Qantas plans to launch nonstop flights between New York and Sydney in mid-2028, creating the first scheduled commercial service linking the two cities without a stopover. The airline estimates the journey will take about 18 hours, cutting more than three hours from its current one-stop itinerary.
The route will be part of Qantas’s Project Sunrise programme, which aims to connect Australia’s east coast directly with major cities farther abroad. New York is the programme’s second confirmed destination, following nonstop Sydney–London flights scheduled to begin in October 2027.
Qantas says the New York service will use its Airbus A350-1000 aircraft, configured with 238 seats across four cabins for the long journey. Tickets are expected to go on sale in August 2027. The airline has announced a mid-2028 launch window but has not yet set an inaugural flight date.
For passengers, the planned service would remove the connection currently required between the two cities. Its launch date and flight time remain projections until Qantas finalises the schedule.
