Qantas has once again delayed its planned non-stop service between Sydney and London, with the flights now scheduled to commence in October 2027. The airline has also quietly dropped references to direct flights from Melbourne and Brisbane.
Project Sunrise Faces Further Setbacks
On Wednesday, Qantas noted that "aircraft delivery, on-sale and service commencement" were all "subject to regulatory approvals and aircraft certification." The airline previously blamed delays on an extended wait for delivery of new specially designed Airbus A350s.
Qantas announced Project Sunrise in 2017. The Covid-19 pandemic pushed back the airline's predicted 2022 launch, and the service has since been repeatedly delayed.
Aircraft Delivery Timeline
In November 2025, Qantas said the service would start in the first half of 2027, with Airbus set to deliver the first specially configured A350-1000ULR by late 2026. However, Airbus earlier this month revealed the first aircraft would be delivered in April 2027, pushing back the start date again.
The chief executive of Qantas, Vanessa Hudson, said on Wednesday: "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 ... From October 2027, that promise becomes reality."
Flight Details and Features
Direct flights between Sydney and London are expected to be four hours shorter than typical one-stop flights, Qantas said. The airline is already operating Perth to London and Sydney to London via Singapore services.
The A350-1000ULR is designed to fly 16,000km over 22 hours non-stop, using an extra 20,000-litre fuel tank. Qantas is purchasing 12 aircraft with 238 seats, rather than the 300-plus seats on other A350-1000s.
Ticket Sales and Pricing
The first Project Sunrise Sydney to London tickets could go on sale in February 2027, the airline said on Wednesday. Qantas did not disclose prices. The service will offer fewer economy-class seats than other Qantas long-haul flights, with 40% of the service's seats to be premium offerings.
Future Routes and Demand
Qantas also plans a Sydney to New York City non-stop route. The airline said it would reveal a launch date for the US direct flights sometime in 2027. Qantas previously mentioned Brisbane and Melbourne, along with Sydney, as planned hubs for direct flights to London and New York City, but the company's latest announcement did not mention those cities.
Speaking to reporters in Toulouse, France, Hudson reportedly said Qantas would adjust its routes based on customer demand. The company estimated over 12,000 passengers flew between Sydney and London each week in 2025, compared with 7,500 on the Melbourne route and 5,300 for Brisbane. About 2,500 people flew from Sydney to New York weekly in 2025, Qantas said.
