Airbus has announced that its A350-1000ULR (Ultra Long Range), developed for Qantas Airways, has broken the world record for the longest flight by distance by a commercial passenger aircraft. The flight, officially recognized by Guinness World Records, covered 23,155 kilometers (12,503 nautical miles) in 24 hours and 24 minutes. The record was independently verified using flight data validated by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) and Flightradar24.
The test flight, operated by Airbus under the call sign #AIB35LR, departed Melbourne, Australia, on July 27, 2026, and landed in Toulouse, France, on July 28. After departing Melbourne, the aircraft flew over Sydney before crossing the Pacific Ocean toward Los Angeles. It then continued across North America and the Atlantic Ocean, passing over London before reaching Toulouse. During the flight, which crossed three continents and two oceans, the crew witnessed two sunrises and two sunsets.
The flight was conducted as part of Qantas’ Project Sunrise program, with 13 people on board, including three Airbus test pilots, two Qantas pilots, five Airbus flight test engineers, two design engineers, and one FAI representative. The mission was designed to evaluate the A350-1000ULR’s capabilities for future nonstop commercial flights lasting up to 22 hours.
The A350-1000ULR features an additional rear center fuel tank, extending its range by approximately 1,000 nautical miles compared with the standard A350-1000. Qantas has ordered 12 A350-1000ULR aircraft under Project Sunrise. The first aircraft is scheduled for delivery in April 2027, with nonstop commercial flights between Sydney and London expected to begin later that year. The airline also has 12 standard A350-1000 aircraft on order.
