First Qantas ‘Project Sunrise’ Airbus A350-1000 rolls off final assembly line in Toulouse
April 13, 2026
Qantas has published images of its first Airbus A350 earmarked for its much-anticipated Project Sunrise non-stop flights to London and New York. The aircraft, now with engines attached, is due to be delivered to the carrier later this year, with the first non-stop flights between Sydney and London due to commence in spring 2027.
Airbus rolls out Qantas’ first complete A350-1000
On 13 April, Australian airline Qantas took to Facebook to publish images of its first Airbus A350-1000 ULR (ultra-long-range) that will serve the long-awaited Project Sunrise routes from Sydney (SYD) to London Heathrow (LHR) and New York (JFK), with the first flights due to commence in March 2027.
The aircraft is due to be delivered to the carrier later this year and will undertake short and medium-haul routes on the Qantas network to allow for crew training and ground familiarisation purposes before the Project Sunrise flights commence.
The aircraft, still carrying the French test registration F-WZNK, was rolled out of the Arbus final assembly line on 12 April, complete with its Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines. The aircraft had previously been pictured in November 2025, minus its engines but otherwise complete, bearing stickers identifying the airframe as ‘The ultimate long-haul leader’.
The aircraft is now expected to undergo a series of ground tests before it enters the Airbus flight testing programme, expected to last around two months. Once fully tested and accepted by the airline, the aircraft will embark on its delivery flight to Sydney’s Kingsford-Smith International Airport to enter service on the carrier’s short-haul network for route proving purposes before kicking off Project Sunrise operations early next year.
Qantas’ Airbus A350s will follow in airline folklore
Qantas’ specially configured A350-1000ULRs will operate nonstop flights of up to 22 hours, connecting Australia’s east coast to the UK and US for the first time, saving up to four hours of travel time versus one-stop alternatives.
The ‘Project Sunrise’ name pays homage to Qantas’s historic ‘Double Sunrise’” WWII flights, which were operated by Consolidated Catalina flying boats between Perth in Western Australia and Sri Lanka (then known as Ceylon) and lasted long enough to see two sunrises.
Qantas plans to name each of its new 12 A350-1000s on order after stars or constellations, another tribute to the airline’s Double Sunrise operations, where the four Catalinas used were named Antares, Arcturus, Rigel, and Spica.
Qantas first announced plans for Project Sunrise in 2017. It conducted test flights to research the physical impact of ultra-long-haul travel on passengers and crew, and to design a cabin experience suited to flights that will require nearly a day in the air. While Airbus and Boeing both competed to supply the aircraft for the extra-long journey, Qantas ultimately placed a firm order for 12 Airbus A350-1000s in May 2022.
The specially configured A350s bring a new dimension to long-haul comfort
The Airbus A350-1000ULR for Project Sunrise features an additional 20,000-litre rear-centre fuel tank, enabling the 22-hour mission. The fleet will be configured to 238 passengers (rather than 300+ typical configurations), optimising space and comfort for ultra-long flights.
Cabin design was developed in collaboration with industrial designer David Caon and sleep-science specialists at the Charles Perkins Centre (University of Sydney), based on learnings from the test flights. The airline has included a wellness zone providing exercise/stretch facilities, hydration stations, and specialised lighting to combat jet lag during its ultra-long intercontinental sectors.
Qantas A350s set to overcome the “tyranny of distance”
Passengers who will travel on the new nonstop connections from Australia’s east coast to London and New York, which will become the world’s longest commercial flights by distance. Passengers travelling on the Project Sunrise flights can expect a cabin built from the ground up for ultra-long-haul journeys with more individual space and more comfortable conditions in all classes.
“Given Australia’s position in the world, Qantas has a long history of breaking aviation barriers. Project Sunrise will not only overcome the tyranny of distance – it will fundamentally change the way our customers travel the world,” said Qantas Group Chief Executive Officer Vanessa Hudson.
“These flights will cut up to four hours off the journey and transform how people experience ultra long-haul travel, through science-backed design to minimise jetlag and maximise wellbeing.”
With its first A350-1000ULR now physically completed and being rolled out in Toulouse, Qantas’s Project Sunrise is moving into the final stages from vision to reality.
Due to enter ultra-long-haul service a decade after the airline first announced its plans, the aircraft will quickly become a trailblazer for long-haul air travel, setting a high bar for other carriers to follow.
Featured image: Qantas
