Qantas has announced it will be flying direct between Sydney and London – set to be the world's longest non-stop passenger flight.
The up to 22-hour flights are set to take off in October 2027 and will run alongside the airline's Perth-London and Sydney-Singapore-London services.
Currently, the world's longest flight is Singapore Airlines' Singapore to New York route – which takes 19 hours and covers over 15,000km.
The announcement came as Qantas unveiled its first Airbus A350-1000ULR – capping off a years-long development dubbed "Project Sunrise".
Qantas said the plane had been "specifically manufactured" for flights like this, and is fitted with an additional 20,000-litre fuel tank – allowing it to fly more than 16,000 kilometres.
Qantas will buy a total of 12 aircraft, each fitted with 238 seats across four cabins.
It's the first time the "Kangaroo Route", which took seven stops and four days in 1947, will be a direct flight.
The airline said it also planned to connect Australia's east coast with other parts of the world, confirming that a Sydney-New York service will be next.
“Qantas was built on the belief that Australia's distance from the rest of the world should never stand in the way. The pioneering spirit of generations of our people has forged that path ever since, and today is the most significant step in that mission in our 105-year history," Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson said.
Australian Minister for Trade and Tourism Senator Don Farrell said that the announcement was a "significant milestone" for aviation and tourism in both the UK and Australia.
“Australia is a world-class tourism destination, and the new direct route launched by Qantas will help bring more people to our shores to experience the best we have to offer.”
UK Tourism Minister Stephanie Peacock called it a "historic moment".
"Qantas' decision to make London the first destination for Project Sunrise is a powerful vote of confidence in the UK as a hub for global tourism, and a reflection of the deep ties between our two countries."
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