View source for Kangaroo Route

{{Short description|Flights between Britain and Australia over the Eastern Hemisphere}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
[[File:Qantas, VH-ZNI, Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner (49596942248).jpg|thumb|A [[Qantas]] [[Boeing 787-9]] among [[British Airways]] aircraft at [[Heathrow Airport]]]]

The '''Kangaroo Route''' is a term coined by [[Qantas]], referring to the commercial passenger air routes flown between [[Australia]] and the [[United Kingdom]] via the [[Eastern Hemisphere]].<ref name="kangaroo_southerncross">{{cite web | title = About Qantas – Our Company – History – Constellations Span the World | publisher = Qantas | url = http://www.qantas.com.au/info/about/history/details13 | access-date = 10 January 2008 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071210035648/http://www.qantas.com.au/info/about/history/details13 <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = 10 December 2007}}</ref>

The route has been operated since 1934,<ref>{{Cite news |date=1947-12-10 |title=The Qantas Story — 25 Years of Progress |work=Longreach Leader |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article126640650 |access-date=2023-03-14}}</ref> but found its name in 1944 from the unique mode of travel of the [[kangaroo]], as the route's "hops" were reminiscent of a [[Kangaroo#Locomotion|kangaroo's]], and both are used to cover long distances.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Gunn |first=John |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NnSm-oOCr5AC&pg=PA143 |title=Challenging Horizons: Qantas 1939-1954 |date=1987 |publisher=john gunn |isbn=978-0-7022-2017-3 |language=en}}</ref> The term is trademarked and traditionally used by [[Qantas]],<ref name=":3">{{cite web |title=Trade Mark Details for Trade Mark 330928 |url=https://search.ipaustralia.gov.au/trademarks/search/view/330928 |access-date=17 January 2023 |website=Australian Government - IP Australia}}
</ref> although it is often used in the media and by airline competitors to describe all Australia to United Kingdom flights.

In addition to Qantas, by 2003, over 20 airlines operated routes connecting Australia and the UK, including [[British Airways]], [[Cathay Pacific]], [[Emirates (airline)|Emirates]], [[Etihad]], [[Malaysia Airlines]], [[Qatar Airways]], [[Singapore Airlines]], [[Thai Airways]] and [[Turkish Airlines]]<ref name="QFPRNOV03">{{cite press release | title = Qantas statement on Virgin Atlantic Airways becoming 21st carrier on the Kangaroo Route | publisher = Qantas | date = 28 November 2003 | url = http://www.qantas.com.au/regions/dyn/au/publicaffairs/details?ArticleID=2003/nov03/3000 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060717082318/http://www.qantas.com.au/regions/dyn/au/publicaffairs/details?ArticleID=2003/nov03/3000 | url-status = dead | archive-date = 17 July 2006 }}</ref> with most involving a single transfer between flights at their respective hubs. Only [[British Airways]] and Qantas offer through [[direct flight]]s (not requiring passengers to change plane en route), both making a fuel stop at [[Singapore Changi Airport]] as of 2024.

Qantas commenced operating non-stop flights from [[Perth Airport|Perth]] to [[Heathrow Airport|London]] with [[Boeing 787]]s on 25 March 2018. This ended the era of the continents of [[Europe]] and [[Oceania]] not being connected by non-stop flights, marking the first time that all of the world's continents, excluding [[Antarctica]], are connected by non-stop flights.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/oceania/australia/articles/london-to-australia-direct-flights-facts-everything-to-know/|title=London to Perth: Everything you need to know about the first non-stop flights from Britain to Australia|work=The Telegraph|access-date=30 December 2017|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-12-11 |title=Qantas confirms non-stop Perth-UK flight |url=https://thewest.com.au/news/transport/qantas-confirms-non-stop-perth-uk-flight-ng-s-1642802 |access-date=2023-02-20 |website=The West Australian |language=en}}</ref>

== Origins of the name ==
[[File:Qantas Empire Airways Kangaroo Service logo 1944–1947.jpg|thumb|Qantas Logo for its "Kangaroo Service", used from 1944-1947<ref>{{Cite web|title=Our Logos|url=https://www.qantas.com/us/en/about-us/our-company/logos.html|access-date=14 March 2023|website=Qantas}}</ref>]]
Qantas operated the Australian part of the Kangaroo Route for nine years before coining (and later trademarking) the name.

After starting airmail operations between Brisbane and Singapore in 1934,<ref name="Cloncurry Advocate">{{Cite news |date=1947-05-30 |title=QANTAS EMPIRE AIRWAYS CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY. |work=Cloncurry Advocate |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article170146987 |access-date=2023-03-14}}</ref> Qantas began operating passenger flights connecting Brisbane to Singapore in 1935 following successful awarding of the Australian government's tender.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Gunn |first=John |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dO_z29s9YigC&pg=PA190 |title=The Defeat of Distance: Qantas 1919-1939 |date=1985 |publisher=john gunn |isbn=978-0-7022-1707-4 |pages=190 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nh4uAQAAIAAJ&q=sydney-london+kangaroo+route+since+its+inception+in+1934 |title=Australian Aviation Annual |date=1949 |editor-last=Brogden |editor-first=Stanley |pages=59 |language=en}}</ref>

After disruption to the route due to the emerging hostilities of [[World War II]], the connectivity was famously restored by Qantas with its "[[The Double Sunrise|Double Sunrise]]" service connectivity between Perth and Ceylon on the Indian Ocean Route with Catalina flying boats in 1943.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Crouch |first=Wallace |date=2 July 1976 |title=None of their aircraft was missing |pages=7 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=lL5f5cZgq8MC&dat=19760702&printsec=frontpage&hl=en |access-date=14 March 2023}}</ref>  With the addition of the land based Liberator aircraft to the route in 1944, the "Indian Ocean Route" was officially renamed "The Kangaroo Service"<ref>{{Cite web |orig-date=8 Oct 2014 |title=Qantas to Celebrate Kangaroo Logo Anniversary with Retro Livery |url=https://www.qantasnewsroom.com.au/media-releases/qantas-to-celebrate-kangaroo-logo-anniversary-with-retro-livery/ |access-date=14 Mar 2023 |website=Qantas}}</ref><ref name="Cloncurry Advocate"/><ref>{{Cite news |date=1945-06-25 |title=Kangaroo Service |work=Daily News |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article78789473 |access-date=2023-03-14}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=1 Oct 2016 |title=96 Years in the making, Qantas Livery throughout the ages |url=https://www.qantasnewsroom.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/History-Qantas-Tales-Face-Sheet.pdf |access-date=14 March 2023 |website=Qantas}}</ref> by Qantas' Managing Director Hudson Fysh and pilot Bill Crowther; a play on words of the aviation term "hop" (referring to a leg of a route), and the hop of a kangaroo, an Australian icon.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Eames |first=Jim |date=2017-12-14 |title=Double sunrise: How Qantas preserved vital link to Britain during World War II |url=https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/books/double-sunrise-how-qantas-preserved-vital-link-to-britain-during-world-war-ii-20171206-gzzmzb.html |access-date=2023-03-14 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=en}}</ref>

Along with the newly created Qantas logo of the flying kangaroo, the terms "Kangaroo Service" and "Kangaroo Route"<ref>{{Cite news |date=1944-08-07 |title=WORLD'S LONGEST AIR HOP TO BE "KANGAROO SERVICE" |work=Argus |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article11355425 |access-date=2023-03-13}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=QANTAS Airways Ltd v Danniel Amadio [2011] ATMO 84 - BarNet Jade |url=https://jade.io/article/592280 |access-date=2023-03-13 |website=jade.io}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=1944-08-07 |title=NON-STOP AIR SERVICE |work=Daily Commercial News and Shipping List |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article162868143 |access-date=2023-03-13}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=16 Nov 1950 |title=Thirty Years of Qantas |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1950/1950%20-%201946.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180307022943/https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1950/1950%20-%201946.html |archive-date=7 March 2018 |access-date=2023-03-13 |website=Flightglobal |page=437}}</ref> were trademarked by Qantas and became the airline's branded term to describe Qantas' Australia-United Kingdom connectivity.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Gunn |first=John |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NnSm-oOCr5AC&pg=PA143 |title=Challenging Horizons: Qantas 1939-1954 |date=1987 |publisher=john gunn |isbn=978-0-7022-2017-3 |pages=143 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=1944-09-19 |title=SYDNEY-LONDON IN 72 HOURS |work=Advocate |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article91750796 |access-date=2023-03-13}}</ref>

A significant milestone in 1947 when Qantas began operating the entire Kangaroo Route independently.  This April 1947 inauguration is referred to as the birth date of the Kangaroo Route by Qantas, even though it had been operating a part of that route for almost a decade.<ref>{{Citation |title=The Longest Hop - Qantas' Kangaroo Route |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZZQhXznH4k |access-date=2023-03-13 |language=en}}</ref>

== History ==
[[File:Map_of_the_London-Adelaide_flight,_England-Australia_air_race,_1919.jpg|thumb|200px|Route of the England to Australia flight, starting in [[London]] and finishing in [[Adelaide]] (1919)]]
[[File:Brisbane-Singapore air service (DH 86) advertisement, ca. 1935 - H.B. Green and Co. (3532443184).jpg|thumb|upright|Advertisement for the [[Qantas]] Singapore service using the [[De Havilland Express|De Havilland 86]]]]

=== Early years (1935–1940) ===
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[[File:Empire_flying_boat_'Cooee',_operated_by_QANTAS,_circling_over_Brisbane,_1938.jpg|thumb|The QEA Short S23 Empire Flying Boat "''Cooee''", which inaugurated Qantas' seaplane-operated Kangaroo Route service to Singapore on 5 July 1938.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Robinson |first=Dean |date=April 2020 |title=SOUTH AUSTRALIAN AVIATION MUSEUM - SIGNIFICANT AIRCRAFT PROFILES: QEA EMPIRE FLYING BOATS |url=https://www.saam.org.au/history_group_docs/SAAM%20Aircraft%20-%20SHORT%20S-23%20Empire%20Qantas%20Empire%20Airways%20Flying%20Boats.pdf |journal=South Australian Aviation Museum History Group}}</ref>]]
In 1935 [[Qantas]] started flying passengers to [[Seletar Airport|Singapore]] in a [[De Havilland Express|De Havilland 86]] to connect with [[Croydon Airport|London]]-bound [[Imperial Airways]]. London to [[Eagle Farm Airport|Brisbane]] service commenced on 13 April 1935. Imperial Airways and Qantas Empire Airways opened the {{convert|12,754|mi|km|adj=on}} London to Brisbane route for passengers for a single fare £195 ({{Inflation|AU|195*2|1935|r=-2|fmt=eq}}). There were no through bookings on the first service because of heavy sector bookings, but there were two through passengers on the next flight that left London on 20 April. The route opened for passengers from Brisbane to London on 17 April; flights were weekly and the journey time was 12{{frac|1|2}} days.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/information/about-ba/history-and-heritage/explore-our-past/1930-1939|title=Explore our past: 1930 – 1939|publisher=British Airways|access-date=28 November 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.qantas.com.au/travel/airlines/history-flying-overseas/global/en |title=Venturing Overseas |publisher=Qantas.com.au |access-date=24 October 2012}}</ref>

