After years of speculation, delays and planning, Qantas has finally revealed where its highly anticipated Project Sunrise flights will debut.
Speaking at a media event in Toulouse, Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson confirmed that Sydney-London will become the inaugural Project Sunrise route, capitalising on sustained heightened demand between Australia and the UK while avoiding the Middle East.
Taking an average of 21 hours each way, the non-stop service will shave several hours off current one-stop journeys between Australia and the United Kingdom, while also eliminating the need for passengers to transit through major hubs in Asia or the Middle East.
Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson says the airline would ‘conquer the final frontier of long-haul aviation.’
‘Eliminating the stopover saves customers up to four hours of travel time. This aircraft has been designed from the ground up for ultra long-haul travel, with a cabin built around science and combatting jetlag, with an onboard experience purpose-built for the length of the journey,’ she said.
Qantas has long flagged London as one of the key destinations for Project Sunrise. The route continues to see strong demand from both business and leisure travellers, while recent geopolitical tensions and airspace restrictions have added complexity to some traditional one-stop routings through the Middle East.
Qantas expects flights to commence in October 2027, giving them sufficient time to receive at least three Airbus A350-1000ULR aircraft and complete crew familiarisation flights.
Tickets are not yet on sale. Customers can expect bookings to open in February 2027.
Project Sunrise impacted by delays
Project Sunrise has been more than a decade in the making. The concept first emerged in 2017 when Qantas challenged aircraft manufacturers to develop an aircraft capable of connecting Australia’s east coast directly with destinations such as London and New York.
The airline originally hoped to launch Project Sunrise much earlier. However, a combination of pandemic disruptions, supply chain challenges and aircraft certification timelines pushed the project back several years. The latest delay came in May 2026, when Qantas suggested that Project Sunrise flights wouldn’t start until late 2027.
At a panel discussion in Toulouse hosted by CNN’s Richard Quest, Benoît de Saint-Exupéry – Executive Vice President Sales of the Commercial Aircraft business – says the delays are due to many factors, including a shortage of specialised workers and delays in certification.
“What is it [causing the delay?] Is it the ovens, the seats?” Quest asked.
“Unfortunately, it’s all of the above. It’s mainly the seats… with premiumisation comes complexity. The seat situation is definitely the bottleneck for us, de Saint-Exupéry replied.
Summing up
While Qantas has consistently discussed both London and New York as launch candidates, Sydney-London is widely regarded as the most commercially attractive option.
Melbourne is on the radar, but Qantas CFO Rob Marcolina says that Sydney is the initial focus with a higher proportion of premium leisure travel.
‘Either would have been a great choice, but again, one of them had to go first and I think we’re really comfortable with it coming out of Sydney,’ he explained.
Qantas’ specially configured A350s will carry fewer passengers than standard, prioritising premium cabins on these ultra-long flights. The aircraft features just 238 seats, including six First Class suites, 52 Business Class seats, 40 Premium Economy seats and 140 Economy seats.
Once operational, Sydney-London is expected to become the longest flight in the world. Sydney-New York is confirmed for the second route, with more details to come in 2027.
For now, however, all eyes are on the first A350-1000 deliveries and the countdown towards launch day. Qantas will name the 12 Airbus A350-1000ULRs after the stars. Fittingly, the first Project Sunrise plane will be named ‘Vega’ and reuse the registration VH-OJA.
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- 1.25 Qantas Points earned per $1 on eligible everyday purchases. 2.25 Qantas Points per $1 spent on selected Qantas products and services in Australia. 0.5 Qantas Point per $1 at government bodies in Australia. After a total of 100,000 Qantas Points is earned in a calendar year, the everyday earn rate will change from 1.25 to 1 Qantas Point per $1 spent.
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The author attended the media briefing in Toulouse at the invitation of Qantas and Airbus, but travelled at Point Hacks’ expense.
