Qantas non-stop London, New York flights on track for 2026
The Red Roo’s first ultra-long-range A350 flights are expected to lift off in the back half of 2026.
Qantas’ goal of bouncing from Sydney and Melbourne to London and New York in a single hop is slowly inching closer, with the airline boss confirming its non-stop ‘Project Sunrise’ flights are on track for a 2026 debut.
A total of 12 Airbus A350-1000s are on order, with the first of these ultra-long-range jets expected to arrive in the middle of the year, unlocking ambitious 18-20 hour non-stop flights from Australia’s east coast.
Manufacturing and certification issues have delayed the aircraft’s delivery, most recently forcing a six-month delay from late 2025, but the airline is confident that once the first A350 is in the hangar, the remainder “will come relatively quickly after that”.
The debut of those factory-fresh A350s will see the arrival of an all-new Qantas inflight experience, one specially designed for maximum comfort on the marathon journeys.
This includes a fully-private A350 first class suites featuring a separate armchair and bed, of which there will be just six in total, followed by 52 ultra-sleek business class suites.
Each Project Sunrise A350 will also feature what Qantas refers to as ‘Wellbeing Zones’ - dedicated spaces for passengers in all cabin classes to stand and stretch, which will undoubtedly become popular areas during these ultra-long journeys.
These spaces will feature video screens with recommended exercises to help increase blood flow and improve overall passenger wellbeing, along with a self-service refreshment bar.
On top, there’s also special lighting from nose to tail, designed in collaboration with the University of Sydney’s Charles Perkins Centre to help combat the effects of jet lag. More on this below.
Our guide to Qantas Project Sunrise, below, dives more into what will be the world’s longest commercial flights.
- When is the Qantas Project Sunrise A350 launch date?
- The Qantas Airbus A350 order
- Qantas Project Sunrise A350 routes
- Qantas Project Sunrise flight numbers
- Qantas Airbus A350 seat map
- Qantas Project Sunrise A350 first class
- Qantas Project Sunrise A350 business class
- Qantas Project Sunrise A350 premium economy and economy class
- Qantas Project Sunrise A350 Wellness Zone
- Jet lag-beating lights above the clouds
- Will the Qantas Project Sunrise A350s be equipped with WiFi?
- How much will Qantas Project Sunrise A350 flights cost?
- How much time will Qantas’ non-stop Project Sunrise A350 flights save?
When is the Qantas Project Sunrise A350 launch date?
The first flights under the Project Sunrise banner are expected to take wing in the back half of 2026. Launch routes will be Sydney to London and Sydney to New York, with other city-pairs to follow.
This is much later than Qantas’ original plans to begin flights in early-mid 2023 – plans which were in place at the start of 2020, until Covid-19 brought the aviation industry to a standstill.
The Qantas Airbus A350 order
For Project Sunrise, Qantas has specifically selected the A350-1000 model – the larger cousin of the more common A350-900.
In fact, it’s a special version called the A350-1000ULR, where ULR stands for ‘Ultra Long Range’ (Singapore Airlines relies on an A350-900ULR for its own non-stop flights such as Singapore to New York).
Qantas worked with Airbus to develop the Project Sunrise A350-1000ULR, which will be fitted with an extra fuel tank, along with other engineering modifications and design and technical refinements needed to fly non-stop for up to 21 hours, which Qantas considers will be more than the longest Project Sunrise flight and allows some leeway for extra flying time caused by strong headwinds and unexpected delays in landing.
Qantas’ initial order is for twelve Airbus A350s, although more are expected follow.
At a previously-published list price of US$366.5 million per A350, even one dozen A350s for Project Sunrise represents a massive outlay of US$4.4 billion, although airlines typically receive a discount of up to 50% off the sticker for bulk fleet orders.
(Boeing pitched its next-generation 777X to Qantas for Project Sunrise routes, but Qantas voted against it – which is just as well, considering the 777X’s development has suffered ongoing delays and Boeing now says the first 777-9 won’t be delivered until sometime in 2025.)
