Project Sunrise
Eighteen months ago I travelled to Brisbane with Qantas from London. The first leg was a non-stop flight LHR-PER (London to Perth). A long flight but without a stopover in Dubai or Abu Dhabi. Although it was a bit of an endurance the total journey time to Perth, Western Australia was considerably less. However, there was another 5 hour flight across Australia to Brisbane.
I will be taking LHR-PER flight again. This time the reason being I am not in any hurry to stopover in any airport within missile range of the current regime in Iran
For travellers familiar with Qantas’ successful non-stop Perth–London service, the airline’s next milestone represents an even bigger leap in aviation history. Qantas has officially confirmed that it will launch the world’s first non-stop flights between Sydney and London in October 2027, bringing its long-awaited Project Sunrise vision to life.
The announcement was made as Qantas unveiled its first Airbus A350-1000ULR in airline livery at Airbus’ manufacturing facility in Toulouse, France. The specially designed aircraft recently completed its maiden test flight and is the result of years of development aimed at overcoming the final frontier of long-haul travel.
A New Era for the Kangaroo Route
The significance of the new route becomes even clearer when viewed through history. When Qantas first operated the Kangaroo Route between Sydney and London in 1947, the journey took four days and required seven stops across Asia, the Middle East and Europe. Successive generations of aircraft gradually reduced those stops. In 2027, the final stop will disappear altogether.
The new service will reduce overall travel times by up to four hours compared with current one-stop flights while offering passengers the convenience of remaining on a single aircraft for the entire journey. The flights will complement Qantas’ existing Perth–London and Sydney–Singapore–London services.
Modified aircraft
At the heart of Project Sunrise is the Airbus A350-1000ULR. Equipped with an additional 20,000-litre fuel tank, the aircraft can fly more than 16,000 kilometres and remain airborne for up to 22 hours. Qantas plans to take delivery of 12 aircraft, each configured with just 238 seats across First, Business, Premium Economy and Economy cabins.
Unlike traditional long-haul aircraft, the Project Sunrise fleet has been designed around passenger wellbeing. Working alongside sleep scientists from the University of Sydney and Australian industrial designer David Caon, Qantas has developed cabin lighting, meal schedules and onboard environments intended to reduce jet lag and improve comfort.
Passenger well-being
A dedicated Wellbeing Zone located between Premium Economy and Economy will provide passengers with space to stretch, move and rehydrate during the ultra-long journey. Guided exercise programs, hydration stations and healthy refreshments will form part of the experience.
Where to next?
Preparations are already well underway. Pilots have begun training on Australia’s first A350 simulator in Sydney, while engineers and cabin crew are also undertaking specialist training. By the time all 12 aircraft are delivered, more than 360 pilots and 1,200 cabin crew will be qualified to operate Project Sunrise services.
Tickets for the inaugural Sydney–London flights are expected to go on sale in February 2027. Looking beyond London, Qantas has confirmed that Sydney–New York will be the next Project Sunrise route, further reshaping how Australians connect with the world.
Add Your Heading Text Here
Eighty years after the first Kangaroo Route linked Australia and Britain via a string of refuelling stops, travellers are about to witness one of the most significant developments in commercial aviation history: a direct flight between Sydney and London, non-stop.
Project Sunrise Update
Since writing this blog there is an update regarding Project Sunrise. The A350-1000 has made a test flight from the Airbus facility in Toulouse, France to Melborne. The flight was to demonstrate and test the aircraft’s ultra long range capability.
Airbus is taking the A350-1000ULR to the limit with a historic non-stop test flight from Toulouse to Melbourne ahead of Qantas' Project Sunrise launch next year.
— Turbine Traveller (@Turbinetraveler) July 16, 2026
The mission will demonstrate the aircraft's ultra-long-range capability on one of the world's longest routes. pic.twitter.com/bFxB1cMnXf
