Qantas Economy Plus Arrives to Australia’s Busiest Airline Route

By Ben McKimm - News

Published: 3 Feb 2026

ShareCopy Link0

Readtime: 3 min

Every product is carefully selected by our editors and experts. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more. For more information on how we test products, click here.

• Qantas Economy Plus bookings open today for domestic and short-haul international flights.
• The new cabin offers 40% more legroom and priority boarding benefits.
• Service begins February 6 on Boeing 737, A321XLR, and A220 aircraft.
• High-tier Frequent Flyers receive complimentary access to the new seating zones.
• Availability expands to the Airbus A330 fleet starting in mid-2026.

With 40 per cent more legroom, Qantas Economy Plus has arrived on some of the airline’s most popular routes. You’ll find the new cabin class from February 6th 2026 on Boeing 737, Airbus A321XLR and A220 aircraft, operating across the domestic network, including Sydney to Melbourne and popular short-haul international destinations including New Zealand, the Pacific Islands and Bali.

The exciting news for travellers is that these routes are frequently used, especially by Qantas Frequent Flyers. It will be these regular travellers who benefit most from the upgrades, as Platinum and Platinum One tiered members receive complimentary access to Qantas Economy Plus at the time of booking, while Gold members receive complimentary access from 24 hours prior to departure, subject to availability. Customers travelling on the same booking as a member eligible for Qantas Economy Plus will also receive complimentary access.

To achieve this new upgrade, the brand has reconfigured its popular Boeing 737 aircraft to offer 48 seats in the forward and mid-cabin areas. Meanwhile, the Airbus A220 offers 20 seats, and the A321XLR provides 36 seats in select zones.

Those travelling to international routes, including destinations across Asia, should get excited for mid-2026, when Qantas Economy Plus will expand to the airline’s Airbus A330 fleet.

“Qantas Economy Plus brings together extra legroom, priority boarding and priority access to overhead bin space; all the elements we know make a real difference to our customers when flying,” said Qantas Domestic CEO Markus Svensson. “We’ve seen strong interest in Qantas Economy Plus from customers already, and we know it will be a great benefit for both our business and leisure travellers.”

Qantas Economy Plus pricing will sit above Economy and below Business Class, it will vary by seat (front, main, or exit row) and by route. It’s a competitor to Virgin Australia’s Economy X, and like them Qantas Economy Plus zones will be marked with branded headrests and overhead baggage bin placards, rolling out across the network in the coming weeks.

If you want to learn more about Qantas Economy Plus, the seat maps and the online booking experience have been updated across the Qantas website linked below.