Qantas Project Sunrise A350 routes
Thanks to this extra fuel tank and additional modifications to boost their efficiency and range, the Qantas Project Sunrise A350s will be able to tackle the world’s longest routes.
The Qantas Project Sunrise A350 launch routes will be from Sydney, specifically Sydney-London and Sydney-New York. Further destinations for the new aircraft could include Paris, Frankfurt, Cape Town and Rio de Janeiro.
Sydney’s status as the prestigious launchpad for Project Sunrise was one condition of a $50 million offer made by the NSW state government in April 2021 to keep Qantas based in Sydney, rather than see it decamp to Melbourne or Brisbane.
In its statement on the decision to retain its Sydney HQ, Qantas confirmed that “Sydney will be the launch city for the first Project Sunrise flights (non-stop to cities including New York and London) once international travel recovers and this investment goes ahead.”
Those Sydney flights will be followed by Melbourne-London and Melbourne-New York, while other Qantas Project Sunrise A350 destinations will include Paris and potentially Frankfurt.
Miami and Sao Paulo have also been floated as potential Project Sunrise A350 destinations in the past.
And while designed for Project Sunrise, the ultra-long range A350s will not be limited to those ambitious globe-striding marathons, with Qantas already confirming the A350 will take over from the Boeing 787-9 on the Perth-London route in 2026.
Likewise, it’s expected a second order of A350 orders will eventually see these modern twinjets effectively replace the long-standing stopover flights from Sydney to London via Singapore, which for years have featured the A380 superjumbo.
But for now, and until the double-deckers are retired, those flights will remain on the Qantas schedule for travellers who prefer to break their journey and stretch their legs, and they’ll be less expensive than the direct Project Sunrise A350 flights to London.
Qantas Project Sunrise flight numbers
Given that Project Sunrise flights will be on Qantas' flagship routes, we expect they’ll carry equally-significant flight numbers.
Our tip is that the non-stop Sydney-London service will inherit the prestigious QF1/QF2 badge, which has traditionally been assigned to the Sydney-Singapore-London flight.
Likewise, we'd expect the non-stop Sydney-New York flights to launch as QF3/QF4 (today those numbers belong to Qantas' Sydney-Honolulu route which in the 1960s used to continue to San Francisco, Qantas' primary US hub for several decades before it switched to LAX).
Qantas Airbus A350 seat map
The Qantas Airbus A350 seat map shows 238 seats across four travel classes – first, business, premium economy and economy – along with a dedicated Wellbeing Zone located between premium economy and economy.
The A350 sees all-new seat designs in each of those cabins, with Qantas having completed the A350's cabin configuration with the stated aim of "redefining" all four travel classes from tip to tail.
Significantly, the Project Sunrise A350 jets have just over 40% of their space assigned to premium cabins (first class, business class and premium economy), dominated by a 52-seat business class section.
(By comparison, the airline's current Boeing 787-9 configuration is almost 30% premium, based on the combined 70-seat tally of business class and premium economy out of 236 seats in total – a much higher ratio than three-class Dreamliners flown by other airlines.)
Qantas Project Sunrise A350 first class
As befits Qantas’ newest flagship on these marathon non-stop flights, the Project Sunrise A350 aircraft will be crowned by what Joyce has described to Executive Traveller as “super first class” suites, and shown in these mockups.
The A350’s first class flyers will be cocooned in these fully-private suites with a separate armchair and bed, a personal wardobe and fronted by a massive 32" HD video screen with bluetooth connectivity.
Only six first suites will be available per flight, making up the first two rows in a 1-1-1 layout across the cabin, in line with a global trend towards reducing the number of first class suites – often driven by softer demand as business class continues to get better – while also allowing a larger physical footprint for each suite.
All six First Suites will allow fully customisable lighting, meaning passengers can choose the time zone they want to be on for the duration of the flight.
Learn more: Qantas Unveils closer look at all-new A350 first class suites
Qantas Project Sunrise A350 business class
The Qantas A350s will boast a sizeable business class cabin to suit the ‘premium-heavy’ nature of the Project Sunrise routes.
