Travellers are rethinking how they move between Australia, Europe and North America, with traditional one stop routes through Gulf hubs looking less attractive due to airspace closures and regional conflict. Against this backdrop, the Australian carrier is preparing to sell seats on its non stop Sydney-London and Sydney-New York services by the end of the year, with flights scheduled to begin in the first half of 2027 using specially configured A350-1000 aircraft. The move builds on years of trialling very long sectors and taps into growing demand for simpler point to point journeys that avoid multiple security checks, connections and potential delays.
The numbers behind the shift are significant. The new Project Sunrise flights are designed to run for close to 22 hours, carry up to around 238 passengers and skip the usual refuelling stops that define most long haul itineraries today. This approach is becoming more attractive as some Middle Eastern routes are disrupted, which is pushing travellers toward alternatives via Asia or direct services where they are available. At the same time, rising jet fuel costs are hitting airline balance sheets hard, with one major New Zealand based carrier already withdrawing its full year 2026 outlook after fuel assumptions around US$85 a barrel were upended by prices spiking in the US$150-US$200 range, which has forced a rethink of earnings expectations. In Australia, the flag carrier is responding by lifting fares, with average ticket prices tracking about 5% higher, although the exact increase varies by route.
In the broader context, ultra long haul projects such as Sunrise look like a bet that passengers will pay more for convenience, reliability and fewer connections even if fuel remains volatile and ticket prices edge higher. Conflict driven rerouting away from some Middle East corridors appears to be nudging demand toward direct flights and alternative gateways such as Singapore, and services into the UK and continental Europe from Australia appear heavily booked as travellers look for options outside Gulf carriers’ limited schedules. If fuel markets stabilise and aircraft such as the A350-1000 deliver the promised range and comfort features, non stop flights could become a core part of premium long haul travel. If energy prices stay elevated or geopolitical tensions worsen, airlines may face a tougher trade off between offering record breaking routes and keeping those services profitable and affordable for passengers.