Eastbound passengers from London would first fly from [[Croydon Airport|Croydon]] to [[Paris]], take an overnight train to [[Brindisi]], and fly onward with stops at [[Athens]], [[Alexandria]] (overnight), [[Gaza City|Gaza]], [[Baghdad]] (overnight), [[Basra]], [[Kuwait]], [[Bahrain]], [[Sharjah]] (overnight), [[Gwadar]], [[Karachi]], [[Jodhpur]] (overnight), [[Delhi]], [[Kanpur|Cawnpore]], [[Allahabad]], [[Kolkata|Calcutta]] (overnight), [[Sittwe|Akyab]], [[Yangon|Rangoon]], [[Bangkok]] (overnight), [[Alor Setar|Alor Star]], [[Singapore]] (overnight), [[Jakarta|Batavia]], [[Surabaya|Sourabaya]], Rambang (overnight), [[Kupang|Koepang]], [[Darwin, Northern Territory|Darwin]] (overnight), [[Longreach Airport|Longreach]] (overnight), and [[Charleville, Queensland|Charleville]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Imperial Airways timetable, 1935|url=http://www.timetableimages.com/ttimages/complete/iaw35aus/iaw35u-2.jpg|access-date=2020-08-27|website=Timetable Images}}</ref> London-Karachi was operated by Imperial Airways, Karachi-Singapore jointly by Imperial and Indian Trans-Continental Airways, and Singapore-Brisbane by Qantas.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Imperial Airways route map, 1935|url=http://www.timetableimages.com/ttimages/complete/iaw35aus/iaw35u-3.jpg|access-date=2020-08-27|website=Timetable Images}}</ref>

=== Wartime modified operations (1940–1946) ===

==== Impediment and interruption due to WWII (June 1940 – Feb 1942) ====
On 11 June 1940 [[Military history of Italy during World War II#Italy enters the war: June 1940|Italy entered WWII]] and the Kangaroo Route connection across the Mediterranean Sea from Egypt was severed with the resulting loss of all access to commercial air routes.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Watson |first=Captain Dacre |title=British Overseas Airways Corporation 1940-1950 and It's Legacy |url=https://www.aerosociety.com/media/4844/british-overseas-airways-corporation-1940-1950-and-its-legacy.pdf |journal=[[Royal Aeronautical Society#Publications|Journal of Aeronautical History]] |volume=2013/03 |pages=144}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Wilson |first=John |date=February 2009 |title=Report on the Progress of Civil Aviation 1939-1945 |url=https://www.gbps.org.uk/information/sources/miscellaneous/Report%20on%20the%20Progress%20of%20Civil%20Aviation%201939-1945%20-%20John%20Wilson.pdf |access-date=13 Oct 2023 |website=The Great Britain Philatelic Society}}</ref> While direct passenger air connectivity was lost, previous contingency plans were put into action, utilising the structure of the "[[Horseshoe route|Horseshoe Route]]" that connected Australia and England for passengers and airmail via Durban, South Africa where passengers would connect to steamboat service.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Madden |first=Phillip |url=https://research-repository.griffith.edu.au/bitstream/handle/10072/375758/Madden,%20Phillip_Final%20Thesis_Redacted.pdf?isAllowed=y&sequence=1 |title=The Flying Boat Era: Its Role as a Catalyst in the Development of Aviation and Social History in Australia |publisher=Griffith University |year=2018 |pages=80–81}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite news |date=1940-06-13 |title=EMPIRE AIR SERVICES. |work=Sydney Morning Herald |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17694673 |access-date=2023-10-17}}</ref> This service was swiftly started just 8 days later with the first flight leaving Australia on 19 June 1940<ref>{{Cite news |date=1940-06-19 |title=Empire Air Line Change |work=Daily Telegraph |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article247771852 |access-date=2023-10-17}}</ref> and continuing its operation, modifying as necessary until its final reserve route ("Reserve Route 3") via Broome was lost on 15 February 1942 with the fall of Singapore.<ref>{{Cite web |title=End of Horseshoe Route |url=http://www.nzstamps.org.uk/air/teal/end_hshoe.html |access-date=2023-10-13 |website=www.nzstamps.org.uk}}</ref>

Plans for restoration of the connectivity were started in early 1943, resulting in the ideation, equipping, and successful testing of what would become the Double Sunrise service.<ref name=":1" /> Earlier in 1939 an alternative route via the Indian Ocean was proposed and designed by the Australian Government for potential use in case of emergency.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1939 |title=Australia aka Guba Flying Boat Flight |work=Pathé Gazette (British Pathé) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLufzm6fJOI |access-date=13 October 2023}}</ref>  The designed route was Port Hedland - Batavia - Christmas Island - Cocos Island - Diego Garcia - The Seychelles - Mombasa.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":0" /> This route was surveyed and tested in June 1939 but would ultimately not be used, in part as [[Jakarta|Batavia]] had already fallen in March 1942 in the [[Battle of Java (1942)]].<ref>{{cite web |title=BOAC General Reports on Services 1941-1945 |url=https://www.ab-ix.co.uk/pdfs/AMIL-BOAC-Gen-reports-services.pdf |access-date=13 Oct 2023 |website=Air-Britain.com}}</ref><ref name=":1" />

==== Innovation and resumption via "The Double Sunrise" (July 1943 – July 1945) ====
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{{see also|The Double Sunrise}}
On 29 July 1943 Qantas resumed the kangaroo route's modified operation, using a fleet of 5 [[Consolidated PBY Catalina in Australian service|Consolidated PBY Catalina]] aircraft to cross the Indian ocean nonstop.  The planned route was for flights between [[Crawley, Western Australia]], and [[SLAF Koggala|RAF Base Koggala]] in southern Ceylon. Designed to exploit the Catalina's extreme flight range, the flights became the longest non-stop commercial air route, covering over 3,500 nautical miles (6,500 kilometres; 4,000 miles) across the Indian Ocean. Navigated without the aid of radio, the crews relied solely on rudimentary navigation by compass and stars during the trip.  Taking between 27 and 33 hours, with departure timed so that the flight crossed [[South-East Asian theatre of World War II|Japanese occupied territory]] during darkness, the crew and passengers would observe the sunrise twice, which led to the service being known as "[[The Double Sunrise]]".<ref name="Senior">{{cite web |last=Senior |first=Rex |title=The Double Sunrise Service |url=http://britishfortress.com/download/Double_Sunrise_service_docx_Compatibility_Mode.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140413141247/http://britishfortress.com/download/Double_Sunrise_service_docx_Compatibility_Mode.pdf |archive-date=13 April 2014 |accessdate=2 October 2023}}</ref>  The Double Sunrise flights remain the longest (in terms of airtime) commercial flights in history.

Initially, passengers and mail were then transferred via ground transport from Galle to Karachi connecting with BOAC service onwards to London.  In November 1943, this was replaced by adding an additional hop to the kangaroo route operated by the Qantas Catalinas up the Indian coast to Karangi Creek in Karachi.<ref name="Senior" />
[[File:Qantas Kangaroo Service Liberator refuelling at Learmonth Airport, ca. 1945 (AGKT).jpg|thumb|The first QEA Liberator ''G-AGKT'' refuelling at Learmonth Airport prior to departing for Colombo in 1945. This was the first plane to have the new Qantas Kangaroo logo applied to it (below cockpit window).<ref>{{Cite news |date=8 Oct 2014 |title=Qantas to Celebrate Kangaroo Logo Anniversary with Retro Livery |publisher=Qantas |url=https://www.qantasnewsroom.com.au/media-releases/qantas-to-celebrate-kangaroo-logo-anniversary-with-retro-livery/ |access-date=18 Oct 2023}}</ref>]]
In June 1944, Qantas augmented the Kangaroo Route's Catalina service with an additional route operated by converted [[Consolidated B-24 Liberator|Consolidated Liberator]] bombers. The Liberators flew from Perth to [[RAAF Learmonth|Learmonth]] before flying a shorter 3,077&nbsp;mi (4,952&nbsp;km) over-water route to an airfield northeast of [[Colombo]], but they could make the journey in 17 hours with 5,500 pounds (2,500&nbsp;kg) of payload, whereas the Catalinas usually required at least 27 hours and their payload was limited to only 1,000 pounds (450&nbsp;kg). This route was named '''The Kangaroo Service''<nowiki/>' and was the genesis for the Kangaroo Route's naming. It also marked the first time that Qantas's now-famous Kangaroo logo was used; passengers received a certificate proclaiming them as members of ''[https://aviadejavu.ru/Images6/HI/HI-28/51-1.jpg The Order of the Longest Hop]''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Front Line Airline 1939-1945 |url=https://www.qantas.com/au/en/about-us/our-company/our-history/front-line-airline-1939-1945.html |access-date=17 Oct 2023 |website=Qantas.com}}</ref>

In June 1945, [[Avro Lancastrian]]s were introduced on the England–Australia service, and the Liberators and Catalinas were soon shifted to other Qantas routes. The Catalina operated Double Sunrise service ended on 18 July 1945.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1945-08-25 |title=NEWS OF THE DAY |work=Age |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article204022046 |access-date=2023-10-17}}</ref>

===== Route normalization - Western legs (May 1945) =====
On 30 May 1945, following the [[End of World War II in Europe|end of the war in the European Theatre]], Lancastrian operated flights by [[British Overseas Airways Corporation|BOAC]] resumed from [[Bournemouth Airport|Hurn Airport]] in southern England, connecting in Karachi to Qantas' operated service which flew via Karachi - Minneriya (Ceylon) - Learmonth to  Sydney.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1945-11-30 |title=COLOMBO AIR SERVICE |work=Advocate |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article69101785 |access-date=2023-10-17}}</ref><ref name=":1" />  Covering the Kangaroo Route in a scheduled time of 70 hours.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1945-06-02 |title=From London By Air In 70 Hours |work=Sydney Morning Herald |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article27936594 |access-date=2023-10-17}}</ref>

