Qantas unveils Project Sunrise with inaugural nonstop Sydney-London service in 2027

Nine years after challenging aircraft makers to create a plane capable of nonstop travel from Australia’s east coast to any global destination, Qantas confirmed that Airbus’s A350-1000ULR will power its Project Sunrise initiative. The airline plans to commence the inaugural nonstop Sydney-London service in October 2027, followed by a Sydney-New York route the next year. The A350-1000ULR carries 238 passengers in four cabins, including six first-class suites with an 80-inch flat bed and a flexible work-dining area.

Onboard amenities feature a new entertainment platform in 15 languages, high-speed Wi-Fi, Bluetooth pairing, and a “wellbeing zone” with stretching handles, a digital movement program and a hydration station, developed with the Charles Perkins Centre. Qantas Group CEO Vanessa Hudson said the design focuses on the science of what the body needs during a 19- to 22-hour flight. Lachlan Hyde of the Royal Federation of Aero Clubs of Australia called the route a historic breakthrough that could alter airline network maps, while travel analyst Michael McCormick noted its potential to boost Sydney’s appeal to premium leisure and business travelers.