Qantas Airways announced that London will be the first destination for its proposed nonstop commercial service from Sydney, a voyage projected to last roughly 20 hours and to dispense with the conventional stopover on the Kangaroo Route. The carrier said it will open bookings in February and plans to commence flying the route in October 2027, remarks credited to CEO Vanessa Hudson at an event in Toulouse, France.
The new nonstop service is one element of Qantas' Project Sunrise program, which also contemplates a future direct link to New York. Those services are to be operated by modified Airbus A350-1000ULR aircraft, machines configured for ultra-long-range performance and certified to remain aloft for up to 22 hours while carrying 238 passengers.
Qantas traces the origins of the effort to a 2017 initiative in which the airline challenged aircraft manufacturers Airbus and Boeing to produce airframes and systems capable of sustained non-stop flights from Australia to distant global hubs. The company characterizes the work as a comprehensive fleet overhaul that combines aircraft acquisition with cabin enhancements and scientific study.
When operational, Qantas says the nonstop Sydney-London service will shorten what was once a multi-day journey along the Kangaroo Route to approximately 19 to 21 hours, with final duration dependent on routing choices and wind conditions. The carrier plans to utilise polar routings for about one quarter of flights, particularly during the northern hemisphere winter months. For context, the existing one-stop journey via Singapore typically takes around 24 to 25 hours.
Qantas has indicated the broader Project Sunrise effort entails sizeable investment across aircraft purchases, cabin upgrades and research into the effects of extended-duration flights on passengers. Those elements are listed by the airline as necessary complements to enabling routinely scheduled nonstop operations of this scale.
Summary
Qantas will launch a roughly 20-hour nonstop flight between Sydney and London as the first Project Sunrise route, with ticket sales starting in February and service beginning in October 2027. The program will later include New York service using modified A350-1000ULR jets rated to fly up to 22 hours with 238 seats. The carrier plans to reduce current transit times on the Kangaroo Route to around 19-21 hours and expects to operate polar routings about a quarter of the time. The initiative involves substantial spending on aircraft, cabin work and passenger health research.
Key points
- Qantas will begin ticket sales in February and intends to launch the Sydney-London nonstop in October 2027.
- Project Sunrise will use modified Airbus A350-1000ULR jets capable of up to 22 hours of flight with 238 passengers, and will later add New York service.
- Sectors impacted include commercial aviation, aerospace manufacturing, and travel-related health research due to long-duration flight concerns.
Risks and uncertainties
- Flight duration will vary depending on routing and winds, which means actual trip times may fall toward either end of the 19-21 hour goal - a variable that affects operations and scheduling.
- The program requires substantial capital outlays for aircraft and cabin upgrades, exposing airline capital allocation and financing to large expenditures.
- Research into passenger health on ultra-long flights is ongoing, creating uncertainty around operational practices and passenger accommodation for extended-duration services.