Qantas sets 2028 launch for first nonstop Sydney to New York flights. Qantas has confirmed it will launch the world's first nonstop commercial flights between Sydney and New York in mid-2028, extending its ambitious Project Sunrise program to a second ultra-long-haul route. The Australian flag carrier plans to operate the service using the Airbus A350-1000ULR, a specially configured variant designed to cover distances no commercial aircraft has flown in scheduled service before. The New York route will follow the launch of nonstop Sydney to London flights, which Qantas expects to begin in early 2027. A New chapter for ultra-long-haul travel. Project Sunrise has been in development for years as Qantas sought aircraft capable of connecting Australia's east coast directly with the far side of the globe. The Sydney to New York route spans roughly 16,200 kilometers and will require close to 20 hours in the air, placing it among the longest commercial flights ever operated. Qantas Group Chief Executive Vanessa Hudson framed the launch as a milestone for both the airline and international aviation. She said the introduction of nonstop services to London and New York would "revolutionise the way Australians travel to the world and the way the world travels to Australia." The airline expects the route to appeal to premium travelers willing to pay for the time savings over one-stop itineraries that currently route passengers through Los Angeles, Dallas, Auckland, or Asian hubs. A direct flight is projected to save passengers approximately three hours compared with existing connections. The aircraft behind the mission. Qantas has ordered 12 A350-1000ULR aircraft to operate Project Sunrise routes. The airline took delivery of its first A350 fuselage sections earlier this year, with final assembly underway at the Airbus facility in Toulouse, France. The aircraft has been configured to carry 238 passengers across four cabins, a lower density than typical A350-1000 layouts to accommodate the demands of ultra-long-haul travel. The configuration includes six first class suites, 52 business class seats, 40 premium economy seats, and 140 economy seats. A dedicated wellbeing zone in the middle of the cabin will give passengers space to stretch, move, and access snacks and hydration stations during the extended flight. Qantas has worked with the Charles Perkins Centre at the University of Sydney to develop cabin features, menus, and lighting programs designed to reduce jet lag on flights lasting close to a full day. Timing and rollout. Qantas plans to launch Sydney to London first, with services beginning in early 2027. New York will follow in mid-2028 once additional aircraft enter the fleet. The airline has not yet disclosed frequency for the New York service, though Sydney to London is expected to operate daily. Hudson acknowledged that the timeline for both routes has shifted since Project Sunrise was first announced. Delays in aircraft certification and engine testing pushed the original launch back by roughly a year. She said the airline remains confident in the revised schedule and in the commercial case for the flights. "These flights will be truly transformational, and we can't wait to bring them to life for our customers," Hudson said. GoFlight is developing an AI-powered platform that automates private jet charter operations, from coordinating vendors to updating crews and customers... Commercial and competitive stakes. Qantas has long positioned Project Sunrise as a strategic response to competition from Middle Eastern and Asian carriers that dominate one-stop traffic between Australia and Europe or the U.S. East Coast. By eliminating the layover entirely, Qantas aims to capture premium travelers who currently choose Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airways, or Cathay Pacific for these journeys. The airline has invested heavily in the program, including a reported $100 million in cabin design and passenger wellbeing research. Executives have pointed to the airline's existing Perth to London nonstop service, launched in 2018, as evidence that Australian travelers will pay a premium for direct routing. Fuel efficiency will play a central role in the economics of the flights. The A350-1000ULR features an enlarged fuel tank and Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines that Qantas and Airbus say provide the range needed to complete the journey with commercial payload in most weather conditions. Sustainability considerations. Ultra-long-haul flights have drawn scrutiny over their environmental footprint, given the fuel burn required to carry enough fuel for the trip itself. Qantas has committed to using sustainable aviation fuel where