Qantas is inching closer to the operational phase of “Project Sunrise,” its yearslong effort to connect the east coast of Australia with far-flung destinations in North America and Europe.
The carrier announced Wednesday that it will launch the first-ever nonstop service between Sydney and London in October 2027. The roughly 20-hour flight will operate using Airbus’ A350-1000ULR, which Qantas custom ordered four years ago.
The airline plans to fly the route once daily.
Qantas currently serves London from Perth, on the west coast of Australia, and from Sydney with a stop in Singapore. Both of those routes will continue when the new nonstop connection comes online, officials said.
Nonstop flights to London have been a central objective of Project Sunrise since its launch in 2017, but with New York also a priority, it was unclear which city would lead Qantas’ ultra-long-haul expansion. The carrier said Wednesday that nonstop flights from Sydney to New York are next in line, with a launch date expected to be announced next year.
Tickets for the Sydney-London service will become available for purchase in February 2027.
“We made a commitment in 2017 that Qantas would conquer the final frontier of long-haul aviation and connect Australia’s east coast directly to London, something that has never before been possible,” Qantas Group CEO Vanessa Hudson said in a news release. “From October 2027, that promise becomes reality.”
Hudson said nonstop flights to London will save customers up to four hours of travel time. She also noted that the A350-1000ULR has been specially designed to help occupants stave off the effects of jetlag on long journeys.
Qantas’ first two -1000ULRs are currently undergoing testing in France. A total of 12 are on order with Airbus.
The type has been fitted with an extra fuel tank, allowing it to fly for up to 22 continuous hours.
Qantas is training some of its A330 pilots for the new aircraft with a simulator in Sydney, and on British Airways flights in the U.K. Some pilots will also fly with Cathay Pacific in the coming months.
Qantas first operated what it calls the “Kangaroo Route” between Australia and the U.K. in 1947. At the time, the service required seven stops.
