The new service, which will take off in October 2027, is the culmination of Qantas's Project Sunrise mission, which started in 2017 when it challenged Airbus and Boeing to come up with aircraft that could fly the route non-stop.
Qantas has served the route since 1947, when it originally took four days and included seven stops between Australia and the UK.
The new service will be the first non-stop connection between Australia's east coast and the UK, shaving up to four hours off current journey times and removing the need for passengers to transit through hubs such as Singapore or Perth.
Flights will be operated by new Airbus A350-1000ULR aircraft developed specifically for the route, fitted with an additional 20,000-litre fuel tank allowing them to complete the 22-hour flight time.
The airline has ordered 12 of the aircraft, each configured with 238 seats across first, business, premium economy and economy cabins.
Flights will operate alongside Qantas' existing Perth-London and Sydney-Singapore-London services. Tickets expected to go on sale in February 2027.
'Powerful vote of confidence' for UK tourism
UK Tourism Minister Stephanie Peacock said the decision to make London the first Project Sunrise destination reflected a "powerful vote of confidence" in the UK as a global tourism hub.
"This is a historic moment, not just for British aviation and tourism, but for the millions of passengers who will experience flying from Sydney to London non-stop for the first time," she said. "Today opens up new opportunities for businesses, tourism, and the people who make both possible across Australia and the UK."
Tom Kendall, Audley Travel's Senior Produc Manager for Australia, hailed the decision "great news" for agents. "The direct flight to Perth is incredibly popular with our clients – I’m confident the opportunity to travel to Sydney without a stop-over will be just as popular," he said.
"The new service opens up the area for shorter stays and makes multi-destination Australasia trips that take in New Zealand and French Polynesia logistically simpler for time-constrained clients."
Qantas has also confirmed Sydney-New York will be the next Project Sunrise route, with further details on launch timing due to be announced next year.
