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Qantas Orders 6 More Dreamliners, Accelerates Retirement of Final 747s

May 02, 2018
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3 min read
Qantas 787 Dreamliner
Qantas Orders 6 More Dreamliners, Accelerates Retirement of Final 747s
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Qantas is ordering more Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, the aircraft that will eventually replace the Australian carrier's aging fleet of 747s.

On Wednesday, Qantas announced that it has ordered six additional Boeing 787-9 aircraft to fly on its international network, which it will take delivery of between 2019 and 2020. With the order also comes bad news for the Queen of the Skies. Qantas confirmed that by the time it gets all of its new Dreamliners — it will have 14 in its fleet by the end of 2020 — it'll have accelerated the retirement of its last six Boeing 747s.

"This really is the end of one era and the start of another," Qantas CEO Alan Joyce said. "The jumbo has been the backbone of Qantas International for more than 40 years and we've flown almost every type that Boeing built. Over the years, each new version of the 747 allowed Qantas to fly further and improve what we offered passengers. The Dreamliners are now doing the same thing."

There are currently 10 747-400s left in Qantas' fleet, which will be steadily retired between July 2018 and the end of 2020. Qantas last took delivery of a 747 from Boeing in 2003. By the time it's retired, it will be 17 years old.

Qantas currently has four 789s in its fleet, and it will take delivery of another four by the end of 2018. Other than operating routes between Melbourne (MEL) and Los Angeles (LAX), the Dreamliner also operates the second-longest flight in the world between Perth (PER) and London (LHR). Check out this review of the 17-hour economy experience on the inaugural PER-LHR flight.

The new Dreamliners Qantas ordered on Wednesday will be outfitted with the same interiors as those that are already part of its fleet. The aircraft is comprised of three cabins: business, premium economy and economy. Business class has 42 lie-flat seats in a 1-2-1 configuration — an improvement over the 747's 2-3-2 configuration.

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Premium economy is comprised of 28 seats in a 2-3-2 configuration. Each of the seats has 38 inches of pitch and is 22.8 inches wide with 9.5 inches of recline. While the pitch is generous, the seat is rather tight when the passenger in front of you is reclined. Check out a full review of the product here.

Finally, the economy cabin is comprised of 166 seats in a 3-3-3 configuration. (The last row is arranged in a 2-3-2 configuration.) Each of the seats has 32 inches of pitch and is 17.2 inches wide. Plus, each seat gets 6 inches of recline.

Along with the news of Qantas adding more Dreamliners to its fleet and accelerating the retirement of its remaining 747s, the carrier also announced that by the end of 2020, it will have finished upgrading the cabins of its A380s. The carrier will be increasing the number of premium cabin seats on its A380s, as well as making some other changes.

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Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

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  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

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 $6,000 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.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
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  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.