Qantas is turning one of the world’s most exhausting journeys into a test of how much travelers will pay for convenience. Its planned Sydney–New York service, due to begin in 2028, promises to eliminate the traditional stopover—but will also push ultra-long-haul flying further into premium territory.

The airline says tickets will go on sale in August 2027, with flights taking roughly 18 hours. That would make the route among the longest commercial services ever operated, though Qantas is expected to surpass it with a roughly 20-hour Sydney–London service planned for 2027. The new flights will use Airbus A350–1000ULR aircraft equipped with additional fuel tanks and designed for journeys of up to 22 hours.¹

Qantas’s case rests on demand. Chief executive Vanessa Hudson said the airline’s Perth–London route showed that “there is absolutely a customer who wants this and is prepared to pay a premium for it.”¹ The carrier says demand for flights to and from New York has doubled since 2023, while its existing Sydney–New York itinerary, routed through Los Angeles, takes about 21 hours.

But the business model is not built around making long-distance travel broadly cheaper. Qantas has previously indicated that nonstop fares could cost about 20% more than flights involving a stopover, while the new aircraft will devote much of its cabin to premium seating: six first-class suites, 52 business suites and 40 premium-economy seats, leaving 140 standard-economy places.²

The airline is presenting comfort as the counterweight to duration. Each aircraft will include a “wellbeing zone” for stretching, guided exercises, snacks and drinks, alongside lighting and cabin strategies developed through sleep research.² Yet Project Sunrise has already been delayed by the pandemic and Airbus manufacturing problems. The promise, then, is both technological and commercial: Qantas believes passengers will trade a higher fare for fewer airports, while the airline gambles that demand for premium nonstop travel will outlast the novelty.