The world's longest flight is getting closer: Qantas' first Airbus A350-1000ULR has taken flight

The dream of flying nonstop from Sydney to London is no longer just a press conference promise: it now also has a real plane, with a serial number, a test crew, and a first flight behind it.

The First Airbus A350-1000ULR destined for Qantas, identified as MSN 707, completed his first flight to Toulouse. A test that lasted 3 hours 43 minutes, during which the aircraft reached an altitude just above the 41,000 feet. At the controls was an Airbus crew dedicated to test flights.

We are not talking about just any A350. This is the plane developed for the famous Project Sunrise, the program by which Qantas wants to cross one of the last frontiers of commercial aviation: connecting eastern Australia with Europe and the United States nonstop. Coincidentally, the announcement came virtually simultaneously with the news that the 777x, developed by Boeing, is still experiencing yet another delay.

What is the A350-1000ULR

The Airbus A350-1000ULR is, on paper, The passenger aircraft with the longest range in the world. It is a special variant of the A350-1000, developed to enable Qantas to operate non-stop flights between Sydney and London and between Sydney and New York, with flight times of up to 22 hours.

 

The distance between Sydney and London is almost 10,000 nautical miles, a route that until now has always required at least one stopover. To make this leap possible, Airbus has integrated into the aircraft's structure a additional rear tank, the rear center tank, which increases the aircraft's range by about 1,000 nautical miles.

During the first flight, the crew checked the aircraft's overall performance and tested just the new fuel system architecture. This first takeoff marks the beginning of a flight test campaign that will last approximately two months and will serve to certify the changes introduced on this special version of the A350.

Not just more fuel: the cabin must also withstand 22 hours of flight time

When it comes to 20-, 21-, or 22-hour flights, the issue is not just getting the plane to the other side of the world. The real issue is getting it there with passengers and crew still in a humane condition.

Therefore, the certification will not only cover the additional tank. Airbus will also have to certify a new galley cooling system, with lighter and more efficient refrigeration units designed for very long routes. Ventilation, temperature control and cabin environment management will also be thoroughly tested.

 

Qantas has already told several times that it wants to turn Project Sunrise into something other than just the "longest flight in the world." The Australian airline has been working hard on the concept of well-being on board, with a premium four-class configuration, fewer seats than a traditional A350, and spaces designed to help passengers get through a full day inside a plane.

The long road of Project Sunrise

Project Sunrise was not born today. Qantas first talked about it in the 2017, describing it as the new frontier of long haul: directly connecting the east coast of Australia with London and New York.

In 2019 came research flights, operated with Boeing 787-9s, between New York and Sydney and between London and Sydney. These were not traditional commercial flights, but tests designed to collect data on passengers and crews: sleep, jet lag, nutrition, lighting, shifts, and the human body's reaction to nearly 20 consecutive hours of flying.

Then Covid came along, and as with so many other global aviation projects everything came to a halt. Project Sunrise remained in the drawer, but it was never abandoned.

The decisive step came in the May 2022, When Qantas confirmed the order for 12 Airbus A350-1000ULR. From that point on, the project moved from the dream stage to the engineering stage: it was not enough to take an A350-1000 and fill it with fuel, a dedicated variant had to be developed, modifications certified, and a cabin built suitable for flights never before seen in scheduled passenger transport.

The first plane will not be the first one delivered

One interesting detail: the plane that has flown now, MSN 707, is the first A350-1000ULR built for Qantas, but after the test campaign it will not be reconfigured to the company's commercial specifications.

The second A350-1000ULR destined for Qantas, however, will be the first to be delivered to the company. According to Airbus, delivery is scheduled for April 2027. This second specimen is already at an advanced stage of final assembly and is expected to come out of the paint shop in the next few days and then receive the premium four-class cabin and engines.

The program has already lagged behind initial ambitions. Qantas had hoped to start sooner, but between technical complexities, certifications, and supply chain issues, the timetable has moved forward. The good news, however, is that the first flight of the prototype is a concrete step: the plane exists, flies, and now enters the decisive testing phase.

Why this flight is important

Long range has made huge strides in recent years, but Project Sunrise is something different. It is not simply about adding a new route to the network-it is about changing the way Australia is connected to the rest of the world.

Today, flying from Sydney to London still means passing through Singapore, Dubai, Doha, Perth or another intermediate hub. With the A350-1000ULR, Qantas wants to eliminate the stopover and reduce the overall travel time to about four hours compared with connected solutions.

Of course, the big question remains: How many passengers will really be willing to spend 22 consecutive hours on board? Qantas' answer is clear: fewer seats, more space, a very premium cabin and a product designed not for everyone, but for those who want to reach the other side of the world in the most direct way possible.

Not just Qantas: the A350 continues to grow

The A350-1000ULR becomes the fourth passenger variant in the A350 family, alongside the A350-900, A350-900ULR and A350-1000. These will also be joined by the A350F freighter, currently in development, with first flight expected later this year.

Airbus reported that, as of the end of April 2026, the A350 family had collected 1,579 orders from 68 customers, with over 700 aircraft already in service At 41 operators worldwide.

Qantas, for its part, did not limit itself to the 12 A350-1000ULRs from Project Sunrise: the Australian airline also ordered additional 12 A350-1000 standard, intended in the future for the traditional long haul.

In conclusion

The first flight of the Airbus A350-1000ULR doesn't mean we can get on a non-stop Sydney-London tomorrow., but it is one of those moments that truly marks a milestone in the history of commercial aviation.

Project Sunrise was announced in 2017, tested in 2019, frozen by the pandemic, relaunched with the 2022 order, and now finally taken to the air with the first A350-1000ULR.

If all goes according to the new plans, 2027 will be the year Qantas tries to turn the world's longest flight from experiment to commercial product. Whether it will be a long-haul revolution or a niche for a few passengers willing to pay a lot to avoid a stopover remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: as of today, Project Sunrise is a little less project and a little more reality.

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