What is Project Sunrise?

‘Project Sunrise’ is the name Qantas has given to its suite of new ultra-long-haul flight routes. Officially announced in 2017, Project Sunrise is Qantas’ plan to unite the world the travel, allowing travellers to travel directly between far-reaching destinations such as Sydney and London, New York and more.

Put on hold during the Pandemic, Project Sunrise flights are currently expected to take off during the second half of 2026. The flights are expected to be flown on Airbus A350-1000 aircraft, specially designed in conjunction with Qantas, and to feature several unique features including a Wellness Zone and Super First Class to enhance passenger comfort while on board.

What to from Project Sunrise Flights

Project Sunrise: Key Destinations

Designed specifically to help expediate long-haul travel and minimise stopovers, flights will initially be flying exclusively ultra-long-haul routes, specifically Sydney-London and Sydney-New York initially. While these are the only two routes confirmed at this stage, Qantas also hopes to add more city pairings to its ultra-long-haul repertoire, including flights out of Melbourne and into cities including Paris, Frankfurt, Cape Town and Rio de Janeiro.

Project Sunrise: Unique Features

Expected to fly for up to 21 hours at a time, Project Sunrise flights and aircraft will naturally come with a few unique features to help increase customer comfort and ensure travellers enjoy their flight on the new flagship service:

Wellness Zone

Located strategically between the Premium Economy and Economy Cabins, by far the most unique feature is the Wellness Zone. Designed specifically to help mitigate issues with blood flow, cramping and flight fatigue, the Wellness Zone will be a dedicated stretching space where all passengers can go to stretch their legs, move around and alleviate muscle aches, with guided video exercises to help passengers move around. The Wellness Zone will also feature a range of different lighting combinations, designed strategically to help passengers transition through jet lag more effectively.

Super First Class

As is appropriate for Qantas’ newest and most modern flagship flights, Project Sunrise Aircraft will feature a ‘Super First Class‘, a lavish and ultra-private space for travellers to rest, relax and conduct business while onboard. Cocooned in a fully private suite, travellers lucky enough to travel in Super First Class will have a separate chair and bed, 32″ HD screen with Bluetooth connectivity and customisable lighting, allowing passengers to change their lighting according to the time zone they want to adapt to in advance.

Business Class

Passengers travelling on these ultra-long-haul flights are likely to want as much comfort as possible, and so Qantas has invested a significant amount of time and energy into developing a comfortable Business Class offering. Featuring sliding privacy doors, a fully lie-flat bed, 18″ video screen and charging capabilities, Business Class passengers will be able travel comfortably for 20 hours on board.

Premium Economy and Economy

Qantas’ new Project Sunrise flights will also include Premium Economy and Economy Class seating as usual with their other aircraft – but considering the duration of the flight, the Airline has spent extra time ensuring the seats will be more comfortable. Passengers flying in Premium Economy and Economy will also have full access to the Wellness Zone, allowing them to get up and stretch their legs as needed throughout the flight.

When Will Project Sunrise Launch?

At this stage, flights under the Project Sunrise banner are expected to launch in 2026. Passengers will be able to fly on one of 12 custom-designed Airbus A350-1000’s – currently on order – and will be able to fly direct to destinations including London, New York and eventually Paris, Frankfurt, Cape Town and Rio de Janeiro.

Pulse Travel looks forward to bringing our clients more news on Project Sunrise as it progresses further – to keep up-to-date and be one of the first on the flights when they launch, subscribe to our Travel Industry Newsletter.