Since 2017, we’ve known about Qantas’ “Project Sunrise” concept, whereby the airline will fly from Sydney (SYD) and Melbourne (MEL) to New York (JFK) and London (LHR), using special Airbus A350-1000ULR aircraft. These will be the world’s longest flights, and will see passengers spending nearly an entire day on an aircraft without stopping.
Qantas has been teasing this for nearly a decade, and the airline has now announced the first long haul route to get this service, along with the approximate launch date. However, more patience will be required, as this will only take flight 16 months from now, best case scenario.
Qantas’ record breaking Sydney to London flights unveiled
Qantas has announced that it plans to launch nonstop flights between Sydney and London as of October 2027, with flights going on sale as of February 2027. This will represent the first-ever regularly scheduled nonstop flights between Australia’s East Coast and the UK.
Qantas notes how this announcement coincides with the first A350-1000ULR in Qantas livery being unveiled at Airbus’ facility in Toulouse. Qantas has been flying between Sydney and London since 1947, when the original “Kangaroo Route” (as it’s called) took four days, with seven stops, in Darwin, Singapore, Calcutta, Karachi, Cairo, Castel Benito, and Rome, on its way to the UK.
The new nonstop flights will cut up to four hours off the travel time compared to existing one-stop services. Even when the nonstop Sydney to London flight is launched, the airline still plans to maintain its one-stop services from Sydney to London via Perth (PER) and Singapore (SIN).
Qantas will launch this nonstop service once it has three A350-1000ULRs — two planes are needed to operate the route, and then they also need a spare. So you can expect the plane will enter service a bit earlier, operating regional flights, particularly for crew familiarization.
It’s not surprising to see Qantas launch Project Sunrise out of Sydney, though it’s interesting to see London chosen over New York (it has been confirmed that Sydney to New York will be the second route). Personally, I was thinking we’d see New York ahead of London, though I didn’t necessarily have a good reason for assuming that. I’m curious where Qantas is getting the Heathrow slots for this service from.
Here’s what Qantas Group CEO Vanessa Hudson had to say about this:
“Qantas was built on the belief that Australia’s distance from the rest of the world should never stand in the way. 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.”
“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. From October 2027, that promise becomes reality.”
Qantas A350-1000ULRs will have 238 seats in four cabins
Qantas has a total of 12 Airbus A350-1000ULRs on order, which feature extra fuel tanks, as well as a higher maximum takeoff weight than the standard A350-1000, which the airline also has on order.
Qantas’ A350-1000ULRs will be specially configured for long haul flying, and will be in a very spacious configuration:
- Qantas’ A350-1000ULRs will carry just 238 passengers, which is way fewer seats than you’ll find on most carriers’ A350s
- The planes will feature four classes of service, including six first class seats, 52 business class seats, 40 premium economy seats, and 140 economy seats
- Economy will feature 33″ of pitch, which is generous, and much more spacious than what you’d typically find in economy (where 31″ is the standard for long haul flights)
- Qantas will be introducing a new first class suite and business class seat with a door on A350-1000s
- Qantas A350-1000ULRs will feature a dedicated wellness zone
- All Qantas A350-1000s will feature fast and free Wi-Fi, in partnership with Viasat
I’ve talked more about the cabin interiors in a separate post, because there’s lots to cover. AeroLOPA also has a seat map of the new cabins, which is interesting to look at.
I have to say, as much as I enjoy flying, these flights are really getting to a length where I wonder if I might just prefer a connection, so I can stretch my legs. I guess if you’re in first or business class it’s hard to complain, though in premium economy or economy, this seems like quite the undertaking. But I guess that’s the beauty of choice, as there are also plenty of one-stop options.
Bottom line
Qantas has finally announced its first Project Sunrise route, as the airline will start flying between Sydney and London as of October 2027, with flights going on sale as of next February. The airline will operate this route with Airbus A350-1000ULRs, which is a unique aircraft type the airline has on order.
At around 10,0000 miles and with a flight time of around 20 hours, these will be the longest flights in the world.
What’s your take on Qantas’ plans to fly from Sydney to London? Would you like to take this flight, or would you rather connect?