Qantas Project Sunrise Sets a New Standard for Long-Haul Travel with Non-Stop Flights from Australia to London and New York

Australia's national carrier is preparing to eliminate the stopover for good, ushering in a new chapter for long-haul aviation that will be felt most keenly by travellers flying between the UK and Australia and more.

Boarding a flight in Sydney and landing in London without once stepping into a transit lounge is something that has eluded commercial aviation for over a century. Qantas Airways is now set to make it a reality.

The airline is pushing ahead with Project Sunrise, its landmark programme to operate the world's longest non-stop commercial flights between Sydney and both London Heathrow Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport. With commercial services targeted for the first half of 2027, the countdown has well and truly begun.

Qantas first unveiled the Project Sunrise concept in 2017, describing direct flights between Australia's east coast and the major cities of Europe and North America as the final frontier of commercial aviation. Progress was slowed considerably by the pandemic and a series of engineering and manufacturing challenges, but the project has never lost its momentum.

In 2022, the airline placed a formal order for 12 specially configured Airbus A350-1000ULR jets, Ultra Long Range variants engineered specifically for this purpose. The first aircraft is expected to be delivered in late 2026, with the remaining fleet arriving through to 2028.​​​​​​​

The Sydney to London Heathrow route will be one of the longest commercial flights ever operated on a scheduled basis, surpassing anything currently available to passengers today. The Sydney to New York service will similarly rank among the longest non-stop journeys in aviation history.

For British travellers, the comparison with today's experience is clear. Currently, flying from the UK to Sydney involves at least one stopover, with total travel times often exceeding 20 hours when connections are included. Project Sunrise removes that complexity, with Qantas confirming that these non-stop services will cut overall travel time compared to the fastest one-stop options available today.​​​​​​​

For passengers, this is one of the most important developments in long-haul travel in decades. The ability to fly directly from Sydney to London without stopovers or layovers will transform the journey between the UK and Australia.

What has traditionally been a long and tiring trip will become far more straightforward, making Australia a more attractive and accessible destination for British travellers.

Qantas Group CEO Vanessa Hudson has described Project Sunrise as a programme that will fundamentally change how people travel long-haul, focusing on passenger wellbeing rather than endurance.​​​​​​​

Qantas has confirmed that commercial services are planned for the first half of 2027, with ticket sales expected to open before launch. The airline has not yet confirmed which route will operate first, but both Sydney to London and Sydney to New York services are expected to begin within a similar timeframe.​​​​​​​

For travellers who have long endured the marathon journey from Australia, Project Sunrise may finally make the trip something to look forward to rather than simply survive.​​​​​​​