Unlocking the Impossible: My Insider Secrets to Booking Qantas First Class and the Surreal Experience That Followed

Seventeen years after first glimpsing the famously spacious first-class cabin of Qantas’ Airbus A380, I finally took the plunge and boarded that very same legendary bird. The memories of wandering its cavernous decks as a wide-eyed passenger in 2009 came rushing back as I settled into one of only 14 swanky seats awaiting at the front of the lower deck. But does the cabin still hold up after all this time, or has it aged like a fine wine—or perhaps a forgotten bottle at the back of the cellar? With incredibly comfortable bedding, superb food and wine, and service that’s both warmly sincere and sharply professional, Qantas first class offers much to adore. Yet, there are whispers of obligatory updates, rare award availability, and the curious absence of onboard Wi-Fi that linger in the air.

So what’s it really like to spend 15 hours indulging in this iconic yet evolving slice of luxury? Could this be the ultimate way to traverse the vast Pacific, or is it time for Qantas’ premier product to step up its game? Buckle up and join me as we find out just how Qantas’ flagship first-class experience measures up today. LEARN MORE

Quick take: Incredible service and spacious seats set Qantas’ first-class cabin apart, but the airline is also due for an update to its most premium offering.

Pros

• Passengers can enjoy some of the most comfortable bedding in the skies.
• Great food and wine menus are available.
• The service is sincerely warm yet polished and professional.

Cons

• The seats need updates to stay competitive.
• Award availability is nearly nonexistent.
• There’s no onboard Wi-Fi.

The first Airbus A380 I ever flew belonged to the Qantas fleet. That was way back in 2009, and I still remember walking the length of both decks of the jumbo jet, marveling at its size.

I was equally floored by the swanky first-class seats occupying the front of the lower deck. At the time, I thought to myself, “I’ll fly up here one day.”

Well, it took nearly 17 years and a lot of trips between Australia and the U.S., but I finally got my chance to experience Qantas’ flagship first class on a flight from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Melbourne Airport (MEL) during a quick jaunt Down Under last month.

Would the experience live up to nearly two decades of expectations? Could I make the most of 15 hours in the lap of luxury? Read on to find out how it all went.

How much does it cost to book Qantas first class?

The cost of a Qantas long-haul first-class ticket depends on the route, date and whether you’re flying round-trip or one-way.

My one-way flight from Los Angeles to Melbourne, Australia, would have cost an eye-popping $14,788 if I’d booked a paid fare.

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Luckily, I had been monitoring award availability on Seats.aero for a few weeks. I found several dates with first-class award availability on various Qantas A380 flights from LAX and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) to Sydney Airport (SYD) and from LAX to MEL, though the latter route is operated by a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner without first class on some days of the week.

I had a few award booking methods at my disposal, including:

I considered using American Airlines AAdvantage miles since that was, by far, the best deal and the program is a Citi ThankYou Rewards transfer partner. However, I had a ton of Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards points to fall back on, thanks, in part, to Alaska Airlines being a 1:1 transfer partner of Bilt. You can also transfer Marriott Bonvoy points at a 3:1 ratio to Alaska Airlines. That’s why I eventually decided to use my Atmos Rewards points to book this award instead.

The best way to stock up on Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards points quickly is to apply for one of the following cobranded credit cards:

If American Airlines AAdvantage is your preferred currency, though, you can pad your account by applying for one of the following cards:

The information for the Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Checking into and boarding Qantas first class

Qantas flights out of LAX depart from the Tom Bradley International Terminal, and first-class passengers can enjoy the following priority services at the airport.

I arrived at the airport about three hours before my 10:50 p.m. departure and was the only passenger in the first-class check-in queue, so my bags were tagged and my boarding pass was in my hand within two minutes.

I sped through TSA PreCheck and took the elevator up one floor to the Qantas First Lounge at LAX. I won’t go into tons of details here since we have a full review of the lounge and not much has changed.

I’ll just note that the lounge was serving Lallier Reflexion R.021 Champagne at the time of my visit, and the seasonal a la carte menu included options like seared local sea bass with a fresh herb salad and spring asparagus with yogurt and chili. I ordered the famous salt and pepper squid, too, though, given it’s so highly regarded.

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Qantas First Lounge at LAX. ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY

About an hour before my flight, I made the 10-minute walk to the gate. We started boarding right on time, 45 minutes ahead of our departure time.

