But most of the delays were caused by waits to obtain permits and other documents required for further flight or having to alter the scheduled route if they were rejected.
The flight took him through Africa and the Gulf region to India, China, South Korea and Japan. He crossed the northern Pacific and landed after 10 uninterrupted hours in the air on a volcanic island near the Bering Strait.
From there, he headed to Alaska and down the West Coast of the United States to Mexico. Rutherford then headed north again along the U.S. East Coast to Canada, and across the Atlantic Ocean to Europe.
On Wednesday, a huge crowd of people had arrived at the airport to welcome Rutherford and to celebrate his achievements. Among them were the three members of his immediate family.
His father, Sam Rutherford, said he was extremely happy and proud of his children's achievements. He told reporters that such an event is especially encouraging for children to follow their dreams and parents to support them in their endeavors.
His sister, Zara Rutherford, said she kept in close touch with her younger brother during his journey.
"While he was flying, I constantly tried to keep in touch and help him. Our parents called him every day, and I joined in those conversations. I gave him advice on the route, on the flight, so that I could be useful to him," she said.
Mack Rutherford said he will now focus on his education.
"The next thing I'm going to do is to go back to school and catch up as much as I can," he said.