After all, if you’re setting out on The World's Longest Flight™ with 18-20 hours aloft, you'd want to be in some of the most spacious and comfortable seats on the plane.
The Project Sunrise A350s will debut an all-new business class seat which raises the bar above the well-regarded Business Suite of today's Qantas Boeing 787s, Airbus A330s and A380 superjumbos.
Branded as the Qantas A350 Business Suite, the seat will be built upon Safran Seats' latest Unity platform, but with significant enhancements from David Caon: think sliding doors, a long fully lie-flat bed, a generous 18” video screen with Bluetooth audio connectivity, USB-C and wireless device charging.
As per its configuration, it will boast the same 1-2-1 layout as Qantas’ current Business Suite, with individual ‘window seats’ alternating between being near the the window or closer to the aisle.
These seats will be split across two cabins: a main section with 28 seats, and a smaller secondary cabin with 24 seats, separated by a self-serve snack bar .
Learn more: Up close with Qantas' all-new A350 business class
Qantas Project Sunrise A350 premium economy and economy class
Of course, not everyone can fly in first class or business class – and mindful of the trail these bum-numbingly long Project Sunrise flights could represent, especially down the back of the (Air)bus, Qantas has spec'd out all-new designs for the premium economy and economy seats.
The airline promises these will be more comfortable and spacious than today's equivalents.
Based on a product from seatmaker Safran, and customised by Qantas designer David Caon for greater comfort and convenience, the new Qantas A350 premium economy adheres to a ‘cradle’ concept which fully supports your body, “but it’s a more conventional approach” compared to those on the 787 and A380.
The 40” pitch is also two inches greater than on the Boeing 787 and sits at the upper edge of the industry’s average 38” pitch (although some airlines top even that, such as 41” for Air New Zealand premium economy).
Read more: Here is Qantas’ all-new premium economy seat
Qantas Project Sunrise A350 Wellness Zone
In addition to more open space around the exit areas where passengers can stand and limber up a little, a dedicated ‘Wellness Zone’ will be stategically located between the premium economy and economy cabins.
Here is where Project Sunrise passengers from any cabin class can limber up to help battle non-stop flight fatigue, with the help of guided video exercises to get the blood flowing and alleviate the muscle aches which can set it after you’ve been sitting for too long.
Jet lag-beating lights above the clouds
With 18-odd hours in the sky, it stands to reason many travellers’ body clocks will get out of sync.
To help combat the effects of jet lag, Qantas has collaborated with the University of Sydney’s Charles Perkins Centre to create custom lighting that mimics the rays of the sunrise, midday and even the moonlight hours.
A total of 12 lighting combinations have been created, including:
- Awake: blue-enriched lighting to help customers adjust to the destination time zone.
- Sunset: an immersive transition which moves through the colours of a sunset into a night sky with moonlight to help passengers prepare them for sleep
- Sunrise: Dynamic lighting that rolls from night to day, starting from the front of the cabin to the rear
The Wellbeing Zone features soft blue-enriched light, designed to mimic slow moving clouds, plus a moonlight-inspired scene with reflections of rippling water.
Will the Qantas Project Sunrise A350s be equipped with WiFi?
Yes, Project Sunrise Airbus A350 jets are intended to have fast and free WiFi – a now-essential part of travel for many people.
And it should be very fast indeed, on the back of the ViaSat-3 network, which is expected to come online across Asia Pacific in the latter half of 2024.
How much will Qantas Project Sunrise A350 flights cost?
Qantas intends to price its non-stop Project Sunrise flights at a premium over conventional routes.
Former Qantas boss Alan Joyce previously suggested prices of “20 to 30 per cent” higher compared to fares on the same routes but involving a stopover, such as London via Singapore or New York via Los Angeles.
“When you do something unique that gives you a customer value proposition that’s quite special, you can charge a premium for it,” Joyce reasoned.
It’s hard to imagine Qantas Project Sunrise fares could be as much as one-third higher – especially in economy, where travellers are typically price-sensitive – but there’s no doubt that people who want to fly direct and get to their destination sooner would be expected to pay more than the stopover set.
