Qantas is Australia’s largest airline. The Australian flag service has grown in recognition as an possibility for flying from North America to Australia instantly, and for having among the best First Class merchandise accessible between the 2 areas.
Whereas Qantas First Class affords an awesome product for long-haul flights, it’s additionally gained a popularity for changing into extraordinarily onerous to e book considered one of these coveted seats with factors.
On this information, we’ll discover every part it is advisable to learn about Qantas First Class, together with how you can give your self the perfect probability of ticking Qantas First Class off your record of aspirational aviation experiences.
The Qantas First Class Expertise
Whereas Qantas First Class is certain to be a really snug approach to fly, the First Class journey begins effectively earlier than you board the airplane.
Floor Expertise
Qantas has a devoted group known as “First hosts” in Sydney, Melbourne, London, Singapore, and Los Angeles. Do you have to require any help, this group is accessible that can assist you at each step alongside the best way.
For a snug check-in, there’s additionally a devoted First Class check-in suite in Sydney and Melbourne. Company flying in Qantas First Class will get pleasure from precedence boarding entry in all airports by way of a separate lane.
As soon as checked in, the subsequent step is making your approach to one of many beautiful Qantas First Class lounges, positioned in Sydney, Melbourne, Singapore, and Los Angeles.
The Qantas First Class lounge in Los Angeles is commonly ranked as among the best lounges in North America. The flagship lounges in Melbourne and Sydney each have LaGaia Unedited day spas, that can assist you really feel refreshed and relaxed previous to your flight.
In reality, for those who’re flying out of Melbourne or Sydney, Qantas First hosts will attain out to you the day earlier than your flight in an effort to enable you to select and e book a complimentary spa therapy at one of many LaGaia Unedited spas.
There are 4 20-minute complimentary therapies accessible to select from, together with facial elevation, a neck, shoulder, and scalp therapeutic massage, a sizzling stone again therapeutic massage, or a foot soak and therapeutic massage.
All lounges have high-quality meals choices, with sommeliers readily available to teach and enable you to resolve between Champagnes and a number of the best Australian wines to associate with your meal.
Seat
After stress-free in one of many lounges, the Qantas First Class expertise continues as soon as onboard the mammoth Airbus A380.
Regardless of a scarcity of a sliding door, which might be discovered on competing First Class airways, the Qantas First Class seat nonetheless supplies quite a lot of privateness thanks to every seat’s spacious design.
Every seat can rotate from the unique forward-facing place to face the window (for those who’re sitting in a window seat) and the massive 18” touchscreen leisure display screen.
If you happen to’re seated in one of many center seats, you possibly can nonetheless get pleasure from a way of privateness with the partitions. These are mechanically raised throughout the flight, which blocks out publicity to the aisle in your left.
Every seat additionally has the aptitude of changing into an opulent 6’9” mattress. You’re positive to get cozy with Sheridan bedding, consisting of a 100% cotton woven throw, a quilt, a reminiscence foam mattress, and your selection of pillows from the pillow menu.
As you put together to ease into sleep, you possibly can slip into your Qantas First Class pajamas with matching slippers. You’ll even have entry to noise cancelling headphones and a LaGaia amenity package.
Meals and Drink
When it comes time to eat and drink your approach by way of the skies, you’ll have a selection off of the Qantas First Class à la carte menu designed by Neil Perry, which showcases the perfect of Australia’s delicacies.
The Qantas First Class signature dishes are impressed by seasonality, and spotlight native artisanal Australian producers. The menu additionally contains quite a lot of premium plant-based choices.
“Sommeliers within the Sky” are onboard and readily available to reply your questions concerning the accessible Australian and New Zealand wines. If you happen to’re within the temper for one thing bubbly, you’ll be handled to a choice of glowing wines, resembling Taittinger Comtes 2008.
If you happen to’re flying with a companion, you’ll even have the choice of eating collectively, as every seat comes with a leather-based ottoman that’s massive sufficient for somebody to take a seat and be part of you for a meal.
Do you have to want to stretch your legs and luxuriate in one of many many wines, spirits, or beers elsewhere on the airplane, merely head up the steps of the plane to the second degree. Right here, you’ll discover a devoted onboard bar and lounge, which is shared with enterprise class passengers.
Within the bar space, you’ll discover a self-serve minibar with drinks and snacks, in addition to a display screen the place you possibly can watch films.
The lounge is designed to make it simpler to socialize with these with whom you’re touring, and even to fulfill different passengers. Moreover, there are tables with energy retailers, which can be utilized to get some work performed for those who want a break out of your First Class seat.
Qantas First Class Plane Cabins
Presently, Qantas First Class can solely be discovered on the double-decker Airbus A380s. Situated totally on the principle deck, every A380 has 14 First Class seats in a 1-1-1 structure unfold out over 5 rows.
All 5 “A” window seats are positioned on the left facet of the plane when dealing with the entrance, and are probably the most non-public, as they don’t share an aisle with the 4 center “F” seats when the partition is raised.
With barely much less privateness, the 5 “Okay” window seats on the other facet share an aisle with the center “F” seats.
