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First 24-hour non-stop flight makes history from Melbourne to Toulouse

Flight tracking data revealed the journey took 24 hours and 23 minutes, making it the longest flight ever recorded by a commercial aircraft

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Qantas flight crew pose for a photo on the tarmac with the crew of an Airbus A350-100ULR
Qantas flight crew pose for a photo on the tarmac with the crew of an Airbus A350-100ULR. Picture: Getty

By Alice Padgett

Qantas has completed the first marathon non-stop test flight from Melbourne to Toulouse in 24 hours - breaking the record for the longest flight by a commercial aircraft.

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The Airbus A350-1000ULR, took off from Melbourne and flew a trans-Pacific route over the US and Canada.

Flight tracking data revealed the journey took 24 hours and 23 minutes, making it the longest flight ever recorded by a commercial aircraft.

As the plane reached Toulouse, the operational headquarters for Airbus, 120,000 people watched on FlightRadar24.

The historic flight became the world's most-tracked route that day, Simple Flying reported.

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The plane has been specifically configured for ultra-long haul flights and will have just 238 seats, six first-class suites, 52 business-class seats, 40 premium economy seats and 140 economy seats.

The lower density cabin will be designed to give passengers more space.

This comes as Qantas has sent the last decade researching how to design cabins to reduce fatigue and help travellers arrive feeling more refreshed.

The flight formed a key part of Qantas' Project Sunrise plans they plan to operate some of the longest flying routes, connecting Australia with London and New York.

The Australian carrier is ordering 12 aircraft for their ambitious plan. It is expected to be delivered to Qantas in April 2027 before entering commercial service under an Australian registration.

Qantas plans to begin selling tickets for its first nonstop Sydney-London flights in early 2027.

The previous record of the longest flight was 22 hours and 42 minutes, set by a Boeing 777-200LR in 2005.