===== Route normalization - Eastern legs (April 1946) =====
On 7 April 1946 - Qantas ended its Indian Ocean Service, and reverted the Kangaroo Route back via Darwin and Singapore.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1946-04-08 |title=To Singapore By Air - Service Resumed |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/17975101 |access-date=2023-10-17}}</ref>  For the first time flying directly from Sydney to Darwin to Singapore, eliminating all previous domestic Australian stops.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1946-02-19 |title=DARWIN BACK AS AIR GATEWAY |work=Courier-Mail |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article50263539 |access-date=2023-10-17}}</ref> BOAC and Qantas service combined to operate the Kangaroo Route from Sydney to London time in a new record of 63 hours.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1946-04-04 |title=Singapore Air Route Reopened |work=Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article140618959 |access-date=2023-10-17}}</ref>

===Multiple stops (1947–1974)===
[[File:Lockheed_L1049_VH-EAK_Qantas_LAP_04.06.55_edited-2.jpg|thumb|The Qantas Super Constellation ''"Southern Mist"'' landing at Heathrow Airport in 1955 after operating the Kangaroo route in 9 hops.]]
[[File:G-APDC DH106 Comet 4 and Qantas 707 LHR 02SEP63.jpg|thumb|A Qantas [[Boeing 707]] behind a [[De Havilland Comet]] of [[British Overseas Airways Corporation]] at Heathrow in 1963]]

In 1947, Qantas took over complete operation of the route from Australia to The United Kingdom utilizing their new Lockheed Constellations. BOAC would continue to run its own service in parallel. Qantas first flew the Kangaroo Route on 1 December 1947. A [[Lockheed Constellation]] carried 29 passengers and 11 crew from Sydney to London with stops in [[Parap Airfield|Darwin]], Singapore, [[Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport|Calcutta]], [[Jinnah International Airport|Karachi]], [[Almaza Air Base|Cairo]], and [[Tripoli International Airport|Tripoli]] (passengers stayed overnight in Singapore and Cairo).<ref>{{Cite news |date=1947-12-08 |title=New Sydney-London Link Completed By Constellation |work=Sydney Morning Herald |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article18052741 |access-date=2023-10-17}}</ref> A return fare was £585 ({{Inflation|AU|585*2|1947|r=-2|fmt=eq}}), equivalent to 130 weeks average pay.<ref>{{cite news | last = Creedy | first = Steve | title = Qantas' Kangaroo route 60th birthday | publisher = news.com.au | date = 30 November 2007 | url = http://www.news.com.au/travel/story/0,26058,22847036-5014090,00.html | access-date = 10 January 2008 | archive-date = 1 December 2007 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071201223903/http://www.news.com.au/travel/story/0,26058,22847036-5014090,00.html | url-status = dead }}</ref>

In the 1950s and 1960s some Qantas Kangaroo Routes featured other stops, including [[Frankfurt Airport|Frankfurt]], [[Zurich Airport|Zürich]], [[Ciampino–G. B. Pastine International Airport|Rome]], [[Ellinikon International Airport|Athens]], [[Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport|Beirut]], [[Mehrabad International Airport|Tehran]], [[Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport|Bombay]], and [[Bandaranaike International Airport|Colombo]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/264566/1955-qantas-network|title=1955: QANTAS Network}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=1 Jun 1961 |title=Qantas Timetable (effective 1 June 1961) |url=http://www.timetableimages.com/ttimages/qf/qf6106/qf616-03.jpg |access-date=20 Mar 2023 |website=Timetable Images}}</ref> In May 1958 the Kangaroo Route had 11 westward flights a week: four Qantas [[Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation|Super Constellations]], four BOAC [[Bristol Britannia|Britannia]]s, and one Air India Super Constellation from Sydney to London, one KLM Super Constellation Sydney to Amsterdam, and one [[Transports Aériens Intercontinentaux|TAI]] [[Douglas DC-6|Douglas DC-6B]] Auckland to Paris. In February 1959 Qantas' fastest Super Constellation took 63 hr 45 min Sydney to Heathrow and BOAC's Britannia took 49 hr 25 min. Jet flights (Qantas with [[Boeing 707]]) started in 1959; in April 1960 the fastest trip from Sydney to London was 34 hr 30 min with eight stops.

In the late 1950s, Qantas had a round-the-world network, flying Australia to Europe westward on the Kangaroo Route and eastward on the [[Southern Cross Route]] (via the [[Pacific Ocean]]).<ref name="kangaroo_southerncross" /> In 1964 Qantas started a third route to London via Tahiti, [[Mexico]], and the [[Caribbean]], called the Fiesta Route.<ref>{{cite web|title=1974: QANTAS Network|url=https://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/261609/1974-qantas-network/}}</ref> Qantas dropped its Southern Cross Route and Fiesta Route in 1975. By 1969, Qantas had 11 Kangaroo Route flights a week from Sydney to London, taking 29–32 hours with 5–6 stops each; BOAC's 7-9 weekly flights previously had 7 stops.

In 1971 Qantas added [[Boeing 747]]s, reducing the travel time and number of stops (in the late 1970s flights typically stopped at Singapore and [[Bahrain International Airport|Bahrain]]). Fares fell, opening air travel to more people with more competition.

=== One-stop flights (1974–2018) ===
[[File:Qantas b747 over houses arp.jpg|thumb|A Qantas [[Boeing 747-400]] overflying [[Myrtle Avenue, Hounslow]] on final approach to Heathrow]]
[[File:VH-OQF A380 Qantas (6058867734).jpg|thumb|A Qantas [[Airbus A380]] at Heathrow]]

In April 1974 Qantas commenced operating a one stop service from [[Perth Airport|Perth]] to London with only one stop in [[Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport|Bombay]] with [[Boeing 707]]s.<ref>One stop to London ''[[Freight & Container Transportation]]'' April 1974 page 3</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Transport |first=Australia Dept of |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=O5IiAQAAMAAJ&q=Sydney+/+Perth+/+Bombay |title=Australian Transport |publisher=Australian Government Pub. Service. |year= 1973|pages=28 |language=en}}</ref>

In 1989 Qantas set a world distance record for commercial jets when a [[Boeing 747-400]], the [[City of Canberra (aircraft)|''City of Canberra'' (VH-OJA)]], flew non-stop from London to Sydney in just over 20 hours (with special fuel<ref>{{Cite news|date=2019-08-16|title=Top-secret London-to-Sydney flight broke a record and made aviation history|language=en-AU|work=ABC News|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-08-17/30-years-since-qantas-top-secret-london-to-sydney-flight/11413346|access-date=2022-01-19}}</ref> and without passengers or cargo). This was the only nonstop flight ever made between both cities for the next 3 decades.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.qantas.com.au/travel/airlines/history-boeing/global/en | title = Boeing Aircraft Take Qantas Further | publisher = Qantas Airways Limited | access-date = 30 October 2012 }}</ref>

Starting in January 2009, Qantas began utilising its new A380 aircraft on the Kangaroo Route, raising its capacity to 450 passengers per flight.<ref>{{Cite news |date=16 Jan 2009 |title=Qantas Commences A380 Services to Singapore and the UK |url=https://www.qantas.com/au/en/about-us/news-room/news-room-archives.html?archive=jan-2009/3874 |access-date=29 Feb 2024 |work=Qantas News Room}}</ref>

As part of a partnership approved in 2013 with [[Emirates (airline)|Emirates]], Qantas announced that its services to London would stop in [[Dubai International Airport|Dubai]] rather than Singapore, beginning that same year.<ref name="QFandEmirates">{{cite web | url = http://www.qantasandemirates.com/pages.html#asia | title = QANTAS and Emirates | publisher = QANTAS | access-date = 9 September 2012 | quote = Our Asian services will no longer be a subsidiary of the 'Kangaroo Route', they will be dedicated to connecting Australians with our region, and Asian visitors to Australia. | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130118210222/http://www.qantasandemirates.com/pages.html#asia | archive-date = 18 January 2013 | url-status = dead }}</ref> Qantas also announced that its services to [[Frankfurt Airport|Frankfurt]] via Singapore would be discontinued in April 2013, leaving London as its only European destination.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.ausbt.com.au/qantas-bids-farewell-to-frankfurt | title=Qantas bids farewell to Frankfurt | publisher=Australian Business Traveller | first=David | last=Flynn | date=17 April 2013 | access-date=26 March 2018 }}</ref>

In 2017, Qantas announced a renewal of this partnership for another 5 years with the modification of the Qantas' Kangaroo Route reverting to operating with  a stopover in Singapore instead of Dubai from 25 March 2018.<ref>{{Cite news |date=31 Aug 2017 |title=QANTAS AND EMIRATES TO EXTEND PARTNERSHIP |url=https://www.qantasnewsroom.com.au/media-releases/qantas-and-emirates-to-extend-partnership/ |access-date=29 Feb 2024 |work=Qantas News Room}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=1 Sep 2017 |title=Qantas Reroutes London Flights Through Singapore |url=https://www.qantas.com/travelinsider/en/trending/qantas-reroutes-london-flights-through-singapore.html |access-date=29 Feb 2024 |work=Qantas Travel Insider}}</ref>

===Non-stop flights (2018– )===
[[File:Airbus A350 1041 MSN 59 F-WMIL at Paris Air Show June 2019 (5).jpg|thumb|Qantas selected the [[A350-1000]] for non-stop flights]]

Non-stop flights from Perth to London commenced in March 2018 with [[Boeing 787]]s,<ref>{{cite web|last=Taylor|first=Ellis|url=https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/qantas-hails-successful-first-year-of-perth-london-f-456896/|title=Qantas hails successful first year of Perth-London flights|work=flightglobal.com|date=26 March 2019|access-date=1 October 2019}}</ref> with the Kangaroo route becoming a non-stop route for the first time, while also connecting Australia and Europe via a non-stop route for the first time. These flights operate out of Perth's Terminal 3 rather than the traditional T1 in order to facilitate seamless transfers from Qantas domestic flights. The route also opens up the possibility of further direct flights to Europe from Perth such as Rome (launched June 2022)<ref>{{Cite news |date=June 25, 2022 |title=QANTAS FLIGHTS FROM AUSTRALIA DIRECT TO ROME TAKE OFF |work=Qantas |url=https://www.qantasnewsroom.com.au/media-releases/qantas-flights-from-australia-direct-to-rome-take-off/ |access-date=Nov 25, 2022}}</ref> and Paris (launched July 2024).<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-07-03 |title=What to expect from Qantas' non-stop flights to Paris - Executive Traveller |url=https://www.executivetraveller.com/news/qantas-sydney-perth-paris-flights |access-date=2024-07-11 |website=www.executivetraveller.com |language=en}}</ref>

