Airbus A350 flies 24 hours nonstop from Melbourne to Toulouse as Qantas prepares Sydney-London route for 2027

The flight

An Airbus A350-1000ULR took off from Melbourne airport at 17:27 local time on Monday and landed at the manufacturer's Toulouse factory at 09:52 on Tuesday, staying airborne for 24 hours and 24 minutes. The aircraft, registered F-WULR and named Vega, covered 23,075 kilometres on a route that crossed the Pacific Ocean, the United States, Canada, and the Atlantic. Eight flight-test crew from Airbus, two Qantas pilots, and two Airbus design engineers were on board. They crossed three continents and two oceans, observing two sunsets and two sunrises during the journey. Flightradar24 reported that more than 3.6 million people tracked the flight live, making it the second-most-watched flight in the platform's history, behind only the September 2022 flight carrying Queen Elizabeth II's coffin. The same aircraft had completed a Toulouse-to-Melbourne test the previous week, flying approximately 17,000 kilometres in just over 19 hours, a flight that also topped Flightradar24's tracking charts.

Project Sunrise and the new fleet

The test is part of Qantas' Project Sunrise, which aims to eliminate stopovers between Australia and Europe by launching the world's longest commercial passenger routes. Qantas has ordered 12 specially modified A350-1000ULR aircraft designed to connect Australia's east coast with London and New York in about 20 hours. Each aircraft carries a purpose-built 20,000-litre extra fuel tank in the rear central section, which increases range by approximately 1,000 nautical miles. The cabin is configured with just 238 seats, one of the lowest densities among operating A350s, giving passengers more space on the ultra-long sectors. The first delivery is scheduled for April 2027.

Comfort for ultra-long-haul

One objective of the test was to validate the modified fuel-tank architecture and equipment designed to improve passenger comfort on very long flights. The cabin incorporates quieter insulation, adjustable lighting, and an improved air-circulation system. Qantas wants passengers to arrive at their destination feeling more rested after flights lasting 19 to 21 hours. Airbus has been running a two-month test campaign on the aircraft since June, with this return flight marking its longest segment.

Replacing the Kangaroo Route

Qantas expects to operate daily nonstop flights between Sydney and London from October 2027. The service aims to turn what was once a five-day journey on the "Kangaroo Route" into a single flight lasting 19 to 21 hours, depending on routing and wind conditions. The same aircraft type will also serve routes connecting Australia's east coast with New York. Both outbound and return test flights generated strong public interest, with each topping Flightradar24's tracking charts during their respective days.

Record in context

Tuesday's flight exceeded the previous long-distance record set in 2005 by a Boeing 777-200LR Worldliner, which flew 21,601.7 kilometres from Hong Kong to London in 22 hours and 42 minutes. The A350-1000ULR covered roughly 1,473 kilometres more and spent about 1 hour and 42 minutes longer in the air. The test campaign continues, with commercial operations set to begin when Qantas receives its first aircraft in April 2027.