Qantas Eyes 2027 Debut for New York to Sydney Nonstop Flights

The launch of the world’s most ambitious new flight routes is getting closer. On Thursday, Qantas updated investors on its plans to connect Australia’s East Coast with Europe and North America. 

Billed as ‘Project Sunrise,’ the new flights will operate nonstop from Sydney to both London and New York. Other departure points and destinations are due to be added as the program progresses. The name hints at the two sunrises that many passengers will see during the record-breaking journeys.

The ultra-long-haul city pairings are too far for existing aircraft to operate commercially. As a result, Qantas is working with Airbus to create a specially modified version of its popular A350 plane. 

The A350-1000ULR – that’s Ultra Long Range – is currently in development. It will be able to fly further than any other civil aircraft and bring key Qantas destinations into nonstop reach. At present, cities such as London and New York can only be reached from Sydney following a refueling stop in Singapore