In late March 2020, prior to Qantas cutting all international services due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], several repatriation flights were operated with a routing of Sydney-[[Darwin International Airport|Darwin]]-London.<ref>{{Cite news |date=25 Mar 2020 |title=Qantas to fly first non-stop route from Darwin to Heathrow to return stranded Brits to UK amid coronavirus crisis |url=https://www.itv.com/news/2020-03-25/coronavirus-qantas-to-operate-first-non-stop-flight-from-darwin-to-heathrow |access-date=29 Feb 2024 |work=ITV News}}</ref> The Singaporean government had banned transit passengers and airspace in the [[Middle East]] was closed, due to the pandemic. This was the first time an Airbus A380 flew nonstop between Australia and Europe.<ref>{{Cite web |last=O'Hare |first=Maureen |date=2020-03-25 |title=Qantas A380 makes historic direct flight from Australia to London |url=https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/qantas-a380-nonstop-australia-london/index.html |access-date=2024-02-29 |website=CNN |language=en}}</ref>

In November 2021, Qantas resumed non-stop Kangaroo Route flights, this time from Darwin to London<ref>{{Cite news |date=Oct 8, 2021 |title=QANTAS TO FLY KANGAROO ROUTE TO LONDON VIA DARWIN |work=Qantas.com |url=https://www.qantasnewsroom.com.au/media-releases/qantas-flights-from-australia-direct-to-rome-take-off/ |access-date=Nov 25, 2022}}</ref> before resuming the non-stop route between Perth and London in May 2022 following the reopening of Western Australia for international travel.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-05-04 |title=Qantas to resume Perth-London flights on May 23 - Executive Traveller |url=https://www.executivetraveller.com/news/qantas-restarts-perth-london-flights |access-date=2022-11-29 |website=www.executivetraveller.com |language=en}}</ref>

== Qantas' evolution of the Kangaroo Route ==
Since its founding in 1935, Qantas has evolved the Kangaroo Route over time in terms of "hops" (routings), duration, and aircraft used.  Illustrated in the below table are snapshots of that ongoing evolution over the years.

{| class="wikitable"
!Year
!Number of stops
!Total duration{{ref|noteA|note}}
! style=width:30em | Route (From-via-To)
!Aircraft and operator
!Passengers
|-
|1935
|38<ref name="1935timetable"/><ref name="1935timetablemap">{{Cite web |date=1935 |title=Imperial Airways Timetable 1935 |url=http://www.timetableimages.com/ttimages/complete/iaw35aus/iaw35u-3.jpg |access-date=20 Feb 2023 |website=Timetableimages.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.southampton.ac.uk/~assets/doc/library-archives/MS62_MB32_13_EM_1935_Jan-Jun.pdf |title=Lady Mountbatten's Diary |quote="A Passenger on part (Charleville-Brindisi) of the first Kangaroo Route flight" |year=1935 |volume=13, Jan-Jun 1935 |pages=107–118}}</ref>
|12.5 days<ref name="1935timetable">{{Cite web |date=1935 |title=Imperial Airways Timetable 1935 |url=http://www.timetableimages.com/ttimages/complete/iaw35aus/iaw35u-2.jpg |access-date=20 Feb 2023 |website=Timetableimages.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Imperial Airways Map of Empire & European Air Routes. |url=https://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~267441~90041892:Imperial-Airways-Map-of-Empire-&-Eu |access-date=2023-03-02 |website=www.davidrumsey.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{citation |date=2016-12-23 |title=Vintage Maps Rekindle the Romance of Early Air Travel |url=https://i.natgeofe.com/n/da6ebba9-7b6e-4d8e-842c-8c21e5b777c5/5-Empire-Routes-gold.jpg |access-date=2023-03-07 |website=National Geographic |language=en|quote="Image 5 of 10 shows Brisbane to London service as of April 1, 1935 (sans labels)"}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Jarvis |first=Paul |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SU0dDAAAQBAJ&q=brisbane |title=Mapping the Airways |date=2016-04-15 |publisher=Amberley Publishing Limited |isbn=978-1-4456-5465-2 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="1937timetable">{{Cite web |date=11 Nov 1937 |title=Qantas Empire Airways Timetable |url=http://www.timetableimages.com/ttimages/qf/qf3711/qf3711-2.jpg |access-date=20 Feb 2023 |website=Timetableimages.com}}</ref>
|'''Brisbane'''
{{smalldiv|1=
{{block indent|1={{Collapsible list
 |framestyle=border:none; padding:0; <!--as above-->
 |title=Stops 1-17 operated by [[History of Qantas|Qantas Empire Airways]]
|1=1. Roma
|2=2. Charleville
|3=3. Blackall
|4=4. Longreach
|5=5. Winton
|6=6. Cloncurry
|7=7. Mt. Isa
|8=8. Camooweal
|9=9. Brunette Downs
|10=10. Newcastle Waters
|11=11. Daly Waters
|12=12. Darwin
|13=13. Koepang (Kupang, Indonesia)
|14=14. Rambang (Lombok, Indonesia)
|15=15. Sourabaya (Surabaya, Indonesia)
|16=16. Batavia (Jakarta, Indonesia)
|17=17. Singapore
}}

{{Collapsible list|class=nowrap
 |framestyle=border:none; padding:0; <!--as above-->
 |title=Stops 18-27 operated by Indian Trans-Continental Airways
|18=18. Alor Setar, Kedah (Malaysia)
|19=19. Bangkok
|20=20. Rangoon (Yangon)
|21=21. Akyab (Sittwe)
|22=22. Calcutta (Kolkata)
|23=23. Allahabad
|24=24. Cawnpore (Kanpur)
|25=25. Delhi
|26=26. Jodhpur
|27=27. Karachi
}}

{{Collapsible list
 |framestyle=border:none; padding:0; <!--as above-->
 |title=Stops 28-38 operated by [[Imperial Airways]]
|28=28. Gwadar
|29=29. Sharjah (Sharjah, UAE)
|30=30. Bahrain
|31=31. Basra
|32=32. Baghdad
|33=33. Gaza, Palestine (Tel Aviv, Israel)
|34=34. Alexandria
|35=35. Mirabello
|36=36. Athens
|37=37. Brindisi
|38=38. Paris '''''via Train'''''
}}
}}
}}
'''Croydon''' <small>(then train to London)</small>
|{{smalldiv|1=[[Dh-86|De Havilland 86]] (Qantas Empire Airways)<ref name="express">{{Cite web |date=2018-03-24 |title=A look back at air travel as Qantas' non-stop flight to London leaves Perth {{!}} Express Digest |url=https://expressdigest.com/a-look-back-at-air-travel-as-qantas-non-stop-flight-to-london-leaves-perth/ |access-date=2023-03-06 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Statistics |first=c=AU; o=Commonwealth of Australia; ou=Australian Bureau of |date=1986-05-07 |title=Feature Article - QANTAS Serves Australia - From the Queensland Outback to the World (Feature Article) |url=https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/featurearticlesbytitle/6DBFF5D31560FA49CA2569DE0028B3FE?OpenDocument |access-date=2023-03-06 |website=www.abs.gov.au |language=en}}</ref><br/>[[Armstrong Whitworth Atalanta]] (Indian Trans-continental Airways)<br/>[[Handley Page H.P.42#H.P.42|Handley Page H.P.42]] "Hannibal"  (Imperial Airways)<br/>[[Handley Page H.P.42#H.P.45|Handley Page H.P.45]] "Heracles" (Imperial Airways)<ref name="heracles">{{Cite web |date=2023-01-04 |title=31 stops, fares from £10,834 and sandwiches courtesy of the co-pilot – the first flight from Britain to Australia |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/oceania/australia/articles/history-of-kangaroo-route-flights-from-uk-to-australia/ |access-date=2023-03-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230104141355/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/oceania/australia/articles/history-of-kangaroo-route-flights-from-uk-to-australia/ |archive-date=4 January 2023 }}</ref>}}
|9<ref name="express"/>
|-
|1937
|41<ref name="1937timetable"/><ref name="1935timetablemap" />
|12.5 days<ref>{{Cite web |date=1937 |title=Imperial Airways Timetable July 1937 |url=https://www.timetableimages.com/ttimages/iaw/iaw3707/iaw377-1.jpg |access-date=20 Feb 2023 |website=Timetableimages.com}}</ref>
|'''Brisbane'''
{{smalldiv|1=
{{block indent|1={{Collapsible list
 |framestyle=border:none; padding:0; <!--as above-->
 |title=Stops 1-18 operated by [[History of Qantas|Qantas Empire Airways]]
|1=1. Roma
|2=2. Charleville
|3=3. Blackall
|4=4. Longreach
|5=5. Winton
|6=6. Cloncurry
|7=7. Mt. Isa
|8=8. Camooweal
|9=9. Avon Downs
|10=10. Newcastle Waters
|11=11. Daly Waters
|12=12. Katherine
|13=13. Darwin
|14=14. Koepang (Kupang, Indonesia)
|15=15. Rambang (Lombok, Indonesia)
|16=16. Sourabaya (Surabaya, Indonesia)
|17=17. Batavia (Jakarta, Indonesia)
|18=18. Singapore
}}

{{Collapsible list|class=nowrap
 |framestyle=border:none; padding:0; <!--as above-->
 |title=Stops 19-28 operated by Indian Trans-Continental Airways
|19=19. Penang
|20=20. Bangkok
|21=21. Rangoon (Yangon)
|22=22. Akyab (Sittwe)
|23=23. Calcutta (Kolkata)
|24=24. Allahabad
|25=25. Cawnpore (Kanpur)
|26=26. Delhi
|27=27. Jodhpur
|28=28. Karachi
}}

