Points Miles and Bling (blog) contains referral or affiliate links. The blog receives a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your continued support. Credit Card issuers are not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. For full details, current product information, and Terms and Conditions, click the link included.
Project Sunrise is Qantas’ ambitious initiative aimed at introducing ultra long-haul routes from Sydney to New York and London. The project introduces specifically designed state-of-the-art Airbus A350-1000 aircraft, with flagship First Class and Business Class cabins. Qantas has unveiled stunning renditions of the high concept cabins, specifically designed for luxury and comfort of ultra long-haul travel and scheduled to take flight in late 2025.
Qantas completed an order of 12 A350-1000 aircraft in May 2022, and has decided to configure it with seating for 238 passengers (compared to 300+ on other carriers) to allow for more space for all passengers. With over 40% of the aircraft dedicated to premium cabins, the aircraft configuration includes;
- 6 First Class Suites, in 1-1-1 layout
- 52 Business Class Suites, in 1-2-1 layout
- 40 Premium Economy seats, in 2-4-2 layout
- 140 Economy seats, in 3-3-3 layout
- Onboard Wellbeing Zone, a dedicated space for movement and premium refreshments for all passengers
- Complimentary high speed Wi-Fi for all passengers
Qantas First Class Suite – Project Sunrise A350
- 50% more suite space than A380
- Extra-wide fixed bed (80″ long)
- Separate recliner chair (22″ wide)
- Personal wardrobe
- Dining table for two
- 32” ultra-high definition TV
- Wireless induction charging
Qantas A350 First Class
Qantas new First Class cabin
Qantas Business Class Suite – Project Sunrise A350
- 47″ high walls and sliding doors, for complete privacy
- Direct aisle access
- 80″ long bed
- 18″ entertainment screen
- Wireless induction charging
Qantas new Business class cabin
Qantas A350-1000 Business Class cabin
Take Away
The renditions of Qantas new First class and Business class cabins look stunning. However, much remains to be seen when it comes to execution of service on the ultra long-haul flights planned for 2025. The new SYD-LHR and SYD-NYC routes will roughly be a flight time of ~18 hours, and I can’t imagine flying economy would be an attractive option. The longest direct flight I have flown in economy was 12 hours on Qatar Airways from Montreal to Doha, due to schedule disruptions. Qantas has been at the forefront of ultra-long haul flights since it introduced its first non-stop service between Sydney (SYD) and Dallas (DFW) in 2014. That 15-hour flight was the longest commercial flight in the world at the time, and it was operated by Qantas’ Boeing 747-400 aircraft. Given their experience with ultra long-haul flights, I do expect Qantas’ A350 aircraft to curate a good balance of comfort and luxury with their new First class and Business class cabins.
