Australian airline Qantas will launch the first nonstop commercial flights between Sydney and New York in mid-2028, shaving more than three hours off current journey times as part of its Project Sunrise programme.

Qantas has confirmed plans to launch nonstop flights between Sydney and New York from mid-2028, marking the first time Australia's east coast will be directly connected to the US city by a commercial passenger service.

The new route will form part of Project Sunrise, Qantas' programme to introduce ultra-long-haul flights linking Australia directly with major international destinations.

Tickets for the inaugural Sydney-New York service are expected to go on sale in August 2027, with flights taking approximately 18 hours and reducing journey times by more than three hours compared with the fastest existing one-stop connections.

New York is the second Project Sunrise destination to be confirmed, following the announcement of nonstop Sydney-London flights, which are scheduled to begin in October 2027.

Qantas first flew to New York in 1958 as part of its inaugural round-the-world service, travelling from Sydney via Fiji, Honolulu and San Francisco. Today, the airline operates daily flights between Sydney and New York with a stop in Auckland.

The new services will use specially configured Airbus A350-1000ULR aircraft, designed to operate flights of more than 16,000km and remain airborne for up to 22 hours. Each aircraft will feature an additional 20,000-litre fuel tank and accommodate 238 passengers across four cabins.

Qantas has ordered 12 aircraft for Project Sunrise, with the first scheduled for delivery in April 2027. The first test aircraft is currently completing its flight-testing programme and recently undertook a non-stop flight from Melbourne to Toulouse lasting 24 hours and 24 minutes, which Qantas describes as a record for a commercial airliner.

The airline has also developed a new onboard experience specifically for ultra-long-haul travel, with an emphasis on reducing fatigue and helping passengers adjust to different time zones.

Features include specially designed cabin lighting, meal schedules informed by scientific research and a dedicated Wellbeing Zone where passengers can stand, stretch and move around during the flight. The aircraft's relatively low seating density of 238 passengers also reflects Qantas' focus on comfort during ultra-long-haul services, as there will be more space to move around.

Vanessa Hudson, CEO of Qantas Group, says: "Conquering the tyranny of distance has been part of who Qantas is from the very beginning. Reaching New York nonstop 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 adds: "New York has always captured the imagination, and for generations, reaching it from Australia has meant breaking up the journey somewhere along the way. From 2028, our customers will be able to board in Sydney and arrive in New York around 18 hours later without stopping once, cutting around three hours off the current fastest travel time. That changes what's possible for travel between our two countries."

Hudson says the onboard experience has been developed around the physical demands of travelling such long distances. "Flying these distances is only worth doing if our customers arrive feeling their best, and that belief has shaped everything we've built. Over the past decade, working alongside experts, we've designed the aircraft and the onboard experience around the science of ultra long-haul travel, from the lighting to the meals to a world-first Wellbeing Zone. This is a fundamentally different way to fly."

The announcement comes amid growing demand for travel between Australia and the US. According to Qantas, visitor arrivals from the US have increased by 5% year-on-year, while demand for its New York services has nearly doubled since 2023.

The airline's research also indicates rising interest in ultra-long-haul nonstop flights, with the proportion of surveyed travellers intending to book such services increasing from 58% to 70% since February 2026. Among premium travellers, the figure reaches 80%.

Qantas has already carried nearly two million passengers on its existing non-stop long-haul routes since 2018, including services from Perth to London, Rome and Paris, Melbourne to Dallas and Auckland to New York.

The airline says these routes consistently achieve some of the highest customer satisfaction scores across its international network. Preparations for Project Sunrise are now underway, with Qantas pilots beginning training on Australia's first Airbus A350 simulator in Sydney.

By the time all 12 A350-1000ULR aircraft have been delivered, more than 360 pilots and 1,200 cabin crew are expected to have completed training for the new fleet. The Sydney-New York service will represent a significant milestone in long-haul aviation, removing the need for intermediate stops on one of the world's longest international air routes.