The ‘game-changing new route’ by Qantas will be the longest commercial flight in the world, covering over 10,560 miles non-stop, with tickets expected to go on sale from February 2027
Direct commercial flights between London and Sydney are scheduled to take off for the first time from October 2027, as revealed by Australian airline Qantas.
With an estimated flight time of up to 22 hours, this “game-changing new route” will become the longest commercial flight in the world, with tickets anticipated to be available from February next year.
Currently, according to FlightRadar24, the longest commercial flight is Singapore Airlines’ 15,349km journey between New York and Singapore. However, Qantas’s Project Sunrise flight will cover the 16,995km distance between London and Sydney in one go. UK tourism minister Stephanie Peacock said: “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 pull off this feat, Qantas has placed an order for 12 A350-1000ULR aircraft, manufactured by Airbus in Toulouse.
Each plane will be equipped with 238 seats across four cabins – First Class, Business, Premium Economy and Economy – and will feature an additional 20,000-litre fuel tank to the A350 that will allow it to fly over 16,000km for up to 22 hours without stopping, reports the Express.
Qantas has announced plans to shave up to four hours off the current one-stop services, with a second Project Sunrise route set to provide a direct link between Australia and New York. This will operate alongside Qantas’s existing Perth-London and Sydney-Singapore-London routes.
The Perth to London Heathrow flight operated by Qantas is currently ranked as the world’s fourth-longest flight, according to FlightRadar24, and holds the record for the longest flight departing from both the UK and Australia.
Qantas Group chief executive Vanessa Hudson said: “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 said: “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.”
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