available and has set a target of reaching net zero emissions by 2050. The airline argues that a nonstop flight, while fuel-intensive, avoids the additional takeoffs, landings, and taxiing associated with connecting itineraries, which can partially offset the higher per-flight fuel burn. Looking ahead. Sales for the Sydney to London service are expected to open in 2027, with New York tickets to follow closer to launch. Qantas has not disclosed pricing, though industry analysts expect fares to sit above current one-stop options, particularly in premium cabins. If both routes launch on schedule, Qantas will operate the two longest commercial flights in the world by 2028. The airline sees the program as central to its long-term international strategy and as a signature offering that distinguishes it from competitors on some of aviation's most demanding routes. For travelers in Sydney and New York, the practical result will be simple. You will be able to board a plane in one city and step off in the other without changing aircraft, a possibility that has eluded commercial aviation for as long as the two cities have been connected by air. AeroXplorer is on Telegram! Subscribe to the AeroXplorer Telegram Channel to receive aviation news updates as soon as they are released. View Channel YOU MAY BE INTERESTED... | / | Kalum Shashi Ishara I am an Aircraft Engineering graduate and an alumnus of Kingston University. It was a passion that I have had since childhood driven me to realise this goal of working in the Aviation and Aerospace industry. I have been working in the industry for more than 13 years now, and I can easily identify most commercial aircraft by spotting them from a distance. 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StreetAccount summary - asian market recap: Hang Seng (1.01%), Shanghai Composite (0.39%), Kospi +0.90% as of 04:10 ET. Sep 23 ,2026 * Synopsis: * Asia equities ended mixed Wednesday. Some modest gains for South Korea, Taiwan and India. The ASX was flat and mainland China boards fell as the Hang Seng was dragged lower by IT & internet names. Southeast Asia benchmarks gains. Japan remained closed for a holiday. US and European futures a few points higher. US dollar higher, weakness in the AUD, NZD and yen. Asia bond yields declined, Treasury 10Y yield hovering just below 5.0%. Crude futures lower with Brent just below $100/bl. Precious metals mixed. Cryptocurrencies also mixed. * Asia stocks inched higher Wednesday with the MSCI Asia Pac ex Japan index rising around 0.5% with the overnight rally on the Nasdaq also supporting the Kospi and Taiex, the latter of which crossed 48K for the first time. The broad regional gains also came despite a noticeable underperformance in Hong Kong, which reverted to its occasional pattern of declines during a rally in South Korea. Broader sentiment improved by positive messages over US-China trade as both sides look to extend their trade truce and potentially cut tariffs on a range of products. And positive developments in the Iran conflict, which saw the US and Iran hold several hours of talks just as Saudi Arabia looked to reopen a key pipeline. The decline in crude prices was plugged late on following reports of explosions near Hormuz. * In regional developments, Seoul confirmed its first investment within the auspices of its $350B investment deal with the US will be a gas-fired power plant in Texas. South Korea consumer sentiment improved as the stock market recovered and broader economic indicators settled down. Singapore headline inflation rose to a two-year high 2.3% with core rising to 2.2%. Bank Indonesia kept its base interest rate on hold at 5.75% as widely expected. S&PGlobal flash PMIs for September showed India continued expansion across industries but also a contraction in Australia manufacturing. * SoftBank's (9984.JP) junk bond offering aiming to raise $1B is marketing yields of 8.75-9.875% in dollar bonds, the highest ever SoftBank dollar bond yield for their maturities. Adani Group (05SGBG-E) firms paid INR15M to settle disclosure violations, according to India's market regulator SEBI. Qantas (QAN.AU) is to launch new ultra-long flights including a new Sydney-New York route despite ongoing high fuel prices. Alibaba (9988.HK) is to build data centers in Europe and Middle East as part of its AI expansion program. * Digest: * Notable Gainers: * +11.7% 1888.HK (Kingboard Laminates Holdings): holder Kingboard Holdings bought 800K shares at HK$46.88/share for HK$37.5M * +4.5% 1101.TT (TCC Group Holdings CO.): to acquire Ukraine cement and building materials firms for enterprise value of up to €750M (NT$27.21B) * +2.6% 2015.HK (Li Auto): bought back 890K shares at HK$45.1-45.78/share for