When you travel as a family of five often enough, you start to develop a mental shortlist of airlines that just get it. The ones where the crew seems happy to have your family on board, and where the little details, a free checked bag, a snack on a 40-minute flight, add up to something that feels effortless.
After our March Break trip to Australia, Qantas has firmly earned a spot on that list.
If you read my earlier piece on last-minute pivots, you’ll know this trip came together quickly. When the war in the Middle East broke out, we had under a month to rethink our plans entirely. Australia ended up being the call, and Qantas ended up being the airline that made the whole experience feel seamless from start to finish.
Qantas: Australia’s Flagship Airline
For those less familiar, Qantas is Australia’s flagship carrier. Founded in 1920, it’s one of the oldest airlines in the world and a member of the oneworld alliance, which is great news for Canadians who collect points with programs like Aeroplan, AAdvantage, or Avios. The airline has a strong reputation for safety, premium service, and an excellent lounge network across Australia and beyond.
From Canada, Qantas currently operates daily flights between Sydney and Vancouver on Boeing 787 Dreamliners, with additional connections available through LAX and SFO. And there’s reason to be optimistic about even more options ahead. A new Australia-Canada open skies agreement took effect on March 29, 2026, and Qantas has already applied for unlimited passenger capacity on the route, covering Qantas, Jetstar, and codeshare partners like American Airlines and WestJet. For Canadian families eyeing a trip down under, the access is only going to get better.
Our Trip at a Glance
With just over a week to work with and the constraints of March Break (we wanted the kids back in school on time), we kept things chill rather than trying to cram in too much.
Our first stop was Melbourne, chosen for its reputation as one of the world’s most liveable cities and as a natural gateway to driving the Great Ocean Road. From there, we headed to Kangaroo Island for a few nights to wind down the trip, soaking in the scenery, hitting the beaches, and getting up close with Australian wildlife.
Our Qantas flights covered a one-way long-haul from Melbourne to Los Angeles, plus round-trip domestic flights between Melbourne, Adelaide, and Kangaroo Island (KGC).
How We Booked
With under a month to figure things out, I started monitoring award availability to Australia. Here’s what I learned along the way.
Qantas economy is generally easy to book on points. Availability is plentiful, roughly 40,000 points across partner programs from the west coast to Australia, and possibly a bit more from the east coast.
Business and first class? Much harder, even through Qantas’ own Frequent Flyer program, which prices award tickets dynamically. That said, close-in premium award space does occasionally come up, so it pays to stay flexible and set award alerts.
When premium space does appear, partner programs are the better play. Programs like Atmos Rewards, AAdvantage, and Finnair Plus all price Qantas redemptions lower than Qantas Frequent Flyer’s dynamic rates.
I was very lucky to find availability for our Melbourne to Los Angeles flight:
- 4 business class seats at 80,000 AAdvantage miles + $110 in taxes and fees each
- 1 first class seat at 110,000 AAdvantage miles + $110 in taxes and fees
Business class was also bookable through Finnair Plus for 95,000 Avios and $600 in taxes, which is arguably a better redemption given how easy Avios are to earn. In the end I stuck with AAdvantage since the miles were already in my account and to save on the total out-of-pocket cost. First class was only available through AAdvantage.
Qantas flights can sometimes also be booked using British Airways Avios, but the redemptions tend to be a lot higher in both points and taxes and fees.
One nice advantage of booking through AAdvantage: if you don’t have the miles in your balance yet, you can place award tickets on hold while you transfer points in. And cancellation of award tickets is free, a helpful safety net when plans are still coming together.
For our domestic flights between Melbourne, Adelaide, and Kangaroo Island, we booked through Atmos Rewards at just 7,500 points one way per person. That’s a spectacular deal when you consider that some domestic flights within Australia can run up to $700 one way in cash.
What I Loved: The Pre-Flight Experience
Baggage Allowance
This might sound like a small thing, but it makes a huge difference when you’re travelling as a family. Qantas includes a free checked bag on every fare class, even the most basic economy ticket, even on the shortest domestic flights. Our Adelaide to Kingscote hop was only 40 minutes and we still had a checked bag included. When you’re travelling with five people’s worth of gear, not worrying about baggage fees or cramming everything into carry-ons is a genuine relief.
Lounge Access
I status matched my Air Canada Aeroplan 50K to Royal Jordanian’s Royal Club Gold Sparrow, which gives oneworld Sapphire status. One of the perks is access to oneworld partner business class lounges, meaning any Qantas lounge. And here’s where the family-friendly policy really shines: you can bring one adult guest (my husband), and children under 18 don’t count as guests. So with just one parent holding status, our whole family of five walked right in.
