Qantas has confirmed it will launch the first regularly scheduled nonstop flights between Sydney and New York in mid-2028. The roughly 18-hour journey cuts about three hours off the fastest current one-stop travel time, and tickets are set to go on sale in August 2027, pending regulatory approvals and aircraft certification.
The route will be flown by a specially configured Airbus A350-1000ULR, which carries an extra rear center fuel tank to handle the distance. Qantas has ordered 12 of the aircraft, each seating 238 passengers with more than 40 percent of those seats in premium cabins. There’s also a Wellbeing Zone on board for stretching and moving around during the ultra-long haul.
New York is the second confirmed Project Sunrise route, following daily Sydney-London flights that begin in October 2027. The whole project traces back to a 2019 research flight that flew New York to Sydney in 19 hours and 16 minutes. So the big question: would you fly 18 hours nonstop, or would you rather keep the layover? Let us know in the comments.
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Local Lawton
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