistoricalacc00brotgoog}}

| {{time interval|2 July 1764|9 May 1766|show=ymd|sortable=on}}

| {{date|2 July 1764}}

| {{date|9 May 1766}}

|

| {{cite book|title=Australian Joint Copying Project Handbook: Miscellaneous (M series)|date=1998|publisher=National Library Australia|isbn=9780642106964|page=29|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NK436M5d3n4C&pg=PA29|accessdate=5 May 2015}}

Simpson]]

| {{time interval|4th March 1841 5:30|31st October 1842|show=ymd|sortable=on}}

| {{date|4th March 1841}}

| {{date|31st October 1842}}

|

|{{cite book|last1=Simpson|first1=Sir George|title=An overland journey round the world: during the years 1841 and 1842|date=1847|publisher=Lea and Blanchard|url=https://archive.org/details/anoverlandjourn00simpgoog}}

| {{time interval|4 July 1852|26 December 1852|show=dhms|sortable=on}}

| {{date|4 July 1852}}

| {{date|26 December 1852}}

| From Liverpool

|https://www.thecornpoppy.com/2020/02/marco-polo-and-bully-forbes.html{{cite book|last1=Wilson|first1=Derek|title=A Brief History of the Circumnavigators|date=2003|publisher=Constable & Co.|isbn=9781472113290 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XDGeBAAAQBAJ&pg=PT160}}

| {{time interval|14 May 1854|23 October 1854|show=dhms|sortable=on}}

| {{date|14 May 1854}}

| {{date|23 October 1854}}

| From Liverpool to Liverpool.

|{{cite book|last1=Wilson|first1=Derek|title=A Brief History of the Circumnavigators|date=2003|publisher=Constable & Co.|isbn=9781472113290 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XDGeBAAAQBAJ&pg=PT161}}

| -

| {{date|1854}}

| {{date|1870}}

| -

|

| {{time interval |1870-01-01|1870-03-22|show=dhms|sortable=on}}

| {{date|1870}}

| {{date|1870}}

| By ships and trains, including a brief period in a French prison, from New York City. This circumnavigation has been attributed with inspiring Jules Verne.

| {{cite web|url=http://www.skagitriverjournal.com/WA/Library/Newspaper/Visscher/Visscher3-Bio2.html|title=William Lightfoot Visscher, Journal profile, part one|publisher=Skagitriverjournal.com |date= |accessdate=2013-07-20}}

| {{time interval|14 November 1889|25 January 1890|show=dhms|sortable=on}}

| {{date|14 November 1889}}

| {{date|25 January 1890}}

| Multiple means of transport, inspired by Jules Verne

| Ruddick, Nicholas. “Nellie Bly, Jules Verne, and the World on the Threshold of the American Age.” Canadian Review of American Studies,

Volume 29, Number 1, 1999, p. 8

| {{time interval|18 March 1890 00:00|24 May 1890 12:03|show=dhms|sortable=on}}

| {{date|18 March 1890}}

| {{date|24 May 1890}}

| By ships and trains, from Tacoma, Washington

| [http://www.wingnet.org/rtw/RTW001O.HTM George Francis Train Sets the Record as the Fastest Person to Travel Round-The-World]

| {{time interval|9 May 1891|12 July 1891|show=dhm|sortable=on}}

| {{date|9 May 1891}}

| {{date|12 July 1891}}

| By ships and trains, from Fairhaven, Washington

|

| {{time interval|1903-01-01 00:00|1903-02-24 09:42|show=dhms|sortable=on}}

| {{date|1903}}

| {{date|1903}}

| From Seattle, via Trans-Siberian Railway.

| {{cite web | url=https://www.historylink.org/File/3295 | title=Sayre, James Willis (1877-1963) }}

| {{time interval|2 July 1913 00:00|6 August 1913 21:35:18|show=dhms|sortable=on}}

| {{date|2 July 1913}}

| {{date|6 August 1913}}

| A combination of steamers, yachts, and trains

| The New York Times, "A Run Around the World", August 8, 1913

|{{time interval|1926-06-16 01:30|1926-07-14 16:06:05|show=dhms|sortable=on}}

|{{date|16 June 1926}}

|{{date|14 July 1926}}

|A combination of boat, airplane, and trains

|{{Cite book |last=Corporation |first=Bonnier |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wikDAAAAMBAJ |title=Popular Science |date=October 1926 |publisher=Bonnier Corporation |language=en}}{{Cite book |last=Wells |first=Linton |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CpY7JwAACAAJ |title=Around the World in Twenty-eight Days |date=1926 |publisher=Houghton Mifflin |language=en}}{{Cite book |last=Wells |first=Linton |title=Around the world in twenty-eight days, by Linton Wells; with an introduction by Vilhjalmur Stefansson |url=https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uiug.30112099915859 |date=1926 |publisher=Houghton Mifflin |language=en | accessdate=2025-04-14 | page=276|hdl=2027/uiug.30112099915859 }}

