Review: Qantas A380 First Class Los Angeles to Melbourne

I recently had the opportunity to fly Qantas A380 First Class from Los Angeles to Melbourne on a trip to visit family.

Despite travelling quite often to Australia, this happened to be my first time flying with Qantas, and I was keen to see what Qantas First Class was all about.

Qantas A380 First Class – Booking

Securing a seat in Qantas First Class for long-haul flights using points is indeed quite a challenge. In fact, snagging an award seat usually requires a bit of luck and keeping a close eye on availability.

In my case, I booked a flight from Los Angeles to Melbourne in Qantas First Class using 110,000 American Airlines AAdvantage miles, plus a very modest $30.20 (CAD) in taxes and fees.

I was very pleased with the value from this redemption, especially since this flight runs just shy of 16 hours. As is the case with any ultra-long-haul flight, comfort is key, and I looked forward to adding another A380 First Class experience (and set of pajamas) to my repertoire.

While opportunities to book Qantas First Class on points are rather fleeting, the availability of award seats surfaces sporadically, offering great value if you can manage to snag one.

Your best bet is to use the calendar search function on the American Airlines AAdvantage website, or set an alert using your favourite award search website.

Qantas A380 First Class – Ground Experience

Even though my flight was set to depart in the latter part of the evening, I arrived at the airport in the early afternoon to enjoy an extended lounge visit.

I happened to be travelling with checked luggage this time, so I had to wait until the Qantas staff arrived so I could check my bag and head through security. A line had formed in the economy and business class lines; however, I waltzed to the front of the separate First Class line, and was through the formalities in no time.

I then headed through security and straight to the Qantas International First Lounge Los Angeles, which ranks as one of the best in North America.

Situated in the Tom Bradley International Terminal, the lounge is a sprawling 17,500 square feet. It features a modern design and a good variety of seating arrangements.

During my visit, I found myself immersed in a chic and stylish space.