QANTAS: Routes for Project Sunrise A350 before it heads to London

Qantas’ first Project Sunrise Airbus A350-1000ULR is due to arrive in April 2027, but the airline will be flying it around on domestic and short-haul international routes before that. Might be a chance to get a partial experience without the 20% premium on the Sydney to London route.

ET is reporting that the new aircraft might ‘preview’ on much shorter routes to Auckland and Los Angeles. That’s so pilots, cabin crew, engineers and airport teams can gain experience with the aircraft. They can learn the ropes before flying non-stop to London in October.

Sydney–Melbourne for training only

These flights will give Qantas pilots experience with taxiing, take-off, landing and the broader operational rhythms of this new aircraft. They will enable Qantas to refine its ground procedures before the A350 begins commercial flying.

These early Sydney–Melbourne sectors will not be scheduled/purchasable passenger services.

Auckland as the first passenger route

Sydney–Auckland is the prospective first commercial route for the A350.

No dates, flight numbers or frequencies yet. Qantas is likely to put the aircraft onto the trans-Tasman route around the middle of 2027. The three-hour flight would give passengers, cabin crew and ground teams a manageable international operation to test on.

Qantas says it will make those flights public, rather than quietly swapping out services as it has previously.

Passengers could experience Qantas’ new First and Business suites, Premium Economy and Economy cabins. You will need to have your trigger finger ready when those flights are announced. I suspect there will be no shortage of travellers willing to pay with dollars or points for a flight in the airline’s newest premium product.

There is speculation that the six First suites could be offered to Platinum and Platinum One members.

Los Angeles will provide the real long-haul rehearsal

Qantas plans to use the A350 on Sydney to Los Angeles flights to give them a bit of actual long-haul experience.

At around 14 hours each way, Los Angeles will be a better rehearsal for the ultra-long flights than Auckland. It will allow pilots and cabin crew to experience a full long-haul sector. That includes a complete meal service across all four cabins, crew rest requirements and the operational realities of managing these record flights.

Qantas also has an engineering base in Los Angeles. That should help the engineers gain some technical familiarity with the A350 prior to the non-stop London services.

These flights will give Qantas real-world feedback on passenger comfort, catering, service routines and the performance of the new Economy cabin on a long sector.

A Points Plane could be part of the launch

Qantas is also considering using one of the introductory A350 flights as a Points Plane, with every seat made available as a Classic Reward.

The airline’s previous Points Planes have generated huge interest. Prepare for a stampede by a small army of points-rich aviation tragics.

Qantas will be weighing the crowd-pleasing aspects of a Points Plane against the income generated by selling the seats for cash.

The 2PAXfly Takeout

My trigger finger is already in training. I’ll be trying to nab one of these early flights by points or cash. Not for myself, you understand, but merely so I can benefit you, gentle reader, with my insights.