How much time will Qantas’ non-stop Project Sunrise A350 flights save?
The notion of darting non-stop from Sydney or Melbourne to London or New York implies a substantial time saving compared to the conventional stop-over in Singapore or Los Angeles.
After all, you’re immediately slashing those two hours you might spend on the ground, along with the necessary time for your flight to land and take off again.
Surely flying direct means getting where you’re going a lot sooner?
Not quite. Sooner, yes, but the most significant benefits of these Project Sunrise flights won’t be measured by a stopwatch.
Take as an example the Sydney-Singapore-London ‘Kangaroo Route’. This notches up almost 23 hours in the air – add the time spent on the ground in Singapore, and the start-to-finish journey stretches close to 25 hours.
Qantas’ initial pitch for Project Sunrise promised a saving of ‘up to four hours’ by skipping Singapore.
Nobody’s going to argue with winning back four hours, but it doesn’t seem all that much in the scheme of things – and many people (especially those not flying in first or business) would maintain that breaking their journey in the Singapore lounges is worth the longer trip.
But the real benefits of those direct flights are less about the time shaved off from start to finish, than the fact that all of that time is yours without interruption.
Project Sunrise flights, like Singapore Airlines' non-stop flights to New York, hand you 18-20 hours as a single contiguous block, to divvy up as you like, rather than have it broken into two segments with a stop-over in between.
Work, then dine, then sleep? Sleep, eat, then work and relax again? It's all about letting you set your own schedule – one where mandatory stop-overs don't get a look in.
This is especially useful if you're following a very specific anti-jetlag timetable for eating and sleeping.
And harking back to the Kangaroo Route as our example, there’s another upside on the return leg from London to Sydney or Melbourne. Regular travellers from London or Singapore can attest that this final part of the journey short-changes you on sleep.
With 7-8 hours from wheels-up at Changi to landing in Australia, the window for sleep is at best six hours – and that’s six hours in a noisy cabin, on a bed which is never anywhere near as restful and relaxing as the one at home.
A non-stop flight changes that for the better, and there’s every chance that with a longer sleep under your belt, you’ll arrive feeling not only fresher but with less post-flight fatigue and downtime.
That's something which every business traveller and holiday-maker will appreciate.
Qantas
19 Apr 2012
Total posts 1426
This is excellent news. Something for my retirement when it finally arrives, and one stop to Reykjavik not to mention many other favourite destinations.
QF
11 Jul 2014
Total posts 986
Very much a game changer for Australia aviation as long as your not in economy, I remember the first flight I did from Frankfurt to Singapore in a 747 economy and the guy in front reclined his seat. I was a sardine in a Safcol tin can, the horror of the experience led myself to enjoy the baby cradle seats upfront. A walk around, a sleeper berth, fresh food would get myself over the longer flight.
United Airlines - Mileage Plus
12 Sep 2011
Total posts 333
I'd rather stopover somewhere where I could shower and longue in a lounge and do a decent First like ANA or Lufthansa or Cathay who wants to sit on n aircraft for 19 hours ?Terrible!
03 May 2013
Total posts 674
Bring it on but the layout better be '20 hours proof'. Long time to be sitting on a plane in one stretch.
05 Dec 2013
Total posts 36
Someone please correct me if I am wrong, but does the NSW government have exclusivity over Project Sunrise flights for 3 years? Does. that mean we won't see Melbourne flights launched until 2028 at the earliest?
05 Dec 2013
Total posts 36
Not sure why this comment has been voted down? It was a simple question/observation, which nobody has replied to.
23 Oct 2014
Total posts 237
Cannot wait to hear and see photos of the Gym and running track in the cargo hold we have been drip feed over the last 3 years with countless announcements, will be great.
And the info on the yoga classes mid flight area with the ultra long haul jet lag busting salads and the like.
Thai Airways International - Royal Orchid Plus
15 Jan 2013
Total posts 455
Great for Business people but otherwise most of us prefer our Singapore stopovers(to London).
