Whenever you journey as a household of 5 typically sufficient, you begin to develop a psychological shortlist of airways that simply get it. Those the place the crew appears pleased to have your loved ones on board, and the place the little particulars, a free checked bag, a snack on a 40-minute flight, add as much as one thing that feels easy.
After our March Break journey to Australia, Qantas has firmly earned a spot on that checklist.
When you learn my earlier piece on last-minute pivots, you will know this journey got here collectively rapidly. When the struggle within the Center East broke out, we had beneath a month to rethink our plans totally. Australia ended up being the decision, and Qantas ended up being the airline that made the entire expertise really feel seamless from begin to end.
Qantas: Australia’s Flagship Airline
For these much less acquainted, Qantas is Australia’s flagship provider. Based in 1920, it is one of many oldest airways on this planet and a member of the oneworld alliance, which is nice information for Canadians who gather factors with applications like Aeroplan, AAdvantage, or Avios. The airline has a powerful popularity for security, premium service, and a very good lounge community throughout Australia and past.
From Canada, Qantas at the moment operates every day flights between Sydney and Vancouver on Boeing 787 Dreamliners, with extra connections obtainable by way of LAX and SFO. And there is cause to be optimistic about much more choices forward. A brand new Australia-Canada open skies settlement took impact on March 29, 2026, and Qantas has already utilized for limitless passenger capability on the route, masking Qantas, Jetstar, and codeshare companions like American Airways and WestJet. For Canadian households eyeing a visit down beneath, the entry is just going to get higher.
Our Journey at a Look
With simply over every week to work with and the constraints of March Break (we wished the children again in class on time), we saved issues chill somewhat than making an attempt to cram in an excessive amount of.
Our first cease was Melbourne, chosen for its popularity as one of many world’s most habitable cities and as a pure gateway to driving the Nice Ocean Street. From there, we headed to Kangaroo Island for just a few nights to wind down the journey, soaking within the surroundings, hitting the seashores, and getting up shut with Australian wildlife.
Our Qantas flights lined a one-way long-haul from Melbourne to Los Angeles, plus round-trip home flights between Melbourne, Adelaide, and Kangaroo Island (KGC).
How We Booked
With beneath a month to determine issues out, I began monitoring award availability to Australia. Here is what I realized alongside the way in which.
Qantas economic system is mostly straightforward to e-book on factors. Availability is plentiful, roughly 40,000 factors throughout associate applications from the west coast to Australia, and presumably a bit extra from the east coast.
Enterprise and top notch? A lot more durable, even by way of Qantas’ personal Frequent Flyer program, which costs award tickets dynamically. That mentioned, close-in premium award house does often come up, so it pays to remain versatile and set award alerts.
When premium house does seem, associate applications are the higher play. Applications like Atmos Rewards, AAdvantage, and Finnair Plus all worth Qantas redemptions decrease than Qantas Frequent Flyer’s dynamic charges.
I used to be very fortunate to search out availability for our Melbourne to Los Angeles flight:
- 4 enterprise class seats at 80,000 AAdvantage miles + $110 in taxes and charges every
- 1 top notch seat at 110,000 AAdvantage miles + $110 in taxes and charges
Enterprise class was additionally bookable by way of Finnair Plus for 95,000 Avios and $600 in taxes, which is arguably a greater redemption given how straightforward Avios are to earn. Ultimately I caught with AAdvantage because the miles had been already in my account and to save lots of on the overall out-of-pocket price. Top quality was solely obtainable by way of AAdvantage.
Qantas flights can typically even be booked utilizing British Airways Avios, however the redemptions are usually quite a bit larger in each factors and taxes and charges.
One good benefit of reserving by way of AAdvantage: if you do not have the miles in your stability but, you possibly can place award tickets on maintain whilst you switch factors in. And cancellation of award tickets is free, a useful security web when plans are nonetheless coming collectively.
For our home flights between Melbourne, Adelaide, and Kangaroo Island, we booked by way of Atmos Rewards at simply 7,500 factors a technique per particular person. That is a spectacular deal when you think about that some home flights inside Australia can run as much as $700 a technique in money.
What I Cherished: The Pre-Flight Expertise
Baggage Allowance
This may sound like a small factor, however it makes an enormous distinction once you’re travelling as a household. Qantas features a free checked bag on each fare class, even probably the most fundamental economic system ticket, even on the shortest home flights. Our Adelaide to Kingscote hop was solely 40 minutes and we nonetheless had a checked bag included. Whenever you’re travelling with 5 individuals’s value of drugs, not worrying about baggage charges or cramming all the things into carry-ons is a real aid.
Lounge Entry
I standing matched my Air Canada Aeroplan 50K to Royal Jordanian’s Royal Membership Gold Sparrow, which provides oneworld Sapphire standing. One of many perks is entry to oneworld associate enterprise class lounges, that means any Qantas lounge. And this is the place the family-friendly coverage actually shines: you possibly can deliver one grownup visitor (my husband), and kids beneath 18 do not rely as visitors. So with only one dad or mum holding standing, our complete household of 5 walked proper in.
