Your Guide to Qantas Business Lounges Around the World
We’re talking about the Qantas Business Lounge, and if you’re flying business class with Qantas for the first time, here’s our advice: arrive at the airport early as relaxing at the lounge is an essential part of the experience. Enjoy the gourmet food, comfy sofas, barista-made coffee and cocktails – and if you’re a Platinum or Platinum One Frequent Flyer, you can bring along two guests (they don’t even have to be flying).
These days, all Qantas Business lounges have dedicated check-in, priority baggage handling, wi-fi and top-notch food and beverages, but here’s some advice for first-timers. Firstly, make a lap of all the food and beverage options as there are often separate dining spaces, a la carte menus and more than one buffet. Second: if you’re headed for the shower suites, ask a staff member for an amenity kit with your towel. Third: there’s a dress-code and if you turn up in a bikini or your oldest boardies, you may have an issue.
Los Angeles International Business Lounge
Location: Airside, Tom Bradley International Terminal, Level 5
Opening hours: 06:30am to 11:30pm
Facilities: The most arresting feature of the LAX business lounge is the indoor fire-pit encircled by curvy leather lounges (pictured top). The ambience is modern, moody and sophisticated – fitting in a city like LA. Accommodating 600 guests, the lounge has two large dining areas where guests can choose from a buffet featuring a Neil Perry-designed menu of Australian/Californian fusion dishes. There are also food carts dispensing freshly made LA-style tacos filled with pulled pork, crumbed cod and spiced chicken. The business zone features six Apple iMacs as well as printers and work stations; a family space is expanded during peak holiday periods. Finally, 16 shower suites invite guests to revive between flights with Aspar amenities.
Brisbane Domestic Business Lounge
Location: Departures Level 1 near Gate 22.
Opening hours: Open one hour before the first Qantas operated service until the last Qantas departure.
Facilities: Qantas’s Brisbane business lounge is modern, elegant and boasts excellent food. The star here is Neil Perry’s Mexican-flavoured Cantina menu, which rotates regularly – think spicy chipotle rice with chicken and cabbage and nachos with guacamole. Otherwise, there are numerous buffets that offer snacks and more substantial meals at breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus the Quench drinks counter and a DIY juice station. Guests can perch on a bench, hang out at a communal table or have a tête-a-tête at a table for two, and all seating has access to power outlets and USB charging. A second bar area serving wine and barista-made coffee offers a more peaceful atmosphere than the buzzy main bar, and the working space includes a large table and benches with stools. The vibe here is less corporate and more relaxed: blonde wood furnishings, greenery and plenty of natural light. The large unisex shower suites resemble hotel ensuites and include Aspar products and fluffy towels.
Perth International Transit Lounge
Location: Terminal 3, Level 1 departures.
Opening hours: Open one hour before the first Qantas operated service until the last Qantas departure.
Facilities: Unveiled to coincide with Qantas’s non-stop Dreamliner service to London, the International Business Lounge is the creation of industrial designer David Caon in consultation with the University of Sydney’s Charles Perkins Centre. The aim was to create a lounge dedicated to wellness that prepares passengers for the long, long-haul flight. As a result, there’s light therapy in the 15 shower suites to help adjust the body clock, a Wellbeing Studio space that offers stretching classes and a Refresh area with cleansers, mists and moisturisers by Aspar. An outdoor barbecue area serves a Neil-Perry-designed menu and the Quench hydration station has all manner of beverages. Feeling relaxed yet?
Canberra Domestic Business Lounge
Location: Clear security, turn right and take the escalator up to the lounge lobby.
Opening hours: Open one hour before the first Qantas operated service until the last Qantas departure.
Facilities: Canberra sees a lot of busy public servants passing through its domestic business lounge, so the barista-made coffee is a good call – as are the Arnott’s biscuits. There are lots of spots to get some work done, from stations with computers to communal tables with charging facilities. Plus, comfy chairs, soft, neutral colours and gentle lighting that encourage relaxation. Unlike other Qantas lounges that feature Aspar products in the bathrooms, the Canberra lounge stocks Molton Brown.
Changi Business Lounge
Location: Airside, Terminal 1
Opening hours: 2:30pm to 12:00am.
Facilities: This is a big lounge: Changi’s Qantas Business Lounge accommodates 570 guests across a series of comfortable zones, all decked out in breezy, Singapore style – think banana trees and rattan screens. There so many different styles of chair – armchair, sofa, stool – you’ll have trouble deciding where to sit. Neil Perry’s menu features Singapore favourites such as chicken laksa and roasted pork belly as well as Spice Temple-inspired cocktails; buffets and self-service drinks are a bonus. For passengers who need to freshen up, there are 20 shower suites.