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ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY

How comfortable is Qantas first class?

The first-class cabin aboard Qantas’ A380s is in the nose of the lower deck. That’s a bit different from other airlines like Emirates, Etihad Airways and Singapore Airlines that position the first-class cabin on their A380s on the upper deck.

I don’t have a strong opinion on which is better, but being on the lower deck means the cabin is slightly wider and feels like there’s a bit more headspace.

Here’s a snapshot of the layout and dimensions.

There are just 14 seats in Qantas’ first-class cabin, consisting of five single seats along each side of the cabin and four single seats running down the center.

Funnily enough, seat 2F in the middle is dubbed the “Harry Potter seat” since it’s located under the staircase leading up to the second deck.

The A seats along the left side of the cabin have the most privacy since the middle F seats share the right aisle with the K seats.

The F seats have privacy dividers that can be raised during flights as well, so in the A seats, you might not see passengers in the other rows at all.

Another added benefit is that you won’t have to share the overhead bin with anyone else along this aisle, whereas the F and K seats share theirs.

I was in the very last seat along the left side of the plane, and though it is located near a galley, the noise and light were minimal throughout my flight thanks to a considerate crew and heavy curtains.

This particular seat had the added benefit of extra elbow room since it was also configured for a bassinet. Once I raised the front privacy divider on my seat, I could not see or hear my neighbor in Row 4, either.

The seats were refurbished (but not fully overhauled) a few years ago, so they don’t have some of the bells and whistles you might expect of the latest cutting-edge seats, namely closing doors and tech touches like wireless charging pads or even USB-C ports.

That said, they feel very spacious and private and measure 22 inches across at the hips and have 79 inches of pitch.

The mix of silvery-gray leather and upholstery on the seats, cream-toned shells with chocolate-brown leather accents immediately surrounding the seats and dark wooden paneling on the side consoles and tray tables all combine to give the spaces a sophisticated look.

For takeoff and landing, the seats are positioned facing straight forward and close to the aisle, though once airborne, you can use the preset buttons on the seatside console or the touchscreen control pad to swivel it toward the window.

You can also use these buttons to maneuver the seat into six preset positions, move individual parts of the seat and adjust what turned out to be my favorite aspect of the seat, its gentle massage function. You can use the touchscreen to control the seat lighting, including ambient seatback fixtures, a reading light near the entertainment screen and overhead lights.

There are no individual air nozzles overhead, but there is one embedded in the seatback itself and another near the entertainment screen, so I could keep my personal area cool throughout the flight.

The armrest on the window side of the seat holds a wired remote control for the entertainment system, though I mostly used the monitor as a touchscreen.

I thought the electronic window shades, which included blackout shades and sheer ones, were a high-end touch.

Across from the seat, an ottoman doubles as a second seat if you want to invite a travel companion over for a chat or to share a meal on the enormous double-folding tray table (it measures 36 inches diagonally) that pulls up and out of the windowside seat console.

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ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY

There isn’t a ton of storage, as there are just two small side cubbies and a little seatback pocket under a flip-down drinks tray. The side console has a wide surface and a bottle holder, as well as a small upper shelf ideal for stowing small items during flights.

The seat has a universal power plug and a USB-A port under the seatback pocket and just next to the aisle, so be careful where you place those cords.

I was ready for a long snooze after dinner. While I changed into pajamas, the flight attendant taking care of my aisle provided turndown service, transforming my seat into an 84-inch lie-flat bed that she made up (much better than I could have!) with a thick mattress pad, a soft duvet, a lightweight blanket and both a full-size pillow and a smaller padded lumbar one.

The bedding, from premium Australian homeware brand Sheridan, was some of the most breathable and plush bedding I have ever experienced on a flight. It was so comfortable that I ended up dozing for nearly eight hours, and I loved having plenty of room to roll from side to side thanks to the seat’s dimensions.

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ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY

There are two dedicated first-class lavatories at the front of the cabin on either side of the plane’s staircase. The crew kept them spotless throughout the flight, and they were stocked with rosemary- and cedar-scented Aesop Resurrection Aromatique hand wash and hand balm.

Amenities in Qantas first class

When I boarded, the cabin manager, Craig, showed me to my seat. While I settled in, the flight attendant taking care of my section, Diana, offered to explain all its functions. When she concluded, she asked if I would like a predeparture beverage, so I requested some water and Champagne.

