Qantas Economy Plus Launching Feb 2026

[SYD]

The fact sheet that accompanied the presser - https://www.qantasnewsroom.com.au/m...nd-more-legroom-qantas-launches-economy-plus/


View attachment 480202

Well, that also confirms that B737 Row 4 is in play.

Also says that Y+ will be 34” pitch while standard will be 30” (isn’t it 31 to 32 now?).

So yep…

Can seats pitch be reconfigured easily? Remove 1 inch for the one at the back, add 1 inch for economy plus seats, tadaaaaa

 

[WilsonM]

Also says that Y+ will be 34” pitch while standard will be 30” (isn’t it 31 to 32 now?).

For domestic, 30" is standard

 

[themaiz]

The challenge is where does the extra legroom come from? Moving EVERY Y seat in the plane back a few cm seems an unlikely solution. So they would have to delete a row of Y somewhere rear of row 4. to create the space... or could QF do something weird like delete a few rows of Y, add another row of J, and split the difference across a few rows of Y+?

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

Now to see if QF has an inner circle of partners it will extend these privileges to and leave the others ineligible.

Possibly the reason AA MCE now extends to QF members.

Including SGs upon booking, however, which is not the case here (unless QF gives other carriers better benefits than its own members --- which I wouldn't past them!), so will be interesting to see how that works. AA could cotton on and dump the benefit for QF SGs, though I suspect it's a OWS benefit they offer because they've agreed to with BA and perhaps other partners they're more connected with, and their systems likely aren't able to go down to such a granular level to also discriminate based on which airline that OWS status comes from. (I'm crafting a narrative and interpretation that suits me.)

 

[moa999]

Fairly easily - economy seats on adjustable rails afaik.
Maybe there are actually some 31" rows on a QF 737 and they are just shifting it all to the front.

I can't see them deleting a row.

 

[Lukabs]

Yes, also just seen the email and notification of complimentary for P1 & WP as well SG at check in. A welcome addition for my 198 cm frame.

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

Can seats pitch be reconfigured easily? Remove 1 inch for the one at the back, add 1 inch for economy plus seats, tadaaaaa

If so this would then be a downgrade for SG until 24 hours before departure and assuming that SG could get a Plus seat at that time (and not a middle one if they had an aisle/window before).

I doubt they'll cut legroom and rather suspect they'll cut a row - does QF really want to have a standard pitch that's less than VA?

ETA: the fact sheet shows pitch remaining at 30", so there's the answer. I missed that. /nvm

 

[justinbrett]

QF have consistently shown they cannot manage and probably just makes the priority lane even longer.

I think that’s quite old information.

I now think QF is one of the better airlines at handling priority boarding, although I think they might need to follow AA and move J into its own group before group 1.

Including SGs upon booking, however, which is not the case here (unless QF gives other carriers better benefits than its own members --- which I wouldn't past them!), so will be interesting to see how that works. AA could cotton on and dump the benefit for QF SGs, though I suspect it's a OWS benefit they offer because they've agreed to with BA and perhaps other partners they're more connected with, and their systems likely aren't able to go down to such a granular level to also discriminate based on which airline that OWS status comes from. (I'm crafting a narrative and interpretation that suits me.)

I think the point is treating other oneworld elites the same as your own.

All of the airlines have these little quirks but it was quite odd for AA to treat its elites and a select group of other elites different from the remaining elites.

I’m not suggesting this become a oneworld benefit, that’s not the point at all.

 

[mbe1510]

I assume Economy Plus on the 737s will only apply to the upgraded fleet, as the current configuration offers no extra legroom beyond the prized Row 4 and exit rows.

As a Gold, checking in exactly 24 hours out becomes more important if you don’t want to pay in advance. It was only a matter of time before Qantas followed Virgin and the US carriers. Extra legroom is always welcome, no matter the flight length!

 

[Volando]

Rumour is that the refurbed 737s will have one less row in Y and therefore will have a couple of rows of extra leg rooms seats.

If true, this is good news! It might also actually please the beancounters - perversely.

Thinking laterally, at present on full 737 flights I reckon there's usually about half a dozen people who can't stow their kitchen sink carry-on luggage if they board late, leading to delays, missed slots and other "invisible" costs to the airline. Pulling six seats out might just about alleviate that on many flights, despite foregoing 6 fares and work out cost neutral in the long run. Maybe?

Or SYD-MEL gravy train fares could just go up a couple of percent to reflect the slight seat count reduction.

 

[justinbrett]

Fairly easily - economy seats on adjustable rails afaik.
Maybe there are actually some 31" rows on a QF 737 and they are just shifting it all to the front.

I can't see them deleting a row.

It’s going to be 34”, so not enough to be gained without removing a row.

The fact 737 is getting more than A321 says it all. Obviously a business decision, likely seen as a large carrot to steal VA elites.