01 May 2022
Total posts 1
I’m surprised there hasn’t been more publicity for Australians to take advantage of a route via Auckland nonstop to JFK on Air NZ later in 2022 If the timetable from Syd/Mel was seamless surely many Aussies would fly that way to the Big Apple
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
08 Jun 2018
Total posts 12
Having done the Darwin to London flight last week, I think that the entire menu needs a serious rethink. The standard Perry menu doesn't cut it for such a long journey. Or perhaps a new QF chef to honour the new project.
Etihad - Etihad Guest
21 Jul 2019
Total posts 185
@Tonyo
Hello. Your comment about the Neil Perry menu intrigues me. Can you please provide some specific details why it falls short? Meals are probably the biggest highlight for me on long hauls to London (usually I fly SQ); and I've yet to see any real benefit from having a famous chef 'design' the menu on most airlines. This is why I think SQ and TK catering are streets ahead: they can be fancy but they really concentrate on the substance to give you a wide selection of solid meal choices.
Far too often I see style over substance when that plate is put in front of at 30,000 feet, especially when it comes to glorified salad descriptions that read like novellas.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
09 Feb 2015
Total posts 390
I’m pleased the travelling public will have additional options, but I’ll stick to flights via Singapore when flying to London.
07 Nov 2020
Total posts 39
I'll stick with business class via Finnair at about half the price of Qantas. I prefer at least one stop also.
15 Nov 2017
Total posts 10
hear hear!! Love this, although MEL-SIN-HEL is better than MEL-HKG-HEL. The 350 is an excellent quiet a/c.
07 Jan 2016
Total posts 37
Wow. Flights to London in less than 20 hours. I could literally be in Piccadilly in less time than it takes the Qantas call center to pick up the phone.
Thai Airways International - Royal Orchid Plus
15 Jan 2013
Total posts 455
The A300 was the introduction of Wide Bodies Domestically for TAA/Later Australian then Qantas Domestic.they stupidly thought more 767-300's to replace them from Boeing would be the answer before switching camps slowly to the A330's after the A300 was phased out.We don't have Adelaide to Singapore that connects onto QF1 to London on Qantas anymore so It for me is easier to either go through Perth or go Singapore Airlines via Singapore.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
26 May 2014
Total posts 465
“will see 2 sunrises”. On a westbound flight of 20 hours you will see zero or one sunrise. On an eastbound flight you will see one or two sunrises. To get in 2 sunrises the flight would need to leave London late in the evening. I don’t know that schedules are announced yet. It is just marketing.
29 Jan 2012
Total posts 182
Great news for 21+ hr non stop travelers but feel they may be in the minority with most wishing to refresh during a flight break. Alan may be on the back foot with his NYC flights as ANZ is in far better position providing flights sooner from AU to NYC utilizing AKL as its one stop - where as non SYD based AU passenger will enjoy the wonderful and comfortable SYD transfer arrangement.
If it's one stop to NYC I can see where bookings may go - depending on QF loyalty and pricing of course, but given the 20-30% fare excess for the experience, that may be another discussion point. With REX joining Delta and ANZ flying to NYC sooner, QF is stating to lose it's position no matter the marketing. Just my thoughts.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
04 Mar 2014
Total posts 204
Time saving on SYD-LHR is somewhat less if you cant fly over Russia
Qantas
19 Apr 2012
Total posts 1426
Jrfsp you are truly a pessimist if the overflight restrictions will still be in place in three years.
QF
11 Jul 2014
Total posts 986
2025 to far away, make it happen January 2024
08 Feb 2012
Total posts 3
The 'wellbeing zone' seems to be in the Door 3 location - but the images don't show the doors. Due to the lower pax count, could Door 3 be deleted, giving this space over to the wellbeing zone?
30 May 2018
Total posts 7
No thanks... lll take an overnight stopover in Bangkok or Singapore anyday over a 20 hour direct!
