Qantas will launch non-stop Sydney-New York services from mid-2028 under its Project Sunrise programme, using specially configured Airbus A350-1000ULR aircraft. The route will be the first commercial direct link between the two cities, with the flight expected to take about 18 hours and tickets due to go on sale in August 2027.
The New York service is the second Project Sunrise route confirmed by the airline, following Sydney-London flights due to begin in October 2027. Qantas currently serves Sydney-New York via a stopover, so the new operation will remove the intermediate leg and cut more than three hours from journey times compared with today’s one-stop itineraries.
The long-range A350-1000ULR fleet is central to Qantas’ plan to make ultra-long-haul flying commercially viable on routes from Australia’s east coast. The airline has positioned Project Sunrise as a test of premium demand, aircraft economics and passenger tolerance on some of the world’s longest scheduled services, with the Sydney-New York pairing now the latest milestone in that strategy.