{{Collapsible list
 |framestyle=border:none; padding:0; <!--as above-->
 |title=Stops 29-41 operated by [[Imperial Airways]]
|29=29. Gwadar
|30=30. Sharjah (Sharjah, UAE)
|31=31. Bahrain
|32=32. Kuwait
|33=33. Basra
|34=34. Baghdad
|35=35. Gaza, Palestine (Tel Aviv, Israel)
|36=36. Alexandria
|37=37. Athens
|38=38. Brindisi
|39=39. Rome
|40=40. Marseilles
|41=41. Macon
}}
}}
}}
'''Southampton, England''' <small>(then train to London)</small>
|{{smalldiv|1=[[Dh-86|De Havilland 86]] (Qantas Empire Airways)<br/>[[Armstrong Whitworth Atalanta]] (Indian Trans-continental Airways)<br/>[[Handley Page H.P.42#H.P.42|Handley Page H.P.42]] "Hannibal" (Imperial Airways)<br/>[[Handley Page H.P.42#H.P.45|Handley Page H.P.45]] "Heracles" (Imperial Airways)}}
|9
|-
|1938
|35<ref name="1938timetable">{{Cite web |date=1 Oct 1938 |title=Qantas Empire Airways Timetable |url=http://www.timetableimages.com/ttimages/qf/qf3810/qf3810-2.jpg |access-date=20 Feb 2023 |website=Timetableimages.com}}</ref><ref name="longesthop">{{Citation |title=The Longest Hop - Qantas' Kangaroo Route |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZZQhXznH4k |language=en |date=30 Nov 2007|access-date=2023-03-03}}</ref>
|9 days 20 hours<ref name="1938timetable" />
|'''Sydney'''

{{smalldiv|1=
{{block indent|1={{Collapsible list
 |framestyle=border:none; padding:0; <!--as above-->
 |title=Stops 1-12 operated by Qantas Empire Airways
|1=1. Brisbane
|2=2. Gladstone
|3=3. Townsville
|4=4. Karumba
|5=5. Groote Eylandt
|6=6. Darwin
|7=7. Koepang (Kupang, Indonesia)
|8=8. Bima (Bima, Indonesia)
|9=9. Sourabaya (Surabaya, Indonesia)
|10=10. Batavia (Jakarta, Indonesia)
|11=11. Klabat Bay (Belinyu, Indonesia)
|12=12. Singapore
}}

{{Collapsible list
 |framestyle=border:none; padding:0; <!--as above-->
 |title=Stops 13-35 operated by Imperial Airways
|13=13. Penang
|14=14. Koh Samui
|15=15. Bangkok
|16=16. Rangoon (Yangon)
|17=17. Akyab (Sittwe)
|18=18. Calcutta (Kolkata)
|19=19. Allahabad
|20=20. Gwalior
|21=21. Rajsamand
|22=22. Karachi
|23=23. Gwadar
|24=24. Dubai (Dubai, UAE)
|25=25. Bahrain
|26=26. Basra
|27=27. Habbaniyeh
|28={{nowrap|28. Tiberias, Palestine (Tiberias, Israel)}}
|29=29. Alexandria
|30=30. Mirabello
|31=31. Athens
|32=32. Brindisi
|33=33. Rome
|34=34. Marseilles
|35=35. St. Nazaire
}}
}}
}}
'''Southampton, England''' <small>(then train to London)</small>
|{{smalldiv|1=[[Short Empire|Short S23 ‘C’ Class Empire flying boat]] (Qantas Empire Airways)<ref name="SydneySeaplanes">{{Cite web |title=Sydney Seaplanes |url=https://www.seaplanes.com.au/ |access-date=2023-03-01 |website=Sydney Seaplanes |language=en-US}}</ref><br/>[[Short Empire|Short S23 ‘C’ Class Empire flying boat]] (Imperial Airways)<ref>{{Cite web |date=16 Aug 1938 |title=Imperial Airways Summer Timetable 1938 |url=https://www.timetableimages.com/ttimages/complete/iaw38aus/iaw38u-2.jpg |access-date=20 Feb 2023 |website=TimeTableImages.com}}</ref>}}
|15<ref name="SydneySeaplanes" /><ref>{{Cite web |publisher=Woollahra Municipal Council |title=Flying Boats at War |url=https://www.woollahra.nsw.gov.au/library/local_history/world_war_2/stories_from_woollahra/flying_boats_at_war |access-date=2023-03-01 |website=www.woollahra.nsw.gov.au |language=en}}</ref>
|-
|1947
|6<ref name="1948timetable">{{Cite web |date=1 Sep 1948 |title=Kangaroo Service Air Timetable |url=http://www.timetableimages.com/ttimages/qf/qf4809/qf4809-2.jpg |access-date=20 Feb 2023 |website=Timetableimages.com |page=2}}</ref><ref name="longesthop" /><ref>{{Cite news |date=1947-12-03 |title=AVIATION NEWS |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article163716660 |access-date=2024-02-29 |work=Daily Commercial News and Shipping List}}</ref>
|3 days 20 hours<ref name="1948timetable" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Qantas celebrates 60th anniversary of "kangaroo route" |url=https://www.businesstraveller.com/airlines/2007/12/05/qantas-celebrates-60th-anniversary-of-kangaroo-route/ |access-date=2023-03-06 |website=Business Traveller |language=en-GB}}</ref>
|'''Sydney'''
{{smalldiv|1=
# Darwin
# Singapore
# Calcutta (Kolkata)
# Karachi
# Cairo
# Tripoli
}}
'''London'''
|[[Lockheed Constellation]]<ref name="1948timetable" /><ref>{{Citation |title=Qantas celebrates 80 years of international services |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGcsg_1-m8A |language=en |access-date=2023-03-02}}</ref>
|29<ref name="longesthop" />
|-
|1955
|8<ref name="timetable1955">{{Cite web |date=1 Nov 1955 |title=QANTAS Timetable 1955 |url=http://www.timetableimages.com/ttimages/qf/qf5511/qf5511-3.jpg |access-date=20 Feb 2023 |website=Timetableimages.com |page=4}}</ref>
|3 days 6 hours<ref name="timetable1955" />
|'''Sydney'''
{{smalldiv|1=
# Darwin
# Jakarta
# Singapore
# Bangkok
# Calcutta (Kolkata)
# Karachi
# Cairo
# Rome
}}
'''London'''
|[[Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation]]
|57<ref name="futurebook"/><ref name="Rimmer">{{Cite journal |last=Rimmer |first=Peter J. |date=2005 |title=Australia Through the Prism of Qantas: Distance Makes a Comeback |url=https://www.i-repository.net/contents/outemon/ir/501/501051212.pdf |journal=The Otemon Journal of Australian Studies |volume=31 |pages=145 |via=i-repository}}</ref>
|-
|1959
|8<ref name="1959timetable">{{Cite web |date=6 Nov 1959 |title=QANTAS Timetable 1959 |url=http://www.timetableimages.com/ttimages/qf/qf5911/qf5911-3.jpg |access-date=20 Feb 2023 |website=Timetableimages.com |page=4}}</ref>
|38 hours<ref name="1959timetable" />
|'''Sydney'''
{{smalldiv|1=
# Darwin
# Singapore
# Bangkok
# Calcutta (Kolkata)
# Karachi
# Bahrain
# Cairo
# Rome
}}
'''London'''
|[[Boeing 707|Boeing 707-138]]
|120<ref name="longesthop" /><ref name="Rimmer"/>
|-
|1965
|5<ref name="1965timetable">{{Cite web |date=1 Jul 1965|title=QANTAS Timetable 1965 |url=http://www.timetableimages.com/ttimages/qf/qf6507/qf657-03.jpg |access-date=20 Feb 2023 |website=Timetableimages.com |page=4}}</ref>
|30 hours<ref name="1965timetable" />
|'''Sydney'''
{{smalldiv|1=
# Singapore
# Calcutta (Kolkata)
# Karachi
# Cairo
# Rome
}}
'''London'''
|[[Boeing 707#707-320|Boeing 707-320]]
|220<ref name="futurebook">{{Cite book |last1=Yeoman |first1=Ian |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bkDADwAAQBAJ&pg=PT86 |title=The Future Past of Tourism: Historical Perspectives and Future Evolutions |last2=McMahon-Beattie |first2=Una |date=2019-12-06|publisher=Channel View Publications |isbn=978-1-84541-709-3 |language=en}}</ref>
|-
|1971
|2<ref name="historyofflights">{{Cite web |last=LondonAirTravel |date=2022-05-01 |title=The History Of Flight Between The UK and Australia From 1935 Onwards |url=https://londonairtravel.com/2022/05/02/history-of-flight-uk-australia/ |access-date=2023-03-01 |website=London Air Travel |language=en-US}}</ref>
|26 hours<ref name="ShortestRoute">{{Cite web |date=2018-01-05 |title=Shortest Air Route between London and Sydney, 1955 – 2025 {{!}} The Geography of Transport Systems |url=https://transportgeography.org/contents/chapter5/air-transport/london-sydney-air-routes/ |access-date=2023-03-01 |language=en-US}}</ref>
|'''Sydney'''
{{smalldiv|1=
# Singapore
# Bahrain
}}
'''London'''
|[[Boeing 747#747-200|Boeing 747-200B]]
|356<ref>{{Cite news |date=1971-08-15 |title=Australia and U.S. Seek to Protect Airlines in Dispute Over Commercial Flights |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1971/08/15/archives/australia-and-us-seek-to-protect-airlines-in-dispute-over.html |access-date=2023-03-01 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=LondonAirTravel |date=2020-11-12 |title=How Qantas Boeing 747 Aircraft Transformed Flying To Australia |url=https://londonairtravel.com/2020/11/12/qantas-uk-history-boeing-747/ |access-date=2023-03-01 |website=London Air Travel |language=en-US}}</ref>
|-
|1977
|1<ref name="historyofflights" />
|23 hours<ref name="longesthop" />
|'''Perth'''
{{smalldiv|1=
# Bombay (Mumbai)
}}
'''London'''
|[[Boeing 747#747-200|Boeing 747-200B]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Boeing 747-200 · The Encyclopedia of Aircraft David C. Eyre |url=https://aeropedia.com.au/content/boeing-747-200/ |access-date=2023-03-01 |website=Aeropedia |language=en-US}}</ref>
|436<ref>{{Cite web |title=Boeing 747-200 · The Encyclopedia of Aircraft David C. Eyre |url=https://aeropedia.com.au/content/boeing-747-200/ |access-date=2023-03-02 |website=Aeropedia |language=en-US}}</ref>
|-
|1990
|1<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-11-21 |title=Qantas retires its very first Boeing 747-400 - Executive Traveller |url=https://www.executivetraveller.com/qantas-retires-its-first-boeing-747-400 |access-date=2023-03-01 |website=www.executivetraveller.com |language=en}}</ref>
|24 hours<ref name="futurebook" />
|'''Sydney'''
{{smalldiv|1=
# Singapore
}}
'''London'''
|[[Boeing 747#747-400|Boeing 747-400]]
|412<ref>{{Cite news |last=Creedy |first=Steve |date=30 November 2007 |title=Qantas' Kangaroo route 60th birthday |work=News.com.au |url=http://www.news.com.au/travel/story/0,26058,22847036-5014090,00.html |url-status=dead |access-date=20 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071201223903/http://www.news.com.au/travel/story/0,26058,22847036-5014090,00.html |archive-date=1 December 2007}}</ref>
|-
|2013
|1<ref>{{Citation |title=Qantas and Emirates Partnership |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2_BexTfI4k |language=en |access-date=2023-03-02}}</ref>
|23 hours 30 min<ref name="centreforaviation.com">{{Cite web |title=Qantas presses ahead with post-Emirates European & Asian restructure as competitors show no leniency |url=https://centreforaviation.com/analysis/reports/qantas-presses-ahead-with-post-emirates-european--asian-restructure-as-competitors-show-no-leniency-84507 |access-date=2023-03-01 |website=CAPA - Centre for Aviation |language=en}}</ref>
|'''Sydney'''
{{smalldiv|1=
# Dubai (''aka ˈThe Falcon Routeˈ'')<ref>{{Cite web |title=Qantas and Emirates announce "global partnership" replacing BA joint venture |url=https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/12960-qantas-and-emirates-announce-global-partnership-replacing-ba-joint-venture |access-date=2023-03-01 |website=ch-aviation |language=en}}</ref>
}}
'''London'''
|[[Airbus A380|Airbus A380-800]]<ref name="centreforaviation.com"/>
|484<ref>{{Cite news|title=Qantas receives first reconfigured A380 |url=https://australianaviation.com.au/2012/06/qantas-receives-first-reconfigured-a380/ |access-date=2023-03-02 |magazine=[[Australian Aviation]]|location=[[Sydney]]|publisher=Momentum Media |language=en-AU}}</ref><ref name="futurebook"/>
|-
|2018
|0
|17 hours 20 min<ref>{{Cite web |title=QANTAS opens Perth – London bookings for March 2018 launch |url=https://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/272575/qantas-opens-perth-london-bookings-for-march-2018-launch/ |access-date=2023-03-02 |website=Routes |language=en-GB}}</ref>
|'''Perth'''
'''London'''
|[[Boeing 787 Dreamliner|Boeing 787-9]]
|236<ref>{{Cite web |last=Spotters |first=Sebastián Polito-Vuelos y |date=2022-05-23 |title=Qantas resumes flights between Perth and London |url=https://www.aviacionline.com/2022/05/qantas-resumes-flights-between-perth-and-london/ |access-date=2023-03-01 |website=Aviacionline.com |language=es}}</ref>
|-
|''2026''<ref name=":4" />
|''0''<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-05-02 |title=Qantas promises direct flights from Sydney to London and New York |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |location=London|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-61294894 |access-date=2023-03-01}}</ref>
|''20 hours (estimated)''<ref>{{Cite press release |date=15 November 2019 |title=Qantas Flew Non-stop from London to Sydney in Less Than 20 Hours |url=https://www.qantas.com/travelinsider/en/trending/london-sydney-non-stop-long-haul-qantas-flight-project-sunrise.html |access-date=20 February 2023 |publisher=[[Qantas]]|location=[[Sydney]]}}</ref>
|'''''Sydney'''''
'''''London'''''
|''[[Airbus A350#A350-1000|Airbus A350-1000]]''
|''238''<ref>{{Cite news |last=Graham |first=Matt |date=2022-05-02 |title=Qantas Reveals Ultra-Long Range Airbus A350-1000 Seats |url=https://www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au/qantas-reveals-a350-1000-seats/ |access-date=2023-03-01 |work=Australian Frequent Flyer |location=[[Melbourne]]|language=en-US}}</ref>
|}