United Airlines - Mileage Plus
12 Sep 2011
Total posts 333
Or Narita/Handeda/Hong Kong/ Abu Dhabi
26 Apr 2022
Total posts 2
PE would need to be 42” but the seat in front need to be in a shell so they do not encroach on seat behind similar to the JAL model
02 May 2022
Total posts 1
Dear Community,
people interested in aviation should view this project from at least two different angles. At the First glimpe I am fascinated with the great progress of technology: A nearly 20 hours flight with an aircraft with only two jet engines. If you scrollt back to the beginning of the century (only a bit more than 20 years ago) there was an extensive discussion about twin engine jets crossing the comparatively smaller distance of the transatlantic between London, Paris, Frankfurt and New York.
Then the 4 engine Boeing B747-40 emerged and made nonstop flights between Europa and South American possible. Tha aircraft and its comfortable features like the extended Upper Deck was praised, not no surcharge of 30 or 40 percent claimed.
Please accompany me through the Project Qantas Dawn (PQD) how I would call the project sunrise slightly exaggerated.. There are problems arising from the last row forward to the first row of Business Class. Let US summarize what passengers get:
+ In Economy Class (if the great seat map offered in this article is correct) passengers get the usual A350 XWB seating of 3-3-3 with 2 inches of additional legroom. And the tiny space called "wellbeing zone" on the floor area normally occupied by the galley. And the airline expects depending on the calculated break even seat load factor more than 105 passengers paying 30 % surcharge. Fun fact: Before the densification of Economy Class to the high density configuration some years ago 33 inch was the normal seat pitch on Intercontinental flights.
+ Premium Economy with its 8 seats per row has nearly the same epic disadvantage like Economy Class. The seats nö wider than normal, but 2 inches of legroom as unique spelling proposition.
Naturally for people enthusiastic in aviation it is pretty obvious: If travelling on the routes served the "WOW" factor will fill the seats in the weeks and months after inauguration flight with ease. But experience once or twice you think: Should I spend this money again and aigain for a product which is technologically great but has a lack of additional comfort value.
Sure I know that the additional weight of the fuel for the second nine hours of the 18+ hours flight has to be calculated and paid. But more than 300 kgs deadload of additional fuel just to avoid an intermediate stop? I don*t know if this commercially will make sense.
If yoo have a look to the Business Class section I agree that the three or four hour reduced travel time can make sense in the upper levels of executives, managers, lawyers or famous doctors. It is simply the calculation if the three or four hours shorter travel time is worth the cost.
The First Class always was and is about unique experiences and services. Therefore I assume that especially in comparison to the larger First Class compartments of the A380s and B747s in the air these will be sold out soon.
And at that point two types of generic competition will chime in: Firstly with "smallband" or "broadband" Wi-Fi connection a Business traveller can use at least a third of the time in air working like in his own office or environment. The 1-2-1 seating is perfect for this.
Nevertheless this project may be a money trap. With the "Boom" supersonic travel options at nearly the price of a Business Class Ticket you may shorten the duration of the journey by combining a supersonic flight with a long-haul "feeder" flight. If the "Boom" project is a commerciall success from 2030 on, Qantas has only five to eight years for a return of this large investment.
Without furtherado I conclude that this project with the delivered value proposition and the lack of cargo in hold is the boldest challange an airline can start. I wish Qantas good luck with that and I am convinced that this project wlll see a lot of modifications until the first scheduled flight.
Keeping my fingers crossed.
Qantas
19 Apr 2012
Total posts 1426
They were saying the same things about Perth London and Sydney Dallas. These flights are very popular and that did not wane. This is an extra couple of hours on top of those.
Etihad - Etihad Guest
31 May 2019
Total posts 5
The first suites look very nice, but why do Qantas continue to over-promise and under-deliver? Why hype up below deck bunks and yoga classes before it's a done deal (though it likely was never a real option)? The premium economy looks the same as their current 787 dud and I'd not want to endure a 3 abreast economy class on such a flight. The 2-4-2 A330 configuration is superior to that. We will have to wait and see on the business class.
24 Aug 2011
Total posts 1201
PE will probably be OK if they do increase pitch to 40". The reason it is such a flop on 787/A380 is the seat spacing of 38" means the extra recline just caused the seat to feel more restricted than the seat it replaced.
I still think the solid shell seating used by JL etc is a better option for PE so maybe QF will bite the bullet and put an all-new seat in the A35K.
