Qantas announced plans to operate direct flights between Sydney and New York beginning mid-2028, reducing travel time to 18 hours compared to the current 21-hour journey with a stopover in Los Angeles. This service will represent the second route under the airline’s Project Sunrise initiative, following planned Sydney-London direct flights set to commence in October 2027.
The route will mark the first commercial direct flight from Sydney’s Kingsford-Smith airport to New York’s JFK airport. Qantas currently offers the Sydney-New York route with a stopover in Los Angeles, with fares typically exceeding $1,400 for one-way travel or $1,900 for return tickets. The airline has not disclosed pricing for the new direct service, though it previously indicated direct fares could cost approximately 20% more than current stopover fares. Ticket sales for the Sydney-New York route are scheduled to open in August 2027.
The flights will operate using Airbus A350-1000ULR aircraft equipped with extended fuel tanks capable of flying over 16,000 kilometers nonstop for up to 22 hours. Qantas has ordered 12 of these specially configured aircraft, with the first delivery expected in April 2027. Each aircraft will accommodate 238 passengers across multiple cabin classes, including a dedicated wellbeing zone between economy and premium economy sections where passengers can exercise and access refreshments during the extended flight.
Project Sunrise experienced multiple delays since its initial 2022 launch target, with postponements attributed to the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent manufacturing delays at Airbus. The airline projects the ultra long-haul routes will generate $400 million in additional earnings over five years, with profit margins increasing from the current 4% to 10%. Qantas is preparing over 360 pilots and 1,200 cabin crew members for operations with the new aircraft type.
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