Qantas has announced that it will begin operating the world’s first non-stop flights between Sydney and London from October 2027, marking a historic milestone in long-haul aviation and bringing an end to stopovers on the iconic Kangaroo Route.
The service will be operated under Qantas’ long-awaited Project Sunrise programme using specially designed Airbus A350-1000ULR aircraft. Equipped with an additional 20,000-litre fuel tank, the aircraft will be capable of flying more than 16,000 kilometres and remaining airborne for up to 22 hours non-stop.
The new route will reduce travel times by up to four hours compared with current one-stop services and will complement Qantas’ existing London services via Perth and Singapore. Tickets are expected to go on sale in February 2027.
The launch represents a dramatic evolution of a route first operated in 1947, when flights between Australia and the UK required seven intermediate stops and took four days to complete. Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson described the announcement as one of the most significant achievements in the airline’s 105-year history, saying the carrier had finally “taken out the last stop” on the journey.
Qantas has ordered 12 A350-1000ULR aircraft for Project Sunrise, each configured with 238 seats across four cabins and designed specifically to improve passenger comfort and reduce jet lag on ultra-long-haul flights.
The airline also confirmed that non-stop flights between Sydney and New York City will be the next Project Sunrise route, with further details to be announced next year.
The announcement comes amid strong demand for ultra-long-haul travel. According to Qantas-commissioned research, 70% of Australian travellers—and 80% of premium passengers—say they would consider booking non-stop long-haul flights, reflecting growing consumer preference for avoiding connections on intercontinental journeys.