The seat everyone will want for Qantas’ 22-hour ultra-long-haul flights

Qantas is gearing up for 22-hour non-stop flights from Sydney to London, taking off from October 2027. While most passengers will be counting down the hours in economy class, on each flight six well-heeled travellers will make the journey in the luxurious surrounds of first class. These suites will become the most prized in the sky: the very best seat on the world’s longest flights.

Plant yourself here and a first class ticket provides much more than a single seat, or a standard convertible bed. For take-off, landing, dining and working, there is indeed a reclining chair. But next to that sits a fixed two-metre bed, for sleeping and lounging about.

Visiting Airbus’ factory in Toulouse this week, we got up close with Qantas’ new flagship suite – more than a year before the first passengers will experience it on the first non-stop flight from Sydney to London. By splitting out the armchair and the bed, Qantas is creating what it calls “a mini boutique hotel” in the sky. The move introduces a key perk already favoured by many travellers on other premium carriers: privacy doors at each suite.

On Qantas’ Airbus A350-1000ULR – the aircraft that will run these marathon flights – these doors become standard in both first class and business class. It’s the first time that Qantas will offer a doored suite: a development that notably comes a decade after the debut of Qatar Airways’ revolutionary Qsuite, with which privacy doors quickly became an expectation on new flagship suites, not merely an optional extra. Sign up for the Traveller newsletter The latest travel news, tips and inspiration delivered to your inbox.

Sign up now. Within Qantas’ first class suite, there’s a personal wardrobe to keep your outfit fresh after changing into a pair of the airline’s signature pyjamas. On the tech front, wireless charging complements fast and free Wi-Fi.

There’s also Bluetooth connectivity for pairing your own headphones with the entertainment screen. (Noise-cancelling headphones are provided, but many high-flyers travel with their own higher-end pair.) As for the entertainment, every Sydney-London non-stop flight gives time for at least 10 movies, for those so inclined.

A crisp 32-inch (81-centimetre) UHD display serves up Hollywood blockbusters. Travellers won’t need to interrupt their movie to check on the flight’s progress, thanks to a separate shoulder-side touchscreen. It’s also a handy way to access key details such as time zones and weather on arrival.

Naturally, you can switch this side screen off to avoid the perpetual feeling of “Are we there yet?” Taking a leaf out of Qantas’ existing Airbus A380 first class suites, passengers in this highest cabin on Project Sunrise flights can share a meal with a companion. What functions as a footrest during take-off and landing becomes a second seat for your plus one.

There’s even a second seatbelt for the guest, so that shared meals and meetings aren’t cut short by turbulence. But the Sunrise suite also makes it possible to dine at a table for three, as the fixed bed can serve as a third chair. Designer David Caon admits that this would be a little bit of a squeeze: you’re going to end up playing footsie given the confines of the suite.

But for a more intimate side sit, or for a couple travelling with a young child, it’s a new experience that brings an added X-factor to the experience. Take note, this isn’t a loophole for scoring a free upgrade from economy – for instance, by booking one traveller up the very front and another right down the back, only to become that invited companion. Instead, this feature offers a shared experience for those already travelling together in first class.

By extension, you’ll need to book two separate first class tickets to have that shared restaurant-style meal. (This isn’t quite the same as The Residence on Etihad Airways, where a single suite can be reserved for two.) It’s a pragmatic policy for naptime, as each suite sports only a single bed: for the passenger that booked that seat.

The two-metre bed will comfortably accommodate most travellers, but the length is also 12 centimetres shorter than the bed in Qantas’ Airbus A380 first class cabin. Caon suggests that two metres is “as much as we could get into that platform”, but also highlights that “you have more width and more space within [the suite]” . Travellers seeking extra bed length could also sleep on a slight diagonal, to use the nearby fixed footrest for a wink of extra room.

Considerable time has been invested in optimising the size and shape of the pillows to maximise comfort and rest – ditto, the aircraft’s mood lighting and overall service flow. The plush bed comes adorned with a comfortable padded mattress topper and duvet, while the separate armchair feels very nap-friendly with a generous recline. For some, the greatest challenge will be mustering the courage to stand and move from the comfortable recliner to the bed before dozing off.

But on a 22-hour flight, that’s an enviab