Qantas passengers will soon have a mid-tier option between regular economy and business class after the airline announced “Economy Plus” seating on 2 February. The seats—up to 40 per cent more leg-room, priority boarding and dedicated overhead-locker space—go on sale for travel from 6 February on domestic routes and short-haul flights to New Zealand, Bali and Pacific islands. Prices start at A$30 (Sydney–Melbourne) and reach A$90 (Melbourne–Denpasar). Gold and higher frequent-flyer members receive complimentary or early-access benefits.
If your newly upgraded itinerary now includes a hop to Bali or a meeting in Auckland, remember that VisaHQ can streamline any visa or travel-authorisation requirements before you board. The online platform (https://www.visahq.com/australia/) lets Australian travellers and corporate travel managers check entry rules, apply for e-visas and track document status in one dashboard—helpful when last-minute seat upgrades compress pre-trip planning windows.
![Qantas unveils ‘Economy Plus’ extra-legroom seats ahead of Asia roll-out]()
Qantas will extend Economy Plus to its Airbus A330 fleet serving Asia later in the year, a move likely to appeal to SMEs that baulk at business-class prices but want traveller comfort and productivity. The product competes directly with Virgin Australia’s longstanding “Economy X”, which has launched a parallel upgrade sale from A$15.
Travel-policy managers should review class-of-service definitions; many companies reimburse extra-legroom fees if flights exceed three hours or overnight. Upgrading may also reduce the need for costly premium-economy seats on shorter board-meeting trips.
The launch underscores a broader industry trend toward cabin segmentation as airlines chase ancillary revenue without diluting premium cabins. Analysts expect similar products on future A321XLR and A220 deliveries, giving mobility planners more fare-type permutations to track.
If your newly upgraded itinerary now includes a hop to Bali or a meeting in Auckland, remember that VisaHQ can streamline any visa or travel-authorisation requirements before you board. The online platform (https://www.visahq.com/australia/) lets Australian travellers and corporate travel managers check entry rules, apply for e-visas and track document status in one dashboard—helpful when last-minute seat upgrades compress pre-trip planning windows.
Qantas will extend Economy Plus to its Airbus A330 fleet serving Asia later in the year, a move likely to appeal to SMEs that baulk at business-class prices but want traveller comfort and productivity. The product competes directly with Virgin Australia’s longstanding “Economy X”, which has launched a parallel upgrade sale from A$15.
Travel-policy managers should review class-of-service definitions; many companies reimburse extra-legroom fees if flights exceed three hours or overnight. Upgrading may also reduce the need for costly premium-economy seats on shorter board-meeting trips.
The launch underscores a broader industry trend toward cabin segmentation as airlines chase ancillary revenue without diluting premium cabins. Analysts expect similar products on future A321XLR and A220 deliveries, giving mobility planners more fare-type permutations to track.
