Airbus A350 Flies 12,503 Nautical Miles Non-Stop
The Melbourne to Toulouse flight set a world distance record during testing for Qantas's Project Sunrise aircraft.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Air Travel
An Airbus A350-1000ULR flew 12,503 nautical miles non-stop from Melbourne to Toulouse on Monday, 27 July, setting a world record for the distance. The flight landed in Toulouse on Tuesday, 28 July, after 24 hours and 24 minutes in the air.
Why it matters
The flight was testing for the A350-1000ULR, a variant developed for Qantas to enable non-stop Sydney to London and New York routes. The record was validated by the International Aeronautical Federation and flightradar24.
The A350-1000ULR added range of 1,000 nautical miles from an extra rear centre tank built into the airframe. Qantas has ordered 12 of these aircraft, and the record was validated by the International Aeronautical Federation and flightradar24.
The players
Airbus
Airbus is a European aerospace manufacturer headquartered in Leiden, Netherlands, that builds commercial aircraft including the A350 family.
Qantas
Qantas is Australia's flag carrier airline, based in Sydney, which ordered the A350-1000ULR for its Project Sunrise ultra-long-haul routes.
International Aeronautical Federation
The International Aeronautical Federation is the world body that certifies aviation records, including distance records for aircraft.
The details
The aircraft departed Melbourne at 17:27 local time on 27 July and crossed Sydney, the Pacific, Los Angeles, North America, the Atlantic and London before landing in Toulouse at 09:51 local time on 28 July. Thirteen people were on board, and the flight was conducted as part of testing for the aircraft developed under Project Sunrise.
Timeline
Monday 27 July: Flight departs Melbourne at 17:27 local time.
Tuesday 28 July: Flight lands in Toulouse at 09:51 local time.
Next April: First A350-1000ULR delivery to Qantas is scheduled.
Later that year: Sydney to London Qantas service is due to start.
Roadmap
The record flight is a test milestone in Qantas's Project Sunrise, the program to launch non-stop Sydney to London and New York service on the A350-1000ULR. Qantas has also ordered 12 standard A350-1000 aircraft, and the A350 family had 1,628 orders from 70 customers as of the end of October.
Travelers hoping for non-stop Sydney to London service will need to wait until Qantas receives its first A350-1000ULR and the route launches later in the year. The aircraft's added range is designed to make such non-stop routes operationally possible.
The takeaway
Ultra-long-haul non-stop flights are moving from concept to test reality, and the A350-1000ULR's record flight shows the range needed for routes like Sydney to London is now being proven in practice.
What happens next
Qantas's first A350-1000ULR delivery is scheduled for next April, with the Sydney to London service due to start later that year.
Further reading
For more on long-haul aviation developments, see Air Travel.
