Airbus A350-1000ULR Shatters Guinness Distance Record in 24-Hour Test
Airbus says its A350-1000ULR set a Guinness World Record for the longest flight by distance by a commercial airliner. The test flight from Melbourne to Toulouse covered 12,503 nautical miles and lasted 24 hours and 24 minutes, as the aircraft is developed for Qantas’ Project Sunrise routes.
Airbus said its A350-1000ULR set a Guinness World Record for the longest flight by distance by a commercial airliner after flying 12,503 nautical miles (23,155 kilometers) from Melbourne to Toulouse on July 27 and 28, 2026. The nonstop test flight lasted 24 hours and 24 minutes.
The record flight tested the aircraft’s ability to handle the unusually long journeys planned under Project Sunrise, Qantas’ program for nonstop services linking Sydney with London and New York. Airbus operated the test as part of its A350-1000ULR flight-test campaign.
A test for ultra-long-haul operations
The aircraft departed Melbourne at 5:27 p.m. local time on July 27 and arrived in Toulouse at 9:51 a.m. local time on July 28. Its planned test sector had a block time of 23 hours, measured from pushback at departure until the aircraft reached its parking position.
Airbus said the test was designed to simulate the demands of the longest commercial flights Qantas plans to operate with the aircraft. The A350-1000ULR is a specialized version of the A350-1000, adapted for ultra-long-haul travel from Australia’s east coast.
The plane flew over Sydney, crossed the Pacific toward Los Angeles, then continued across North America and the Atlantic. It passed over London before reaching Toulouse in southwestern France.
The route crossed three continents and two oceans. The crew saw two sunrises and two sunsets during the journey.
13 people joined the flight
Thirteen people were aboard: three Airbus flight-test pilots, two Qantas pilots, five Airbus flight-test engineers, two Airbus design engineers and one representative of the International Aeronautical Federation.
Lars Wagner, Airbus’ chief executive of commercial aircraft, called the record an important achievement for the manufacturer and its partnership with Qantas on Project Sunrise. He said the flight demonstrated the aircraft’s ability to undertake extremely long commercial journeys while maintaining an efficient operating model.
Airbus also credited Qantas, Rolls-Royce and other partners with contributing to the aircraft’s development.
Extra fuel capacity extends range
The A350-1000ULR includes an additional Rear Centre Tank integrated into the aircraft’s structure. The tank provides approximately 20,000 liters of additional fuel capacity and extends the standard A350-1000’s range by around 1,000 nautical miles.
The test flight covered 12,503 nautical miles, according to Airbus.
