Qantas has confirmed it will launch direct flights between Sydney and New York in mid-2028, marking the airline’s second “Project Sunrise” ultra-long-haul route. The new service will reduce travel time by more than three hours compared with current one-stop flights, offering the first non-stop commercial connection between Australia and New York City.
Flights will be available for booking starting August 2027, operated by specially modified Airbus A350-1000 aircraft fitted with an additional 20,000-litre fuel tank.
These planes can fly over 16,000 kilometres non-stop, with journeys lasting up to 22 hours.
Qantas Group CEO Vanessa Hudson called the expansion a defining moment for Australia and the US. “Conquering the tyranny of distance has been part of who Qantas is from the very beginning,” she said. “Reaching New York non-stop completes a vision we set out many years ago, and it’s a moment of enormous pride for the thousands of our people who have been working hard to make Project Sunrise a reality.”
Qantas first flew to New York in 1958 via Fiji, Honolulu and San Francisco. Today, it operates a daily one-stop service through Auckland.
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Hudson noted that demand for travel between Australia and the United States continues to grow, with US visitor arrivals up five per cent year-on-year. Demand on Qantas routes to and from New York has nearly doubled since 2023, while intent to book ultra-long-haul flights rose from 58 per cent to 70 per cent since February, reaching 80 per cent among premium travellers.
“Flying these distances is only worth doing if our customers arrive feeling their best, and that belief has shaped everything we’ve built,” Hudson added. The aircraft and onboard experience were developed with input from experts over the past decade, incorporating features like a world-first Wellbeing Zone, specialized lighting, meals, and seating designed around the science of ultra-long-haul travel.
In preparation for the aircraft’s arrival, Qantas pilots have begun training on Australia’s first A350 simulator in Sydney. The airline plans to train over 360 pilots and 1,200 cabin crew to operate its fleet of Project Sunrise aircraft by the time the 12th A350-1000ULR arrives.
For passengers, the direct route eliminates the need for layovers, allowing travelers to board in Sydney and arrive in New York around 18 hours later without stopping once, cutting around three hours off the current fastest travel time.