The home Qantas Enterprise Class Lounges had been spacious with a stable meals unfold: salad bar, sandwiches, soup, and several other scorching dishes. In Adelaide, there was a panini machine that turned an immediate hit. My children fortunately arrange store making their very own grilled cheese sandwiches. Typically it is the straightforward issues.
The Qantas First Class Lounge in Melbourne was on one other degree totally. As a result of I used to be flying top notch, I might deliver the entire household in with me. The expertise really begins earlier than you even enter the terminal. There is a devoted top notch check-in space positioned curbside on the worldwide terminal, positioned between Terminal 2 and Terminal 1. They took our bags proper there and an agent escorted us on to the lounge.
The lounge itself is big and brilliant, with loads of seating. The eating space options sit-down desk service the place you order a la carte. We had been there for breakfast and it was spectacular. One of many standouts was pancakes with matcha mascarpone topping, which my children completely beloved. The meals high quality throughout the board was glorious, they usually additionally served bottled smoothies and wellness drinks which you can seize to go.
As a first-class passenger, you too can join a complimentary 20-minute therapeutic massage. Earlier than a protracted worldwide flight, that is a fairly fantastic method to unwind.
What I Cherished: The In-Flight Expertise
Brief-Haul Home in Financial system
Flying economic system with Qantas was a nice expertise. The seats had been comfy, and with everybody’s checked bag taken care of, we might journey gentle on carry-ons. All the time a win with children.
What actually impressed me is that even on their shortest flights, Qantas serves complimentary drinks and snacks. No nickel-and-diming, no “would you prefer to buy a snack field.” On our 40-minute flight from Adelaide to Kingscote, we bought granola bars. On our 1 hour and 20 minute flight from Adelaide to Melbourne, we had been served cheese and crackers. It is a small contact, however it units a tone. You are feeling sorted, even in economic system on a fast home hop.
Lengthy-Haul Worldwide in Enterprise & First Class
I booked the children in enterprise class and ended up paying a money improve for my husband to hitch me in top notch. Since my youngest was nonetheless beneath 12 and my eldest not fairly an grownup but, we accomplished an unaccompanied minor kind and paid a small price for the service, as they had been seated in a separate cabin from us. A bit of additional admin, however simple sufficient.
Enterprise class was glorious for the children. The seats had been very spacious and comfy, and the meal service was nice with a few non-obligatory gentle in-flight snack choices obtainable as effectively. Enterprise class passengers get pajamas, which my children thought was the best factor. On the A380, there is a lounge space on the entrance of the cabin the place you possibly can collect with household or associates to stretch your legs, a pleasant characteristic on a protracted transpacific flight.
The attentiveness of the crew to my children was superb, together with being conscious of my kid’s nut allergy. My youngest additionally acquired a small exercise bag for the flight, which saved her fortunately entertained.
Top quality was phenomenal. I had a really responsive and pleasant attendant who made your entire expertise really feel private. Though there is no door on the suite, selecting a window seat nonetheless provides you a powerful sense of privateness. The seat space is spacious, and the seat itself can mechanically swivel, a enjoyable contact. The footrest is giant sufficient to seat a second passenger, so my husband and I might really sit collectively and have dinner, which we beloved.
Eating is dine-on-demand, so there aren’t any set meal occasions. You eat everytime you need. The meals was incredible. I had a Korean-inspired ahi tuna appetizer that I actually loved, and my husband’s duck was scrumptious. My beef was tasty however a contact dry. The standout for me was the beignets for dessert: delicate, fluffy, with completely different dips that complemented them completely. The following morning, breakfast featured the perfect omelette I’ve ever had on a flight, with prosciutto and greens, superbly offered.
One small miss: there have been no gentle meal or snack choices between important meal providers in top notch, which was a bit ironic on condition that enterprise class had this lined.
Top quality facilities included pajamas, slippers, and a beneficiant amenity equipment by Aesop. However what really stood out to me as a dad or mum was how the crew dealt with our household being break up throughout cabins. The workers had been made conscious that our children had been in enterprise class, they usually proactively checked in with us to present updates on how the children had been doing. They inspired us to go go to them each time we wished, and coordinated the place to satisfy after disembarking. That sort of thoughtfulness is what takes an airline from good to actually nice for households.
Conclusion
Qantas gained us over with the sum of its components. It wasn’t any single grand gesture. It was the consistency. Attentive service throughout each cabin and each flight, from a 40-minute home hop to a transpacific in a single day. A beneficiant baggage allowance that meant we by no means as soon as confused about checked luggage. A lounge coverage that is one of the family-friendly I’ve come throughout, the place one dad or mum with standing means the entire household walks in. And meals that impressed at each touchpoint, from the home lounge spreads and Adelaide’s beloved panini machine to the a la carte top notch eating and people unforgettable beignets.
With the brand new Australia-Canada open skies settlement and Qantas pushing for extra capability on the route, it is solely going to get simpler for Canadian households to expertise what they’ve to supply.
