Travellers will soon be able to fly directly from Sydney to New York in just 18 hours, starting from mid-2028, when Qantas launches its second ultra long-haul route as part of its Project Sunrise initiative. This new route will cut at least three hours from the current travel time, which includes a stopover in Los Angeles. The Sydney to New York flight will be the first direct commercial service between Kingsford-Smith Airport and New York’s JFK Airport. Currently, Qantas offers flights from Sydney to New York with a stop in Los Angeles, which take 21 hours and cost more than $1,400 one way or over $1,900 return. However, the company has not yet released pricing for the new Project Sunrise routes, only noting that ticket prices are likely to increase. Tickets for the Sydney to New York route will be available for purchase in August 2027, though the exact start date for the flights has not been specified. Qantas previously announced that direct flights from Sydney to London would begin in October 2027, with more details on their launch timing to follow in 2027. While the company plans to introduce additional 20-hour direct flights from Perth in the future, it has dropped earlier plans for routes from Brisbane or Melbourne. Qantas has ordered 12 Airbus A350–1000ULR aircraft, specially designed with extra fuel tanks to fly over 16,000km and up to 22 hours nonstop. The first of these planes is expected to arrive in Australia in April 2027. These aircraft were developed specifically for Qantas to operate some of the world’s longest commercial flights. A test flight in July 2023 covered 24 hours and 24 minutes from Melbourne to Toulouse, France, marking what is believed to be the longest commercial flight ever recorded. Each plane has only 140 standard economy seats, with the rest allocated to premium classes, including six first-class suites, 52 business suites, and 40 premium economy seats. Qantas expects the Project Sunrise flights, along with growing demand for premium travel, to boost its earnings by $400 million over the next five years, increasing profit margins from the current 4% to 10%. The company has noted a doubling in demand for flights to and from New York since 2023. However, Australian travel to and from the US has seen a 9% decline in the same period, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson said the new routes could change how Australians travel. “Reaching New York non-stop completes a vision we set out many years ago, and it’s a moment of enormous pride for the thousands of our people who have been working hard to make Project Sunrise a reality,” she said. The company is currently training over 360 pilots and 1,200 cabin crew to operate the new aircraft as they arrive.