Qantas has confirmed that direct commercial flights between London and Sydney will commence in October 2027, marking the world's longest non-stop commercial flight. The journey, lasting up to 22 hours, will bridge a distance of 16,995 kilometers. Tickets are expected to go on sale from February 2026.
Game-Changing Route
The route, named Project Sunrise, will surpass the current longest commercial flight operated by Singapore Airlines between New York and Singapore, which covers 15,349 kilometers. Qantas's new service will cut up to four hours off the current one-stop options.
UK Tourism Minister Stephanie Peacock praised the decision, stating: "Qantas's choice of London as the first destination for Project Sunrise is a powerful vote of confidence in the UK as a global tourism hub and reflects the strong ties between our nations. This is a historic moment for British aviation and tourism."
Aircraft and Configuration
To achieve this feat, Qantas has ordered 12 A350-1000ULR aircraft from Airbus. Each plane will be configured with 238 seats across four cabins: First Class, Business, Premium Economy, and Economy. An additional 20,000-liter fuel tank will enable the aircraft to fly over 16,000 kilometers non-stop.
Qantas Group CEO Vanessa Hudson commented: "Qantas was built on the belief that Australia's distance from the rest of the world should never be an obstacle. Since the Kangaroo Route began in 1947 with seven stops, each generation of aircraft has removed a stop. Now, we are taking out the last one."
Future Plans
Qantas plans to introduce a second Project Sunrise route connecting Australia and New York directly. The new service will complement existing Qantas flights from Perth to London Heathrow and Sydney to Singapore via London.
VisitBritain CEO Patricia Yates added: "This is fantastic news for tourism. Australia is one of our most valuable inbound markets, with visitor spending expected to reach £1.8 billion this year. We look forward to welcoming more Australians through this game-changing route."
