Airbus A350-1000ULR completes record 24-hour flight

The Airbus A350-1000ULR (Ultra-Long Range) has officially set a Guinness World Record for the longest flight by distance operated by a commercial airliner. The achievement was based on aircraft data independently verified by the International Aeronautical Federation and Flightradar24.

The Airbus-operated flight, carrying the call sign AIB35LR, departed Melbourne, Australia, at 17:27 local time (06:27 UTC) on Monday, 27 July, and arrived in Toulouse, France, at 09:51 local time (07:51 UTC) on Tuesday, 28 July. It covered 12,503 nautical miles (23,155 kilometres) over a period of 24 hours and 24 minutes.

The flight was conducted as part of the A350-1000ULR's test programme, with the aircraft being developed for Qantas Airways under Project Sunrise. As part of the programme, Airbus was required to operate a flight with a block time of 23 hours, measured from pushback at departure to arrival at the gate, to simulate the longest commercial operations the aircraft is expected to undertake.

After departing Melbourne, the aircraft flew over Sydney before heading north-east across the Pacific towards Los Angeles, crossing the International Date Line along the way. It then crossed North America and the Atlantic Ocean before heading south towards the UK, passing over London en route to Toulouse. During the journey across three continents and two oceans, the crew experienced two sunsets and two sunrises.

The aircraft carried 13 people, including three Airbus flight test pilots, two Qantas pilots, five Airbus flight test engineers, two Airbus design engineers and a representative from the International Aeronautical Federation.

“This achievement reflects the pioneering and innovative spirit that is part of our DNA at Airbus. In responding to the challenge laid down by Qantas, our teams came together to extend the range of the A350-1000 in an efficient and economically viable way to undertake the world’s longest ever commercial flights,” said Lars Wagner, Chief Executive Officer Commercial Aircraft at Airbus. “Flying 12,503 nautical miles non-stop, we have fully proven the aircraft's capability to fulfill its mission. And the world record was the icing on the cake!”

“Huge congratulations to all the teams at Airbus who have made this project a reality. And thank you to Qantas for an incredible partnership that has seen us push boundaries together, to Rolls-Royce for its full support and to all our partners who have contributed to this exciting moment in aviation history. Today we can say that the A350 truly is the undisputed Long Range Leader!” Lars added.

The A350-1000ULR is designed to allow Qantas to operate non-stop flights from Sydney to London and New York for the first time, covering distances of nearly 10,000 nautical miles with flight times of up to 22 hours. Its extended range is made possible by an additional rear centre tank (RCT) integrated into the aircraft structure, which increases its range by approximately 1,000 nautical miles.

The A350-1000ULR is the fourth passenger variant in Airbus’s A350 Family, joining the A350-900, A350-900ULR and A350-1000. The aircraft family has set new benchmarks in long-haul aviation through improved fuel efficiency, lower carbon emissions and enhanced passenger comfort. The range will also be expanded with the A350F freighter, which completed its maiden flight on 29 September and is scheduled to undergo a nine-month flight test programme.

By the end of October 2026, the A350 Family had secured 1,628 orders from 70 customers, with more than 740 aircraft already in service with 42 operators, mainly on long-haul routes worldwide.

Under Project Sunrise, Qantas has ordered 12 A350-1000ULRs, with the first aircraft scheduled for delivery in April 2027. The airline plans to launch the aircraft on its Sydney-London route later that year. Qantas has also ordered 12 standard A350-1000s for future operations across its long-haul network.