 

[Captain Halliday]

Why do simple questions and answers need to be so difficult?



So, YES there will be changes to SC and points earn for E+, but no details on what those changes are.

It’s either QF giving itself lots of wriggle room, or another case of QF writing being almost incomprehensible. You be the judge.

Heaven help the infrequent flyer looking for a straightforward answer or anyone whose first language is not English.

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

I think the point is treating other oneworld elites the same as your own.

All of the airlines have these little quirks but it was quite odd for AA to treat its elites and a select group of other elites different from the remaining elites.

I’m not suggesting this become a oneworld benefit, that’s not the point at all.

I suspect QF will replicate so OWE gets immediate access and OWS at 24-hours per their own members.

AA does offer their own Platinums (equivalent to QF Gold) access at booking, so makes sense they're extending to OWS (though not guaranteed, I realise -- over at Star, for example, NZ has completely dumped any seat benefit for Star Golds after Covid and I don't recall United ever offering E+ to me even before).

As a Gold, checking in exactly 24 hours out becomes more important if you don’t want to pay in advance. It was only a matter of time before Qantas followed Virgin and the US carriers. Extra legroom is always welcome, no matter the flight length!

This does also raise quirks with people potentially enjoying significantly earlier access on a sector if it is a subsequent connecting flight.

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

Why do simple questions and answers need to be so difficult?

View attachment 480203

So, YES there will be changes to SC and points earn for E+, but no details on what those changes are.

I read it as the opposite. The extra legroom seat is an ancillary purchase; it won't change your fare type and thus won't affect points or SC earning. But agree, a simple "no" would do.

 

[SYD]

Why do simple questions and answers need to be so difficult?

View attachment 480203

So, YES there will be changes to SC and points earn for E+, but no details on what those changes are.

It’s either QF giving itself lots of wriggle room, or another case of QF writing being almost incomprehensible. You be the judge.

Heaven help the infrequent flyer looking for a straightforward answer or anyone whose first language is not English.

That’s actually “No changes”. No different to paying for extra legroom now.

 

[BM7500]

Just another step towards the gutter for this so called full-service airline. They could have used the new 220's and 321's as an opportunity to actually increase pax comfort, but instead have decided take that space and turn it into another revenue opportunity, at the expense most pax.

Sure, Gold FF get to choose a Y+ seat for free if there are any left at check-in, but now sitting towards the front of the cabin becomes a less likely prospect when non-status pax can literally pay to jump the queue.

This new class should be named Jetstar+

 

[justinbrett]

I suspect QF will replicate so OWE gets immediate access and OWS at 24-hours per their own members.

AA does offer their own Platinums (equivalent to QF Gold) access at booking, so makes sense they're extending to OWS (though not guaranteed, I realise -- over at Star, for example, NZ has completely dumped any seat benefit for Star Golds after Covid and I don't recall United ever offering E+ to me even before).

That was my point, each airline will have its own rules as to what tier gets what benefit (same as boarding groups), but standardise benefits between elites on their own airline, and other elites in their inner circle of partners.

For AA it was all the airlines it had a JV with. QF was always the exception, although it was brought in during Covid when QF had stopped flying scheduled flights to the US. I think many of us felt it was a wrong that had been righted when we started reporting MCE being available to QF elites.

 

[moa999]

going to be 34”, so not enough to be gained without removing a row.

But also too much.
48 seats in the 737 less existing row 4 and exits.
Equals 30 seats at 34" so 5 rows X 4" - equals 20"
Which is more like 2/3 a row

Maybe thinner seats?
Time will tell I guess.

Given Plats & above get free access to Plus it's not going to earn a huge amount on some routes.

 

[Captain Halliday]

I read it as the opposite. The extra legroom seat is an ancillary purchase; it won't change your fare type and thus won't affect points or SC earning. But agree, a simple "no" would do.

Agreed, but if the question is <direct quote>
Will there be any changes to how Status Credits or Qantas Points are earned when booking Qantas Economy Plus?

Then the word “No” should be the first word of the answer.

That’s actually “No changes”. No different to paying for extra legroom now.

Exactly, so why does the answer begin with the word “yes”.

It’s like asking “Will tomorrow be Monday?”

And answering with: “Yes, tomorrow will be Saturday”.

 

[Flyingwombat]

As a lowly Silver I am very sad... I loved getting to access the first few rows of the A220 after checkin for free... Now as I read it only Gold and above will be able to do this. I was always there 1 second after check in opened to get my fave seat. No more.

I wonder how much they will charge (will it be more than the exit rows at present which are silly prices out of Hobart for short flights)?

And will they still charge if you ask a human to move you at check in of bags?

The end of an era for me as I am unlikely to get gold anymore. I'll just be a poor unloved lifetime silver forever... (unless I pay up for the Plus of course ;-) )