The Airbus A350-1000ULR has officially broken the Guinness World Record for the longest flight by distance by a commercial airliner, covering 12,503 nautical miles (14,388 miles) in 24 hours and 24 minutes. This milestone was achieved during a flight test campaign for the model, which is being developed for Qantas Airways as part of its Project Sunrise initiative.

Project Sunrise aims to launch the world's two longest direct commercial flights: Sydney to London (10,573 miles) and Sydney to New York City (10,100 miles). These flights, each expected to last around 22 hours, are anticipated to bring non-stop long-distance travel into the mainstream, shaving approximately four hours off current journey times that require refueling stops.

The record-setting flight departed from Melbourne, flew over Sydney, and then crossed the Pacific Ocean towards Los Angeles. It continued across the North American continent and the Atlantic before heading south to the UK, flying over London and concluding in Toulouse, France. During the journey, the crew experienced two sunsets and two sunrises.

A total of 13 individuals were on board, including Airbus flight test pilots, Qantas pilots, and Airbus flight test and design engineers, along with a representative from the International Aeronautical Federation.

Lars Wagner, CEO of commercial aircraft at Airbus, stated that the achievement "reflects the pioneering and innovative spirit that is part of our DNA at Airbus." He added, "Flying 12,503 nautical miles non-stop, we have fully proven the aircraft's capability to fulfill its mission. And the world record was the icing on the cake! Today we can say that the A350 truly is the undisputed Long Range Leader!"

As of late October 2026, the A350 family has garnered 1,628 orders from 70 customers, with over 740 aircraft already in service with 42 operators globally, primarily on long-haul routes. Qantas has ordered 12 A350-1000ULRs for Project Sunrise, with the first delivery scheduled for next April and entry into service on the Sydney-London route later in the year.

Previously, the longest commercial flight by distance was held by the Boeing 777-200LR Worldliner, which flew 11,664 nautical miles in 2005. Other lengthy routes include Singapore Airlines' flights to New York and Newark, and the Perth to London Heathrow service.