When you’ll nonetheless get pleasure from a good quantity of seclusion regardless of the place you sit, Seats 1A–5A afford you the least quantity of disruption. With the toilet and the steps positioned on the entrance of the plane, Seat 5A is the place you’ll most probably discover probably the most highest diploma of privateness.
Notice that Seat 2F, positioned on the very entrance within the center row, supplies a cocoon-like expertise. Its distinctive location proper below the steps has earned it the aptly-named moniker of the “Harry Potter suite”.
If you happen to’re flying with a companion, you’ll wish to select the seats designated “F” and “Okay” that share an aisle. Alternatively, you could possibly all the time be part of your companion’s suite by using the ottoman, or you could possibly get pleasure from extra time nearer collectively within the A380’s onboard lounge.
If you happen to’re flying solo, you’ll wish to select one of many 5 “A” window seats, or maybe you could possibly reside out your dream of being Harry Potter for the journey and select Seat 2F.
Notice that Qantas is ready to unveil a brand new First Class cabin on the Airbus A350-1000 in 2025, as a part of Mission Dawn.
Upon its launch, which is for nonstop ultra-long-haul flights from Sydney and Melbourne to New York, London, Frankfurt, and Paris, the cabin will function sliding doorways, separate sitting and sleeping areas, and an general elevated expertise.
Qantas First Class Routes
Right now, the one choices are between Sydney and Los Angeles, Sydney and Singapore, and a fifth-freedom flight between Singapore and London.
Qantas has curtailed its First Class routes in the intervening time. Up to now, First Class had been provided on flights between Sydney and Dallas Fort Price, Sydney and Hong Kong, Melbourne and Los Angeles, and Melbourne and Singapore.
Hopefully, the variety of Qantas routes providing First Class can be expanded within the close to future to revert to earlier ranges, and we’ll actually see the return of extra First Class routes as soon as Qantas takes supply of its new Airbus A350s.
How you can Redeem Factors for Qantas First Class
Alas, redeeming factors for Qantas First Class is notoriously troublesome.
Though Qantas is part of the Oneworld airline alliance, they don’t typically launch First Class awards to be booked with factors from associate airways, even when there are unsold First Class seats the day earlier than the flight.
To complicate issues even additional, Qantas factors aren’t straightforward to come back by. And even when you’ll be able to save up a big stash of Qantas factors, redeeming them for Qantas First Class doesn’t all the time show to be the perfect worth.
The Qantas Frequent Flyer loyalty program makes use of a distance-based award chart to find out what number of Qantas factors are required to e book a First Class traditional reward seat.
For instance, a First Class flight between Sydney and Los Angeles prices 162,800 Qantas factors as a First Traditional Reward, and a flight between the shortest distance of Sydney and Singapore prices 102,600 Qantas factors as a First Traditional Reward.
Whereas these redemption choices aren’t horrible, the fact is that you just’ll have a tough time discovering Qantas First Class traditional reward availability.
Fairly, you’ll seemingly be left with having to e book both a First Class “Saver” or a First Class “Flex” fare by way of Qantas, which may vary from 700,000–2,900,000 Qantas factors for a one-way flight in First Class.
As a substitute, you’ll wish to preserve your Oneworld associate factors accounts prepared within the occasion that Qantas ever does launch First Class award seats.
If there’s availability, then among the best choices is thru Alaska Airways Mileage Plan. In idea, a one-way Qantas First Class flight might be booked for simply 70,000 Alaska miles between North America and Australia.
What’s extra, you gained’t must pay any gasoline surcharges, and you’ll all the time e book a free stopover if all flights are with Qantas and/or Alaska Airways.
Different loyalty packages from Oneworld airline members, resembling JAL Mileage Financial institution, British Airways Avios, and American Airways AAdvantage, will also be used to e book Qantas First Class flights.
You’ll have a tough time discovering award area to start with, so be sure you pounce on the chance if it presents itself to you, which by all accounts is a once-in-many-years type of prevalence.
Qantas First Class Award Availability
The easiest way to seek for Qantas First Class award availability is to look 330+ days out utilizing the American Airways search operate.
American Airways lets you specify direct First Class award flights in your search, displaying one month of availability at a time. With out having to create an account, you need to use this to shortly search a yr’s price of award area for the seemingly-impossible Qantas First Class flights.
Notice that when looking by way of the outcomes, you’ll seemingly encounter American Airways First Class flights for those who’re trying to find flights between Sydney and Los Angeles, as within the above screenshot. Remember to test every date that you just discover availability to find out which airline is providing the flight.
Conclusion
Flying Qantas First Class is an unique luxurious identified by a fortunate few. Nevertheless, if you’ll be able to discover the coveted award area, you’ll be handled to one of many higher First Class experiences on the market.
From complimentary spa therapies earlier than your flight in Melbourne and Sydney, to among the best North American lounges present in Los Angeles, you’ll be relaxed and prepared earlier than your long-haul flight on the double-decker Airbus A380.
Onboard, the time will fly by as you get pleasure from world-class meals and top-shelf drinks, and also you’ll be capable to get pleasure from them by your self within the consolation of your seat, with a companion, or within the firm of others within the devoted onboard lounge.