SEE MORE: This Qantas Business Lounge Has Had a Facelift
Sydney International Business Lounge
Location: Airside, Level 3 (travel down the escalator near Gate 9)
Opening hours: 5am until 10pm
Facilities: A generous buffet that changes throughout the day is bolstered by á la carte options. Beer taps for self-serve pints are fun, while the fridges have a selection of wine and bottled beer. In a boon to anyone travelling with children, there’s a family area with couches, TV and toys – and, thrillingly, a gelato counter. Bathroom facilities are modern, with showers and Aspar skincare products.
Melbourne Domestic Business Lounge
Location: Entry via a dedicated lounge escalator, to the right after security checks.
Opening hours: Open one hour before the first Qantas-operated service until the last departure.
Facilities: This recently renovated space is beautiful: tarmac-facing windows light the space, which is decorated in a calming neutral palette with lashings of Nero Marquina black marble. The furnishings are all soft edges and curves – very Melbourne. Asian Spice Bar, devised by Neil Perry, offers daily-changing dishes inspired by the chef’s Spice Temple restaurant; the buffet spans from sandwich fixings to cheesecake. Travellers can lounge in booths, sit at the bar or get busy in the workspace with computer and charging facilities. Private shower suites are surprisingly spacious.
London Heathrow Business Lounge
Location: Terminal 3, Lounge VB011/12 Building 13124
Opening hours: 8am to 9:05pm.
Facilities: This lounge feels more like an exclusive London supper club – all brass, parquetry floors and a stunning marble Gin Bar at which to enjoy a cocktail. All-day barista service makes up for any average coffee experienced in London and the Quench bar keeps you hydrated pre-flight. The Rockpool-inspired menu has a British slant – think Ploughman’s lunch alongside kale breakfast bowls – and there’s a plentiful hot and cold buffet stocked with everything from scones with jam and cream to quinoa salad. There’s a more casual dining area overlooking the airfield and a striking staircase up to the second floor. Guests are welcome to use the Refresh space, with enormous shower suites and Aspar products, both before and after long-haul flights. There’s a small play area for kids and a business centre with the requisite paraphernalia.
Perth Domestic Business Lounge
Location: Terminal 4, Departures Level, adjacent to Gate 15
Opening hours: Open one hour before the first Qantas operated service until the last Qantas departure.
Facilities: Opened in 2015, the domestic business lounge’s colour palette is inspired by the Western Australian landscape. Guests can log their coffee order on a tablet upon entering – caffeine without a queue is a huge bonus. It’s famous for its pizza bar with attending pizzaiolo and the excellent cocktail menu designed by the Rockpool Mixology team. These options are bolstered by a generous buffet – think freshly baked croissants and mix-your-own juice in the morning, and self-serve wine and canapés in the evening. For business travellers, there’s a meeting room and charging and USB ports are scattered all over the lounge. Shower suites are sleek and spacious, with Aspar products.
Sydney Domestic Business Lounge
Location: Terminal 3, Departures Level, opposite gates 4 and 5
Opening hours: 5am until the last Qantas T3 departure
Facilities: With plentiful seating, great views across the tarmac and top-notch flat whites, the Sydney Domestic Business lounge is a comfortable place to relax pre-flight. There are bathrooms with showers, computers, plenty of reading material and a good selection of wine and beers – but note: the bar doesn’t open until midday. The buffet serves fresh meals and snacks and there’s a daily Rockpool-inspired dish, prepared to order.
Hong Kong Business Lounge
Location: Level 7 above Gate 5
Opening hours: 7:30am to 12:00am.
Facilities: Glowing orange lanterns, trees and screens create a distinctly oriental vibe at Qantas’s Hong Kong lounge. Neil Perry has created the Spice Temple BBQ Bar where the menu focuses on tasty Chinese dishes: char siu barbecued pork, yum cha classics and specialty cocktails. There are plenty of other dining options too: buffet offerings, tray service and a daily special. Plan to have dinner before boarding your overnight flight then drift off after you board – from the lounge, business-class travellers can request their beds be made up right after take-off. Phones, printers, desks and plenty of power outlets and USB ports make getting last-minute work done easy; for those travelling with kids the Family Zone has plenty to keep them busy. If you’re in transit and want to freshen up, the modern shower suites have Aspar shampoo, conditioner, body wash and moisturisers.
Brisbane International Business Lounge
Location: Airside, International Terminal, Levels 3 and 4.
Opening hours: 5:30am-12:00am.
Facilities: Breakfast is a big deal here and there are so many options, you should start considering your options well in advance of your flight. Spread over three storeys, the sleek lounge feels very Brisbane: relaxed, light and unexpectedly sophisticated. Upon entry, guests will find a breakfast buffet and a barista until 11am. Continue up the escalator to the main lounge area to the full buffet (the pancake machine is popular), bar, coffee station and the bathrooms where sleek subway-tiled shower suites await. Finally, upstairs from the main area, there’s the Brisbane Breakfast Hatch, serving meals such as eggs Benedict or Bircher muesli. The food offerings on the first and third floors end at 11am. For drinks, there are two Quench stations and plenty of beer and wine available from the bar. Work areas are well-equipped with power outlets and USB ports; private nooks offer a quiet place to take calls.