She came back a moment later with the water and a Champagne flute, then returned with a bottle of Pommery Cuvee Louise 2006, which she poured at my seat. She also brought two small ramekins: one filled with a selection of olives and another with a mix of nuts.

While I nibbled on those, she returned a few more times to proffer me various items, including a set of handsome gray Qantas First-branded pajamas with cute red piping along the Henley collar to go with the pair of slippers I’d found at my seat. Next, I was handed a leather folder containing the inflight dining and drinks menus.

Then, Diana brought over a substantial amenity kit from high-end Australian skin care brand Aesop.

It contained:

• A bamboo toothbrush and Aesop toothpaste
• A padded blackout eye mask
• Earplugs
• Aesop Resurrection Aromatique rinse-free hand wash
• Aesop Resurrection Aromatique hand balm
• Aesop Cedar & Citrus lip salve
• Aesop Lucent facial concentrate
• An Aesop Sublime Replenishing night mask
• A sample fragrance with iris, yuzu and galbanum

The entire collection felt like a truly premium assortment, and it’s nice that the airline partners with an Australian skin care brand for it. Passengers could also find a selection of shaving kits, deodorant and cotton swabs in the lavatories.

Qantas first-class seats have 18-inch entertainment monitors that swing out from the preceding seatback. They have an extensive library of content loaded into them. I found new-release movies like “One Battle After Another” and “Tron: Ares,” plus TV shows like the Australian version of “Ghosts,” “Reacher” and “All Her Fault” on hand.

The airline provides basic noise-canceling headphones that function fine. Unfortunately, there’s no Bluetooth connectivity, so you can’t use your own more advanced set with the system.

Likewise, passengers will not find Wi-Fi aboard Qantas’ A380s. For me, that meant a blissfully long flight where I could actually enjoy the experience, but if you need to stay connected for work or personal reasons, that’s something to consider since you’ll be offline for nearly 16 hours.

Although you can certainly stretch out in a first-class seat on Qantas, if you start to get antsy, there is a unique lounge space at the front of the upper deck that first- and business-class passengers have access to.

This moodily lit space has seating for 10, including two booths with tables to the right of the staircase (and there are power ports embedded in them so you can bring your computer and get some work done) and a banquette to the left. There are also a shelf for snacks and small refrigerators containing various self-serve beverages.

The lounge was busy with other passengers all three times I ducked up there, so it’s clearly a popular space, but it doesn’t get too noisy or rowdy, in my experience.

How was the food in Qantas first class?

Qantas began revamping its first-class food-and-beverage offerings back in December 2025. Menus are still created by the airline’s longtime partner, Aussie celebrity chef Neil Perry, who has brought new versions of dishes from his restaurant, Margaret, to the onboard experience.

The airline also changed up its drinks menu to include more cocktails and a new selection of award-winning Australian wines, plus two featured Champagnes.

On my flight, we took off shortly after 11 p.m., and while some passengers opted to go right to sleep or to enjoy an expedited meal service, I settled in for the full dinner experience served on the airline’s signature Noritake bone china.

It started with another beverage served about 15 minutes after we hit cruising altitude. This time, I asked Diana for a glass of the other Champagne on board, Bollinger La Grande Annee 2015. It was a perfect inflight sip, if you ask me — crisp and elegant but with a little heft, which was nice for pairing with the two accompanying canapes, including one with caviar and Vermont creme fraiche and another with a tapioca croquette with ratatouille and pecorino cheese.

The starter choices on my night flight included:

• Pumpkin, corn and borlotti bean soup with Ligurian olives, goat curd and paprika
• King prawn salad with Vietnamese basil, cashew and pineapple in chili dressing
• Barbecue duck wontons with chanterelle mushroom broth
• Steak sandwich with tomato and chili relish

I chose the king prawn salad, which was fresh and flavorful and was presented with a selection of breads, including my favorite with Kalamata olives. It paired nicely with a Grosset Polish Hill riesling.

