Qantas confirms nonstop Sydney-New York
Qantas will launch the first nonstop commercial flights between Australia and New York in mid-2028 using specially configured Airbus A350-1000ULR aircraft
Qantas has announced the launch of the first ever nonstop commercial flights between Australia and New York, set to begin in mid-2028. The airline confirmed the plan late Tuesday as part of its Project Sunrise initiative, with services operating nonstop between Sydney’s Kingsford-Smith Airport and New York’s JFK Airport.
Aircraft and route specifications
The service will use specially configured Airbus A350-1000ULR aircraft with a range of up to 22 hours and a reduced seating capacity of 238 seats across four cabins. The Sydney to New York route spans roughly 16,200 kilometers and will require close to 20 hours in the air.
Qantas has ordered 12 A350-1000ULR aircraft overall for Project Sunrise routes. These jets feature enlarged fuel tanks and Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines, which Qantas and Airbus say provide the range needed for the journey with a commercial payload in most weather conditions. The aircraft have been fitted with an extra 20,000-liter fuel tank.
The cabin configuration for the ultra-long-haul flights is as follows:
| Cabin Class | Number of Seats |
|---|---|
| First Class | 6 |
| Business Class | 52 |
| Premium Economy | 40 |
| Economy | 140 |
Cabin experience and wellbeing features
A dedicated wellbeing zone will be located between the economy and premium economy cabins. This space allows passengers to stretch, participate in guided exercise videos, and access snacks and drinks. Qantas worked with the Charles Perkins Centre at the University of Sydney on cabin features, menus, and lighting designed to reduce jet lag.
Project Sunrise context and timeline
This transpacific connection will shave more than three hours off the total travel time between Sydney and New York compared to the airline's currently operating daily one-stop service via Auckland, New Zealand. It will be Qantas’s second ultra-long-haul service under Project Sunrise, following the planned Sydney to London route.
Qantas expects to take delivery of the first production A350-1000ULR in April 2027. The airline planned to start its first commercial Project Sunrise route between Sydney and London in October 2027, but accounts differ on the exact start date, with another mention pointing to early 2027 for that service. The Sydney to London service is expected to operate daily, while the frequency for the New York service has not been disclosed.
Project Sunrise’s launch was initially planned for 2022 but was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic and manufacturing delays at Airbus. Delays in aircraft certification and engine testing pushed the original launch back by roughly a year. Qantas Group CEO Vanessa Hudson stated the airline remains confident in the revised schedule and commercial case.
Vanessa Hudson said: "Conquering the tyranny of distance has been part of who Qantas is from the very beginning."
The airline cites its Perth to London nonstop service, launched in 2018, as evidence that Australian travelers pay a premium for direct routing. Qantas has invested heavily in Project Sunrise, including a reported $100 million in cabin design and passenger wellbeing research. The airline is also committed to using sustainable aviation fuel where available.
By the time all 12 A350-1000ULRs are delivered, Qantas expects to have trained 360 pilots and 1,200 cabin crew as part of the fleet rollout.
