Airbus has completed a more than 24-hour test flight, a key step towards Qantas’ planned non-stop service linking Australia and Europe.
The plane – a specially adapted A350-1000ULR – flew 14,338 miles from Melbourne, Australia, to Toulouse, France, in 24 hours and 24 minutes, according to data from Flightradar24.
The flight was a major test for Qantas’ Project Sunrise, launched in 2017 to create the the longest in the world non-stop trade routes.
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An Airbus A350-1000ULR lands at Melbourne Airport on July 24, 2026, after completing a 19-hour, 12-minute flight from Toulouse, France. The aircraft is being tested for Qantas’ Project Sunrise. (James D. Morgan/Getty Images)
Airbus tested the aircraft as part of a two-month campaign that began in June.
The trip surpassed that of a 2005 Boeing flight, when a 777-200LR Worldliner flew 13,422 miles from Hong Kong. in London in 22 hours and 42 minutes.
More than 3.6 million people followed the test flight on Flightradar24, making it the platform’s second most followed flight ever, according to the flight tracking service.
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An Airbus A350-1000ULR lands on the tarmac at Melbourne Airport after a 19-hour, 12-minute flight from Toulouse, France, July 24, 2026. (James D. Morgan/Getty Images)
THE aircraft characteristics an additional fuel tank capable of carrying approximately an additional 20,000 liters (5,283 pounds) of fuel and accommodating 238 passengers.
Qantas has ordered 12 of these jets. The first is expected to be delivered in April 2027, with daily non-stop flights between Sydney and London planned for October 2027.
“Each cabin has been luxuriously crafted with innovative designs and materials to provide ultimate comfort on what will be the world’s longest commercial flight,” Qantas said on its website.
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A Qantas A350-1000ULR arrives at Melbourne’s Tullamarine Airport on July 24, 2026, after a 19 hour and 13 minute delivery flight from the Airbus factory in Toulouse, France. The plane has an additional fuel tank. (William WEST / AFP via Getty Images)
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THE the route is should take approximately 19 to 21 hours, depending on winds and flight path.
Reuters contributed to this report.
