- Services begin in October 2027.
- The aircraft is Airbus A350 1000ULR.
- The route connects Sydney directly to London and New York.
- Development took years for Project Sunrise.
- The first ULR arrives in April 2027.
- Five more aircraft arrive by November 2027.
- The aircraft will support daily London and New York services.
- Qantas plans further routes to Chicago and Latin America.
- The configuration includes 238 seats in four classes.
Qantas has confirmed world first non stop services between Sydney and London from October 2027 on the Kangaroo Route. The airline unveiled its first Airbus A350 1000ULR in Qantas livery as part of Project Sunrise.
The launch marks a step in long haul aviation development. Qantas Group CEO Vanessa Hudson confirmed the route. The aircraft resulted from years of work to address Australia’s distance challenges.
Qantas took delivery of the first Airbus A350-1000ULR as part of Project Sunrise for non-stop flights on the Kangaroo Route last week. The airline ordered 12 ULR variants with an additional 12 standard A350-1000s that can convert if needed. It wil need three for the initial London and New York services.
The ULR features a rear centre tank with extra 20,000 litres of fuel for a total capacity of 168,000 litres and a maximum take-off weight of 324 tonnes. It achieves a range of up to 9,800 nautical miles compared with 8,100 nautical miles for the standard model. Deliveries continue through 2029 with the first aircraft arriving in April 2027.
The service operates without stops from Australia’s east coast. It connects Sydney directly to London. Passengers gain new travel options on this route.
Vanessa Hudson shared at a launch event in Toulouse “Qantas was built on the belief that Australia’s distance from the rest of the world should never stand in the way.”
