by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 8:30 AM ET, Wed June 17, 2026
Australian air carrier Qantas Airways announced its new route for "Project Sunrise," operating the world's longest non-stop flights between Australia and London, bypassing both Asian and Middle Eastern connection hubs.
According to Reuters, Qantas will fly this record-long route, which will take at most 22 hours, on modified Airbus long-haul jets. The airline will launch the service from Sydney in October 2027.
The modified Airbus A350-1000ULR aircraft were ordered in 2019 and were delayed during the pandemic. The first will be delivered next April and will feature 238 seats plus an extra rear-center fuel tank to allow for a 10,000-nautical-mile range.
"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," said Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson. "From October 2027, that promise becomes reality."
Previously, those heading to London from Australia had to take the "Kangaroo Route," a five-day trek across the globe by air. Currently, the route stops in Singapore, taking 24 to 25 hours at most.
Project Sunrise was named after the airline's double-sunrise endurance flights during World War II, when pilots would remain in the air long enough to see two sunrises.
The new route will be Qantas's opportunity for flyers wanting to avoid layovers of any kind.
"What they are selling is time, and they absolutely need to get a premium on all the cabins, particularly business and premium economy," aviation analyst John Strickland told Reuters.
Qantas's projected income from the new route could net the airline over $282 million a year. Non-stop flight fares could be about 20% higher than flights with one layover in premium cabins, according to the company's CEO, Vanessa Hudson.
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