After spending a few days in beautiful Sydney it was time to head over to Auckland for the second half of our trip. To get to Sydney my girlfriend and I took a “unique” route; the United States to Hong Kong then down to Sydney in Singapore Airlines New Suites and Old Suites. For the trip over to Auckland, our accommodations were a bit less, aspirational.
To get to Auckland we decided to fly Qantas Economy on the evening flight operated by an A330. We picked this flight because it’s always a bit better to fly on a wide-body opposed to a narrow-body, but also because when flying Qantas I’m able to use my OneWorld Emerald elite status benefits (which I maintain through my American Airlines AAdvantage Executive Platinum elite status).
Thanks to my Emerald status, when flying in any class of service on a partner OneWorld airline I receive a whole slew of benefits. These benefits include free seat selection, extra baggage allowance, priority check-in and boarding, and most important of all (to me), First Class Lounge access! Thanks to that final benefit, my girlfriend and I were able to visit the spectacular Qantas First Class Lounge Sydney before our economy class flight to Auckland.
Qantas First Class Lounge Sydney Location
After checking in and clearing security at Sydney Airport we made our way towards the Qantas First Class Lounge. As this was my first time at this airport I found the directional signage to the airline lounges especially helpful.
Eventually we found the escalator which leads to the Qantas Lounges. The entrance to the Qantas Lounge is found on the second level of the terminal above the duty free shops.
Any doubts about the location of the Qantas Lounges were quickly dismissed as we reached the bottom of the escalators which led to the entrance.
As you can see, Qantas offers both Business and First Class lounges at the Sydney Airport. For our visit I was only interested in visiting the First Class Lounge to which I have access thanks to my OneWorld Emerald elite status, even though we were flying economy.
Qantas First Class Lounge Sydney Entrance
At the top of the escalator was a set of sliding glass doors which revealed the Qantas First Class lounge entrance. The honeycomb frosted glass design is identical to that found at the Qantas Lounge at LAX.
As you enter the lounge there is also a reception desk where a lounge agent will scan your boarding card to confirm access to the First Class lounge. Across from the reception desk is a living wall which curls inward toward the escalators which take you upstairs to the First Class lounge.
Around the bend formed by the living wall is a set of escalators which takes guests upstairs to the First Class Lounge.
Up until this point the lounge didn’t seem all that impressive. I found the design of the lower level entrance a bit muted compared to the stunning design of the lounge found above.
Qantas First Class Lounge Sydney Reception Area
At the top of the escalators you’ll find an absolutely beautiful reception area. The escalators pass right through the floor of the lounge through a large circular hole. Directly above the seemingly boring hole in the floor is a massive circular light feature. It truly is one of the most beautiful lounge entrances I’ve ever seen!
The walls and floor of this reception area are adorned with white marble slaps which reflect the natural light which floods this lounge beautifully.
Perhaps what I loved most about this reception area was the oversized split-flat style departure board.
The best part of the board is that it is actually functional.
I loved the rustic sounds of the plastic flaps slapping about as the board updated.
This really is one of my favorite things I’ve found in an airport lounge. I wish more airports and airport lounges featured these split-flap style boards.
As much as I loved admiring the retro departure board I had to pull myself away from admiring it to explore the rest of the lounge.
Qantas First Class Lounge Sydney Views
Trust me, I’m glad I did because like the reception area, the rest of the lounge is stunning.
As I turned around from the departure board I took in my first views of the lounge. Well, not really, I took in the amazing views of the Sydney Airport offered by the lounge.
From the large floor to ceiling windows of the lounge are unprecedented views of the Sydney Airport with the Sydney skyline in the not too distant background.
The best part of the rounded design of the lounge is that ever area within the lounge offers these amazing views of the airport.
This lounge really is an AvGeeks heaven. From the lounge you’ll easy see A380’s, A330’s, 787’s, A350’s, 747’s, and a ton of narrow-bodies, including a few Dash-8s. I honestly can’t think of a better place inside an airport to plane spot.
We even were lucky enough to spot the Singapore Airlines A380 which brought us to Sydney a few days earlier!
Qantas First Class Lounge Sydney Design
If you ever grow tried of looking out the oversized windows, thankfully, the interior of the Qantas First Class Lounge in Sydney is equally appealing.
As I mentioned above, the lounge features a rounded design which is divided up by large wooden barriers which break the lounge up into smaller bespoke “rooms.”
Each “room” offers a slightly different design and purpose, such as a sitting area, media area, or dining area. I’ll touch on each of those in a minute.
The ceiling of the lounge features large oversized square tiles with canned lighting fixtures that reminded me of a checkerboard.
The main central hallway of the lounge was finished in the same white marble found in the lounge’s reception area while each of the divided rooms was carpeted in the honeycomb design featured on the sliding glass doors found at the entrance.
Finally, at various locations throughout the lounge were even more of the beautiful split-flat departure boards found in the reception area.
There was even a mini-departure board found at one of the ends of the lounge which I thought was a very nice touch.
Qantas First Class Lounge Sydney Dining Area
After admiring the lounge for a few minutes we found a seat in one of the two dining areas and settled in. Much to the disapproval of my girlfriend I oped for a seat facing the windows which meant I spent much of our meal gazing out the windows watching planes arrive and depart. Anyway, back to our meal in the lounge…
As we sat down at an empty table a waiter appeared with menus. The menus were oddly similar to those found in the Qantas Lounge at LAX just a few days earlier. I suppose if you were a frequent Qantas traveler this familiarity would be welcomed.
