Australian airline Qantas has announced its historic Project Sunrise route will launch in October 2027, connecting London and Sydney non-stop in up to 22 hours — set to become the world’s longest commercial flight
The flight will last some 22 hours (file picture)(Image: Getty)
Direct commercial flights linking London and Sydney are scheduled to commence from October 2027, Australian carrier Qantas has revealed.
Taking an estimated 22 hours, the “game-changing new route” will become the world’s longest commercial flight, with tickets anticipated to become available from February next year.
The current longest commercial flight, according to FlightRadar24, is Singapore Airlines’ 15,349km journey connecting New York and Singapore, but Qantas’s Project Sunrise service will cover the 16,995km distance separating London and Sydney without stopping.
UK tourism minister Stephanie Peacock commented: “Qantas’s decision to make London the first destination for Project Sunrise is a powerful vote of confidence in the UK as a hub for global tourism, and a reflection of the deep ties between our two countries. This is a historic moment, not just for British aviation and tourism, but for the millions of passengers who will experience flying from Sydney to London non-stop for the first time.”
To accomplish this milestone, Qantas has purchased 12 A350-1000ULR aircraft, built by Airbus in Toulouse.
Each plane will accommodate 238 seats distributed across four cabins – First Class, Business, Premium Economy and Economy – and will include an extra 20,000-litre fuel tank on the A350 that will allow it to travel over 16,000km for up to 22 hours without landing. Qantas has announced it will reduce journey times by up to four hours compared to current one-stop services, with plans for the second Project Sunrise route linking Australia and New York non-stop.
The service will operate alongside Qantas’s existing Perth-London and Sydney-Singapore-London routes, reports the Express.
Qantas’s Perth to London Heathrow service is presently the world’s fourth-longest flight, according to FlightRadar24, and represents the longest route departing from both Britain and Australia.
Qantas Group chief executive Vanessa Hudson stated: “Qantas was built on the belief that Australia’s distance from the rest of the world should never stand in the way.
“Since we first flew the Kangaroo Route in 1947, where we stopped seven times on the way to London, every generation of aircraft has taken a stop out of the journey. Today, we’re taking out the last one.
“We made a commitment in 2017 that Qantas would conquer the final frontier of long-haul aviation and connect Australia’s east coast directly to London, something that has never before been possible. From October 2027, that promise becomes reality.”
VisitBritain chief executive Patricia Yates commented: “Huge congratulations to Qantas on the announcement of its historic non-stop service from Sydney to London. Australia is one of our most valuable inbound markets, set to reach £1.8 billion this year in visitor spending, and expanding airline connectivity and seat capacity is fantastic news for our competitive tourism offer and our welcome.
“We look forward to welcoming even more Australians to experience everything Britain has to offer through this game-changing new route.”
