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Qantas to launch world’s longest nonstop Sydney-London flight 2027

6/18/2026

Summary

Qantas launches nonstop

Qantas will launch the world’s longest nonstop commercial flight between Sydney and London in October 2027.
The Airbus A350-1000ULR, fitted with a 20,000-litre extra fuel tank, will fly over 16,000 km in 19–22 hours, shaving up to four hours from current one-stop routes.
Ticket sales start February 2027, with a survey showing 70% of Australians and 80% of premium travelers would consider the ultra-long-haul flight.

Summary

Qantas Projects Earnings

Qantas projects that Project Sunrise will add more than $400 million to its annual earnings.
The airline is spending billions on A350-1000ULR aircraft, cabin upgrades and passenger-health research for ultra-long-haul routes.
Premium-cabin fares on Sunrise flights are expected to be about 20 % higher than comparable one-stop services.
Analysts say higher energy prices from the Gulf conflict have raised the service’s break-even threshold.

Summary

Qantas adds London

Qantas will launch a nonstop Sydney-London service in October 2027, fulfilling a 2017 promise to open the final long-haul route and ending the seven-stop 1947 Kangaroo Route.
UK tourism minister Stephanie Peacock called the new flight a powerful vote of confidence in the United Kingdom as a tourism hub.
VisitBritain chief executive Patricia Yates said the new route will boost the £1.8 billion Australian inbound tourism market this year.

Summary

Qantas Launches London

Qantas launched a Sydney-London ultra-long-haul service with A350-1000ULR aircraft.
Emirates and other Gulf carriers will defend market share against the new route.
Australia lifted its month-long “do not travel” warning on Gulf hub airports, which had voided most transit travel-insurance policies.
Half of Qantas’s twelve A350-1000ULR planes will serve London and New York, while the other half replace Boeing 787s and free capacity for future routes like Chicago.

History

Historical Context

The Anglo-French Concorde entered commercial service on 21 January 1976, halving transatlantic times and establishing a premium supersonic market with a 20-aircraft fleet operated by British Airways and Air France. Decades later, Qantas’s Project Sunrise, slated for 2027, will use Airbus A350-1000ULR jets to fly nonstop Sydney-London, echoing Concorde’s quest to redefine long-haul premium travel.

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Qantas launches nonstop

Qantas will launch the world’s longest nonstop commercial flight between Sydney and London in October 2027.
The Airbus A350-1000ULR, fitted with a 20,000-litre extra fuel tank, will fly over 16,000 km in 19–22 hours, shaving up to four hours from current one-stop routes.
Ticket sales start February 2027, with a survey showing 70% of Australians and 80% of premium travelers would consider the ultra-long-haul flight.

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