''Note: {{note|noteA||Duration is total elapsed travel time westbound (including stops)}}''

==Competing one-stop flights==
While "The Kangaroo Route™ " is a trademarked term belonging to Qantas,<ref name=":3" /> it is often [[genericized]] by the media, other operators, and even Qantas themselves to refer to all flights between Australia and the United Kingdom.

Today Qantas remains the sole operator of "The Kangaroo Route" as well as the only nonstop flight between Australia and the United Kingdom.  British Airways continues to operate its legacy route it has served since 1935 when it was Imperial Airways,<ref>{{Cite web |last=LondonAirTravel |date=2019-08-09 |title=A History Of Imperial Airways, BOAC And British Airways In Australia |url=https://londonairtravel.com/2019/08/09/british-airways-100-years-australia/ |access-date=2024-02-29 |website=London Air Travel |language=en-US}}</ref> offering the only other [[direct flight]] from Australia to the United Kingdom.

Forming a competitive market, there are over 20 airlines operating competing one-stop flights from Australia to the United Kingdom via the Eastern Hemisphere as seen in the table below:{{Table alignment}}<!-- Load order for table:
Country of origin
Airline
City of hub/connecting airport
Airports serving Australian cities
Airports serving UK cities

Note: Territory is Hong Kong, China -->

{| class="wikitable sortable col1right"
|+ Competing one-stop Australia-United Kingdom flights<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.flightconnections.com/flights-from-lhr-to-syd |work= Flight connections |title= Flights from London Heathrow to Sydney}}</ref>''(sorted by transiting country)''
!{{flagicon|AUS}} Origin
!Airline
!Transit
!{{Flagicon|UK}} Destination
|-
| Melbourne, Sydney
! [[Air China]]<ref name="CA-PEK">{{Cite web |title=Direct nonstop flights (Operated by CA from GB-AUS) |url=https://www.flightsfrom.com/PEK?from=PEK&airlines=CA&countries=GB,AU&state=1 |access-date=15 March 2023 |website=FlightsFrom}}</ref>
| {{Flagicon|China}} [[Beijing Capital International Airport|Beijing–Capital]]
| Gatwick, Heathrow
|-
|Melbourne, Sydney
![[Beijing Capital Airlines]]<ref name="JD">{{Cite web |title=Direct nonstop flights (Operated by JD from GB-AUS) |url=https://www.flightsfrom.com/TAO?from=TAO&airlines=JD&countries=GB,AU&state=1 |access-date=21 March 2023 |website=FlightsFrom}}</ref>
|{{Flagicon|China}} [[Qingdao Jiaodong International Airport|Qingdao]]
|Heathrow
|-
|Brisbane, Cairns, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney
![[China Eastern]]<ref name="MU">{{Cite web |title=Direct nonstop flights (Operated by MU from GB-AUS) |url=https://www.flightsfrom.com/PVG?from=PVG&airlines=MU&countries=GB,AU&state=1 |access-date=15 March 2023 |website=FlightsFrom}}</ref>
|{{Flagicon|China}} [[Shanghai Pudong International Airport|Shanghai–Pudong]]
|Gatwick, Heathrow
|-
|Melbourne, Sydney
! rowspan="2" |[[China Southern]]<ref name="CZ">{{Cite web |title=Direct nonstop flights (Operated by CZ from GB-AUS) |url=https://www.flightsfrom.com/CAN?from=CAN&airlines=CZ&countries=GB,AU&state=1 |access-date=15 March 2023 |website=FlightsFrom}}</ref><ref name="CZ-PKX">{{Cite web |title=Direct nonstop flights (Operated by CZ from GB-AUS via PKX) |url=https://www.flightsfrom.com/PKX?from=PKX&airlines=CZ&countries=GB,AU&state=1 |access-date=2 Oct 2024 |website=FlightsFrom}}</ref>
|{{Flagicon|China}} [[Beijing Daxing International Airport|Beijing–Daxing]]
|Heathrow
|-
| Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney
| {{Flagicon|China}} [[Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport|Guangzhou]]
| Gatwick,<ref>{{Cite web |title=China Southern Adds Guangzhou – London Gatwick From late-June 2024 |url=https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/240126-czjun24lgw |access-date=2024-01-26 |website=AeroRoutes |language=en-CA}}</ref> Heathrow
|-
|Melbourne, Sydney
![[Hainan Airlines]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=List of destinations & airlines from Kingsford Smith International Airport, Sydney - FlightsFrom.com |url=https://www.flightsfrom.com/explorer/SYD?mapview#/HAK |access-date=2025-01-02 |website=www.flightsfrom.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=List of destinations & airlines from Heathrow, London - FlightsFrom.com |url=https://www.flightsfrom.com/explorer/LHR?mapview#/CSX |access-date=2025-01-02 |website=www.flightsfrom.com |language=en}}</ref>
|{{Flagicon|China}} [[Haikou Meilan International Airport|Haikou]]
|Heathrow{{NoteTag|name=HU-CSX|Routes operates with stopover in Changsha, as flight number HU7963/4. The same aircraft is used}}
|-
|Melbourne, Sydney
![[Juneyao Air]]<ref name="HO">{{Cite web |title=Direct nonstop flights (Operated by HO from GB-AUS) |url=https://www.flightsfrom.com/PVG?from=PVG&airlines=HO&countries=GB,AU&state=1 |access-date=2 September 2024 |website=FlightsFrom |ref=HO-PVG}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Juneyao Air arrives at Sydney Airport |url=https://www.businesstraveller.com/business-travel/2024/12/18/juneyao-air-arrives-at-sydney-airport/ |access-date=2024-12-19 |website=Business Traveller |language=en-GB}}</ref>
|{{Flagicon|China}} [[Shanghai Pudong International Airport|Shanghai–Pudong]]
|Manchester
|-
| Sydney
! [[Tianjin Airlines]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Flights operated by GS between UK and Australia |url=https://www.flightsfrom.com/CKG?from=CKG&airlines=GS&countries=GB,AU&state=1 |access-date=27 Nov 2023 |website=FlightsFrom}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Tianjin Airlines Adds Chongqing – Sydney From late-Nov 2023 |url=https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/231016-gsnw23ckgsyd |access-date=2023-11-27 |website=AeroRoutes |language=en-CA}}</ref>
| {{Flagicon|China}} [[Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport|Chongqing]]
| Heathrow
|-
| Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney
! [[Cathay Pacific]]<ref name="CX">{{Cite web |title=Direct nonstop flights (Operated by CX from GB-AUS) |url=https://www.flightsfrom.com/HKG?from=HKG&airlines=CX&countries=GB,AU&state=1 |access-date=15 March 2023 |website=FlightsFrom}}</ref>
| {{flagicon|Hong Kong}} [[Hong Kong International Airport|Hong Kong]]
| Heathrow, Manchester
|-
| Melbourne
! rowspan="2" | [[Air India]]<ref name="AI_BOM">{{Cite web |title=Direct nonstop flights (Operated by AI from GB-AUS) |url=https://www.flightsfrom.com/BOM?from=BOM&airlines=AI&countries=GB,AU&state=1 |access-date=18 December 2023 |website=FlightsFrom}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Air India Schedules Mumbai – Melbourne Launch in Dec 2023 |url=https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/231101-aidec23bommel |access-date=2023-12-18 |website=AeroRoutes |language=en-CA}}</ref><ref name="AI">{{Cite web |title=Direct nonstop flights (Operated by AI from GB-AUS) |url=https://www.flightsfrom.com/DEL?from=DEL&airlines=AI&countries=GB,AU&state=1 |access-date=15 March 2023 |website=FlightsFrom}}</ref>
| {{flagicon|India}} [[Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport|Mumbai]]
| Heathrow
|-
| Melbourne, Sydney
| {{flagicon|India}} [[Indira Gandhi International Airport|New Delhi]]
| Heathrow, Birmingham
|-
| Sydney
! [[All Nippon Airways]]<ref name="NH">{{Cite web |title=Direct nonstop flights (Operated by NH from GB-AUS) |url=https://www.flightsfrom.com/HND?from=HND&airlines=NH&countries=GB,AU&state=1 |access-date=15 March 2023 |website=FlightsFrom}}</ref>
| rowspan="2" | {{Flagicon|Japan}} [[Haneda Airport|Tokyo–Haneda]]
| Heathrow
|-
| Sydney
