Find cheap Qantas Airways flights

Qantas is Australia’s largest airline, flying several long-haul routes, including between Sydney and London Heathrow every day. Fun fact: the name QANTAS is not derived from some cute Australian marsupial, but rather is an acronym of the airline’s original name: "Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services."

Given that most travellers based in the UK fly Qantas on transcontinental routes that have flight times upwards of 21 hours (including a stopover), it’s important to know the aircraft and carefully select your ticket class and seat to make the best out of such a long journey.

Qantas aircraft types

Qantas usually flies Boeing 787 Dreamliners from London Heathrow on direct flights to Perth, Australia. In addition, the airline uses Airbus A380s and A330s on flights from Australia to Los Angeles or Dubai. For Qantas’ extensive domestic Australian flight network, the airline uses a wide range of aircraft, including turboprops for shorter regional routes.

Boeing 747 Dreamliners have three classes of product: Business, Premium Economy and Economy. These more fuel-efficient planes can seat up to 236 passengers. There are 166 Economy seats, 28 for Premium Economy, and 42 seats for Business Class passengers. As well as Heathrow, the Dreamliner operates between Australia and Rome, Paris, Auckland, Johannesburg, Santiago (Chile) and several destinations in North America.

Qantas cabins and seat classes

Here’s a breakdown of what Qantas offers in each of its cabin classes.

First class

Although not available on the Dreamliner flights between London Heathrow and Perth, Qantas ultra-premium First Class seating is available on A380 flights between Singapore and Heathrow, along with several other routes. The fourteen seats (or rather office cubicle-sized pods) are lined in a 1-1-1 pattern at the front of the aircraft’s lower level.

The 22 inch-wide First Class seats can be converted to lie-flat mode with the touch of a button. For sleep time, flight attendants can make the bed with a three-inch thick mattress atop the seat, with luxury sheets, pillows and Qantas signature pyjamas and amenities.

Meals in First Class can be made to order at any time, with a tasty selection of gourmet dishes designed by Australian celebrity chef Neil Perry, paired with fine wines from Australia, New Zealand and France. The pods even have another small seat in them so that a fellow First Class friend can join you for a meal.

While Qantas First Class doesn’t have the over-the-top private suites like some Middle Eastern airlines, it’s equal to that of any other airline going to Australia. If you can afford the price or upgrade, I’d recommend it as a luxurious, restful and relaxing way to travel.

Qantas Business Class

Qantas Business Class seating is identical across the A380s and the Boeing 787 Dreamliners. The A380s offer 70 seats in this class, while the 787s have 42 available. The seats are arranged in a 1-2-1 setup. If you’re travelling alone, I’d say the window seats are the clear choice.

Pro-tip: the staggered seat setup means only the odd-numbered “window” seats in Business Class are actually next the window, with a privacy screen and work area separating them from the aisle, while the even-numbered seats are adjacent to the aisle with a table and storage area by the window. Given the seat and aisle width, you’re probably not going to be jostled, but I would definitely recommend the odd-numbered window seats.

The 23-inch wide Business Class seats can be converted into lie-flat mode, with flight attendants supplying a fitted mattress, duvet, pillow and pyjamas for sleep. The cotton pyjamas with the Qantas kangaroo logo are a comfy souvenir that I’ve worn for years. At over six feet tall, I still had room to stretch out and get hours of sleep on the journey.

I think meal service in Business Class is top notch. It has been upgraded with larger-sized entrees and a new menu from chef Neil Perry’s catering business, featuring local Australian items like grilled beef and lamb with paired wines. Dinner is usually served shortly after take-off, depending on the flight time, while light dishes can be prepared at request at any time.

Qantas Premium Economy

Qantas’ wide and comfortable Premium Economy seats are of a quality similar to Business Class on many other airlines, arrayed in a 2-3-2 configuration. The seats are over 22 inches wide, with a decent 38-inch pitch. It’s no lie-flat luxury, but with a headrest with pillow space, and leg and foot-rests, even at 6’3” I’ve been able to get some quality sleep in these seats.

I’d recommend Premium Economy as the Qantas sweet spot in terms of comfort for the price. You don’t have to pay premium Business Class or First Class fares, but still get an elevated level of comfort and service that can make a huge difference on a long-haul flight.

On the A380, Premium Economy is located on the aircraft’s upper deck, complete with its open bar and snack lounge, so I felt pretty special (until I walked by the more luxurious business class pods).

Qantas Economy class

It’s hard to look forward to sitting in an economy class seat for a long-haul flight, but I think Qantas has made its budget seating and experience about as pleasant as it can be. Decent meals, free alcohol including Australian wines, an open snack bar and amenity kits help get you through the journey, and a well-stocked entertainment system on seatback screens can keep you distracted.

Qantas Economy Class seats in both the A380 and 787 are 17.2 inches wide with a six-inch recline and a healthy 32 inches of “seat pitch” (a measurement of leg room). These dimensions are about average for long-haul carriers. My knees still had a little room between me and the seat ahead of me.

The A380 has nearly 40 rows of economy seats arranged in a 3-4-3 layout, so don’t count on a quick exit if you’re back in row 88. Bulkhead seats are a good choice for legroom, as is the coveted aisle seat D71 with an empty space in front of it. The 787s have 166 economy seats in a 3-3-3 configuration. I’d recommend booking early to avoid that middle seat.

Qantas lounges

Travellers on Qantas can enjoy pre-flight access to a network of Qantas and Oneworld partner-run lounges in airports globally. Passengers flying First or Business Class get access to lounges, as do certain credit card holders and airline status holders from network airlines.

Spread across two levels and joined with a brass-gilded staircase, the London International Lounge blends both English and Australian styles. It is available to Qantas First and Business customers and eligible Qantas Frequent Flyers, as well as Qantas Club, Emirate's and Oneworld members and their guests. It has flexible spaces to work and relax and choices of waiter table service in the dining room. If you need to freshen up, there are private shower suites.

In Australia, the Qantas Sydney First Lounge is a long-time top-rated airport experience, the airline’s flagship location with stunning architecture and runway views, great restaurant, showers and even spa services. I’ve come to the airport extra early just to take advantage of this lounge. Qantas is also in the process of upgrading its Sydney International Business Lounge and other global lounges over the next few years.

Baggage

For international flights on routes outside North or South America, Qantas allows one free cabin bag (up to 7 kg) for Economy Class, and two for passengers in premium classes (up to 14 kg total, but with one bag not weighing more than 10 kg). For Economy passengers, there's also the option of bringing a second personal item, such as a laptop bag or purse. Technically there’s a 15-pound weight limit per carry-on bag, but I’ve never seen them weigh one.

The checked bag allowance for international flights outside of North and South America is a hefty 30 kg across any number of bags free of charge. However, the dimensions of each bag must not exceed 158 cm (62 inches). Premium Economy and Business passengers get 40 kg, and First Class allows a whopping 50 kg.

Qantas Wi-Fi

Qantas long-haul flights from the UK currently do not have Wi-Fi, but the airline is in the process of upgrading 787s with service expected to be rolled out in late 2024. Qantas domestic flights in Australia have Wi-Fi available on select flights.

Qantas frequent flier programmes

Qantas is part of the Oneworld network, which includes British Airways and Iberia, among others. Points and benefits are transferable between the airlines, with access to lounges dependent on status level. Unless you’re planning a tonne of Australian travel, I’d recommend registering with other Oneworld-network partners for your flight booking rather than the Qantas Frequent Flier programme.

In past years, Qantas had made it more difficult to redeem points for flights, but I’ve seen the redemption programme value improving recently, both in terms of availability of seats and upgrades and booking costs.