Traveling to Australia from the U.S. seems like a distant, wanderlust dream.

Visions of gorgeous beaches and the inspiring Outback are quickly shattered by the daunting long-haul flight.

But with the growing premium economy class of service, flying to Australia is easier and more comfortable than ever before.

With perks such as extra seat width, more legroom and a private cabin with dedicated flight attendants, premium economy carves itself between economy and business class.

On the Qantas Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, such perks are just the beginning of its premium economy service.

Indulge in multi-course meals designed by a renowned Australian chef, premier Australian wines and service with a friendly Aussie smile.

Whether it’s your first time flying to Australia or your dream Australia vacation, you’ll experience the best of Australia before you even land when you fly premium economy on Qantas.

What’s It Like to Premium Economy to Australia on Qantas?

Checking In is a Dream

The headaches tend to begin at check-in counters, but you’ll avoid them altogether when you book premium economy on Qantas.

Priority check-in at dedicated counters for passengers flying premium economy make the whole process a breeze. This means you’ll have less waiting in lines to deal with – always a plus!

For a truly seamless experience, be sure to check in at least two hours before your flight departure. You may also check-in online between 24 and 2 hours before your flight departs.

Checking in has never been easier.

The Seats are Incredibly Comfortable

Gone are the days of sleepless international flights. On Qantas premium economy, you’ll rest easily on wide seats with generous recline, sensational legroom, and adjustable footrests.

Enjoy 38 inches of pitch between each row (the measurement from your headrest to the same place on the seat in front of you). Or pop your feet up on the adjustable, fold-out footrest and recline back up to 9.5 inches, allowing you to truly kick back and relax.

Easily store your belongings in 5 individual storage areas. No more constantly reaching to the overhead cabins!

With seats in regular economy reaching up to 17.2 inches in width, premium economy seats on the Dreamliner reach up to 22.8 inches in width.

That’s comparable to seats on first class U.S. domestic airlines – averaging at about 20 inches wide!

This extra seat width makes catching some well-needed rest on your flight much easier. A sleep study conducted by Airbus and The London Sleep Center found that even just one additional inch of seat width allows passengers to sleep an average 53% longer during a long haul flight.

Just rest your head against the unique attachable pillow on your headrest, cover yourself in a complimentary blanket and let sleep take over.

You’ll be surprised at how easily it comes!

The Service is Impeccable

Enjoy an exclusive cabin when you fly premium economy on Qantas. Featuring between 28 and 35 seats with dedicated cabin crew, you’ll receive personalized and warm service on your flight to Australia.

It’s not uncommon for the cabin manager to personally greet every passenger in the cabin. You’ll be addressed by name with a smile.

A friendly face goes a long way on a long-haul flight, especially when pre-takeoff drinks are offered.

Travelers often compare this level of service and exclusivity to business class in domestic flights. Whether you’re in need of a snack, a drink or a pillow, nothing is too much trouble for your attendants.

Such little touches make quite the difference on a long-haul flight.

The Food is Divine

You’ll receive a menu detailing all that is on offer. From multi-course meals, snacks, spirits and wine – everything is included in the price of your flight.

Quell your appetite with a delicious multi-course meal designed by Australian celebrity chef Neil Perry. Served on glass dishes with a white table cloth napkin, the dining experience and quality of food is on par with that of business class.

Dishes include barramundi, chipotle pulled pork, bean and apple salad with coriander and lime dressing and traditional lamb moussaka with broccoli and sugar snaps.

Throughout your flight, there are a variety of snacks available at a self-service bar including fresh fruit, ice cream or local chocolates. The friendly cabin crew will also serve hot food and delicious baked goods between meal times.

After catching a few hours of sleep wake up to the smell of breakfast.

Choose a hot breakfast with dishes such as scrambled eggs with bacon, sausages, potatoes, roasted tomatoes and mushrooms. Or gently wake your senses with a continental breakfast of a refreshing seasonal fruit platter.

You’ll Taste Beverages from Around the World

Tempt your taste buds with the generous drink menu offering a selection of Australian wines and spirits from different parts of the world.

Enjoy a glass of Australian sparkling wine, Scottish whisky or Puerto Rican rum, or delight in familiar favorites such as a Bloody Mary or gin and tonic.