! [[Japan Airlines]]<ref name="JL">{{Cite web |title=Direct nonstop flights (Operated by JL from GB-AUS) |url=https://www.flightsfrom.com/HND?from=HND&airlines=JL&countries=GB,AU&state=1 |access-date=26 Sep 2023 |website=FlightsFrom |ref=JL-HND}}</ref>
| Heathrow
|-
| Adelaide, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney
! [[Malaysia Airlines]]<ref name="MH">{{Cite web |title=Direct nonstop flights (Operated by MH from GB-AUS) |url=https://www.flightsfrom.com/KUL?from=KUL&airlines=MH&countries=GB,AU&state=1 |access-date=15 March 2023 |website=FlightsFrom}}</ref>
| {{flagicon|Malaysia}} [[Kuala Lumpur International Airport|Kuala Lumpur]]
| Heathrow
|-
| Perth
! [[Air Mauritius]]<ref name="MK">{{Cite web |title=Direct nonstop flights (Operated by MK from GB-AUS) |url=https://www.flightsfrom.com/MRU?from=MRU&airlines=MK&countries=GB,AU&state=1 |access-date=15 March 2023 |website=FlightsFrom}}</ref>
| {{flagicon|Mauritius}} [[Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport|Port Louis]]
| Gatwick
|-
| Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney
! [[Qatar Airways]]<ref name="QR">{{Cite web |title=Direct nonstop flights (Operated by QR from GB-AUS) |url=https://www.flightsfrom.com/DOH?from=DOH&airlines=QR&countries=GB,AU&state=1 |access-date=15 March 2023 |website=FlightsFrom}}</ref>
| {{flagicon|Qatar}} [[Hamad International Airport|Doha]]
| Birmingham, Edinburgh, Gatwick, Heathrow, Manchester
|-
| Perth
! rowspan="3" | [[Qantas]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Direct nonstop flights (Operated by QF from GB-AUS) |url=https://www.flightsfrom.com/PER?from=PER&airlines=QF&countries=AU&state=1 |access-date=15 March 2023 |website=FlightsFrom}}</ref><ref name="QF-SIN">{{Cite web |title=Direct nonstop flights (Operated by QF from GB-AUS) |url=https://www.flightsfrom.com/SIN?from=SIN&airlines=QF&countries=GB,AU&state=1 |access-date=15 March 2023 |website=FlightsFrom}}</ref>
! Non-Stop
| Heathrow
|-
| Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Darwin, Gold Coast,<ref>https://www.qantas.com/gb/en/qantas-experience/australian-domestic-flight-network.html#direct-flights-tofrom-and-within-western-australia</ref> Melbourne, Sydney, eight towns/cities in [[Western Australia|WA]]{{NoteTag|Exmouth, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Karratha, Newman, Onslow, Paraburdoo, Port Hedland}}
| {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Perth Airport|Perth]]
| Heathrow
|-
| Brisbane, Darwin, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney
| {{flagicon|Singapore}} [[Changi Airport|Singapore]]
| Heathrow
|-
| Sydney
! [[British Airways]]<ref name="BA">{{Cite web |title=Direct nonstop flights (Operated by BA from GB-AUS) |url=https://www.flightsfrom.com/SIN?from=SIN&airlines=BA&countries=GB,AU&state=1 |access-date=15 March 2023 |website=FlightsFrom}}</ref>
|{{flagicon|Singapore}} [[Changi Airport|Singapore]]
| Heathrow
|-
| Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney
! [[Singapore Airlines]]<ref name="SQ">{{Cite web |title=Direct nonstop flights (Operated by SQ from GB-AUS) |url=https://www.flightsfrom.com/SIN?from=SIN&airlines=SQ&countries=GB,AU&state=1 |access-date=15 March 2023 |website=FlightsFrom}}</ref>
|{{flagicon|Singapore}} [[Changi Airport|Singapore]]
| Gatwick,<ref>{{Cite web |title=SQ Press Release |url=https://www.singaporeair.com/en_UK/us/media-centre/press-release/article/?q=en_UK/2023/October-December/ne1323-231218}}</ref> Heathrow, Manchester
|-
| Melbourne, Sydney
! [[Asiana Airlines]]<ref name="OZ">{{Cite web |title=Direct nonstop flights (Operated by OZfrom GB-AUS) |url=https://www.flightsfrom.com/ICN?from=ICN&airlines=OZ&countries=GB,AU&state=1 |access-date=15 March 2023 |website=FlightsFrom}}</ref>
| rowspan="2" |{{Flagicon|South Korea}} [[Incheon International Airport|Seoul–Incheon]]
| Heathrow
|-
| Brisbane, Sydney
! [[Korean Air]]<ref name="KE">{{Cite web |title=Direct nonstop flights (Operated by KE from GB-AUS) |url=https://www.flightsfrom.com/ICN?from=ICN&airlines=KE&countries=GB,AU&state=1 |access-date=15 March 2023 |website=FlightsFrom}}</ref>
| Heathrow
|-
| Melbourne, Sydney
! [[SriLankan Airlines]]<ref name="UL">{{Cite web |title=Direct nonstop flights (Operated by UL from GB-AUS) |url=https://www.flightsfrom.com/CMB?from=CMB&airlines=UL&countries=GB,AU&state=1 |access-date=15 March 2023 |website=FlightsFrom}}</ref>
| {{flagicon|Sri Lanka}} [[Ratmalana Airport|Colombo]]
| Heathrow
|-
| Brisbane, Melbourne{{NoteTag|name=CI-AKL|Routes to Brisbane and Melbourne continue to Auckland, New Zealand.}}, Sydney
! [[China Airlines]]<ref name="CI">{{Cite web |title=Direct nonstop flights (Operated by CI from GB-AUS) |url=https://www.flightsfrom.com/TPE?from=TPE&airlines=CI&countries=GB,AU&state=1 |access-date=15 March 2023 |website=FlightsFrom}}</ref>
| {{Flagicon|Taiwan}} [[Taoyuan International Airport|Taipei–Taoyuan]]
| Heathrow
|-
|Brisbane
![[EVA Air]]
|{{Flagicon|Taiwan}} [[Taoyuan International Airport|Taipei–Taoyuan]]
|Heathrow{{NoteTag|name=BR-BKK|Routes operates with stopover in Bangkok, as flight number BR67/8. The same aircraft is used}}
|-
| Perth, Melbourne, Sydney
! [[Thai Airways]]<ref name="TG">{{Cite web |title=Direct nonstop flights (Operated by TG from GB-AUS) |url=https://www.flightsfrom.com/BKK?from=BKK&airlines=TG&countries=GB,AU&state=1 |access-date=15 March 2023 |website=FlightsFrom}}</ref>
| {{Flagicon|Thailand}} [[Suvarnabhumi Airport|Bangkok–Suvarnabhumi]]
| Heathrow
|-
|Melbourne{{NoteTag|name=TK-MEL|Flight operates with stopover in Singapore; operates as TK168/9}}, Sydney{{NoteTag|name=CI-SYD|Flight operates with stopover in Kuala Lumpur; operates as TK174/5}}
![[Turkish Airlines]]
|{{Flagicon|Turkey}} [[Istanbul Airport|Istanbul]]
|Birmingham, Edinburgh, Gatwick, Heathrow, Manchester
|-
| Melbourne, Sydney
! [[Etihad Airways]]<ref name="EY">{{Cite web |title=Direct nonstop flights (Operated by EY from GB-AUS) |url=https://www.flightsfrom.com/AUH?from=AUH&airlines=EY&countries=GB,AU&state=1 |access-date=15 March 2023 |website=FlightsFrom |ref=JL-HND}}</ref>
| {{flagicon|United Arab Emirates}} [[Zayed International Airport|Abu Dhabi]]
| Heathrow. Manchester
|-
| Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney
! [[Emirates (airline)|Emirates]]<ref name="EK">{{Cite web |title=Direct nonstop flights (Operated by EK from GB-AUS) |url=https://www.flightsfrom.com/DXB?from=DXB&airlines=EK&countries=GB,AU&state=1 |access-date=15 March 2023 |website=FlightsFrom}}</ref>
| {{flagicon|United Arab Emirates}} [[Dubai International Airport|Dubai]]
| Birmingham, Edinburgh,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Emirates returns to Edinburgh with a daily service |url=https://www.emirates.com/media-centre/emirates-returns-to-edinburgh-with-a-daily-service |access-date=2024-11-12 |website=Emirates returns to Edinburgh with a daily service |language=en-us}}</ref> Gatwick, Glasgow, Heathrow, Manchester, Newcastle, Stansted
|-
| Melbourne, Sydney
! rowspan="2" | [[Vietnam Airlines]]<ref name="VN-SGN">{{Cite web |title=Direct nonstop flights (Operated by VN from GB-AUS) |url=https://www.flightsfrom.com/SGN?from=SGN&airlines=VN&countries=GB,AU&state=1 |access-date=15 March 2023 |website=FlightsFrom}}</ref><ref name="VN-HAN">{{Cite web |title=Direct nonstop flights (Operated by VN from GB-AUS) |url=https://www.flightsfrom.com/HAN?from=HAN&airlines=VN&countries=GB,AU&state=1 |access-date=15 March 2023 |website=FlightsFrom}}</ref>
| {{flagicon|Vietnam}} [[Noi Bai International Airport|Hanoi]]
| Heathrow
|-
| Melbourne, Perth, Sydney
| {{flagicon|Vietnam}} [[Tan Son Nhat International Airport|Ho Chi Minh City]]
| Heathrow
|}