HK$40.6M * +0.0% 028260.KS (Samsung C&T): partners with overseas companies for European small modular reactor business in Europe * Notable Decliners: * -2.2% 6488.TT (GlobalWafers): to issue 50M GDRs at $28.64/unit (NT$908.32/unit) * -0.5% 000661.CH (Changchun High-Tech Industry (Group) Co.): receives NMPA acceptance for RSV antibody combination therapy trial * -0.4% 600030.CH (CITIC Securities): report of party chief Zhang Youjun to step down * Data: * Economic: * Singapore August * CPI y/y +2.3% versus consensus +2.3% and +2.2% in prior month * Markets: * Nikkei: Closed * Hang Seng: (253.63) or (1.01%) to 24834.12 * Shanghai Composite: (15.61) or (0.39%) to 3936.52 * Shenzhen Composite: (12.71) or (0.50%) to 2525.92 * ASX200: 7.50 or +0.09% to 8765.30 * KOSPI: 63.01 or +0.90% to 7080.92 * SENSEX: 378.63 or +0.51% to 74907.71 * Currencies: * $-¥: +0.40 or +0.25% to 157.7880 * $-KRW: +11.63 or +0.86% to 1365.5000 * A$-$: (0.00) or (0.45%) to 0.7082 * $-INR: +0.17 or +0.18% to 95.7276 * $-CNY: +0.00 or +0.07% to 6.7047

American Airlines and July launch limited-edition centennial luggage. Published 21st September 2026 American is extending its centennial celebrations into the baggage carousel with July, turning Astrojet and Silverbird design cues into limited-edition carry-ons and checked luggage with built-in tracking technology. The centennial celebration continues for American Airlines, this time in the form of a brand-new collaboration with Australian-based luggage company July. Now available to the public are several limited-edition suitcases that pay homage to American's rich 100-year history, marking the first consumer brand partnership that American has ever undertaken. "American Airlines has been an icon of travel both in the States and around the world for a century - the kind of legacy that deserves to be celebrated. It's been fun exploring elements of nostalgia, iconography and innovation together. I think the result is a beautiful celebration of the romance of travel," said July Co-founder Athan Didaskalou. "Travelers have made a deep connection with the American Airlines brand over the past 100 years, and we continue to look for thoughtful ways to bring that connection to life," said American's Managing Director of Global Marketing Jacs Wyatt. "Working with July allowed us to transform beloved heritage design elements into a premium collection that celebrates a century of innovation, style, and travel intertwined with modern travel innovation." What to expect. The new luggage pieces are available exclusively on July's website in two design options, each in July's Carry On ($345) and Checked Expandable ($425) sizes. The Heritage Blue design features cream leather piping and a red fabric zipper, while the Heritage Red design features heritage blue leather piping and a red fabric zipper. On the interior, both designs boast custom lining inspired by American's Astrojet era and classic Silverbird Vignelli logo. Alongside aerospace-grade German polycarbonate shells, the suitcases come standard with July's SilentMove wheels and a multi-stop telescopic handle that adjusts across 20 heights. In terms of tech, each luggage piece comes with CaseSafe, July's integrated trackable lock, which allows travelers to monitor their bag's location via Apple's Find My network or Google's Find Hub. Joining the airline-branded baggage trend. With this new collection, American Airlines joins a roster of other carriers that have teamed up with renowned brands to produce a luggage collection. Recently, Air France partnered with Delsey Paris, with whom they have enjoyed a long-standing relationship. Together, they have released several co-branded collections, including earlier lines like Envol/New Envol and Allure, as well as the more recent Elegance range. And just like American Airlines, Qantas, Australia's flag carrier, has partnered with July to create a collection of trackable suitcases. This collection includes a standard Qantas Edition, which features a midnight black design with red accents, as well as a Frequent Flyer Exclusive Edition available in both carry-on and checked sizes. The suitcases are sold through the Qantas Marketplace and July stores. Jake Jones Jake Jones is a travel content creator, freelance videographer, and points-and-miles expert specializing in cinematic, experience-driven storytelling. Through his YouTube channel (@JakeJones), Jake documents global adventures, destination travel, and premium cabin flight reviews while educating his audience on how to leverage credit card points and airline miles to travel smarter and more affordably. Jake is based in Chicago and holds dual citizenship with the U.S. and Luxembourg. Most recent. 21st September 2026