The 12,460-Mile Test Flight That Just Put Airbus Years Ahead Of Boeing's Stalled 777X

Credit: Airbus, Simple Flying Published Sep 18, 2026, 8:00 PM EDT Based in the UK, Josh is a keen writer with a degree in Military History. Having worked previously as a financial journalist, he has covered the aviation industry extensively, reporting on airlines' results and monthly passenger statistics in the aftermath of the pandemic, alongside the likes of regulation around sustainable fuels, and the prospects for hydrogen-powered commercial flight. He joins Simple Flying with a lifelong love of all things aviation. Sign in to your Simple Flying account Airbus has found itself leaps and bounds ahead of Boeing in the ultra-long-haul space. In its bid to certify the specialist Airbus A350-1000ULR, the European manufacturer earlier this year chalked up a new world record for distance flown by a commercial aircraft. Enabled by the already industry-leading range seen across its Airbus A350 family, the flight offered an insight into the progress of the project. What is more, it laid bare Airbus’ edge over Boeing in its ability to offer jets that can serve the longest routes. While Airbus has been pushing the bounds of what its newest, longest-haul jet can do, Boeing has been equally caught up in its own efforts to roll out a competitor to serve as the flagship of carriers’ fleets. After almost seven years of delay in securing approval, though, its much-anticipated Boeing 777X no doubt remains some way off being able to do so. So what has Airbus just achieved, and how has that left the US plane maker behind? Record-Breaking Melbourne To Toulouse Flight Credit: Qantas Airbus’ A350-1000ULR program hit a major milestone in late July. Departing Melbourne Airport (MEL) in the early hours of the 27th of the month, the purpose-built variant then touched down at Toulouse-Blagnac Airport (TLS) 24 hours and 24 minutes later. While not the longest flight by time, the 12,460 nautical miles (23,076 km) it covered meant the aircraft clinched the record for the furthest distance ever traveled nonstop by a commercial jet. The journey took it across three continents, over the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, through two sunrises and sunsets, and across 17 time zones, according to figures from Flightradar24. The flight aimed to prove the A350-1000ULR’s viability for an ambitious project to connect Sydney and London through regular, uninterrupted services. It did just that, too, with the route taking the jet right over Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (SYD). That meant the 23-hour block time the variant was specifically built to withstand was well covered, with a bit left to spare in the event of diversions or delays. Importantly, it showed Australia’s Qantas that the program was on course to launch in the coming year as currently planned. Airbus A350-1000ULR Purpose-Built For Qantas Credit: Qantas Indeed, Airbus has purpose-built the A350-1000ULR — an ultra-long-range version of its established Airbus A350-1000 — for Qantas’ Project Sunrise. Aimed at cutting the overall journey time by four hours compared with today’s in-service one-stop connections, such flights are scheduled to launch in October 2027. That is, after the ongoing test program, of which the record-breaking journey was part, is complete. This assesses the upgrades that Airbus has made to its conventional A350-1000 design, which already boasts a range of 9,100 nautical miles (16,850 km), to create the specialized A350-1000ULR variant capable of covering almost 10,000 nautical miles (18,520 km). Notably, these include a 5,283-gallon (20,000-liter) rear center tank, along with reworked components designed to reduce weight. Airbus A350 XWB passenger variant specifications: Variant Airbus A350-900 Airbus A350-900ULR Airbus A350-1000 Airbus A350-1000ULR Capacity (Typical) 300 to 350 161 350 to 410 238 Approx range (nautical miles/km) 8,500/15,750 9,700/18,000 9,000/16,700 9,800/18,150 Usable fuel capacity (gallons/liters) 36,456/138,000 43,589/165,000 41,949/158,790 48,893/185,076 Engine RR Trent XWB-84 RR Trent XWB-84 Trent XWB-97 Trent XWB-97 Approx MTOW (lbs/tonnes) 591,000/268 620,000/280 710,000/322 -* *Yet to be published In Airbus’s words, the Melbourne to Toulouse trip, alongside an outbound journey completed in the days prior, was carried out so the A350-1000ULR’s purpose-built instrumentation could begin “stretching its legs” in a realistic setting. That meant both the extra tank and associated pumps, gauges, and pressure systems getting a full run, as other practical features like “lighter and more efficient” refrigeration units for managing cabin temperature were also assessed. All told, these upgrades let Airbus build on the reliable, well-tested A350 platform that has been in service for over a decade. A350-1000ULR Brings Leap In Ultra-Long-Range Segment Credit: Qantas The A350 itself was Airbus’ answer to the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, with each having been designed from scratch largely using lightweight