Qantas Project Sunrise A350-1000ULR: Testing, Delivery and Routes
The verified status of Qantas Project Sunrise in July 2026: A350-1000ULR flight testing, the rear centre tank, 238-seat cabin, routes and revised first-delivery timing.
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Updated July 16, 2026
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Qantas Project Sunrise moved from production into flight testing on 2 June 2026 when the first A350-1000ULR completed its first flight from Toulouse. That did not put the aircraft into airline service. It opened an Airbus certification campaign for the changes that distinguish the Qantas ultra-long-range aircraft from a standard A350-1000.
Airbus says the campaign is expected to run for about two months and 80 flight hours. Its current published delivery target is April 2027. That April date supersedes earlier Qantas material that pointed to delivery from October 2026 and Project Sunrise flights in the first half of 2027.
Here is what has been confirmed, what still requires certification and what remains an airline scheduling decision.
Project status at a glance
| Item | Verified position in July 2026 |
|---|---|
| First A350-1000ULR flight | 2 June 2026 from Toulouse |
| Flight-test aircraft | Manufacturer serial number 707 |
| Certification campaign | About two months and 80 flight hours planned |
| Main range modification | 20,000-litre rear centre fuel tank |
| Qantas ULR order | 12 aircraft |
| Published cabin | 238 seats: 6 first, 52 business, 40 premium economy, 140 economy |
| Current Airbus delivery target | April 2027 for the first aircraft |
| Planned headline routes | Nonstop Sydney-London and Sydney-New York |
The first-flight and certification details come from Airbus' 2 June programme update. The next day's Project Sunrise overview gives the revised delivery timing and cabin layout.
What makes the A350-1000ULR different
The Qantas aircraft is an A350-1000 with a defined package of changes for very long sectors. It is not the same “ULR” configuration as the A350-900ULR already in airline service.
The central change is a 20,000-litre rear centre tank. Airbus has installed it within the aircraft's existing rear centre-tank structure rather than adding a separate tank to the passenger cabin or cargo hold. The additional fuel capacity supports the Sydney-London and Sydney-New York missions Qantas selected the aircraft to fly.
The certification programme also covers:
- new fuel-system equipment and controls associated with the rear centre tank;
- a modified galley cooling system for the longer mission;
- aircraft systems and performance across the planned operating envelope; and
- the evidence EASA needs before approving the design changes.
Airbus says the test aircraft carries more than 1,000 measurement sensors. Those sensors gather data for engineering and certification; they are not part of the airline's final passenger configuration.
Flight testing is a gate, not a launch
The first flight confirmed that MSN 707 could begin the planned airborne test work. It did not by itself establish route approval, airline readiness or an entry-into-service date.
Certification work has to show that the modified aircraft complies with the applicable design requirements. After that, the first delivery still depends on production, acceptance and the airline's own preparation. Qantas will need trained crews, maintenance support, manuals, spares, dispatch procedures and a completed operational introduction programme.
This is why reports should separate at least four milestones:
- first flight of the test aircraft;
- certification of the A350-1000ULR changes;
- delivery to Qantas; and
- first scheduled Project Sunrise passenger service.
Only the first has occurred. Airbus has published April 2027 as the current first-delivery target. Qantas controls the commercial launch schedule and should be the source for any final route start date.
The 238-seat cabin
Qantas plans 238 seats across four cabins:
- 6 first-class suites;
- 52 business-class seats;
- 40 premium-economy seats; and
- 140 economy seats.
That is a low seat count for an A350-1000. The layout reflects the commercial and human constraints of sectors expected to keep passengers aboard for roughly 20 hours. It also includes a dedicated “Wellbeing Zone” between premium economy and economy.
The configuration matters to range because payload, seating density and onboard equipment all affect mission planning. But a published seat map is not a promise that every future sector will use the same payload. Dispatch performance depends on the route, weather, winds, reserves, alternates and operating conditions on the day.
Aircraft order and fleet plan
Qantas confirmed its initial 12-aircraft A350-1000 order in May 2022, selecting the type for Project Sunrise. Airbus' June 2026 update says Qantas has also ordered 12 standard A350-1000s, separate from the 12 ULR aircraft.
Keeping those orders separate prevents two errors. The Project Sunrise fleet is 12 A350-1000ULRs, not 24. And the existence of standard -1000 orders does not mean every Qantas A350 will carry the rear centre tank or the 238-seat Sunrise cabin.
Qantas has identified Sydney-London and Sydney-New York as the signature nonstop routes. Other long-range network uses may follow, but they should not be treated as confirmed Project Sunrise services until the airline publishes them.
Why the schedule changed
Qantas' August 2025 full-year result said deliveries were expected from October 2026 and that Project Sunrise remained on track for the first half of calendar 2027. Airbus' June 2026 programme update now says first delivery is scheduled for April 2027.
The later manufacturer statement is the current record. It does not necessarily mean the commercial service date has moved by the same amount; it means the earlier delivery assumption should no longer be repeated as current.
This is a useful rule for following aircraft programmes: use the newest dated statement from the party responsible for the milestone. Airbus controls design certification and production delivery. Qantas controls airline entry into service and the published timetable.
What to watch before passengers board
The next meaningful evidence points are:
- completion of the flight-test campaign;
- EASA approval of the ULR design changes;
- confirmation that MSN 707 has moved from test configuration toward customer delivery;
- Qantas acceptance and crew-training milestones;
- regulator and operational approvals applicable to the planned services; and
- a Qantas schedule showing the first bookable nonstop service.
Until those gates are closed, exact launch dates are planning targets. The aircraft is real and flying; the commercial operation is still being assembled around it.
Bottom line
The first Qantas A350-1000ULR entered flight testing on 2 June 2026. Its 20,000-litre rear centre tank and related systems are the focus of an Airbus campaign planned for about 80 flight hours. Qantas has ordered 12 ULR aircraft with 238 seats, and Airbus now targets April 2027 for first delivery.
Project Sunrise has crossed an important engineering milestone. It has not yet crossed certification, delivery or passenger-service milestones, and those distinctions are the key to reading the programme accurately.