==Project Sunrise==
On 25 August 2017, Qantas announced Project Sunrise, aiming to fly non-stop from the East Coast of Australia (Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane) to London, Paris, Cape Town, Rio de Janeiro and New York City by 2022, and challenged [[Boeing]] and [[Airbus]] to create aircraft that can travel to such places without stopping.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.qantasnewsroom.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Project-Sunrise-Fact-Sheet.pdf | title=New opportunities for direct routes | date=25 August 2017 | publisher=Qantas | access-date=26 March 2018 }}</ref> Both Boeing and Airbus submitted proposals in 2019. Boeing announced some delays in the [[777-8|777-8X]] project in August 2019 after [[Etihad Airways]] dropped orders made in 2013, but the company made it clear that it remained in contention for Project Sunrise.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/boeing-aims-to-remain-in-qantas-project-sunrise-co-460294/ |title= Boeing aims to remain in Qantas 'Project Sunrise' contest |date= 15 Aug 2019 |first=David |last=Kaminski-Morrow |publisher= Flightglobal}}</ref>

On 18–20 October 2019, Qantas made a 19-hour test flight QF7879 with a Boeing 787-9 from [[John F. Kennedy International Airport|New York]] to [[Sydney Airport|Sydney]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/qantas-19-hour-flights-test-scli-intl/index.html/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190822175515/https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/qantas-19-hour-flights-test-scli-intl/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=22 August 2019 |title= Qantas 19 hour test flight |date= 19 October 2019 }}</ref> The next month, Qantas operated its first 19-20 hour test flight from [[Heathrow Airport|London]] to Sydney using again a Boeing 787-9.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/qantas-test-flight-london-sydney-nonstop/index.html|title=Experimental Qantas ultra-long-haul London to Sydney flight takes off|website=CNN|date=14 November 2019 |access-date=2019-11-15}}</ref> Two months later, on 13 December 2019, Qantas announced that their preferred aircraft for the project was the [[Airbus A350 XWB|Airbus A350-1000]]. The aircraft will have an additional fuel tank and slightly increased [[Maximum takeoff weight|MTOW]] to deliver the performance required on the Project Sunrise routes. Qantas stated they were working with Airbus to order up to 12 aircraft, with the final decision expected within 2020.<ref>{{Cite press release|url=https://www.qantasnewsroom.com.au/media-releases/qantas-update-on-project-sunrise/|title=Qantas Update on Project Sunrise|publisher=[[Qantas]]|location=[[Sydney]]|date=13 December 2019|access-date=13 December 2019}}</ref>

On 2 May 2022, after the project was put on hold for two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic,<ref>{{Cite news |date=5 May 2020 |title=Coronavirus puts Qantas Project Sunrise on hold |url=https://www.executivetraveller.com/news/coronavirus-qantas-project-sunrise-airbus-a350-on-hold/ |access-date=5 May 2020 |website=Executive Traveller}}</ref> Qantas placed a formal order for 12 Airbus A350-1000 aircraft for Project Sunrise flights to commence in "late 2025" between its first two routes: Sydney to London, and Sydney to New York.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |title=Project Sunrise |url=https://www.qantas.com/au/en/about-us/our-company/fleet/new-fleet/project-sunrise.html |access-date=29 January 2024 |publisher=[[Qantas]]|location=[[Sydney]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release |url= https://www.qantasnewsroom.com.au/media-releases/qantas-group-announces-major-aircraft-order-to-shape-its-future/ |title= Qantas group announces major aircraft order to shape its future |publisher=[[Qantas]]|location=[[Sydney]]|date= 2 May 2022}}</ref> The 238 seats will be split into 6 [[first class (aviation)|first class]] suites (three-abreast), 52 [[business class]] suites (four-abreast), 40 [[premium economy]] seats at 40″ pitch (eight-abreast) and 140 [[economy class]] seats at 33″ pitch (nine-abreast).<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.qantasnewsroom.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Qantas-Airbus-A350-Fact-Sheet.pdf |title= Airbus A350–1000 Fact sheet |publisher=[[Qantas]]|location=[[Sydney]] |date= May 2022}}</ref>
Qantas expects these ultra-long-haul flights to drive an annual earnings increase of A$400 million ($261 million) in the first full year with all 12 aircraft in service.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Chua |first1=Alfred |title=Qantas bets on Project Sunrise, international network in long-term earnings target |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/airlines/qantas-bets-on-project-sunrise-international-network-in-long-term-earnings-target/153479.article |work=Flight Global |date=30 May 2023 }}</ref>

In February 2024, Qantas announced that due to manufacturing delays (which were blamed on a regulator-required fuel tank redesign),<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Goh |first1=Brenda |last2=Menon |first2=Praveen |date=23 February 2024 |title=Airbus says Qantas A350 delivery delays due to need to redesign extra fuel tank |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/airbus-says-qantas-a350-1000-delivery-delays-due-need-redesign-fuel-tank-2024-02-22/ |work=Reuters|location=[[Sydney]]}}</ref> delivery of the A350-1000 aircraft would be delayed by six months, thus delaying the launch of the first project Sunrise flights until mid-2026.<ref>{{Cite press release |date=22 February 2024 |title=Qantas Group Profit in 1H24 Supports Continued Investment in Customers |url=https://www.qantasnewsroom.com.au/media-releases/qantas-group-profit-in-1h24-supports-continued-investment-in-customers/ |publisher=[[Qantas]]|location=[[Sydney]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Qantas expecting Project Sunrise delays over A350s |url=https://www.ch-aviation.com/news/137481-qantas-expecting-project-sunrise-delays-over-a350s |date= 2024-02-27 |website=ch-aviation |language=en}}</ref>
The third centre fuel tank was certified by June 2024; deliveries were then expected from the third quarter of 2026.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.flightglobal.com/airlines/qantas-confirms-certification-of-extra-fuel-tank-for-project-sunrise-a350-1000/158617.article |title= Qantas confirms certification of extra fuel tank for 'Project Sunrise' A350-1000 |author= Lewis Harper |date= 4 June 2024 |work=Flight Global}}</ref>

Throughout the summer of 2024, Qantas announced more details regarding its development of Project Sunrise. News publications revealed features such as "Wellness Zone" that would be available for passengers onboard as a "stretch and movement space" in order to mitigate [[Jet lag|jetlag]]. Additionally, "fast and free" Wi-Fi onboard was promised.<ref>{{cite news |title=London-Sydney direct flights a step closer as Qantas reveals ‘anti-jet lag’ measures |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/london-sydney-nonstop-flight-qantas-project-sunrise-b2358940.html |work=The Independent |date=17 June 2023 |language=en}}</ref>

==In literature==

The book ''Beyond the Blue Horizon'' by travel correspondent [[Alexander Frater]] documents the author's attempt to fly all the sectors on the original 1935 Imperial/Qantas London-Brisbane route in 1984.

==See also==
*[[Southern Cross Route]] – the Kangaroo Route's counterpart traveling via the Western Hemisphere
*[[Wallaby Route]] - Route launched by Qantas in 1952 connecting Sydney to Johannesburg
*[https://londonairtravel.com/2022/05/02/history-of-flight-uk-australia Fiesta Route] - Qantas' route that existed from 1964-1975 connecting Sydney to London via Fiji, Tahiti, Acapulco, Mexico City, The Bahamas, and Bermuda.<ref>{{Cite web |last=LondonAirTravel |date=2022-05-01 |title=The History Of Flight Between The UK and Australia From 1935 Onwards |url=https://londonairtravel.com/2022/05/02/history-of-flight-uk-australia/ |access-date=2022-11-29 |website=London Air Travel |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=April 16, 2019 |title=Quiz: Beach Boys Lyric or Qantas Route? |work=Qantas |url=https://www.qantasnewsroom.com.au/roo-tales/quiz-beach-boys-lyric-or-qantas-route/ |access-date=November 25, 2022}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{NoteFoot}}

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite news |last1=Calder |first1=Simon |author1-link=Simon Calder |title=This is how the journey from Britain to Australia went from 28 days to 17 hours |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/uk-australia-flight-time-travel-100-years-change-london-perth-direct-a8268311.html |access-date=2023-04-16 |work=[[The Independent]] |date=2018-03-22 |language=en}}
* {{cite web |last1=Gebicki |first1=Michael |title=Non-stop flights v layovers: Which is the best option? |url=https://www.watoday.com.au/traveller/reviews-and-advice/non-stop-flights-v-layovers-which-is-the-best-option-20230811-p5dvuk.html |website=Traveller |access-date=2023-08-14 |language=en |date=2023-08-13}}
* {{cite AV media | people=Benson, Shan (director) | date=1962 | title=The Big Boomerang | type=Motion picture | location=Australia | publisher=Collings Productions | url = https://aso.gov.au/titles/documentaries/big-boomerang}}
** [https://aso.gov.au/titles/documentaries/big-boomerang/clip2 Clip showing early Kangaroo Route development up to circa end of 1930s]
** [https://aso.gov.au/titles/documentaries/big-boomerang/clip1 Clip showing Kangaroo Route departure on 707 circa 1961]
{{refend}}

{{Qantas}}

[[Category:Airline routes]]
[[Category:Qantas]]
[[Category:Aviation in the Indian Ocean]]