Qantas has successfully completed a critical nineteen-hour test flight of the Airbus A350-1000ULR from France to Australia. This flight marks a turning point for Project Sunrise, which aims to connect Sydney directly to London and New York by late 2026. The aircraft features a unique interior with a Wellbeing Zone and only two hundred thirty-eight seats to ensure passenger comfort during the world’s longest flights.
- Qantas successfully completed a nineteen-hour nonstop test flight from Toulouse to Melbourne using an Airbus A350-1000ULR.
- The specialized aircraft features a reduced 238-seat density to maximize range and passenger comfort for Project Sunrise.
- Commercial operations for nonstop Sydney to London flights are scheduled to officially begin in October 2026.
Qantas landed its first A350-1000ULR in Melbourne on Friday after the Airbus aircraft completed a nonstop test flight from Toulouse, France, lasting 19 hours and 12 minutes. The flight covered approximately 17,000 kilometers and marked a major testing step for the airline’s Project Sunrise plan.
The aircraft departed Toulouse-Blagnac Airport at 7:33 a.m. local time on Thursday, July 23. It reached Melbourne Airport at 10:46 a.m. local time on Friday, July 24, after remaining airborne for more than 19 hours.
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The test jet carried four Airbus test pilots and five flight-test engineers. Airbus is now conducting a 75–80-hour certification campaign before the aircraft can enter commercial operations.
Qantas has targeted October 2027 for the first scheduled nonstop Sydney-London flights. The first production aircraft, named Vega, is due for delivery in April 2027.
Qantas Group CEO Vanessa Hudson described the arrival as a turning point for long-distance flying.
"The tyranny of distance has finally been conquered. Project Sunrise has given us the chance to think differently about every aspect of the onboard experience. This will be a completely new way to travel."
The Melbourne aircraft is a manufacturer test jet rather than Vega, the first production aircraft intended for Qantas. Airbus identifies the test aircraft as MSN707, registered F-WULR.
The aircraft trades seats for endurance and passenger space
The jet uses a 20,000-liter extra rear-center fuel tank. That tank supports a designed nonstop endurance of up to 22 hours and gives the aircraft an approximate range of 18,000 kilometers.
Qantas has specified a 238-seat cabin, described as the lowest seat density of any A350. The commercial layout includes six First suites, 52 Business suites, 40 Premium Economy seats and 140 Economy seats.
| Cabin | Seats |
|---|---|
| First suites | 6 |
| Business suites | 52 |
| Premium Economy | 40 |
| Economy | 140 |
| Total | 238 |
The cabin also includes a dedicated Wellbeing Zone for ultra-long-haul travel. Qantas developed cabin features including circadian lighting through years of work with the University of Sydney’s Charles Perkins Centre, which studied the physiological effects of flights lasting this long.
David Caon, founder of Caon Design Office, said the cabin was created specifically around the demands of the planned routes.
"Every part of the Project Sunrise cabin has been designed specifically for Qantas. The goal has always been for customers to step off these flights feeling refreshed."
The test aircraft carried five tonnes of flight-test equipment and more than 1,000 sensors. Kilometers of cabling linked the instruments to systems monitoring structural behavior and aircraft performance during the journey.
Sydney-London will come before the wider route network
Qantas plans to use the aircraft first on Sydney-London services, with Sydney-New York routes also planned later. The airline has said three A350s will be available when daily London operations begin.
Those services are intended to remove the stopover from the Kangaroo Route between Australia and Europe. Qantas has also said its wider plan connects Australia’s east coast, including Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, directly with London and New York.
Tickets for the first nonstop Sydney-London flights are expected to go on sale in February 2027. Delivery of Vega is scheduled for April, followed by the commercial launch in October.
Melbourne will have a role beyond the initial Sydney-London launch. Qantas confirmed a commercial agreement with Melbourne Airport to base A350 aircraft there for future ultra-long-range services.
Rob Marcolina, Qantas Group chief financial officer, said the Melbourne base could open routes that cannot operate today.
"Basing some of our new A350-1000LRs in Melbourne will unlock a range of new destinations that aren't possible today."
The airline has not limited the aircraft’s development to the customer experience. Its teams are also collecting operational data about how crews manage the longest flights in the network.
Qantas pilots will join the return test flight
The test aircraft is scheduled to leave Melbourne on Monday, July 27, and return to Toulouse. Two Qantas pilots will join the Airbus test crew for that sector to gain operational experience.
Alex Passerini, Qantas Group chief technical pilot, pointed to fatigue as a continuing human factor even with data-led rest planning.
"Everyone's going to get tired,"
Crew-rest systems will provide data-driven support, but the flight duration remains an operational consideration. The aircraft’s test campaign is designed to examine the systems and endurance needed before passenger service begins.
The flight also drew unusually large public attention. Flightradar24 recorded more than 67,000 concurrent viewers and nearly 3 million total follows during the journey, making it the most-watched flight globally on July 24.
Aviation analyst Brownjohn characterized the difference between a conventional long-haul flight and the planned service in physiological terms.
"Twenty hours is not a longer flight, it is a different physiological event. comfort has stopped being a luxury feature and become the thing being sold."
Qantas launched the project in 2017. Its name recalls the airline’s clandestine Double Sunrise flights during World War II, when passengers remained airborne long enough to see two sunrises.
The next fixed date is July 27, when the test aircraft is due back in Toulouse with two Qantas pilots aboard. The first Qantas production jet, Vega, is then scheduled to arrive in April 2027, ahead of ticket sales in February and the planned October start of scheduled Sydney-London service.