| {{time interval|1928-01-01 00:00|1928-01-22 17:21:03|show=dhms|sortable=on}}

| {{date|1928}}

| {{date|1928}}

|

| Glines, Carroll V. [https://books.google.com/books?id=bPwWvN-qVskC&pg=PA21 Round-the-world flights], Ch. 2 (3rd ed. 2003) ({{ISBN|978-1574884487}})

| {{time interval|8 August 1929 00:00|29 August 1929 05:31|show=dhms|sortable=on}}

| {{date|8 August 1929}}

| {{date|29 August 1929}}

|First circumnavigation in an airship, aboard LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin from Lakehurst, New Jersey

|Geisenheyer, Max. "Mit 'Graf Zeppelin' Um Die Welt: Ein Bild-Buch". Frankfurter Societäts-Druckerei G.m.b.H., Frankfurt am Mein (Germany), 1929.{{Cite magazine|url=http://blog.modernmechanix.com/around-the-world-with-the-graf-zeppelin/|title=Around the World with the Graf Zeppelin|magazine=Modern Mechanics|date=November 1929|pages=64–65}}

|{{time interval|23 June 1931 00:00|1 July 1931 15:31|show=dhms|sortable=on}}

|{{date|23 June 1931}}

| {{date|1 July 1931}}

|Lockheed Vega aeroplane, travelled {{convert|24903|km|miles}}, did not cross equator

|[https://web.archive.org/web/20160328182451/http://firstflight.org/wiley-h-post/ "Wiley H. Post"]. First Flight Society. Retrieved: June 23, 2020.

|{{time interval|15 July 1933 00:00|22 July 1933 19:49|show=dhms|sortable=on}}

| {{date|15 July 1933}}

| {{date|22 July 1933}}

|Using an autopilot and radio direction finder, did not cross equator. From New York City

|Meunier, Claude. [http://www.soloflights.org/post_data_e.html "WILEY POST"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304110851/http://www.soloflights.org/post_data_e.html |date=2016-03-04 }}. Solo flights around the world. October 15, 2007. Retrieved: December 6, 2012.

| {{time interval|10 July 1938 00:00|14 July 1938 19:17|show=dhms | sortable=on}} [https://books.google.com/books?id=n08EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA9 "A Rich Young Texan with a Poet's Face Gets Hero's Welcome on World Flight."] Life , July 25, 1938, pp. 9–11, 14. Retrieved: October 14, 2012.

| {{date|10 July 1938}}

| {{date|14 July 1938}}

|Lockheed 14 Super Electra (NX18973) New York City; flight operations manager Albert Lodwick{{cite web | title = Around the World in 91 Hours | url = http://www.historicalmarkerproject.com/markers/HM1P4Z_around-the-world-in-91-hours_Centerville-IA.html | work = Historical Marker Project website | accessdate = July 27, 2016}}

|{{time interval|1949-03-02 00:00|1949-03-05 22:01|show=dhms|sortable=on}}

|{{date|1949-03-02}}

|{{date|1949-03-04}}

|B-50 Superfortress Lucky Lady II first aircraft to circle globe non-stop with four in-air refuelings, {{convert|37743|km|miles}}, did not cross equator and traveled no further south than the 20-degree parallel.

|{{cite news|last=Waggoner| first=Walter H.|title=First in History; High Officials Greet the Plane as It Ends Hop at Fort Worth|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1949/03/03/archives/first-in-history-high-officials-greet-the-plane-as-it-ends-hop-at.html|accessdate=23 August 2014|publisher=nytimes|date=March 3, 1949}}

|{{time interval|January 16, 1957 03:00|January 18, 1957 00:19|show=dhms|sortable=on}}

|{{date|January 16, 1957}}

|{{date|January 18, 1957}}

|Operation Power Flite, three B-52 bombers, led by Lucky Lady III, supported by at least 76 KC-76 refueling aircraft, {{convert|39147|km|miles}}, no equatorial crossing

|{{cite book|title=Airlift Tanker: History of U.S. Airlift and Tanker Forces|publisher=Turner Publishing Company|date=1995|isbn=9781563111259}}Bonner, Sara "The fastest man in the atmosphere" in The Times, 12 January 1980, p.3.

|{{time interval|8 January 1980 04:00|10 January 1980 00:06|show=dhms|sortable=on}}

|{{date|8 January 1980}}

|{{date|10 January 1980}}

|Retains record for circumnavigation using only scheduled transportation.

|

|{{time interval|12 October 1992 00:00|13 October 1992 08:49:03|show=hms|sortable=on}}

| {{date|12 October 1992}}

| {{date|13 October 1992}}

| Concorde FAI "Westbound Around the World" world air speed record from Lisbon, Portugal.

|{{cite book|last1=Cramoisi|first1=George|title=Air Crash Investigations: The End of the Concorde Era, the Crash of Air France Flight 4590|date=2010|publisher=Lulu|isbn=978-0-557-84950-5|page=518|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aekGAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA518}}{{cite news |title=French Concorde to attempt round-the-world record |work=Anchorage Daily News |date=12 October 1992}}{{cite web|title=Aerial Circumnavigation: Records|website=The Postal History of ICAO|url=https://applications.icao.int/postalhistory/aviation_history_aerial_circumnavigation.htm|access-date=20 July 2024}}

|{{time interval|15 August 1995 00:00|16 August 1995 07:27:49|show=hms|sortable=on}}

|{{date|15 August 1995}}

|{{date|16 August 1995}}

|Concorde with 98 passengers and crew, no equatorial crossing. "Eastbound Around the World" world air speed record from John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York.

