Qantas A350-1000ULR completes 19-hour nonstop maiden flight from Toulouse to Melbourne

Qantas' inaugural ultra-long-range Airbus A350-1000ULR has successfully completed an extended nonstop flight from Toulouse, France, to Melbourne, Australia, spanning more than 19 hours and roughly 17,000 kilometers. This milestone flight took off from Airbus’ assembly site at 07:33 local time on July 23, 2026, arriving at Melbourne Airport at 10:46 the next morning. The flight became the most tracked on Flightradar24, captivating tens of thousands of aviation enthusiasts worldwide as it transitioned from Northern Hemisphere summer to Southern Hemisphere winter.

Onboard were two Qantas pilots alongside an Airbus flight test crew, as the aircraft undertook this journey as part of its ongoing certification and data-gathering program. The test campaign aims to collect extensive information on the aircraft’s systems and performance under ultra-long-range flight conditions, providing critical insights for both Airbus and Qantas ahead of the aircraft’s commercial introduction. After a brief ground stay, the plane was scheduled to return nonstop to Toulouse on July 27, continuing its rigorous testing regimen.

This special A350-1000ULR is a custom variant ordered by Qantas in May 2022 designed explicitly for Project Sunrise, the airline’s ambitious initiative to operate the world's longest nonstop commercial flights. The aircraft features an additional 20,000-liter fuel tank integrated into the rear center section, extending its range by approximately 1,000 nautical miles. This modification enables nearly 20 hours of continuous flight time—a necessity for routes such as Sydney to London and Sydney to New York.

Qantas plans to launch these pioneering nonstop services in October 2027, with Sydney–London flights expected to reduce travel time by around four hours compared to existing one-stop options. Following closely will be Sydney–New York direct flights, and proposals for additional direct routes from Melbourne and Brisbane to major hubs including London, New York, Paris, and Chicago are under consideration. Bookings for these new ultra-long-haul flights are slated to open in February 2027.

The A350-1000ULR’s cabin has been meticulously designed to prioritize passenger comfort on flights approaching 20 hours in duration. With only 238 seats aboard, it offers the lowest seat density of any A350 variant, featuring an economy cabin in a 3-3-3 layout. Qantas collaborated with the University of Sydney’s Charles Perkins Centre and design partners to develop a cabin environment that supports passenger wellbeing, aiming for travelers to arrive refreshed after these extended journeys.

Due to global supply chain disruptions, delivery of the first aircraft, named Vega, has shifted from late 2026 to April 2027, followed by four additional aircraft expected shortly thereafter. At least three aircraft are required to sustain daily nonstop service schedules on these ultra-long routes, underscoring the extensive logistical planning behind Project Sunrise.

Prior to this long-haul milestone, the A350-1000ULR’s maiden flight took place on June 3, 2026, when it completed a nearly four-hour sortie over France and adjacent Atlantic airspace. Since then, it has continued through patchwork flight tests focused on validating system reliability and performance across various conditions ahead of certification and delivery to Qantas.

This nonstop Toulouse to Melbourne flight represents not only a technical achievement in ultra-long-range commercial aviation but also a strategic step in redefining intercontinental connectivity from Australia. The success of the A350-1000ULR will practically enable Qantas to operate some of the longest scheduled passenger flights in history, profoundly impacting route networks and passenger experience for this vast region.