Sydney to London with 7 Stops: Historic Route Set to Make Its Return
After the end of the Second World War, the national airline of Australia, Qantas, operated a route between Sydney and London with seven stops along the way. They acquired a Lockheed Constellations to run the route. The four-day journey would begin in Sydney and would have layovers in Darwin, Singapore, Calcutta (now Kolkata), Karachi, Cairo and Tripoli before touching down in the UK capital. The ticket for one person would cost around £525 GBP, which, when adjusted for inflation in 2025, would amount to £17,400 GBP today.
The plane only holds 29 passengers, alongside three pilots, one navigator, one radio operator, two flight engineers, and three cabin crew.
While modern technology and improvements in aviation have resulted in multiple options for flights that take only 30 hours to go from Sydney and London with only a single stop, this option does not appeal to enthusiasts.
To the delight of many, the route, also known as the Kangaroo Route, is all set to make a return in 2026. It will follow the same trajectory as the original route but will take around 14 days to complete.
Passengers will fly on a chartered Qantas Airbus A330-300, making stops in Darwin, Singapore, Kolkata, Colombo, Cairo, Toulouse and Rome, staying in luxury hotels and experiencing the highlights of each destination along the way.
The Kangaroo Route has special historical significance for Australians. The price per head would be roughly around $31,000 USD, which includes all travel expenses, accommodation and meals. It holds a lot of nostalgic value for the people of Australia.
