Qantas names Sydney-London nonstop route for Sunrise

Qantas Airways announced on Wednesday that it will launch the world's longest nonstop commercial flights from Sydney to London in October 2027, marking a major milestone for its long-delayed Project Sunrise initiative. The inaugural flights will be operated by specially modified Airbus A350-1000ULR aircraft, with tickets going on sale in February 2027.

The announcement was made by Qantas chief executive Vanessa Hudson at an event at the Airbus production facility in Toulouse, France. The Sydney-London route will become the first destination for the ultra-long-haul project, with direct flights from Sydney to New York to follow. The flights are expected to take approximately 22 hours, compressing a journey that currently takes 24 to 25 hours with a stopover, such as in Singapore.

Project Sunrise, first announced in 2017, represents a multi-billion-dollar gamble for the Australian flag carrier. The airline has invested heavily in new aircraft, custom cabin designs, and research into passenger well-being on marathon flights. To succeed, it must convince travelers to pay a premium to avoid layovers. Hudson stated in February that the business case assumes nonstop flights can command...