Qantas announced plans to operate direct flights between Sydney and New York starting in mid-2028, marking the second phase of its Project Sunrise ultra long-haul expansion initiative. The route will reduce travel time to 18 hours, compared to the current 21-hour journey via Los Angeles. This would represent the first commercial direct service from Sydney’s Kingsford-Smith airport to New York’s JFK airport.
Tickets for the Sydney-New York route are scheduled to go on sale in August 2027, though the airline has not specified the exact month flights will commence. The venture follows the planned launch of Sydney-to-London direct flights in October 2027, which had previously experienced delays. Qantas has not disclosed pricing for these routes, though the company has previously indicated fares could be approximately 20% higher than stopover options.
The flights will operate using Airbus A350-1000ULR aircraft, featuring extended fuel capacity for flights exceeding 16,000 kilometers. Each plane accommodates 238 passengers across multiple cabin classes, including six first-class suites, 52 business suites, 40 premium economy seats, and 140 standard economy seats. A notable feature is a dedicated “wellbeing zone” between economy and premium economy sections where passengers can exercise and access refreshments during ultra long-haul journeys.
Qantas has ordered 12 of the specialized aircraft, with the first expected to arrive in April 2027. The project has experienced multiple delays since its initial 2022 target date, attributed to manufacturing delays at Airbus. The company projects these Project Sunrise flights will increase earnings by $400 million over five years and boost profit margins from the current 4% to 10%. The airline is currently training over 360 pilots and 1,200 cabin crew members to operate the new aircraft.
Article Attribution | Read More at Article Source
Article summary produced by Claude AI