Qantas will launch its world-first non-stop services between Sydney and London from October 2027, the first time the Kangaroo Route has ever been flown without stops from Australia’s east coast.
The airline has been flying between Sydney and London since 1947, when the original Kangaroo Route took four days with seven stops in Darwin, Singapore, Calcutta, Karachi, Cairo, Castel Benito and Rome, on its way to the UK.
Founded in the Queensland outback in 1920, Qantas has grown to be Australia’s largest domestic and international airline. Photo: Quantas
The new non-stop flights will cut up to four hours off the travel time compared to current one-stop services. These historic ultra long-haul services will operate alongside Qantas‘ existing Perth-London and Sydney-Singapore-London services. The first Project Sunrise Sydney to London services will go on sale in February 2027.
Qantas Group CEO Vanessa Hudson said confirmation of the launch route marks a new dawn of travel for customers around the world. „We made a commitment in 2017 that Qantas would conquer the final frontier of long-haul aviation and connect Australia’s east coast directly to London, something that has never before been possible. From October 2027, that promise becomes reality.“
Australian Minister for Trade and Tourism Senator Don Farrell said: „Every year millions of people travel between Australia and the United Kingdom to visit family, for holidays or for business, and from 2027 the journey will become more comfortable, quicker and easier. This is a significant milestone for aviation and tourism in both Australia and the UK and a demonstration of the strong friendship between our two nations.”
Non-stop long-haul services of Qantas
UK Tourism Minister Stephanie Peacock said: „This is a historic moment, not just for British aviation and tourism, but for the millions of passengers who will experience flying from Sydney to London non-stop for the first time.“
Since 2018, more than 1.7 million passengers have flown on Qantas‘ non-stop long-haul services from Perth to London, Rome and Paris, and its Melbourne to Dallas and Auckland to New York services, with these routes recording the highest customer satisfaction scores on the airline’s international network. Daily non-stop services between Sydney and London from late 2027 will significantly expand travel options for customers across Australia travelling to the UK and Europe.
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