Qantas completed the longest commercial flight in aviation history on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, when a specially adapted Airbus A350-1000ULR landed in Toulouse, France, after a nonstop journey from Melbourne, Australia, lasting 24 hours and 24 minutes.
The record-breaking endurance flight marks a major milestone for Project Sunrise, the Australian carrier’s ambitious initiative to connect east-coast cities like Sydney and Melbourne directly with global hubs including London and New York. While passengers have long endured multi-stop itineraries across the globe, this test flight points toward a future where ultra-long-haul travel bypasses traditional layovers entirely.
Flight Path, Distance, and Operational Metrics
Airbus deployed its longest-range test aircraft for the journey, which departed Melbourne at 07:28 UTC on July 27 and touched down at the manufacturer’s home base in Toulouse at 07:52 UTC on July 28. The aircraft covered a total ground distance of 12,460 Nautical Miles, or 23,075.92 kilometers, according to Flightradar24 data.
The route traversed two oceans, crossed seventeen time zones, and crossed nineteen Flight Information Regions. Throughout the 24-hour and 24-minute duration, the flight experienced two sunsets and two sunrises, reaching a maximum altitude of 41,000 feet and a maximum ground speed of 662 knots. The Great Circle distance between Melbourne and Toulouse is 16,888 kilometers, but the test route took an extended path over the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.
Shattering Long-Standing Aviation Records
Tuesday’s flight officially surpasses the previous world record for distance flown by a commercial aircraft, which had been held since 2005 by a Boeing 777-200LR operating between Hong Kong and London via the Pacific. The previous record flight lasted 22 hours and 42 minutes.
Airbus has been running a two-month test campaign on the modified aircraft since June to secure commercial certification. In a preceding test flight last week, the same aircraft flew from Toulouse to Melbourne via the Indian Ocean in just over 19 hours, a trip that now sits at number three on historical flight-tracking lists.
Global Attention and Tracking Milestones
The marathon journey captured immense public interest, triggering a massive surge in online tracking as the aircraft progressed northward via Canada. Flight-tracking provider Flightradar24 recorded 3,652,947 follows for the flight, designating it as the second-most-tracked flight of all time on its channels. The only flight to draw more digital spectators was the 2022 journey carrying Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin.
Aircraft Specifications and Project Sunrise Timeline
The aircraft used for the record-breaking journey is a specially adapted A350-1000ULR outfitted with an extra fuel tank holding 20,000 liters of fuel. Designed to seat 238 passengers, the airliner will allow Qantas to eliminate multi-stop journeys along historical routes.
Qantas has ordered 12 modified A350-1000ULR aircraft to service routes connecting Australia’s east coast to London and New York in roughly 20 hours.
Upcoming Delivery and Commercial Launch Schedule
Following the successful conclusion of the test campaign and certification process, the first completed aircraft is slated for delivery in April 2027. Commercial passenger operations are scheduled to begin with the carrier’s nonstop Sydney-London route starting in October 2027.
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