Qantas to Launch First-Ever Nonstop Sydney–New York Service in Mid-2028

# What happened

# Why it matters Until now, flying between Sydney and New York has required at least one stop—commonly Los Angeles or Auckland. Qantas says the nonstop service will take about 18 hours and shave around three hours off the fastest current travel time. That shorter journey time and the convenience of no connections are the main passenger benefits.

# Aircraft and configuration The route will be operated with specially configured Airbus A350-1000ULR aircraft. Key details Qantas has released:

• Sunrise carries an additional 20,000 litres of fuel to extend range beyond 16,000 kilometres and up to 22 hours nonstop.
• Qantas will take delivery of 12 of these aircraft. Each will be fitted with 238 seats across four cabins.

# Onboard experience and health measures Qantas has designed the cabin and service for ultra long-haul travel with the stated goal of helping passengers arrive in better condition. Measures mentioned include:

• A lighting program inspired by Australian landscapes intended to help mitigate jetlag.

• A "Wellbeing Zone" described as a world-first onboard feature.

Qantas Group CEO Vanessa Hudson is quoted explaining the approach: "Flying these distances is only worth doing if our customers arrive feeling their best, and that belief has shaped everything we've built."

# Demand and network context Qantas framed the route as the second confirmed Project Sunrise destination. Sydney–London is scheduled to launch in October 2027 and is already the first Project Sunrise route to roll out.

Qantas also references experience operating other nonstop long-haul services since 2018, including Perth–London and Melbourne–Dallas, which it says record the highest customer satisfaction scores on its international network.

# Timing and ticketing

# What this changes for travellers Travellers between Sydney and New York will have a nonstop option starting mid-2028 that reduces total travel time and removes the need to change aircraft. The flight's length—about 18 hours—means seat choice, cabin features, and in-flight wellbeing measures are likely to matter more for passenger comfort than on typical long-haul flights.