Qantas Reveals Project Sunrise Cabins for 22-Hour Non-Stop Flights

Qantas has revealed more details about its upcoming Project Sunrise flights, designed to connect Australia directly with major long-haul destinations such as Sydney to London and Sydney to New York without a stopover.

The new service is expected to begin from October 2027, using specially configured Airbus A350 aircraft. These flights are being designed for ultra-long-haul travel, with the Sydney–London route expected to take around 22 hours, making it one of the longest scheduled commercial flights in the world.

The focus of the new cabin design is comfort, space, movement, and wellbeing during extremely long flights.

What is Project Sunrise?

Project Sunrise is Qantas’ plan to operate non-stop flights from Australia’s east coast to destinations that currently usually require a stop, such as London and New York.

Instead of connecting through cities like Singapore, Dubai, Doha, or Los Angeles, passengers would be able to fly directly from Sydney to London or New York.

The key selling point is:

One aircraft, one boarding, one direct journey — but a very long one.

Because of the extreme flight length, Qantas has designed the aircraft with fewer seats than a typical long-haul aircraft, allowing more space for passengers.

Wellness zone

One of the most distinctive features is the inclusion of a Wellbeing Zone.

This area is designed to let passengers stand, stretch, and move during the flight. On a flight as long as Sydney to London, this could be an important feature.

The wellness area is expected to include:

• space to stretch

• handles or supports for movement

• screens or guidance for exercises

• refreshments or hydration options

• a place to leave the seat without blocking aisles

This is important because one of the biggest challenges of ultra-long-haul flying is not just seat comfort, but the ability to move during the journey.