Qantas is to launch the world's longest non-stop commercial flight between Sydney and London
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Qantas plans to launch what it says will be the world's longest non-stop commercial flight in October 2027, connecting Sydney and London on a journey expected to take 22 hours.
The Australian airline announced on Wednesday that non-stop flights between the two cities will begin operating as part of the long-awaited Project Sunrise, which aims to connect Australia's east coast directly with major destinations in the world.
Qantas has unveiled the first of its specially configured Airbus A350-1000ULR aircraft at the Airbus production facility in Toulouse, France. The plane has been configured for long-haul flights and includes a 20,000-gallon fuel tank that allows it to travel more than 16,000 kilometers, or about 10,000 kilometers, non-stop.
The Sydney-London route will be the first non-stop service between the east coast of Australia and the United Kingdom. According to Qantas, the flights will reduce the travel time by four hours compared to the existing one-stop plans.
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A Qantas flight at Sydney Airport. April 10, 2026 (Wolter Peeters / The Sydney Morning Herald via Getty Images / Getty Images)
“Since we first flew the Kangaroo Route in 1947, where we stopped seven times on the way to London, every generation of aircraft has stopped on the journey,” Qantas Group chief executive Vanessa Hudson said in a statement. “Today, we're releasing the last one.”
The launch marks a significant milestone for Project Sunrise, an initiative first announced by Qantas in 2017 to reduce restrictions on long-haul commercial flights.
Qantas said the A350-1000ULR aircraft was specially designed for the operation and will carry 238 passengers in four cabin classes. The airline plans to take delivery of 12 aircraft.
A Jetstar Airlines Boeing 787-8 and a Qantas Airways Boeing 737-800 fly alongside other aircraft on the runway at Sydney International Airport on a windy day in Sydney on June 25, 2025. (DAVID GRAY/AFP via Getty Images/Getty Images)
The carrier said the non-stop Sydney-London flights will go on sale in February 2027 ahead of the launch of the service later that year.
The route is expected to overtake Singapore Airlines' non-stop service between Singapore and New York, which is currently considered one of the longest scheduled commercial flights in the world.
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Qantas cited recent research showing a growing demand for long-haul flights, with 70% of Australians surveyed indicating they would consider booking a non-stop flight of that length. Among priority travelers, interest has risen to 80%, according to the airline.
A Qantas Airbus A330 aircraft lands. (Qantas / Fox News)
The company said more than 1.7 million passengers have flown on its non-stop routes since 2018, including services connecting Perth to London, Rome and Paris.
Qantas plans to expand Project Sunrise beyond London. The airline has confirmed that Sydney-to-New York will be the next route added to the network, with more details expected next year.
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The airline said pilots, cabin crew and maintenance staff are undergoing training before the plane lands and begins operations.
