Qantas nonstop – Qantas says it will launch the world’s longest nonstop commercial flight in October 2027, sending a specially configured Airbus A350-1000ULR on a route between Sydney and London that’s expected to take up to 22 hours. The airline says the new service—part of i
It starts with a kind of promise travelers don’t hear every day: no stops, just the long haul. Qantas says it will take that promise to the sky in October 2027, with what it calls the world’s longest nonstop commercial flight—between Sydney and London—with a journey expected to last up to 22 hours.
The airline unveiled the first specially configured Airbus A350-1000ULR aircraft for the project at Airbus’ manufacturing facility in Toulouse. France. Qantas says the plane has been modified for ultra-long-haul travel. including an additional 20. 000-liter fuel tank designed to let it fly more than 16. 000 kilometers (nearly 10. 000 miles) nonstop.
For passengers, the Sydney–London route will be the first nonstop service between Australia’s east coast and the United Kingdom. Qantas also says the flights will reduce travel time by as much as four hours compared with existing one-stop itineraries.
The announcement lands as Qantas frames it as the end of an era. In a statement. Qantas Group CEO Vanessa Hudson said. “Since we first flew the Kangaroo Route in 1947. where we stopped seven times on the way to London. every generation of aircraft has taken a stop out of the journey. Today, we’re taking out the last one.”.
Project Sunrise has been the spine of that ambition for years. Qantas said the initiative was first announced in 2017, and the launch marks a milestone for the plan to connect Australia’s east coast directly with major global destinations.
On the aircraft itself. Qantas says the A350-1000ULR planes are designed specifically for the project and will carry 238 passengers across four cabin classes. The airline plans to take delivery of 12 of the aircraft. It also says the nonstop Sydney–London flights will go on sale in February 2027. ahead of the service launch later that year.
Qantas’ target is not just novelty. The airline says it is aiming to surpass Singapore Airlines’ nonstop service between Singapore and New York, which is currently regarded as one of the world’s longest regularly scheduled commercial flights.
Behind the timetable is a demand story Qantas is using to justify the leap into longer nonstop routes. The airline cited recent research showing growing interest in ultra-long-haul travel: 70% of surveyed Australians said they would consider booking a nonstop flight of that length. Among premium travelers, Qantas said interest rose to 80%.
Qantas also pointed to its existing experience, saying more than 1.7 million passengers have flown on its nonstop long-haul routes since 2018, including services linking Perth with London, Rome and Paris.
The company is also treating Sydney–London as the first step rather than the finishing line. Qantas confirmed that Sydney-to-New York will be the next Project Sunrise route added to the network, with additional details expected next year.
Even before aircraft arrive and the first customers book, Qantas says it has begun preparing the people who will run the operation. The airline said pilots, cabin crew and maintenance personnel are already undergoing training ahead of the aircraft’s arrival and entry into service.
None of it is happening overnight—Qantas points to October 2027 for the service launch, and February 2027 for ticket sales. But with a record-breaking flight measured in hours still on the horizon. the immediate shift is clear: Project Sunrise is no longer a long-term idea. It’s moving into the phase where hardware is delivered. crews are trained. and the route becomes something passengers can actually plan around.
Qantas Project Sunrise Sydney London nonstop Airbus A350-1000ULR ultra-long-haul flights longest nonstop commercial flight Vanessa Hudson October 2027 February 2027 ticket sales