composite materials to ultimately improve efficiency. After the 787’s commercial launch in 2011, the A350 entered service with Qatar Airways in 2015. Despite sharing the same core thinking, the two next-generation families have come to serve different purposes for carriers in practice. Specifically, the 787’s three variants — the 787-8, 787-9, and 787-10 — are smaller and provide a more flexible option for airlines to replace the likes of aging Boeing 767 and Airbus A330 models, for instance. Airbus’s core A350-900 and A350-1000 variants, in turn, trump their Boeing counterparts on range across the board and are better suited to high-density, ultra-long-haul flights. This has seen them fill the shoes of Airbus A340s and older Boeing 777s in many cases. With the A350-1000ULR, Airbus has worked to extend its dominance at the extreme end of the market, with just 12 variants set to be built in total for Qantas's specific needs. Nonetheless, this is where Airbus has really jumped ahead of Boeing, and where the latter has yet to roll out a direct competitor. Boeing 777X To Close Gap To Airbus This is on the way, mind, with the 777X pegged to launch commercially early next year. Although that would follow a lengthy delay, when the 777X finally arrives, it should help Boeing close the gap with Airbus at the top end of the market. Of the two 777X variants, the smaller Boeing 777-8 will boast a superior range of 9,500 nautical miles (17,590 km), while its stretched counterpart will be capable of flying up to 8,000 nautical miles (14,820 km), according to Boeing figures. That puts the 777-8 ahead of both the core A350-900 and A350-1000 variants on distance; it also boasts another key advantage: size. Boeing 777X family specifications: Aircraft Boeing 777-8 Boeing 777-9 Seats (two-class) 350-425 375-450 MTOW 805,000 lb (365,140 kg) 775,000 lb (351,530 kg) Max range 9,500 nautical miles (17,590 km) 8,000 nautical miles (14,820 km) Length 232 feet, 6 inches (70.9 meters) 251 feet, 9 inches (76.7 meters) Wingspan Extended: 235 feet, 5 inches (71.8 meters) On ground: 212 feet, 9 inches (64.8 meters) Extended: 235 feet, 5 inches (71.8 meters) On ground: 212 feet, 9 inches (64.8 meters) Height 64 feet, 1 inch (19.5 meters) 64 feet, 1 inch (19.5 meters) Engine GE9X by GE Aerospace GE9X by GE Aerospace Boeing has designed the 777X to take the crown as the largest and most-efficient twin-engine commercial jet ever. Not only does that line the family up to one day take on the role of huge airliners like the Boeing 747 and Airbus A380, it will also give both the 777-9 and 777-8 an edge over Airbus’ counterparts in terms of capacity. So, while the specialist A350-1000ULR, alongside the Airbus A350-900ULR built for Singapore Airlines, has eroded the 777X’s range advantage before its release, capacity still favors Boeing. At least, that is for the time being. Airbus Move Could Bring Further Competition To Boeing Naturally, development is continuously underway at each of the major manufacturers. For Airbus, this currently involves research into new folding-wingtip designs for narrowbodies, for instance — much like those Boeing has incorporated into its 777X. Part of a wider bid to improve aircraft efficiency, the project may not necessarily have Boeing worried. What might, though, is ideas at Airbus for its A350 family in particular. Plans are reportedly already being mulled for a stretched A350 variant that would even more closely rival the 777X. Ergin Tufanbilgic, chief executive of Rolls-Royce and the A350 program’s sole engine supplier, offered a clue into the process earlier this summer. A decision could come within the next 12 months, he told reporters at the 2026 Farnborough International Airshow, potentially leading to initial deliveries in the early 2030s. That said, he hinted that progress would depend on the model using existing engine technology rather than requiring new designs. Of course, details are thin thus far. But with 734 deliveries of 1,624 orders in total having been made as of August, Airbus’ A350 platform is well-established, and so further development, like that seen via the A350-1000ULR, would only appear logical. This is especially true since Boeing’s 777X overruns every day, leaving a gap in the market for a larger, higher-density, ultra-long-haul plane. 777X Delays Stark In View Of A350 Success As mentioned, the 777X program has been plagued by delays. Initial orders date back to 2013, when airlines planned on the assumption that Boeing’s latest widebody would begin arriving in 2020. Six years later and counting, certification has yet to be secured, leaving operators having to improvise either by extending the lives of aging aircraft or by looking elsewhere. Early customers Lufthansa and Emirates have even gone as far as saying they will refuse some 777Xs pre-built years ago in anticipation of certification. Expectations as it stands are that this will come in the first half of 2027. That said, after so long, Boeing might find itself playing catch-up for some time, given Airbus' latest A350-related achievement.