How long did it take to cross the Atlantic in 1908?

By 1888, it took barely over six days, and in 1908, the steam-turbine-powered RMS Lusitania won the Blue Riband with a crossing time of four days, 20 hours, and 22 minutes. The final record holder, SS United States, made it in three days, 10 hours, and 40 minutes in 1952.



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In 1912, the only way to cross the Atlantic Ocean was by ship. The trip took almost six days to complete. More people were traveling at this time and each new ocean liner was the fastest, the biggest, or the best ship to ever be built.

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Planes do not fly in a straight line directly over the Atlantic Ocean because of the curvature of the Earth. The shortest distance between two points on Earth follows a curve called an ellipse. Planes can also encounter strong winds that would push them off course.

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1929: 4 days 3 hours: bulbous bow-equipped steamship: SS Bremen (Cherbourg to Ambrose Light) 1936: 4 days: Yarrow boiler-equipped steamship: RMS Queen Mary (Bishop Rock to Ambrose Light)

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Because of its vast size, crossing the Pacific Ocean requires a staggering quantity of fuel. However, most commercial aircraft do not fly directly over the Pacific Ocean; instead, they choose what are known as 'curved paths'. These paths offers a faster, more efficient route given the curved nature of the earth.

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The primary reason airplanes don't fly over the Pacific Ocean is because curved routes are shorter than straight routes. Flat maps are somewhat confusing because the Earth itself isn't flat. Rather, it's spherical. As a result, straight routes don't offer the shortest distance between two locations.

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The SS United States, which made its maiden voyage on this day in 1951, remains the fastest liner ever built, having taken just three days, 12 hours and 12 minutes to cross the Atlantic.

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Depending on the weather conditions, the voyage itself lasted typically 6–10 weeks.

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