If you've ever boarded a long-haul flight from London to Australia, you'll be well acquainted with the obligatory refuelling stop along the way. Well, that could soon be a thing of the past, as Australian carrier Qantas prepares to trial a record-breaking non-stop route on what promises to be the world's longest commercial flight.

In 2027, the inaugural test flight of the new Qantas A350-1000ULR aircraft will attempt a non-stop journey with the sole objective of reaching its destination in the shortest time possible. For seasoned frequent flyers, this may feel like a long-awaited dream becoming reality, while others may prefer to stick with the traditional stopover option, which affords passengers the opportunity to disembark, stretch their legs, and gather themselves before continuing the journey. The airline's forthcoming launch of the world's longest commercial flight next year has generated considerable excitement amongst travellers, with passengers facing a mammoth 22 hours in the air, reports the Mirror.

Two brand-new direct routes will link Sydney to both London and New York, surpassing the current record for the longest commercial flight of 18 hours and 30 minutes, which connects Newark Liberty International Airport in the US state of New Jersey to Singapore's Changi Airport.

A specially adapted aircraft will make these extraordinary distances achievable, thanks to an additional rear centre fuel tank boasting a capacity of 20,000 litres.

The first of these aircraft is presently awaiting its fate in Toulouse, France, with its engines installed, and final ground testing will commence shortly before it is cleared for its maiden test flight.

On board the aircraft, first class passengers can relax in reclining armchairs alongside a separate bed - and Qantas describes the cabins as featuring a "science-backed design to minimise jetlag and maximise wellbeing".

The aircraft will feature a total of 238 seats, fewer than the standard 300 or more seats that rival airlines typically provide.

Additional space allows for a distinctive "wellbeing zone" which both premium economy and economy cabin travellers can access during long haul journeys.

In total, there are six first class suites available, 52 business class suites, 40 premium economy seats and 140 economy seats for passengers to reserve (when the service launches next year).

The new ultra-long haul service has been dubbed "Project Sunrise" since it was initially proposed nearly a decade ago.

Euro News explained the nickname as "a nod to the 'double sunrise' endurance flights operated by Qantas between Crawley in Western Australia and RAF Base Koggala in what is now Sri Lanka".

Throughout the Second World War, "both Airbus and Boeing were tasked with extending the flying range of their next generation of long-haul aircraft to accommodate such routes", Euronews reported.