Qantas Project Sunrise: Sydney to London flights to travel via North Pole from 2027

Australians could soon be flying to London in a way that sounds almost unbelievable, over the North Pole.

Qantas has revealed a surprising new flight path as part of its long-awaited Project Sunrise, with around 20 per cent of its ultra-long-haul Sydney to London services expected to travel via the northern polar region during certain times of the year.

The route, set to launch from October 2027, will be operated by a new fleet of specially designed Airbus A350-1000ULR aircraft. While the path may look longer on a map, airline experts say it can actually be faster thanks to favourable winds and less congested airspace.

Speaking at Airbus headquarters in France, Qantas chief technical pilot Alex Passerini said the route marks a major shift in how the airline approaches long-haul travel.

“We’ll be flying over the North Pacific, Alaska, Greenland and Iceland before arriving into London from the north,” he said, according to news.com.au.

“It’s not something you immediately expect when travelling from Australia, you really have to stop and think about it.”

Although some international carriers already operate polar routes, this will be a first for an Australian airline on a commercial service.

Mr Passerini explained that flying through the northern polar region brings a new set of operational considerations, including communications challenges and the impact of space weather.

“We’re used to flying near the South Pole on routes to South America, but this is completely new territory for us in the north,” he said.

The non-stop journey is expected to take between 19 hours 25 minutes and just under 21 hours, cutting up to four hours off current one-stop services and eliminating the need for a layover.

Mr Passerini described the experience as “very special” and “very cool” for Australian travellers.

The route has been made possible by Qantas’ advanced flight planning system, known as Constellation, developed over a decade in partnership with the University of Sydney.

“The planning stage is critical,” Mr Passerini said. “It determines everything from fuel load to flight time and route limitations. This isn’t something you can just buy, it’s been built from the ground up.”

Under the current plan, flights from Sydney to London are expected to be slightly longer than the return journey, which could take as little as 18 hours depending on conditions.

To support the demanding route, each flight will be staffed by four pilots and 14 cabin crew. The aircraft will also feature dedicated rest areas, including nine beds for cabin crew and a separate private space for pilots equipped with seats and bunk beds.

“No one else has this level of crew rest,” Mr Passerini said. “It goes beyond standard requirements.”

Qantas will begin receiving its first A350-1000ULR in April 2027, with a total of 12 aircraft set to join the fleet over the following two-and-a-half years.

The airline is also introducing a flexible pilot training system, allowing crew to operate both A330 and A350 aircraft due to similarities in cockpit design.

Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson said the new route is about giving passengers more choice, and a more convenient way to travel.

“It will save customers up to four hours compared to the fastest one-stop option available today,” she said.

“But more importantly, it offers something no other airline can, the ability to fly directly from Sydney to London without stopping.”

Ms Hudson added that the non-stop option could be particularly appealing for families.

“I’ve spoken to parents who say this is their preferred way to travel,” she said. “Once the kids are asleep, they can stay asleep — and any parent knows you never wake a sleeping child mid-journey.”

Currently, most Qantas passengers travelling to Europe from Australia connect via cities such as Singapore or Perth. Project Sunrise aims to remove that stopover entirely, redefining what long-haul travel looks like for Australians.