03 May 2013
Total posts 674
JL's Y Class is the most comfortable of any airline. If I'm ever to fly Y it would be JL only, hands down.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
17 Mar 2017
Total posts 16
Hopefully, they will have individual air vents for all customers. Although, this seems to be relegated to the dustbin these days.
A 20-30% premium to fly direct?
What about the fuel savings, airport landing fees, etc., that are being saved on a direct route?
Yes, I know there will need to be more fuel burnt carrying the extra fuel to go direct, but would this equate to the airport landing fees saved?
Does anyone have an insight into these charges?
04 Nov 2020
Total posts 20
Steve. In modern aircraft’s you don’t have individual air vents anymore, which is a shame I think.
Concerning the fuel, that is an interesting question, and I don’t have the insight. But initially I wouldn’t think they need more fuel, as without the stopover, they’d hopefully get better direct routings, and they safe the big amount of fuel they’d use, to climb back up to cruise altitude. So even though, they’ll need more fuel, and burning extra just to carry more fuel, the total amount might remain the same. Just my guess.
Would be interesting to know, also compared to the savings in airport fees, as you mention.
29 Jan 2012
Total posts 182
The one concept that seems to have been slightly overlooked is the actual time sitting in the aircraft. When you add 30-45 mins pre-take off time together with perhaps a further 60-90 mins circling over London, the actual cabin seat time could exceed 23-24 hrs in the one seat when the delays are added in - a touch longer than the advertised 20.5 hrs - and AJ is proposing a surcharge of 20-30% for the privilege. Much to be considered.
Qantas
19 Apr 2012
Total posts 1426
With a dozen planes in mind there must be a few other routes locked in. Perhaps Sydney Chicago (tight for a 789) and Paris/Frankfurt; but after that hard to see them. Rio and Capetown are a long shot methinks.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
04 Nov 2017
Total posts 336
Sydney Chicago would be too long in QF's current 789 config to make it non-stop. Perhaps SYD (or MEL)-AKL-ORD instead of the originally planned BNE-ORD in the short/medium term (since they've axed the BNE 787 base post-COVID). Only chance of BNE-ORD getting back up is if the Qld State Government steps in with AAIF cash in hand to QF.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
17 May 2015
Total posts 79
This sounds terrible. I would much prefer to break the flight up with a stop in Asia and would likely pay more to do so.
The other no-factor is that only the people travelling between point A and B will benefit from this. So for example, on a Syd-London flight if you are connecting from any other city in Australia or if you have a connection out of London then the whole point of a direct flight becomes pointless.
For me personally I would like to see more options on Qantas metal into your Europe (eg, Paris/Frankfurt/Madrid/Helsinki) via Singapore. I also can't understand why Qantas doesn't code share with Oneworld partners Iberia (Southern Europe) and Finnair (Norther and Central Europe). Frankly, the options into most European cities are dismal. It's pretty much fly to Heathrow (a terrible airport to transfer through) and then backtrack 2-3 hours to continental Europe on a BA flight wasting huge amounts of time.
Qantas
19 Apr 2012
Total posts 1426
Paris and Rome are already in the mix and it seems Perth will be the new hub taking over from Singapore post A380
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
09 Jun 2017
Total posts 70
I just don’t get why you would pay a premium to QF, already one of the worlds most expensive airlines, to fly 20 or so hours non stop. OK, in First or Business, 20 hours won’t be so bad, but sitting upright for this long without getting off the plane for a break is surely not something to look forward to.
I have done Perth, London a couple of times and Singapore, New York in Business (only available for Business and PE for good reason) because at those times, I was able to secure these flight at the right price, not because I wanted to save a small handful of hours to get to these destinations.
I can’t really speak for others but there is no way I would choose a Sydney to London direct in Economy. I will be very interested to see loadings once Project Sunrise finally gets in the air as I cannot see 20 hours straight being so popular with Mum, Dad and the kids.
16 Feb 2017
Total posts 28
Hi Guest, join in the discussion on Qantas non-stop London, New York flights on track for 2026