Next, it was time to tuck into the main courses, which included:

• Stir-fried noodles with shiitake mushrooms, tofu, spring onions and mung beans
• Seared Chilean sea bass with green beans, olive oil and lemon
• Ancho-spiced chicken breast with tomato rice pilaf and lime-pickled pineapple salsa
• Red wine-braised beef short rib with chargrilled asparagus, roasted parsnips and hazelnut salsa

I tried the chicken breast, and it, too, was light but full of flavor and tasted healthy and fresh. I paired it with one of my favorite wines from Australia, a Leeuwin Estate Art Series shiraz, which was inky and smooth with balanced flavors of fruits and spices.

For dessert, I had a choice of:

• A selection of cheeses, including Camembert, manchego, fourme d’ambert and taleggio
• Vanilla bean crepes with caramelized spiced pineapple and sesame nougatine
• A gingerbread-rhubarb trifle with pistachio praline and meringue
• Ice cream
• Fruit
• Chocolate truffles

I snacked on the cheese plate before finishing with the trifle, which was creamy but light.

As for the revamped wine list, on my flight, the airline was serving:

• Pommery Cuvee Louise 2006 Champagne
• Bollinger La Grande Annee 215 Champagne
• Grosset Polish Hill riesling from South Australia’s Clare Valley
• Shaw + Smith sauvignon blanc from South Australia’s Adelaide Hills
• Ministry of Clouds chardonnay from South Australia’s Adelaide Hills
• Bay of Fires pinot noir from Tasmania, Australia
• Yeringberg cabernet sauvignon from Victoria, Australia’s Yarra Valley
• Leeuwin Estate Art Series shiraz from Western Australia’s Margaret River
• De Bortoli Noble One botrytis semillon from Riverina in New South Wales, Australia
• Morris of Rutherglen Old Premium Liqueur muscat and topaque from Victoria, Australia

There was also a smattering of specialty cocktails like:

• A jasmine Negroni by Maybe Sammy, a popular bar in Sydney
• Tommy’s Margarita from Curatif canned cocktails
• The Qantas Avro gin spritz with Four Pillars gin
• A nonalcoholic chamomile and sparkling raspberry rose wine

After the Champagne and wine (fine, plus a few episodes of “Ghosts”), I was ready for a snooze.

I got a solid eight hours of rest, which pretty much never happens for me on a flight. I was one of the last passengers to wake up. Others had ordered some light snacks off the menu in addition to beverages, but I waited until breakfast was served about two hours before landing.

The menu included:

• French toast with crisp bacon, strawberries, maple syrup and mascarpone cream
• An herb omelet with cold-smoked salmon, slow-roasted tomatoes, spinach and dill creme fraiche
• Free-range eggs, scrambled or poached
• A selection of sides, including bacon, smoked salmon, chicken sausage, mushrooms, sauteed leeks and spinach, and cherry tomatoes
• Various bakery items, including toast, croissants and a strawberry-rhubarb Danish
• A choice of jam, marmalade, honey or Vegemite (of course)
• Muesli
• Cereals
• Fresh fruit
• Yogurt
• Cold-pressed green juice with lemon, ginger, spinach, cucumber, celery and kale
• Cold-pressed apple, ginger, lemon and cayenne
• Other juices

I started with fresh fruit and a cappuccino for a wake-up jolt, then got the apple-ginger juice, which was tangy and refreshing. For my main, I ordered the omelet, and it was small but hearty, while the smoked salmon was just the salty touch I wanted on the side.

I felt spoiled for choice when it came to the food-and-beverage options on board, thanks to the diverse range of dishes and some fabulous Aussie wines, not to mention Champagnes, being poured. Paired with the beautiful serviceware and the crew’s polished presentation, the entire experience felt very premium.

Would you recommend Qantas first class?

Qantas has just 10 A380s in service, and each has only 14 first-class seats on board, making this one of the most exclusive ways to fly in the world. While the cash price tag, which can top $20,000 each way, is prohibitive, if you can find award availability for 110,000 American Airlines AAdvantage miles or 130,000 Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards points, I’d highly recommend redeeming them for a flight in Qantas’ first-class cabin.

Though the seats are not the most contemporary (we’ll have to wait for the airline’s A350s to go into service for the next generation), they are still comfortable and spacious. The soft touches are where Qantas first class truly shines, though, with excellent bedding, premium Aesop amenity kits, extensive dining options and crew members who seem to truly love what they do.

I’m already thinking through when I might get back Down Under so I can see if I can scrounge up the points or miles for another shot at a first-class flight with Qantas.

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