Qantas (QF) has confirmed a launch date for Project Sunrise, a non-stop service between Sydney and London that will keep passengers in the air for up to 22 hours. The flight, scheduled to begin in October 2027, will cover roughly 17,000km in a single hop and become the longest scheduled commercial passenger flight ever operated. Qantas has worked on the project since 2017, after pausing it during the pandemic.
The announcement comes as several of today’s longest routes have faced disruption from the war involving Iran, which has pushed airlines to avoid parts of Middle Eastern airspace and forced some ultra-long-haul services to add refuelling stops. Once Project Sunrise launches, it will surpass the two Singapore Airlines (SQ) routes that currently hold the world’s longest-flight title, resetting a record that has shifted between just a handful of carriers over the past decade.
What is Project Sunrise and When Does it Launch
Project Sunrise will fly specially modified Airbus A350-1000ULR aircraft on the Sydney-London route starting in October 2027. Each aircraft will carry only 238 passengers, well below the roughly 410 seats a standard A350-1000 carries, because the extra space and weight allowance go toward an additional rear-centre fuel tank instead. That trade-off is what lets the aircraft cover the distance without stopping.
The cabin will be split into six first class suites, 52 business suites, 40 premium economy seats, and 140 economy seats. More than 70 percent of passengers on board will have a seat pitch of at least 33 inches, regardless of cabin class. A Sydney-New York route is also planned to follow the London service once Project Sunrise is established.
How Qantas Designed the Cabin Around Jet Lag
Qantas says the aircraft interior was shaped by years of research into circadian rhythms and passenger fatigue on ultra-long-haul flights. Every passenger, in every cabin, will have access to a dedicated Wellbeing Zone positioned between the premium economy and economy sections, where travellers can stand, stretch, and rehydrate mid-flight. The airline describes the space as “shaped by years of research into jet lag and passenger well-being.”
The cabin lighting will shift gradually throughout the 22-hour journey to help travellers’ bodies adjust toward London time before landing. Meal timing and the in-flight entertainment schedule are built around the same goal, and every seat, including economy, will come with a foot and leg rest, USB charging, and free Wi-Fi. Complimentary Bluetooth audio pairing will also be available across the whole aircraft, not just in premium cabins.
The World’s Five Longest Non-Stop Flights Today
Before Project Sunrise takes over the record, these are the five longest scheduled non-stop passenger routes currently flying, ranked by great-circle distance according to aviation data provider OAG:
- New York (JFK) – Singapore: Singapore Airlines, 15,332km, about 19 hours 15 minutes, Airbus A350-900ULR, fares from $1,111. This aircraft carries only business and premium economy cabins to maximize range, and the route has held the world record since 2021.
- Newark – Singapore: Singapore Airlines, 15,329km, about 19 hours 10 minutes, Airbus A350-900ULR, fares from $912. Just 3km shorter than the JFK service, this route previously held the world record itself.
- Dallas/Fort Worth – Melbourne: Qantas, 14,468km, about 17 hours 40 minutes, Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, fares from $1,164. The route connects one of American Airlines’ largest hubs with Australia’s second-largest city, and was paused during the Iran war before resuming on October 31.
- Auckland – Dubai: Emirates, 14,193km, about 17 hours 5 minutes, Airbus A380, fares from $1,054. Emirates briefly held the world record when this route launched in 2016.
- Paris Charles de Gaulle – Perth: Qantas, 14,265km, about 16 hours 40 minutes, Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, fares from $1,089. Launched in 2024, the route became Qantas’ second direct link between Perth and Europe.
How the Iran War Disrupted Ultra-Long-Haul Routes
Several of these routes have not run on their usual flight paths in recent months. As airlines steer clear of parts of Middle Eastern airspace for safety reasons, some ultra-long-haul sectors became too long to fly non-stop using their normal routing. Qantas temporarily added a refuelling stop in Singapore to its Perth-London service after rerouting around the conflict zone, and other carriers adjusted or paused services until airspace restrictions eased.
The Paris-Perth route was also affected. Qantas rerouted the service via Singapore in April, citing the ongoing regional situation, before confirming a relaunch date of October 31. The disruption illustrates how geopolitical conditions, not just aircraft range, now shape which ultra-long-haul routes airlines can realistically operate non-stop.
Comparing Project Sunrise with Singapore Airlines’ Current Record
Singapore Airlines’ JFK-Singapore route has held the world’s longest-flight title since 2021, and its Newark service trails it by only 3km. Both routes rely on a stripped-down Airbus A350-900ULR carrying no economy cabin at all, a configuration built purely to extend range rather than maximize passenger volume. That strategy mirrors what Qantas is now doing with Project Sunrise, though Qantas has gone further by keeping a full four-class cabin, including 140 economy seats, on an aircraft flying roughly 1,700km further than Singapore Airlines’ current record route.
Once Sydney-London launches in October 2027, it will beat the Singapore Airlines record by more than three hours of flight time. The Sydney-New York route Qantas plans to add afterward would extend the ultra-long-haul map even further, giving Qantas control of the top spot in a way no single airline has managed since Emirates briefly held the record with its Dubai-Auckland route in 2016.