Why do we fly across the globe latitudinally (horizontally) instead of longitudinally?

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For example, if I were in Tangier, Morocco, and wanted to fly to Whangarei, New Zealand (the antipode on the globe) – wouldn’t it be about the same time to go up instead of across?

ETA: Thanks so much for the detailed explanations!

For those who are wondering why I picked Tangier/Whangarei, it was just a hypothetical! The-Minmus-Derp explained it perfectly: *Whangarei and Tangier airports are antipodes to the point that the runways OVERLAP in that way – if you stand on the right part if the Tangier runway, you are exactly opposite a part of the Whangarei runway, making it the farthest possible flight.*

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Anonymous 0 Comments

Because the poles are literally deserts. No airports. Engine fails, you land in water (or the actual desert that is Antarctica) and the closest ship will take half a day to come rescue you. That’s not the case when crossing the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic oceans.

Also wondering why you picked Tangier specifically lol

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