The world's longest non-stop passenger flight will be launched in October 2027. Australian airline Qantas will begin operating flights on the Sydney-London route, spanning more than 16,000 kilometers. The flight will take between 19 and 22 hours. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Euronews.
The new route will be the first under the Project Sunrise initiative, which aims to connect Australia's east coast with major global cities without intermediate stops.
Qantas will use specially modified Airbus A350-1000ULR aircraft for these flights. The plane can cover over 16,000 kilometers without refueling thanks to an additional fuel tank with a capacity of 20,000 liters. The maximum flight duration will be up to 22 hours.
Unlike the standard Airbus A350-1000, which seats nearly 480 passengers, the Project Sunrise version will accommodate only 238 passengers in four service classes. Of these, 140 seats are in economy class, providing passengers with more space during ultra-long-haul flights.
The next destination under the project will be the Sydney-New York route. Qantas said the launch timeline will be announced next year.
"Qantas was founded on the belief that Australia's distance from the rest of the world should never be a barrier. In 2017, we promised to directly connect Australia's east coast with London, and from October 2027, that promise will become a reality," said Qantas Group CEO Vanessa Hudson.
Currently, the longest regular non-stop passenger flight is Singapore Airlines' route between Singapore and New York. Its distance is 15,349 kilometers, and the travel time is less than 19 hours.
Today, Qantas also operates the longest direct flight available to economy class passengers — between London and Perth, Australia. Its distance reaches 14,499 kilometers, with a flight duration of 16 to 18 hours.
In total, the Australian carrier will receive 12 Airbus A350-1000ULR aircraft. The second airliner is already undergoing flight testing and certification.