Qantas plans to launch nonstop flights between Sydney and New York in mid-2028, opening the first scheduled nonstop commercial air link between Australia and the U.S. city. Tickets for the inaugural service are expected to go on sale in August 2027, giving travelers a booking milestone ahead of the launch.
The airline says the route will remove more than three hours from the journey compared with current one-stop services. Qantas Group CEO Vanessa Hudson put the anticipated Sydney-New York flight time at around 18 hours. The announcement does not include a precise launch date, operating frequency or full timetable.
A Direct Link Between Sydney and New York
New York becomes the second confirmed route under Project Sunrise, Qantas’ program to connect Australia’s east coast with distant destinations without a stop. It follows the planned Project Sunrise launch between Sydney and London in October 2027. The two services will extend the airline’s strategy of offering longer nonstop journeys to travelers willing to spend more time aboard one aircraft.
Qantas currently operates a daily Sydney-New York service via Auckland. Removing that stop would simplify the trip for passengers who prioritize reaching their destination sooner, while also eliminating the interruption of an intermediate airport visit. Travelers who prefer to break up a long journey would still have reason to compare connecting options.
The change also marks a substantial shift from Qantas’ first New York service in 1958. That flight formed part of its inaugural round-the-world operation and reached the city from Sydney via Fiji, Honolulu and San Francisco. The proposed nonstop route reduces that multistop journey to a single sector.
According to Qantas, demand on its New York services has nearly doubled since 2023. The airline also reports growing interest in ultra-long-haul nonstop flying, although those indicators reflect its own customer research and demand measures rather than confirmed bookings for the new route.
Aircraft Designed for Longer Journeys
Qantas will use specially configured Airbus A350-1000ULR aircraft for Project Sunrise. The airline has ordered 12, each with 238 seats across four cabins. An additional 20,000-liter fuel tank is intended to support flights exceeding 16,000 kilometers and lasting up to 22 hours, according to the carrier.
The onboard experience will include a Wellbeing Zone, alongside lighting and meal planning developed with ultra-long-haul travel in mind. Qantas says passenger comfort and arrival wellbeing have shaped the design. These features are intended to help travelers manage an unusually long flight, rather than guarantee an absence of fatigue or jet lag.
The first aircraft is expected to arrive in April 2027. Preparations already include pilot training on an A350 simulator in Sydney, with more than 360 pilots and 1,200 cabin crew due to be trained by the arrival of the twelfth aircraft.
For prospective passengers, August 2027 is the next key date. Pricing, schedules and the precise start of service will determine how the new nonstop option compares with existing one-stop journeys when bookings open.
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