Kangaroo Route

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.

The route has been operated since 1934, 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's, and both are used to cover long distances. The term is trademarked and traditionally used by Qantas, 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, Etihad, Malaysia Airlines, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines and Thai Airways with most involving a single transfer between flights at their respective hubs. Only British Airways and Qantas offer through direct flights (not requiring passengers to change plane en route), both making a intermediate stop at Changi Airport as of 2026.

Qantas commenced operating non-stop flights from Perth to London with Boeing 787s 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.

In 2027, Qantas' "Project Sunrise" will expand the nonstop Kangaroo Route even further, connecting Sydney to London in a single "hop", simultaneously taking the title of the longest non-stop commercial flight. Qantas has ordered the ultra-long-range version of the Airbus A350-1000, which will be delivered in late 2026.