Australia to New York, Non-Stop: Qantas to launch history-making project sunrise flights across the Pacific
Qantas Project Sunrise has officially confirmed its second ultra long-haul route: Sydney–New York non-stop flights, launching in mid-2028. This will be the first-ever direct commercial service between Australia and New York, cutting around three hours off current one-stop journeys.
Key Highlights
- Tickets on sale: August 2027
- Aircraft: Airbus A350-1000ULR, specially configured with an extra 20,000-litre fuel tank
- Range: Over 16,000 km, up to 22 hours non-stop
- Cabin configuration: 238 seats across four cabins, including a world-first Wellbeing Zone designed for ultra long-haul comfort
- Training: 360 pilots and 1,200 cabin crew will be trained on the new fleet
Project Sunrise Routes
- Sydney–London: Launching October 2027
- Sydney–New York: Launching mid-2028
Demand & Impact
- US visitor arrivals to Australia up 5% year-on-year.
- Demand for Qantas flights in/out of New York has nearly doubled since 2023.
- Intent to book ultra long-haul flights has risen to 70% overall, and 80% among premium travelers.
- Builds on Qantas’ success with Perth–London, Rome, Paris and Melbourne–Dallas routes, which have the highest satisfaction scores in its international network.
Qantas Group CEO Vanessa Hudson called the launch a “defining moment”, saying it fulfills the airline’s vision of conquering the tyranny of distance and reshaping what’s possible for travel between Australia and the US.
