What It's Like Flying 22 Hours in Qantas Business Class
Joseph Bobadilla/Unsplash
As the flagship carrier for Australia—one of the world’s hardest-to-reach, and well-traveled, countries—Qantas knows a thing or two about creating a comfortable long-haul experience. That’s a good thing for an airline with ambitions to fly the world’s longest route, Project Sunrise, which will connect Sydney to New York in 20 hours.
Though that won’t launch till 2026, Qantas did start traveling between the two cities last year, flying three times a week on the Boeing Dreamliner 787. In effect, their current New York to Sydney flight is two legs on one plane: New York to Auckland, a route Air New Zealand launched in 2022, followed by Auckland to Sydney. Passengers do need to deplane with their belongings in Auckland but return to their cabin two hours later (generally you will be booked on the same seat for both legs, but not always). All together, passengers travel for roughly 22 hours.
That’s a long time to be in one plane, even with the break. But Qantas is ahead of the game. Partnerships with industrial designers like David Caon have helped craft an experience to minimize all those hours of criss-crossed time zones, down to the rattle of the tea cups on the beverage cart. And a food program done in consultation with celebrated Aussie chef Neil Perry helps the carrier introduce passengers to some of the flavors of Australia as well as the country’s trademark easy hospitality. All these elements are amplified in Qantas Business Class, which has the essential bonus of a lie-flat bed that doesn’t require you to sleep at an angle and amenities that include, for my money, the best airplane pajamas in the skies.
Onboard comforts
There are 42 business class seats onboard this aircraft, in a 1-2-1 configuration, with rows separated by a crew service area. It doesn’t feel like a squeeze by any means, but you are certainly aware of the passengers around you. Each seat is semi-private, with a ton of different space for storage. I was able to unpack pretty much my entire shoulder bag to set up for the duration of a 17-hour leg, finding a spot for my books (which I never opened), my magazines (though I opted to read Qantas’s own inflight title instead and it was fabulous!), my phone and charger, as well as my laptop (it’s a good opportunity to get some work done. Pity this route is yet to have Wi-Fi….). There was decent surface space, too, for when I did tap away at my keyboard.
Though let’s get real, the majority of my awake hours were spent glued to the 16-inch seat back screen, making my way through box sets like a Gentleman in Moscow and a few films. Good selection. Nothing extraordinary. But plenty to keep you entertained if you want to spend every minute of 20 hours of flying with something to watch.
Qantas departs in the evening, which means you have just enough time to comfortably have dinner and watch a movie before settling down for sleep. And sleep is crucial on this leg between New York and New Zealand. The seat—which is about five inches wider than in economy—reclines all the way back to stretch out 80 inches. The crew make it up with a fluffy pillow and cotton duvet and mattress. But the secret weapon to a good sleep onboard are Qantas’s gray and blue print cotton pajamas, which I will go on record as saying are the best airline amenity out there. The second they hand them out, I go straight to the bathroom to change and stay in them until landing.
Inflight dining
Qantas has partnered with powerhouse Australian chef Neil Perry for decades. For this journey, Neil and his team have created menus that salute New York while showcasing Australia’s prime wines and diverse food. They serve a three-course meal for dinner with a nice, short selection of dishes. Following the cocktail hour, where I sipped a vodka martini and nibbled Australian nuts, a bread service accompanied my starter. I chose an exceptionally fresh sweet corn and basil soup (though I still think of the pork and spring onion dumplings that got away). I opted for General Tso chicken with smashed cucumber salad as my main but other options included a vegan laksa, a popular dish in Australia thanks to the country’s relationship with Southeast Asia, seared halibut, and beef filet. A cheese course followed.
Breakfast is served à la carte, and I loved that passengers are asked to fill out a breakfast card, much like at high-end hotels to leave outside your door the next day, and delivered when the passenger requests it due to different sleep schedules. My breakfast tray of cold-pressed green juice, black coffee, macadamia toasted muesli, and fruit was exactly what I needed after six hours of shut eye. Hot breakfasts are available as well. In between, you can order from a full menu of hot and cold snacks including New York hot dogs, empanadas, and crudités. Suffice it to say, I never went hungry.
Airport experience
I was checked in swiftly, and the agent explained that I would have access to the Greenwich Lounge in JFK’s terminal 8; Qantas does not have a dedicated lounge inside JFK airport, but instead has access to the One World Lounge, the network that Qantas is a part of. He also instructed me on how to find it (to the left, once past the expedited security).
The lounge was comfortable. Ample seating, a quiet room for those of us wanting to get work or reading done. A selection of hot and cold dishes as well as a couple of full self-service bars. The lounge has a thoughtful selection of spaces and places to relax including high-top tables, sunken chairs, and couches. It does not rank in the top three airport lounges I have experienced in my life, but it is more comfortable than, say, the Lufthansa Lounge at the same airport. Should you return on the same route out of Sydney, you will have access to Qantas’s flagship lounge, a sprawling, sun-flooded space where staff will surprise you with glasses of champagne and cakes as you flip through a magazine on the comfy couches.
Takeaway
Qantas Business Class on the 787 Dreamliner from New York to Sydney via Auckland is a polished product. It has a few advantages over its Air New Zealand competitor on the Auckland leg, including a better take-off time earlier in the evening which allows you to ease into, and enjoy, the flight before getting ready for sleep. The cabin configuration feels more spacious. The á la carte breakfast is a wonderful touch. The lack of Wi-Fi on such a long flight is a bummer, but they do have plans for it down the line (Air NZ, by contrast, does have Wi-Fi but it did drop a lot each time I have flown this route). The service was exceptional, and I should add that the majority of the crew on the Auckland to New York legs are Kiwi, which helps Qantas maintain a cheery Antipodean disposition. Service is personable and thoughtful; the head steward made the rounds several times to chat to each passenger, check on them, greet them. When I woke up from my sleep, a bottle of coconut water had been placed at my seat without me having asked for it, which is smart on a long flight where you dehydrate easily. Overall, Qantas has made a way for such a long-haul flight to feel comfortable, and to give you a taste of Australia before hitting the ground.
Originally Appeared on Condé Nast Traveler
The Latest Travel News and Advice
Want to be the first to know? Sign up to our newsletters for travel inspiration and tips
These Are the World's Most Powerful Passports in 2024
The Oldest Country in the World Is This Microstate Tucked Inside Italy
This Rural Region in Spain is Paying Remote Workers $16,000 To Move There
