TOULOUSE: Aviation history has been rewritten after Airbus’s A350-1000ULR completed a record-breaking nonstop flight lasting 24 hours and 24 minutes, covering 23,155 kilometres from Australia to France.
The ultra-long-range aircraft has officially secured the Guinness World Record for the longest flight by distance by a commercial airliner, Airbus announced on November 9.
The historic flight began in Melbourne, Australia, on July 27, 2026, and ended in Toulouse, France, on July 28. The aircraft covered 12,503 nautical miles (23,155 kilometres) without making an intermediate landing.
According to Airbus, the record was independently verified by the International Aeronautical Federation using aircraft data and flight-tracking information from Flightradar24.
During the journey, the aircraft crossed the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, travelled over North America and reached Europe. Its crew experienced an extraordinary phenomenon, witnessing two sunsets and two sunrises during the same flight.
A total of 13 people were on board, including Airbus and Qantas pilots, flight-test engineers, design engineers and a representative of the International Aeronautical Federation.
The flight was part of the testing campaign for Airbus’s A350-1000ULR, developed for Australian airline Qantas under its ambitious Project Sunrise initiative.
The aircraft features a specialised rear centre fuel tank with an additional capacity of around 20,000 litres, extending its range and making ultra-long-haul operations possible.
The technology is designed to enable nonstop commercial flights between Sydney and London, as well as Sydney and New York, with journeys potentially lasting up to 22 hours.
Airbus Commercial Aircraft Chief Executive Lars Wagner said the achievement demonstrated the aircraft’s exceptional capabilities and reflected the joint efforts of Airbus and Qantas teams.
Qantas has ordered 12 A350-1000ULR aircraft under Project Sunrise, aiming to connect Australia with major international destinations without requiring passengers to stop at intermediate airports.
The first aircraft is expected to be delivered in April 2027, with Qantas planning to introduce nonstop Sydney-London services later that year.
The record-breaking flight marks a significant milestone in long-haul aviation, bringing airlines closer to operating some of the world’s longest nonstop passenger routes.
