Qantas Delays Project Sunrise Airbus A350 Until April: What UK Travellers Need to Know

Qantas has confirmed that its first Airbus A350-1000ULR delivery has been pushed back to April 2027, delaying the launch of nonstop London Heathrow-Sydney flights — here is what UK travellers need to know.​​​​​​​

Qantas has confirmed yet another delay to its landmark Project Sunrise programme, with delivery of its first purpose-built Airbus A350-1000ULR now pushed back to April 2027. The news marks a further setback for one of the most ambitious projects in modern commercial aviation — a nonstop flight connecting London Heathrow directly to Sydney, with no stopover and no connecting airport in between.

The aircraft had previously been expected to arrive before the end of 2026, with commercial services originally targeted for the first half of 2027. With the revised delivery now confirmed, the launch of Project Sunrise nonstop flights is unlikely before the latter half of 2027 at the earliest. Airbus confirmed that the delay is largely due to ongoing global supply chain disruptions, which continue to affect widebody aircraft production across the industry.​​​​​​​

Project Sunrise is Qantas' programme to operate nonstop commercial flights connecting Sydney with London Heathrow and New York JFK — services that would become the longest nonstop commercial flights ever operated, with journey times of around 20-plus hours in the air.

First announced in 2017, the programme has faced repeated delays, most significantly during the pandemic. Qantas confirmed a firm order for 12 specially configured Airbus A350-1000ULR aircraft in May 2022. At least three aircraft are needed before daily nonstop services can launch. This latest delay is the third major setback since that order was placed, with the project now running several years behind its original schedule.

The programme name itself is a nod to Qantas history — a tribute to the airline's wartime "Double Sunrise" Catalina flying boat missions between Australia and Sri Lanka, which were so long that crews witnessed two sunrises during a single journey.​​​​​​​

The Airbus A350-1000ULR has been specifically modified for ultra-long-haul operations. Unlike a standard A350, it features additional fuel capacity and structural modifications to sustain flights of up to 22 hours. The aircraft will seat 238 passengers across four cabin classes — First, Business, Premium Economy, and Economy — with more than 40 per cent of seats allocated to premium cabins.

Onboard, Qantas has designed a dedicated Wellbeing Zone to encourage passenger movement during the flight, alongside complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi, Bluetooth audio, and a scientifically developed lighting system based on circadian rhythm research, intended to help passengers manage jet lag across multiple time zones.​​​​​​​

Qantas continues to operate one-stop services between London and Australia via connecting hubs while Project Sunrise progresses toward launch. For anyone considering travel to Australia in late 2027 or beyond, this is a good time to start exploring options and keeping flexible booking arrangements in place.

At Crystal Travel, our travel agents are on hand to help with the latest routes and bookings to Australia. Reach out to our team today and plan your journey with complete confidence.​​​​​​​