Key facts
- An Airbus A350-1000ULR completed a 24-hour, 24-minute nonstop test flight from Melbourne to Toulouse.
- The flight covered 23,075 km (14,338 miles) and is believed to be the longest commercial flight ever.
- The aircraft is part of Qantas's Project Sunrise, aiming for nonstop routes from Australia to London and New York.
- Qantas plans to offer tickets for these routes in 2027, with the first aircraft due for delivery in April 2027.
- The test flight was the second-most-tracked flight in Flightradar24 history, with over 3.6 million viewers.
An Airbus A350-1000ULR has completed a record-breaking 24-hour, 24-minute nonstop test flight from Melbourne, Australia, to Toulouse, France. The flight covered 23,075 km (14,338 miles) and is believed to be the longest commercial flight ever, surpassing the previous record of 22 hours and 42 minutes set in 2005. This flight is part of Qantas Airways' Project Sunrise initiative, which aims to establish nonstop routes from Australia's east coast to London and New York. The specially adapted A350-1000ULR airliner, featuring an extra fuel tank, is slated to debut on Qantas's Sydney-London route in 2027. Airbus has been conducting a two-month test campaign on the aircraft since June. The flight garnered significant attention, becoming the second-most-tracked flight ever on Flightradar24 with over 3.6 million viewers. Qantas has ordered 12 of these modified A350-1000ULR aircraft, designed to seat 238 passengers and capable of flying for approximately 20 hours. The first aircraft is scheduled for delivery in April 2027, with daily nonstop Sydney-London flights expected to commence in October 2027.