Qantas completes historic 24-hour test flight

TOULOUSE, France – Qantas and Airbus have successfully completed a historic test flight lasting more than 24 hours. The Airbus A350-1000ULR flew 23,075 kilometres from Melbourne, Australia, to Toulouse, France, as part of the aircraft's certification programme.

Instead of following the usual route via Asia and Africa, the aircraft travelled east across the Pacific Ocean and North America. The journey lasted 24 hours and 25 minutes.

The flights are part of the certification process for the ultra-long-range A350-1000ULR. Qantas is expected to receive the first of 12 aircraft in April 2027.

The airline plans to use them for Project Sunrise, offering non-stop flights from Sydney to London and New York, with flight times of around 22 hours.