Qantas to launch world’s longest nonstop flights between Sydney and London in October 2027
Qantas has confirmed that it will launch nonstop flights between Sydney and London in October 2027, marking the first time the historic Kangaroo Route will operate without any intermediate stops from Australia’s east coast.
The announcement came as the airline unveiled its first Airbus A350-1000ULR in Qantas livery at Airbus’ Toulouse facility, bringing the long-awaited Project Sunrise program closer to reality.
The new service will cut up to four hours from current one-stop itineraries and will operate alongside Qantas’ existing Perth-London and Sydney-Singapore-London flights.
A new chapter for the Kangaroo Route
Qantas first connected Sydney and London in 1947. The original journey took four days and involved seven stops in Darwin, Singapore, Calcutta, Karachi, Cairo, Castel Benito and Rome before reaching the UK.
By October 2027, passengers will be able to complete the journey nonstop.
“Qantas was built on the belief that Australia’s distance from the rest of the world should never stand in the way,” said Qantas Group chief executive Vanessa Hudson. “The pioneering spirit of generations of our people has forged that path ever since, and today is the most significant step in that mission in our 105-year history.”
“Since we first flew the Kangaroo Route in 1947, where we stopped seven times on the way to London, every generation of aircraft has taken a stop out of the journey. Today, we’re taking out the last one,” Hudson added.
Specially designed Airbus A350-1000ULR aircraft
The airline will operate Project Sunrise flights on 12 specially built Airbus A350-1000ULR aircraft.
The ultra-long-range variant features an additional 20,000-litre fuel tank, allowing the aircraft to fly more than 16,000km and remain airborne for up to 22 hours.
Each aircraft will be configured with just 238 seats across four cabins, reflecting Qantas’ focus on passenger comfort on the world’s longest routes.
A second aircraft has already entered its eight-week testing and certification programme after completing its maiden flight earlier this month.
Flights go on sale in February 2027
Qantas said tickets for the Sydney-London service will go on sale in February 2027, subject to regulatory approvals and aircraft certification.
Daily flights will provide more options for Australian travellers heading to the UK and onward destinations in Europe.
According to research commissioned by Qantas, consumer interest in ultra-long-haul travel is increasing—70% of Australians surveyed said they intended to book nonstop long-haul flights, rising to 80% among premium travellers.
Since 2018, more than 1.7 million passengers have flown on Qantas’ existing nonstop services from Perth to London, Rome and Paris, as well as Melbourne-Dallas and Auckland-New York routes.
Qantas says these routes have achieved the highest customer satisfaction scores on its international network.
Designed to combat jet lag
Project Sunrise represents a fundamentally different approach to the passenger experience on ultra-long-haul flights.
“Eliminating the stopover saves customers up to four hours of travel time. This aircraft has been designed from the ground up for ultra-long-haul travel, with a cabin built around science and combating jetlag, with an onboard experience purpose-built for the length of the journey,” Hudson said in the airline’s announcement.
The aircraft’s cabin and service concept have been specifically developed to improve passenger well-being during flights lasting nearly an entire day.
Pilots and crew are already in training
Qantas has begun preparing crews for the arrival of the A350 fleet.
Pilots have started training using Australia’s first A350 simulator in Sydney, as well as with British Airways in the UK. Some pilots will also gain experience with Cathay Pacific in Hong Kong.
The airline’s A330 pilots are forming the initial intake of Project Sunrise crews, with 40 already training on the A350.
By the time all 12 aircraft have entered service, Qantas expects to have trained more than 360 pilots and 1,200 cabin crew members.
Engineering staff have also started classroom training.
Project Sunrise flights by the numbers
| Metric | Details |
|---|---|
| Route | Sydney-London |
| Service launch | October 2027 |
| Ticket sales open | February 2027 |
| Aircraft type | Airbus A350-1000ULR |
| Fleet size | 12 aircraft |
| Maximum range | More than 16,000 km |
| Maximum flight time | Up to 22 hours |
| Additional fuel capacity | 20,000 litres |
| Seating capacity | 238 seats |
| Cabins | Four |
| Pilots to be trained | More than 360 |
| Cabin crew to be trained | More than 1,200 |
| Next Project Sunrise route | Sydney-New York |
New York is the next Project Sunrise route
Sydney-London will be the first Project Sunrise route, with Sydney-New York confirmed as the next destination.
Qantas said it will announce the launch timing for New York services in 2027.
Australian Minister for Trade and Tourism Don Farrell said the new flights would strengthen ties between Australia and the UK.
“Every year millions of people travel between Australia and the United Kingdom to visit family, for holidays or for business, and from 2027 the journey will become more comfortable, quicker and easier,” Farrell said.
UK Tourism Minister Stephanie Peacock described Qantas’ decision to launch Project Sunrise in London as “a powerful vote of confidence in the UK as a hub for global tourism and a reflection of the deep ties between our two countries.”
Featured Image: Qantas | Stuart Bailey
