Qantas to Launch Historic Nonstop Flights in 2028, Cutting Hours From Australia to US Travel

For travellers staring at the distance between Sydney and New York, the journey has always involved a compromise: spend much of a day in the air, then break the trip with a stop somewhere along the way. That is set to change. Qantas has confirmed plans to introduce nonstop commercial flights between Sydney and New York from mid-2028, creating a direct link between Australia’s east coast and one of the world’s most visited cities.

The airline says the approximately 18-hour service will remove more than three hours from the current one-stop journey, giving travellers a new option for reaching New York without changing aircraft along the way.

Qantas Brings Sydney and New York Closer

The new route will become the second destination under Qantas’ Project Sunrise programme, following the planned launch of daily nonstop Sydney–London services in October 2027.

For passengers, the most noticeable difference will be the disappearance of the intermediate stop. Qantas currently connects Sydney and New York through Auckland, while travellers can also choose other one-stop itineraries depending on airline, fare and schedule.

The Project Sunrise service is designed to turn the journey into a single flight from Sydney to New York, with the airline estimating a flying time of around 18 hours. Tickets for the new route are expected to go on sale from August 2027, although Qantas has not yet announced the exact inaugural flight date.

A New Aircraft Built for the Longest Journeys

The route will be operated by Qantas’ specially configured Airbus A350-1000ULR, an aircraft designed for ultra-long-haul operations.

Qantas has ordered 12 of the aircraft for Project Sunrise. Each will carry only 238 passengers, divided between First, Business, Premium Economy and Economy cabins. The configuration gives the aircraft a relatively low seat density compared with other A350-1000s and places more than 40% of its seats in premium cabins.

The aircraft has also been modified with an additional 20,000-litre fuel tank, allowing it to fly more than 16,000 kilometres and remain airborne for up to approximately 22 hours.

That capability is central to Qantas’ strategy of linking Australia’s east coast directly with destinations that previously required a stopover.

The Passenger Experience Is Being Designed Around the Long Flight

Spending close to an entire day on an aircraft creates a different challenge from operating a conventional long-haul route.

Qantas says its Project Sunrise cabin has been developed with input from the University of Sydney’s Charles Perkins Centre, with attention given to passenger wellbeing, sleep and circadian rhythms.

The A350 will include a dedicated Wellbeing Zone, while cabin lighting has been designed around different stages of the journey. Qantas says its lighting system includes scenes intended to support passengers as they adjust to the destination’s time zone.

The airline has also designed the aircraft around greater passenger comfort, with ergonomic seating and a lower-density cabin.

For travellers, the objective is clear: make the removal of the stopover meaningful without turning the 18-hour journey into an endurance test.

New York Expands Australia’s Direct US Connectivity

The Sydney–New York announcement comes as Qantas continues expanding its direct international network.

The airline already operates nonstop services between Australia and several destinations in the United States, while its international fleet renewal is introducing aircraft capable of serving longer routes more efficiently.

Qantas’ 2026 annual report identifies the A350-1000ULR as a key part of its next-generation fleet strategy, with the 12 Project Sunrise aircraft expected to enter service from 2027. The airline says these aircraft will enable both Sydney–London and Sydney–New York nonstop services.

For passengers, this represents a shift away from relying solely on major connecting hubs for long-distance travel.

The US Remains a Major Australian Travel Market

The route is also being introduced into an established Australia–US travel market.

Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows the United States was Australia’s third-largest source country for short-term visitor arrivals in July 2026, with 46,450 trips recorded during the month.

The US was also among the leading destinations for Australians travelling overseas, recording 70,470 short-term resident returns in July.

However, the latest figures do not indicate uninterrupted year-on-year growth. US visitor arrivals fell from 50,090 in July 2025 to 46,450 in July 2026, while Australian resident returns from the US were broadly stable.

That makes the new route less about responding to a single month’s tourism figures and more about Qantas’ longer-term strategy for the Australia–US market.

Sydney–New York Joins a Wider Project Sunrise Network

The New York service will not operate in isolation.

Qantas plans to begin daily nonstop Sydney–London flights in October 2027, making London the first Project Sunrise destination. Sydney–New York is scheduled to follow from mid-2028.

The airline’s broader fleet transformation is also introducing A350s, Boeing 787s and Airbus A321XLR aircraft as older aircraft are progressively retired.

Qantas expects its A380 retirement programme to begin from 2028, while the next-generation fleet takes on a larger role across its international network.

What Travellers Should Expect

The new Sydney–New York service will give passengers another choice when planning a trip between Australia and the United States.

The biggest benefit will be convenience. Travellers who value time can avoid a connection and remain on the same aircraft throughout the journey. Families, business travellers and visitors making shorter trips to New York could particularly value the simpler itinerary.

However, Qantas has not yet released fares for the route. Travellers will therefore have to wait before knowing how the price of the nonstop option compares with connecting flights.

The airline has also stressed that aircraft delivery, certification and service commencement remain subject to the necessary regulatory approvals.

A New Chapter for Australia–US Travel

There is something striking about the idea of boarding in Sydney and stepping off the same aircraft in New York almost 18 hours later. For travellers accustomed to breaking the journey through another city, the experience will feel very different.

Qantas’ planned 2028 service is therefore more than another addition to the flight schedule. It represents the airline’s attempt to make one of the world’s most geographically challenging international journeys a straightforward point-to-point trip. With Sydney–London arriving first and New York following, Project Sunrise is steadily turning Australia’s enormous distance from Europe and North America into a problem that modern aircraft can increasingly overcome.