Find cheap Qantas Airways flights

Qantas is Australia’s largest airline, flying a long-haul route from Vancouver, Canada to Australia and beyond. 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."

Since you’re likely settling in for a journey that can top 17 hours, knowing the aircraft and picking the right seat is key. Here’s our expert advice to make the most of your trip Down Under.

Qantas aircraft types

Qantas uses a mix of Airbus A380s, A330s and Boeing 787 Dreamliners for its non-stop flights from the US and Canada to Australia and New Zealand.

Qantas flies Boeing 787 Dreamliners from Vancouver on direct flights to Australia. If you're flying to Australia from other airports in Canada, you'll likely have to transfer in Vancouver or the US Pacific coast. For Qantas’ extensive domestic Australian flight network, the airline uses a wide range of aircraft, including turboprops for shorter regional routes.

For its huge domestic network in Australia, the airline uses a whole range of planes, including smaller turboprops for quick regional hops.

For flights to other destinations including some in the US, a variety of other aircrafts are used. Of these, the A380s are the giants of the fleet, seating a whopping 485 passengers across four classes: First, Business, Premium Economy and Economy. The upper deck is reserved for Business and Premium Economy, and it even has a self-service bar and lounge area up front. The A330s, which you’ll find on the Honolulu-Sydney route, offer a simpler two-class setup with Business and Economy.

The Dreamliners are a bit more intimate, with 236 seats across three classes: Business, Premium Economy and Economy. No matter which plane you’re on, a long flight is a long flight, so let’s get into what really matters: the seats.

Qantas cabins and seat classes

Here’s a breakdown of what Qantas offers in each of its cabin classes, so you can choose the right fit for your trip and budget.

First Class

Qantas ultra-premium First Class seating is only available on Airbus flights, including the one from Los Angeles. 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 56 cm-wide First Class seats can be converted to lie-flat mode with the touch of a button. When you’re ready to sleep, the crew will make it up with a mattress pad, plush Sheridan sheets and pillows. You also get a pair of Qantas’s signature pyjamas to keep.

Meals are a big deal here. Aussie celebrity chef Neil Perry designs them, and you can order what you want, when you want. Excellent wines from Australia, New Zealand and France complement the menu. Your pod even has a little guest seat, so a friend from First can join you for a meal.

While it might not have the fully enclosed private suites of some other airlines, Qantas First is a luxurious way to cross the Pacific. If you can afford the price or upgrade, I’d recommend it as a luxurious, restful and relaxing way to transit the Pacific in case you’re going via LA.

Qantas Business Class

The Business Class seats on the A380s and 787 Dreamliners are identical, which keeps things simple. The A380 has 70 of these seats, while the 787 has 42, all in a 1-2-1 layout that gives everyone direct aisle access.

Here’s a pro-tip: the staggered setup means only the odd-numbered window seats are truly next to the window, with a console separating you from the aisle. The even-numbered seats are closer to the aisle. For maximum privacy, I always book an odd-numbered window seat.

The 58-cm wide Business Class seats can be converted into lie-flat mode, with flight attendants supplying a fitted mattress, duvet, pillow and PJs for sleep. The cotton pyjamas with the Qantas kangaroo logo are a comfy souvenir that I’ve worn for years. At around 190 cm tall, I still had room to stretch out and get hours of sleep on the journey.

The food in Business Class is also excellent, with another menu from Neil Perry’s team. Expect generous portions of grilled Aussie beef or lamb paired with great wines. If you need to arrive ready for a meeting or just want to start your vacation without jet lag, the upgrade to Business is worth it for the bed alone.

Qantas Premium Economy

Qantas’s Premium Economy seats are a big step up from Economy and feel a lot like domestic first class in Canada. The airline arranges them in a 2-3-2 configuration, and they’re 22.8 inches wide with a generous 38 inches of pitch (that’s the space between your seat and the one in front).

I’d recommend Premium Economy as the Qantas sweet spot in terms of comfort for the price. You get a much better experience than Economy without the Business Class price tag.

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

On the A380, Premium Economy is located on the aircraft’s upper deck, complete with its open bar and snack lounge, so I felt kinda 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 15-hour (or more) 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.

The seats themselves are about 43 cm wide on the 787 with 81 cm of pitch, which is pretty standard for long-haul flights. Even at my height, my knees still had a little room between me and the seat ahead of me. The seatback entertainment system is also packed with movies and shows to help the time fly by.

On the A380, the Economy cabin is large, with a 3-4-3 layout. If you’re in the back, don’t expect a quick exit upon landing. On the 787, it’s a 3-3-3 configuration. My advice? Book as early as you can to snag an aisle or window seat and avoid the dreaded middle.

Qantas lounges

Flying Qantas in a premium cabin or with the right frequent flier status gets you access to a network of solid lounges around the world.

In the US, Qantas passengers use the Greenwich, Soho and Chelsea Lounges (jointly operated by American Airlines and British Airways) at New York JFK, American Airlines Flagship Lounges in Dallas Fort Worth, the Cathay Pacific Lounge in San Francisco, and Qantas operates its own Business Lounge in Honolulu.

The Vancouver SkyTeam Lounge offers a luxurious environment for First, Business and Elite Plus customers flying on any of the alliance’s nine member airlines currently serving the airport. With a light colour palette, an impressive glass elevator and two separate wings to explore, the pre-flight experience here is excellent. It is located in International Concourse D, near Gate 53, and includes bar service, barista-made coffee and lounge dining. There are also showers available in case you need to freshen up.

The Qantas US lounge highlight is definitely the Los Angeles First Lounge. I really enjoyed this expansive space, and it's the only lounge at LAX with a sit-down meal service. There are also showers stocked with toiletries if you need to freshen up before your flight.

Once you get to Australia, the Qantas First Lounge in Sydney is impressive. It has striking architecture, runway views, a strong restaurant, showers and even spa services. I’ve shown up to the airport hours early just to hang out there. Qantas has also announced a $100 million program to upgrade its global lounge network, including redevelopment of the Sydney International Business Lounge (with construction starting soon), so expect more good things to come.

Baggage

For international flights from Canada, Qantas allows one free carry-on bag for Economy Class, and two for passengers in premium classes. The allowable size is 115 cm (the common 56 x 36 x 23 cm bag). Technically, there’s a 7 kg weight limit per carry-on bag, but I’ve never seen them weigh one.

For checked bags, Economy gets one bag up to a hefty 31.7 kilos. Premium Economy and Business get two bags, and First Class gets three. If you have elite status with Qantas or a oneworld partner airline, you’ll likely get an extra allowance too.

Qantas Wi-Fi

Qantas long haul flights from Canada currently do not have Wi-Fi, but the airline is in the process of upgrading, so this could change in the near future. The airline has announced future international Wi-Fi expansion with new Wi-Fi-equipped A321XLR, A350 and 787 aircraft, plus A330 retrofits, but for now, you should download your movies and playlists before you board. Qantas domestic flights in Australia have Wi-Fi available on select flights.

Qantas frequent flier programs

Qantas is a founding member of the oneworld alliance, which includes major airlines including American Airlines and British Airways. This means miles you earn can be redeemed across any of the partner airlines.

Unless you fly to Australia a lot, I’d recommend crediting your Qantas flights to your favourite existing loyalty plan. It’s just easier to manage your points with a program you're already a member of.

That said, Qantas has been making its own frequent flier program more valuable recently, launching “Classic Plus Flight Rewards” which adds over 20 million reward seats with dynamically priced points that can be upgraded to premium cabins - though traditional Classic Reward redemption rates did increase recently.