Sip a cup of Dilmah tea from Sri Lanka or Vittoria Chocochino Italian-style hot chocolate to keep you from getting too carried away.

Selections of juices, soft drinks and mineral water are also available to keep you hydrated – always important on a long-haul flight.

Though you may be tempted to sample different wines and spirits, we recommend you keep this to a minimum. The more hydration your body receives, the better!

You’re Taken Care Of, Day or Night

The Dreamliner is designed to maximize passenger comfort with larger windows, better air quality to reduce jetlag and other innovations exclusive to Qantas.

With your complimentary comfort kit you can complete your nightly rituals to help you fall asleep easier. If you’re having trouble sleeping due to the light outside, your complimentary eye mask will do the trick.

Need to catch up on some work? Connect or charge your devices with USB ports in your seat and power plugs between armrests.

For a little downtime, put on a set of noise-canceling headsets and enjoy over 1500 on-demand entertainment options.

Adjust your 13 inch personal touch screen (located behind the seat in front of you) and choose from the latest movies, TV shows, music albums, video games and more.

Catch up on recent releases you might’ve missed or watch your flight journey on a moving map right on your screen.

Spend your time however you like during your flight – you can do it all on the Dreamliner.

Ready to Plan Your Trip to Australia?

Qantas’ solid premium economy service is a perfect way to begin your trip to Australia. With more than 40 direct flights to Australia each week and as Australia’s largest domestic network, Qantas makes traveling to and around Australia a breeze.

Connect with our Destination Specialists to start planning your journey. We’ll share tips such as what it’s like to fly to Australia from the U.S. and the best vacation spots in Australia – everything you need for an easy and unforgettable trip.

Let’s Start Planning Your Australia Vacation!

Phone us Toll Free on 1-888-359-2877 (CT USA, M-F 8.30am – 5pm).

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What is it Like to Fly to Australia From the U.S.?

It’s no secret, data usage while traveling abroad is expensive. The problem becomes even worse when you travel to a country like Australia, which doesn’t offer endless options for free WiFi like we have in the United States. As we become more and more dependent on our phones and the information their connection brings, we find it harder and harder to function without them.  This is especially true when it comes to getting around.

I don’t know about you, but I use my maps app nearly every day!

You need a way to use GPS for free when traveling internationally!

In a foreign land it’s nice to know you can always turn to your phone when you want to find the nearest attraction, explore the area for the best restaurants, or ensure your taxi driver isn’t literally ‘taking you for a ride’. So today we share one of our most used travel tips…

How to use the GPS on your phone without using international data

Using your map app while roaming can incur heavy usage fees when traveling internationally.  This is not due to the use of your GPS. It’s because you have to download the map data in order to understand where you are and where you want to go.  Using the GPS to target your location is free. The simple solution is to download the map data before you travel.

We suggest downloading your maps a day or two before you depart so you have the most up to date information. You can do this using WiFi while in Australia, but you’ll save a lot of time if you download using the fast connection speeds you have at home. Shared WiFi in hotels and airports can be frustratingly slow!

Here’s how it’s done using the popular Google Maps app.

Step 1: If you haven’t already, download Google Maps. Apple | Android

Step 2: Type in the city you plan on visiting in the Search Bar.

Step 3: Tap on the little “hamburger” menu.

Step 4: Tap on “Offline Maps”.

Step 5: Tap “Select Your Own Map”. If your screen only has “Home” or “Custom map” available, tap “Custom map.”

Step 6: Zoom in or out and adjust your map to represent where you will be while on vacation.  The larger the area, the more memory the map will use on your phone. In Sydney, for example, you would likely want to include the CBD (downtown area) and areas along the Harbour up to Bondi Beach. By limiting the area, we’ll be saving 25MB of memory.

Step 7: Click Download

Now, when you are in this area of the map, you will be able to use Google Maps as you normally would without using any data or WiFi.  You might want to turn the mobile data off on your phone so you don’t accidentally use your data when you search outside your downloaded area.

Step 8: Repeat this process for every city on your itinerary.

Tip: If you’re driving and need a large area downloaded, the standard rectangle selection might create a map that is too large to download.  Instead, break up your trip with multiple maps. Download smaller, overlapping areas along your route. These will combine in your maps app and allow you to explore the region along your entire route.

Now that you can use GPS for free when traveling, you can travel carefree!

Safe travels from your mates at About Australia!