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In an unprecedented collaborative venture between Qantas, Australia’s largest airline, and the University of Sydney’s Charles Perkins Centre, ground-breaking research results were unveiled today, promising relief for long-haul travellers from the tyrannical grip of jet lag.

Qantas’ Project Sunrise, the program responsible for these breakthrough findings, plans to launch non-stop flights connecting Sydney directly with London and New York by late 2025. This research forms a central part of Qantas’s innovative preparations for these ultra-long-haul journeys, which have been ongoing since 2015.

The pioneering research that underpins this announcement was carried out on three test flights between New York, London and Sydney in 2019. As part of these trials, 23 volunteer passengers were monitored during the 20-hour flights, with researchers recording data on their sleeping patterns, eating habits and movement.

The trials employed novel approaches to improve passengers’ well-being during flights, such as specific lighting and sleep schedules, meal times adapted to align with destination time zones, and meals with ingredients known to boost traveller well-being, such as chilli, chocolate, fish and chicken. Exercise and movement during the journey also played a crucial role in the trials. For a deeper dive into the research, including striking images, click here.

One promising outcome of the study was the diminished severity of jet lag reported by passengers who followed the new schedules compared to those on traditional in-flight schedules. The data also revealed improved sleep quality and better cognitive performance during the two days following the flight.

The research has also informed the design of the new Airbus A350s that Qantas will deploy on the Project Sunrise flights. These planes feature an onboard ‘Wellbeing Zone,’ where passengers can stretch and engage in simple exercises guided by video screens.

“The early results are promising, and it’s given us great momentum to look to the next stage of customer research,” said Professor Peter Cistulli, Professor of Sleep Medicine at the University of Sydney. He also underlined the unique interdisciplinary nature of the project, which brought together sleep researchers, circadian experts, nutrition and movement experts.

Qantas Group CEO, Alan Joyce, expressed his excitement about the revolutionary potential of this research in transforming the international flight experience for all travellers. He highlighted the significant reduction in total travel time by more than three hours on direct flights, compared to one-stop services, which he believes will dramatically improve the customer experience.

Following these promising initial findings, Qantas and the Charles Perkins Centre are set to participate in a landmark lighting workshop at Airbus’ Hamburg headquarters later this year. Here, experts will optimise the brightness and colour tone settings for different flight parts, adding another layer of science-based comfort to the passenger experience.

In addition, parallel research focusing on the well-being of crew members on these ultra-long-haul flights is underway, drawing on insights from Qantas’ past experiences with similar flights.

Qantas is slated to take delivery of its first A350 in late 2025, with the Project Sunrise launch route between Sydney and New York expected to become operational shortly after that.

For more information on the Project Sunrise program and the groundbreaking research behind it, please visit the Charles Perkins Centre and Qantas.