To begin the meal I first ordered a “green agent” vodka drink which was perfectly refreshing.
Shortly after finishing my first drink the starter, a salad of sorts, arrived. As with my previous experiences with Qantas lounges, this starter was surprisingly tasty and led me to forget that I was dining in an airport lounge.
Finally, for my entree I ordered the pork bun which again exceeded all expectations of airport lounge food.
Although there were plenty of other options on the menu to choose from, we had both eaten before arriving at the airport and decided to leave the dining area and find a quiet place to spend the remaining hours before our flight departed.
Qantas First Class Lounge Sydney Library
Toward the far end of the lounge we stumbled upon the library. This area was home to several books as you’d expect, but also offered fantastic seating options. Also, since the library is at the far end of the lounge, we had this entire area to ourselves during our visit.
There are plenty of books on display inside the library, but additional books can be found in a second section across the walkway.
Around the corner you’ll find the very end of the lounge which reminded me of a city bus with the bench seating and long oval window.
Then, on the other side of the red bookcase is the best seating area in the entire lounge. A long line of red leather recliner chairs which offered unobstructed views of the airport.
We ended up sitting here for quite a while just watching planes and flipping through a few of the coffee table books. One thing that surprised us about this area is that lounge attendants frequently came by to offer up beverages. At one point I ordered a cappuccino and a hand crafted coffee came back just a few minutes later.
So, if you’re in the lounge, skip the self-service coffee machines and instead order from the baristas.
Beverage Options Found Throughout The Lounge
First and foremost, the Qantas First Class Lounge has a few different watering holes found within the lounge. Each offers the same fairly wide selection of drinks so there is no reason to choose one over another. However, if you want a hand-made specialty drink, you’ll need to visit the bar.
The bar is located very near the dining area of the lounge and features both a walk-up and sit-down bar.
If you opt to sit down at the bar you can also order food where you’ll be able to watch the cooks prepare your meal.
If you don’t feel like waiting for a drink you can instead visit the self-service beverage station found within the lounge. This area is home to a few snacks, a wide wide selection of teas, soft-drinks, and a coffee maker.
The coffee maker is one of those all-in-one machines, so I’d recommend ordering coffee from the bar where it’s hand made from a barista.
Finally, in the refrigerators at the end you’ll find a few sodas, fresh juices, still and sparkling water, and a few different beer options.
Although I appreciate the self-service beverage stations, I found the selection from the bar to be much more robust, but getting a drink from this area is a nice option to have.
Several Seating Areas To Choose From
One thing that I liked about this lounge is that the large wooden dividers break the lounge up into several smaller seating areas. Each of of these seating areas is more or less unique although the seats themselves are consistent.
Some areas are more private with large red cabinets further breaking up the room.
While others offer a much more dense seating arrangement which more resembles a traditional lounge.
Other sections offer a nice balance between density and space, although all seating areas feature unrivaled views of the airport.
On a clear day you can not only see the runways and taxiways, but also the Sydney skyline directly from your oversized leather chair.
Lastly, if you are looking to get some work done, there is a very small business center, complete with printers and scanners.
However, any self-respecting businessman would pass on these tiny workstations and instead book a private meeting room.
Qantas First Class Lounge Meeting Rooms
Within the First Class Lounge were a few meeting rooms, perfect for anyone looking to have a private phone call or… well, a meeting.
Each room was a fairly large office with a swinging glass door to close you off from the rest of the lounge.
Inside, was a sitting area where you could have a meeting with your associates.
Otherwise, there is a desk where you can have a call or a more private meeting to discuss business stuff.
Thankfully, if all of that high-profile business stuff get’s a bit boring, there is also a Playstation in the room if you want to play video games.
Restrooms and Spa Areas
First, the restrooms. The restrooms are pretty much what you’d expect. They are found throughout the lounge and are separated by gender.
Inside, it’s the same white marble design throughout with the same hospital style sinks found at the LAX Qantas Lounge.
One thing I did appreciate however was the Aspar hand wash and cream. I’m not sure why, but I always appreciate when lounges offer individual bottles of soap instead of a dispenser.
Finally, there is a Spa found within the lounge that offers a few complimentary Spa treatments to guests. When we entered the lounge this area was closed for a few minutes and we never bothered to go back.
That being said, it is nice to know that you could get a quick massage before a long-haul flight.
Final Thoughts
It should go without saying, but I absolutely adored this lounge. From the wildly modern design and shiny white marble, to the red and white leather chairs,I loved it’s unique aesthetic. I also loved the wraparound design and floor to ceiling windows, paired with the sloping ceilings, this design just makes the whole space feel incredibly open and airy. This is definitely a space I wouldn’t mind spending a few hours before a flight.
In addition to the design, the food and beverage options were superb. Qantas First Class lounges are known for their food quality and this lounge, unsurprisingly, didn’t disappoint.
Finally, we absolutely loved our time in Sydney. It is a beautiful city with so much to offer that we were a bit sad to have only stayed a few days. Thankfully, we will try our hardest to visit again soon, which means I should have more time to spend in this incredible lounge in the future!
