They went the "long way around". As a flying boat their operations are centered on the oceans, not land. This route operated over the Pacific Ocean. So going

They went the "long way around". As a flying boat their operations are centered on the oceans, not land. This route operated over the Pacific Ocean. So going through Africa to reach NYC is "around the world". In fact the crossing of Africa was itself harrowing because they had limited places to "land".