An Airbus A350-1000ULR aircraft completed a nonstop flight lasting over 24 hours from Melbourne to Toulouse, France, marking a significant milestone for Qantas' Project Sunrise, which aims to establish the world's longest commercial airline routes.

Airbus successfully completed a test flight of more than 24 hours when a specially modified A350 jet landed in France after departing from Melbourne, Australia. The aircraft remained airborne for 24 hours and 24 minutes, covering approximately 23,075 kilometers without stopping. The achievement garnered significant public interest, with flight-tracking service Flightradar24 reporting that over 3.6 million people monitored the journey online, making it the second-most-tracked flight in the platform's history, surpassed only by a 2024 flight carrying Queen Elizabeth II's coffin.

The flight represents a crucial development for Qantas' Project Sunrise, an ambitious initiative to establish nonstop commercial services connecting Australia with Europe and North America. The aircraft being tested is equipped with a specially designed additional fuel tank and can carry 238 passengers. The aircraft surpassed the previous record set by a Boeing 777-200LR Worldliner in 2005, which flew 21,601.7 kilometers from Hong Kong to London in 22 hours and 42 minutes.

Qantas has ordered 12 modified A350-1000ULR aircraft with the goal of transforming intercontinental travel from Australia. The airline expects the first aircraft to arrive in April 2027, enabling daily nonstop services between Sydney and London beginning in October 2027. These flights are projected to take between 19 and 21 hours, significantly reducing journey times compared to the traditional five-day "Kangaroo Route" that previously required stopovers. Airbus has been conducting a comprehensive two-month testing campaign on the aircraft since June to prepare for commercial deployment.