News Qantas Pushes Start Date of Highly-anticipated Sydney-to-NYC Flight — Here's Why The highly anticipated flights, which will fly from New York to Sydney has been pushed to 2026. By Alison Fox Alison Fox Alison Fox is a Travel + Leisure contributor. She has also written for Parents.com, The Wall Street Journal, and amNewYork. When she’s not in New York City, she can be found at the beach or on the slopes. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines Published on February 23, 2024 Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Jenny Evans/Getty Images Australian airline Qantas has delayed the start of its flight from Sydney to New York — slated to be the longest flight in the world — to 2026, citing aircraft manufacturing delays. The flights, dubbed “Project Sunrise,” will operate from Sydney to New York and London and be flown on an Airbus A350 aircraft. However, Qantas said manufacturing delays have “impacted the delivery dates,” pushing back the projected delivery of the aircraft by about six months and, in turn, pushing back the start of the flights until at least mid-2026. Qantas first started testing the ultra-long routes in 2019 with 20-hour flights from Sydney to both London and New York to see how the human body could handle spending an entire day in the air. After the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the airline said it still hoped to officially launch the flights in 2024 or 2025, before settling on 2025. Last year, Qantas detailed the experience on board its brand-new Airbus A350-1000 planes, which will include six first class suites, 52 business class suites, 40 premium economy seats, and 140 economy seats. The flight will feature in-seat lumbar support and Bluetooth connectivity, along with a wellness area between the premium economy and economy cabins complete with built-in handles to aid stretching exercises. In first class, travelers will be treated to a fixed bed, a separate recliner chair, a personal closet, and a dining table for two, while business class passengers will enjoy a more than 6-foot-long lie-flat bed, a leather ottoman, and an 18-inch touch screen TV. Travelers will also be able to access free Wi-Fi on board, which will be installed across the carrier’s A350 fleet. Beyond “Project Sunrise,” Qantas — one of the safest airlines in the world — is making it more comfortable to fly around the world by expanding its neighbor-free seating option to different international flights, including in the United States. The feature allows travelers to guarantee an open seat next to them for as little as $143.