[REVISION HISTORY]

Qantas Project Sunrise ultra-long-haul progress

Updated 7 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

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2026-08-09 20:14 UTC → 2026-08-22 18:36 UTC · added ~~removed~~

In early June 2026, Airbus flew the first A350-1000ULR from Toulouse, validating a 20,000-litre rear centre fuel tank that provides a range gain of approximately 1,000 nm. This enables nonstop flights of up to 22 hours, such as Sydney to London or New York. Delivery of the 12-aircraft fleet is slated for April 2027, featuring a 238-seat, four-class cabin with a dedicated ~~"Wellbeing Zone"~~ ‘Wellbeing Zone’ and low-density layout. A two-month flight-test campaign began in late June using aircraft fitted with over 1,000 sensors. In late July, the aircraft completed a 19-hour test from Toulouse to Melbourne, followed by a record-breaking 24-hour and 24-minute nonstop flight from Melbourne to Toulouse. This round-trip test covered approximately 23,076 km, setting a new world record for the longest nonstop journey by a large commercial aircraft and attracting over 3.5 million viewers on Flightradar24. Qantas has confirmed that daily nonstop Sydney-London services will commence in October 2027, with a Sydney-New York route to follow. The airline aims to reduce journey times by up to four hours compared to current itineraries involving stopovers. The new cabin experience will incorporate AI-driven digital services and specialized lighting within the Wellbeing Zone to mitigate jet lag. Qantas product director Sarah Udy described the Wellbeing Zone as ‘one of the greatest innovations in cabin design,’ intended to rethink the passenger experience for extreme flight durations. The project arrives as airlines navigate higher fuel costs and a reported 1.7% dip in global passenger demand.

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