The domestic Qantas Business Class Lounges were spacious with a solid food spread: salad bar, sandwiches, soup, and several hot dishes. In Adelaide, there was a panini machine that became an instant hit. My kids happily set up shop making their own grilled cheese sandwiches. Sometimes it’s the simple things.
The Qantas First Class Lounge in Melbourne was on another level entirely. Because I was flying first class, I could bring the whole family in with me. The experience actually starts before you even enter the terminal. There’s a dedicated first class check-in area located curbside at the international terminal, positioned between Terminal 2 and Terminal 1. They took our baggage right there and an agent escorted us directly to the lounge.
The lounge itself is huge and bright, with plenty of seating. The dining area features sit-down table service where you order a la carte. We were there for breakfast and it was spectacular. One of the standouts was pancakes with matcha mascarpone topping, which my kids absolutely loved. The food quality across the board was excellent, and they also served bottled smoothies and wellness drinks that you can grab to go.
As a first class passenger, you can also sign up for a complimentary 20-minute massage. Before a long international flight, that’s a pretty wonderful way to unwind.
What I Loved: The In-Flight Experience
Short-Haul Domestic in Economy
Flying economy with Qantas was a pleasant experience. The seats were comfortable, and with everyone’s checked bag taken care of, we could travel light on carry-ons. Always a win with kids.
What really impressed me is that even on their shortest flights, Qantas serves complimentary drinks and snacks. No nickel-and-diming, no “would you like to purchase a snack box.” On our 40-minute flight from Adelaide to Kingscote, we got granola bars. On our 1 hour and 20 minute flight from Adelaide to Melbourne, we were served cheese and crackers. It’s a small touch, but it sets a tone. You feel looked after, even in economy on a quick domestic hop.
Long-Haul International in Business & First Class
I booked the kids in business class and ended up paying a cash upgrade for my husband to join me in first class. Since my youngest was still under 12 and my eldest not quite an adult yet, we completed an unaccompanied minor form and paid a small fee for the service, as they were seated in a separate cabin from us. A bit of extra admin, but straightforward enough.
Business class was excellent for the kids. The seats were very spacious and comfortable, and the meal service was great with a couple of optional light in-flight snack options available as well. Business class passengers get pajamas, which my kids thought was the coolest thing. On the A380, there’s a lounge area at the front of the cabin where you can gather with family or friends to stretch your legs, a nice feature on a long transpacific flight.
The attentiveness of the crew to my kids was amazing, including being mindful of my child’s nut allergy. My youngest also received a small activity bag for the flight, which kept her happily entertained.
First class was phenomenal. I had a very responsive and friendly attendant who made the entire experience feel personal. Although there’s no door on the suite, choosing a window seat still gives you a strong sense of privacy. The seat area is spacious, and the seat itself can mechanically swivel, a fun touch. The footrest is large enough to seat a second passenger, so my husband and I could actually sit together and have dinner, which we loved.
Dining is dine-on-demand, so there are no set meal times. You eat whenever you want. The food was fantastic. I had a Korean-inspired ahi tuna appetizer that I really enjoyed, and my husband’s duck was delicious. My beef was tasty but a touch dry. The standout for me was the beignets for dessert: soft, fluffy, with different dips that complemented them perfectly. The next morning, breakfast featured the best omelette I’ve ever had on a flight, with prosciutto and vegetables, beautifully presented.
One small miss: there were no light meal or snack options between main meal services in first class, which was a bit ironic given that business class had this covered.
First class amenities included pajamas, slippers, and a generous amenity kit by Aesop. But what truly stood out to me as a parent was how the crew handled our family being split across cabins. The staff were made aware that our kids were in business class, and they proactively checked in with us to give updates on how the kids were doing. They encouraged us to go visit them whenever we wanted, and coordinated where to meet after disembarking. That kind of thoughtfulness is what takes an airline from good to truly great for families.
Conclusion
Qantas won us over with the sum of its parts. It wasn’t any single grand gesture. It was the consistency. Attentive service across every cabin and every flight, from a 40-minute domestic hop to a transpacific overnight. A generous baggage allowance that meant we never once stressed about checked bags. A lounge policy that’s one of the most family-friendly I’ve come across, where one parent with status means the whole family walks in. And food that impressed at every touchpoint, from the domestic lounge spreads and Adelaide’s beloved panini machine to the a la carte first class dining and those unforgettable beignets.
With the new Australia-Canada open skies agreement and Qantas pushing for more capacity on the route, it’s only going to get easier for Canadian families to experience what they have to offer.
This story originally appeared on princeoftravel
