Australian airline Qantas marks 90 years of international operations 

Australian airline Qantas marked 90 years of international operations on April 17, 2025. 

Founded in 1920, Qantas is the third oldest airline in the world in continuous existence (only KLM and Avianca are slightly older) and one of the few to have reached its centenary. 

Its first international flight, which took place on April 17, 1935, was no small feat. A DH86 aircraft took three and a half days to cover the approximately 3,300 nm (6,100 km) between Brisbane and Singapore. The journey involved 16 intermediate stops along the way. 

QantasGiven the geographical location of Australia and the distances that separate it from other continental landmasses, Qantas is no stranger to setting records in its international operations. 

Its Double Sunrise service, which linked Western Australia to Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) and India during World War Two in 27 to 33 hours, still holds the record for the longest nonstop commercial flight in history (a topic covered in the latest AeroTime Insights newsletter). 

Likewise, Qantas’ planned Project Sunrise service, directly linking Sydney (SYD) to London-Heathrow (LHR), with specially configured A350-1000 aircraft is set to become the world’s longest commercial flight when it launches in 2027. The 10,573 miles (16,916 km) will be covered in around 20 hours. 

Qantas’ international operations have come a long way since that its flight. In the nine decades since then, more than 273 million passengers have flown on Qantas international services. As of April 2025, the Australian carrier’s international network spans 34 destinations in 25 countries and includes a total of 56 routes.  The post Australian airline Qantas marks 90 years of international operations  appeared first on AeroTime.

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