Luxury on the soon-to-be longest flight: Qantas unveils new first and business class seats
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Nonstop flights from New York to Australia are one step closer to becoming a reality.
Australian airline Qantas has been planning what will be the world’s longest flight for years under the moniker “Project Sunrise,” and now the carrier has unveiled mockups of the premium cabins that will be fitted out on the Airbus A350s set to launch the service in 2025.
“Qantas has been the leader in opening up new long-haul flights for most of our history, and we’re bringing everything we’ve learned, both technically and in terms of passenger comfort, to Project Sunrise flying,” CEO Alan Joyce said in a statement. “We’re building on the customer experience of our extremely popular non-stop flights from Perth to London as we keep working to make it easier to connect Australia with the rest of the world.”
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Here’s what high-paying passengers can expect when the service begins.
What can travelers expect from Project Sunrise first class? 
According to Qantas, its new ultra-long-haul first class is designed to be like “a mini boutique hotel room.”
First-class suites will feature a fixed flat bed and separate recliner chair, a dining table with room for two, a 32-inch TV screen and a personal wardrobe.
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A350s on Project Sunrise flights will have six first class suites, configured in two rows of three at the front of the plane.
Behind first class will be 52 business class seats, arranged four across with all seats having aisle access.
Business class seats will have a closeable privacy door, a 6.5-foot flat bed, extra storage and an 18-inch TV screen.
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“We began designing this aircraft cabin five years ago, working with Airbus and Qantas to maximize space, as well as creating a tailored lighting program that will influence mood and sleep patterns,” David Caon, an Australian designer who worked on the project, said in a statement. “All the design and service elements will work together to significantly improve inflight comfort, convenience and health and wellbeing and help minimize the old nemesis of jetlag.”
What else will be offered onboard Qantas’ Project Sunrise flights?
Both first and business-class seats will have multiple personal device charging methods, according to the airline, and fast, free Wi-Fi provided by Viasat will be available onboard.
According to Qantas, the inflight entertainment systems will have Bluetooth connectivity capability, meaning passengers will be able to connect their wireless headphones or other devices to their at-seat screens.
When service begins, Qantas’ Project Sunrise flights from New York will be the longest nonstops in the world. The airline has been conducting studies around sleep, service patterns and onboard wellbeing to ensure that passengers can stay as comfortable as possible while spending around 20 hours in the air.
Part of those efforts include a “wellbeing” zone that will be available to all passengers. According to Qantas, the design of that area, along with premium economy and economy seating plans, will be unveiled “in the coming months.”
Zach Wichter is a travel reporter based in New York. You can reach him at zwichter@usatoday.com
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Luxury on the soon-to-be longest flight: Qantas unveils new first and business class seats