Qantas to launch nonstop Sydney‑London flights in October 2027 with new A350‑1000ULR

Qantas announced that its Project Sunrise will commence nonstop services between Sydney and London in October 2027, using a custom‑built Airbus A350‑1000ULR. The aircraft, equipped with an additional 20,000‑litre rear fuel tank, can fly up to 22 hours nonstop and cover roughly 10,000 miles, cutting the journey time by about four hours compared with the current one‑stop routing.

The first A350‑1000ULR made its maiden flight from Toulouse in June 2026 and is now undergoing a certification campaign in France. Qantas has ordered 12 of the jets, each configured for 238 seats with a low‑density, premium‑heavy cabin designed to mitigate jet lag. Ticket sales are slated to open in February 2027, with bookings expected to rise sharply. More than 360 pilots and 1,200 cabin crew are being trained for the new fleet, and the airline plans to operate the service alongside its existing Perth‑London and Sydney‑Singapore‑London routes.