Qantas will launch nonstop flights connecting Sydney directly to London Heathrow beginning in October 2027, operated by the Airbus A350-1000ULR as part of Project Sunrise. This marks the first time the Kangaroo Route from Australia’s east coast will operate without any intermediate stops.
Aircraft and Cabin Configuration
The Airbus A350-1000ULR configured for Project Sunrise will feature 238 seats spread across four cabins, the lowest density of any A350 aircraft worldwide. The seating includes six enclosed First Class suites in a 1-1-1 layout with 80-inch flat beds, 52 Business Class suites with sliding doors arranged 1-2-1, 40 Premium Economy seats in a 2-4-2 configuration, 42
Economy Plus seats, and 140 Economy seats.
This variant of the A350-1000 has been specially engineered with an additional rear center fuel tank carrying 20,000 liters, increasing total fuel capacity to 168,000 liters to support flight durations of up to 22 hours and a range exceeding 16,000 kilometers. To compensate for the extra fuel weight, passenger seating was reduced from typical 375 to 238.
Route Details and Flight Duration
The nonstop route follows a new polar flight path crossing the equator, Asian airspace, and polar regions before arriving into London from the north. Northbound flights to London can last up to 21 hours, with return
flights potentially 1-2 hours shorter due to tailwinds. Early estimates project the non-stop journey to take approximately 20-22 hours, reducing travel time by up to four hours compared to fastest one-stop alternatives via Doha or Dubai.
Current common stopovers for Australia-UK flights include Singapore, Dubai, Doha, Hong Kong, and Bangkok. The new route eliminates all intermediate stops that have historically defined the Kangaroo Route.
Project Development and Testing
Qantas ordered 12 Airbus A350-1000ULR aircraft for Project Sunrise, with the first delivery scheduled for April 2027. The initial test flight of this variant took place on June 2, 2026, in Toulouse, France, with a second
aircraft undergoing testing and certification. Crew preparation includes training over 360 pilots and more than 1,200 cabin crew before service commencement.
The A350-1000ULR is a unique, customized model not available off-the-shelf, engineered specifically to meet ultra-long-haul operational requirements for Project Sunrise.
Passenger Experience and Cabin Research
The cabin design incorporates findings from a decade of wellbeing research conducted in partnership with the University of Sydney’s Charles Perkins Centre and features contributions from Caon Design Office. Business Class seats supplied by Safran feature sliding doors for enhanced privacy, a development bringing Qantas’ product in line with leading global carriers.
Economy seats are provided by RECARO Aircraft
Seating, with Premium Economy and Economy Plus sections designed for increased comfort. The aircraft includes dedicated wellbeing zones intended to support passenger hydration and movement during the lengthy flight.
Official Response and Future Ticket Sales
Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson has led Project Sunrise through development challenges since 2022 and described the Sydney-London nonstop launch as breaking the historical “tyranny of distance” for Australian travelers. Aviation expert Richard Quest, attending the project reveal in Toulouse, compared its significance for Airbus to the launch of the A380 with Singapore Airlines.
Tickets for the Sydney-London nonstop service will be available from February 2027. Sydney to New York has been
confirmed as the second Project Sunrise route, scheduled to launch following the London service.
Traveler Benefits
Passengers will benefit from nonstop flights that reduce the total journey time by up to four hours and eliminate transits and stopovers that currently extend travel from Australia to the UK. Improved privacy and comfort in cabins are designed to enhance passenger wellbeing on flights that last nearly an entire day.
The Project Sunrise service marks a major shift in Australia’s international connectivity, offering direct access from Sydney to London for the first time in history without intermediate stops.