|{{cite web|title=Fastest circumnavigation by passenger aircraft|website=Guinness World Records|date=16 August 1995 |url=http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/fastest-circumnavigation-by-passenger-aircraft|access-date=12 May 2019}}{{cite web|title=Aerial Circumnavigation: Records|website=The Postal History of ICAO|url=https://applications.icao.int/postalhistory/aviation_history_aerial_circumnavigation.htm|access-date=20 July 2024}}

! People or team

! Total duration (days)

! Departure date

! Arrival date

! Notes

! Reference

| 13 days, 8 hours, 33 minutes

| 19 June 2002

| 3 July 2002

| Spirit of Freedom balloon, first solo aircraft to fly around the world without stopping or refueling from Northam, Western Australia

|{{Cite web |url=https://www.nationalaviation.org/our-enshrinees/fossett-steve/ |title=National Aviation Hall of Fame |access-date=2020-08-15 |archive-date=2020-12-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201207200601/https://www.nationalaviation.org/our-enshrinees/fossett-steve/ |url-status=dead }}

| 67 hours, 1 minute, 10 seconds

| 28 February 2005

| 3 March 2005

| GlobalFlyer first solo nonstop un-refueled fixed-wing aircraft flight around the world from Salina, Kansas

|[https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna11279696 Fossett sets record for longest nonstop flight] February 11, 2006[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4316599.stm "Fossett sets solo flight record"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051106083126/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4316599.stm |date=November 6, 2005 }} – BBC News article dated March 3, 2005[http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/03/03/globalflyer.fossett/ "Fossett makes history"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050305031740/http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/03/03/globalflyer.fossett/ |date=March 5, 2005 }} – CNN.com article dated March 4, 2005

| 5 months

| 9 March 2015

| Five months later

| Solar Impulse the first round-the-world solar flight in history.

|[http://www.solarimpulse.com/en/our-adventure/the-first-round-the-world-solar-flight/ First Round-The-World Solar Flight (SolarImpulse.com)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150120193029/http://www.solarimpulse.com/en/our-adventure/the-first-round-the-world-solar-flight/ |date=20 January 2015 }}

| 175 calendar days, and covered {{convert|26,345|mi}}

| 17 March 1924

| 28 September 1924

| First aerial circumnavigation 363 flying hours 7 minutes; two aircraft of four Douglas World Cruisers complete the mission from Sand Point, Seattle, Washington.

|{{cite book|title=The First World Flight|url=https://archive.org/details/firstworldflight0000thom|url-access=registration|last=Thomas|first=Lowell|publisher=Houghton Mifflin Company|date=1925|place=Boston & New York}}{{rp|315}}[https://web.archive.org/web/20130702114139/http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=751 "First round-the-world flight."] National Museum of the United States Air Force, 8 July 2009. Retrieved: 14 July 2017.

| over 2 years

| 31 May 1928

| June 1930

| Southern Cross from Oakland, California

|{{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2003/s875609.htm |title=7.30 report story about Charles Ulm |publisher=ABCnet.au |date=31 May 1928 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304061014/http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2003/s875609.htm |archivedate=4 March 2016 |access-date=21 September 2009 }}{{cite book |title=Shooting Suns and Things: Transatlantic Fliers at Portmarnock |first=Desmond |last=Gallagher |publisher=Kingford Press |year=1986 |isbn=0951156519}}

| one month

| 2 December 1941

| 6 January 1942

|Pan American World Airways' Pacific Clipper the Boeing 314 Clipper flying boat NC-18609(A) the first commercial plane flight to circumnavigate the world from Treasure Island, San Francisco to LaGuardia Field.{{cite web|last1=Bull|first1=John|title=The Long Way Round: The Plane that Accidentally Circumnavigated the World|url=https://medium.com/lapsed-historian/the-long-way-round-the-plane-that-accidentally-circumnavigated-the-world-c04ca734c6bb|website=Lapsed Historian|publisher=Medium.com|accessdate=April 22, 2018|date=August 2014}}

|

| 9 days, 3 minutes and 44 seconds

| 14 December 1986

| 23 December 1986

| first aircraft to fly around the world without stopping or refueling from Edwards Air Force Base

|{{cite web|url=http://www.fai.org/fai-record-file/?recordId=8391|title=Official FAI database|accessdate=2012-12-23|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224115854/http://www.fai.org/fai-record-file/?recordId=8391|archivedate=2013-12-24}}

| 19 days, 21 hours, and 55 minutes

| 1 March 1999

| 21 March 1999

| Breitling Orbiter 3 first balloon to fly around the world non-stop from Swiss Alpine village of Château-d'Oex

|Associated Press, "'Grandiose' Trip Ends: Balloonists tough down in Egyptian desert", March 22, 1999,