Qantas Project Sunrise Flights Delayed Until 2027

Qantas Airways has delayed its Project Sunrise ultra-long-haul flights until early 2027 ^[1].

The delay impacts one of the most ambitious aviation projects in recent years, as the airline seeks to connect Sydney directly to New York and London. These routes would represent a significant shift in global travel by eliminating traditional stopovers on the longest possible commercial flight paths.

Airbus said the setback was due to ongoing supply-chain disruptions ^[5]. These issues have prevented the timely delivery of the specially modified A350-1000ULR aircraft required for the journey. The first of these aircraft is now expected to be delivered by the end of 2025 ^[2].

Project Sunrise involves a fleet of 12 dedicated Airbus A350-1000 aircraft ^[3]. The modification of these planes is necessary to handle the extreme distances and durations of the proposed routes. For example, the non-stop flight from Sydney to New York is expected to last approximately 22 hours ^[4].

While some reports describe the delay as a matter of a few months, others indicate the project has been postponed multiple times. The airline must now wait for the supply chain to stabilize before it can integrate the new fleet into its operational schedule.

Qantas continues to coordinate with Airbus to resolve the delivery timeline. The airline has not provided a specific new date for the London route, though it remains tied to the same aircraft delivery schedule as the New York service.