Qantas has selected London as the destination to launch its first Project Sunrise flight using a custom-built ultra-endurance Airbus A350-1000, shaving up to four hours off the normal travel time.
On June 17, 2026, Qantas and Airbus executives met in Toulouse, France, to reveal the finer details which included a first look of the A350-1000ULR in full livery .
While London-Heathrow Airport (LHR) had always been the ultimate goal for Qantas’ inaugural flight, there was speculation the carrier would pivot to New York.
CEO of Qantas, Vanessa Hudson, told gathered media representatives that the first flight from Sydney to London will depart in October 2027 (tickets go on sale in February 2027).
“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,” Hudson said.
She added: “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.”
The first Airbus A350-1000ULR is currently undergoing testing in Toulouse and completed its maiden test flight on June 2, 2026, while a second aircraft is also moving through its eight-week testing and certification program.
Once up and running Qantas will offer nonstop flights from Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport (SYD) to both London-Heathrow Airport and New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK), covering nearly 10,000 nautical miles over approximately 22 hours.
The extended range comes from an additional 20,000-liter fuel tank installed at the rear of the aircraft.
Qantas has ordered 12 A350-1000ULRs for Project Sunrise. The airline also has 12 standard A350-1000s on order for future long-haul operations.
Until recently it has been expected that Airbus would deliver Qantas’ first A350-1000ULR by the end of the year, an ambition that was recently buoyed with the emergence of the new A350-1000ULR.
However, Qantas will have to wait until 2027 for the arrival of its first Project Sunrise Airbus A350-1000 after the European aircraft manufacturer blamed “supply chain issues” for the delay.
Qantas pilots have commenced training on Australia’s first A350 simulator in Sydney and with British Airways in the UK. Over the coming months, some of its pilots will also fly with Cathay Pacific in Hong Kong.