Qantas Plans Significant Upgrades to A380 Cabin
Qantas has quite the plans these days. After declaring yesterday that it wants to operate a nonstop flight from Sydney (SYD) to New York (JFK) even though the technology doesn't exist yet, the biggest Australian airline has also announced a major overhaul of its A380 cabins.
Due to an increase in demand for premium cabin options, the airline plans to remove 30 economy seats from the upper deck and some crew workstations, replacing them with six more business class seats and 25 more premium economy seats. It will increase the overall amount of seats on the aircraft by 1 to 485 and grow the premium economy cabin by 27%.
The project will affect 12 of the 22 A380s Qantas owns. Furthermore, it will be upgrading its current business class seats to the latest version of Qantas Business Suites — bringing the total to 70 lie-flat seats. These are more private suites compared to the current Skybeds.
New premium economy seats, which are 10% larger then the ones they will replace, will be laid out in a 2-3-2 configuration — with 60 premium economy seats total.
With the extra space from removing the crew areas the A380 will get a larger lounge area, designed by David Caon. The entire upper deck will now cater to premium passengers, with the lounge, business and premium economy cabins using all the space.
The economy cabin will receive upgraded seats with new cushions and in-flight entertainment.
And for those lucky enough to enjoy Qantas first class, they'll see minor upgrades to their suite with new cushioning, bedding and bigger, higher-res IFE screens.
Don't hold your breath though, as the renovations aren't expected to begin until the second quarter of 2019 with the upgrades being completed by the end of 2020. Qantas flies its superjumbo A380s only on select routes, with US departures from Los Angeles to Melbourne (MEL) and Sydney (SYD) and between Dallas (DFW) and Sydney (SYD).
"We're seeing increased demand for Premium Economy and Business Class on the long haul routes that the A380 operates," said Qantas CEO Alan Joyce in a statement. "Including from people using their Qantas points to upgrade. When more travelers experience these new seats, we expect that demand will keep rising."
There a couple of ways to book an award seat on a Qantas A380. Since they are part of the Oneworld alliance you can use American miles, with one-way tickets starting at 110,000 miles in first, 80,000 miles in business and 40,000 miles in economy. You can also book with Alaska miles or British Airways Avios.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.