Legendary Route · Australia–UK
The Kangaroo Route
In 1947, flying from Sydney to London was an expedition. Passengers on Qantas’s new service boarded a Lockheed Constellation, a graceful four-engined propeller airliner with room for 29 passengers and 11 crew, and spent about four days in transit, hopping across Asia and the Middle East with stops for fuel and overnight rest.
The route between Australia and Britain became known as the Kangaroo Route, and Qantas has been flying versions of it ever since. Its history is really the story of long-haul flying itself: each generation of aircraft cut more stops and more hours, until today the goal is to fly it with no stops at all.
The sequence
The Kangaroo Route shrinks
1947
~4 daysConstellation service: about four days with multiple stops
Jet age
1 dayBoeing 707s and then 747s cut the trip to a day with one or two stops
2018
Nonstop from PerthFirst nonstop Australia–UK flights: Perth–London on the 787-9
2026
Test flyingFirst A350-1000ULR for Project Sunrise flies on 2 June
2027
Nonstop from SydneyNonstop Sydney–London planned
From four days to one
The jet age transformed the route. Boeing 707s and then 747s could fly further and faster, cutting the journey to around a day with one or two stops, usually in Asia or the Middle East. The 747 in particular made the trip affordable for millions of Australians visiting family in Britain, and vice versa. You can read about its wider impact in our story of the 747 and mass travel.
The first nonstop link
In 2018 Qantas did something that once seemed impossible: it started flying nonstop between Australia and the UK, from Perth to London, using the Boeing 787-9. Perth, on Australia’s west coast, is close enough to make it work. Sydney, thousands of kilometres further east, is a much bigger challenge.
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Project Sunrise
Qantas’s answer is Project Sunrise: nonstop flights from Sydney to London and New York. To do it, Qantas ordered a special version of the Airbus A350-1000, the A350-1000ULR (ultra long range), with an extra fuel tank and a cabin designed for passengers spending around 20 hours on board. The first one flew from Toulouse on 2 June 2026, and Sydney–London nonstop services are planned to begin in 2027.
If it launches as planned, a trip that once took four days and many stops will take less than a day without touching the ground. Compare it with our explainer on the A350-1000ULR, and with how the shorter A350-900ULR made Singapore–New York possible.
Sources & Further Reading
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Kangaroo Route?
The traditional name for air routes between Australia and the United Kingdom, made famous by Qantas, which has flown it in various forms since the 1940s.
How long did the first Kangaroo Route flights take?
When Qantas launched its Sydney–London service with the Lockheed Constellation in 1947, the trip took about four days, with stops along the way.
Can you fly nonstop from Australia to the UK?
Yes, from Perth: Qantas has flown Perth–London nonstop since 2018 with the Boeing 787-9. Nonstop Sydney–London is planned under Project Sunrise.
What is Project Sunrise?
Qantas’s plan to fly nonstop from Sydney to London and New York using specially modified Airbus A350-1000ULR aircraft. The first A350-1000ULR flew on 2 June 2026, and Sydney–London nonstop flights are planned to start in 2027.
How long will a nonstop Sydney–London flight take?
Around 20 hours or more, depending on winds, which would make it one of the longest commercial flights in the world.