Toulouse, France. Qantas Airways has announced London as the first destination for what it said will be the world’s longest direct commercial flight, a roughly 20-hour non-stop service from Sydney. The airline said ticket sales will begin in February and flights are scheduled to start in October 2027.
Project Sunrise launch plans
Chief Executive Vanessa Hudson announced the plan at an event in Toulouse, saying the flights will form part of Qantas’ Project Sunrise initiative. The program will later expand to New York using modified Airbus A350-1000ULR aircraft designed to fly for up to 22 hours with 238 passengers.
Fleet overhaul and aircraft development
The announcement is part of a fleet overhaul that began in 2017, when Qantas asked Airbus and Boeing to develop aircraft capable of operating ultra-long-haul non-stop routes from Australia. Hudson said the project reflects the airline’s aim to reduce the impact of Australia’s distance from other parts of the world.
The first Airbus jet was unveiled at the event in Toulouse. It was displayed without its Rolls-Royce RR.L XWB-97 engines because testing was still at an early stage.
Travel time and route operations
Qantas said the new Sydney-London service is intended to reduce what was once a five-day journey on the “Kangaroo Route” to about 19 to 21 hours, depending on routing and wind conditions. The airline plans to use polar routes about a quarter of the time, particularly during the northern hemisphere winter.
The current trip between Sydney and London takes about 24 to 25 hours via Singapore.
Commercial challenge
Project Sunrise represents a major investment for Qantas, involving billions of dollars in aircraft, cabin improvements and research into passenger health on ultra-long flights. The airline must persuade travellers to pay higher fares in exchange for avoiding stopovers while limiting discomfort on long journeys.
Aviation analyst John Strickland said the airline would need to secure a fare premium across cabins, especially in business class and premium economy, because the product being sold is time.
Name origin
Qantas said Project Sunrise takes its name from the airline’s World War Two double-sunrise endurance flights, which stayed airborne long enough for passengers and crew to witness two sunrises.