When are Qantas' airport lounges reopening?

After shutting down its domestic and international network of airport lounges in late March 2020, Qantas has been slowly reopening its Australian facilities as passengers have been returning to the skies.

By December 9, all but five of the airline’s domestic lounges will have unlocked their doors – and in two of those five airports, alternative Qantas lounges are available to travellers in the meantime.

In cities where there's a Qantas Business Lounge and a Qantas Club, but the Qantas Club remains closed – such as Melbourne and Canberra, at the time of writing – travellers who'd usually have access to the Qantas Club can visit the Qantas Business Lounge "if capacity limits haven’t been met," the airline says.

This includes Gold-grade Qantas Frequent Flyer members (and their Oneworld Sapphire equivalents) and Qantas Club members.

So what's the Qantas lounge experience like in the COVID-19 era?

As you'd expect, all Qantas airport lounges require some degree of physical distancing, and there are also plenty of hand sanitising stations.

Self-serve buffets at Qantas Clubs and Qantas Business Lounges have been replaced by a ‘serviced snacking station’ with cold dishes and light bites, where lounge staff will to hand your selection to you.

Self-serve is replaced by this 'serviced snacking station'.

This also means that DIY favourites such as the toasted sandwich maker have been temporarily retired.

In the more upscale Qantas Business Lounge, there's also a ‘tray-around service’ with a trio of individually-plated dishes de jour brought around to travellers at their seat.

The tray-around service delivers lounge guests a personal touch.

Qantas says its aim is to always have one vegetarian and one gluten-free option in the tray-around selection.

On the day that Executive Traveller visited the Qantas Business Lounge at Sydney, this tray-around menu offered a bacon and egg roll with tomato relish; a healthy breakfast bowl with hummus, tabouleh, charred cauliflower and a soft-boiled egg; and a tart of roasted field mushrooms, kale and cheese with tomato relish.

This personalised service, combined with an array of dishes which couldn’t be out of place at a favourite corner cafe, make for a pleasingly boutique club-like feel. 

Also read: How coronavirus has changed Qantas lounges for the better

Here’s where you’ll find Qantas Clubs, Qantas Business Lounges and Qantas Chairman’s Lounges available across Australia now, and over the coming weeks as more lounges roll out the welcome mat.

Also read: Visiting the Qantas Club, Qantas Business Lounge in the COVID-19 era

Qantas lounges in the ACT

• Canberra Qantas Business Lounge: open
• Canberra Qantas Club: closed until further notice
• Canberra Chairman’s Lounge: opening December 9

Qantas lounges in New South Wales

• Sydney Qantas Business Lounge: open
• Sydney Qantas Club: open
• Sydney Qantas Chairman’s Lounge: opening December 7
• Coffs Harbour Qantas Club: open
• Tamworth Qantas Club: open

Qantas lounges in Victoria

• Melbourne Qantas Business Lounge: open
• Melbourne Qantas Club: closed until further notice
• Melbourne Qantas Chairman’s Lounge: opening December 7

Qantas lounges in Queensland

• Brisbane Qantas Business Lounge: open
• Brisbane Qantas Club: open
• Brisbane Qantas Chairman’s Lounge: opening December 7
• Gold Coast Qantas Club: open
• Cairns Qantas Clubs: open
• Emerald Qantas Club: open
• Gladstone Qantas Club: open
• Mackay Qantas Club: open
• Townsville Qantas Club: open
• Rockhampton Qantas Club: closed until further notice, due to works taking place in the terminal.

Qantas lounges in South Australia

• Adelaide Qantas Club: open
• Adelaide Qantas Chairman's Lounge: opening December 7

Qantas lounges in Western Australia

• Perth Qantas Business Lounge: open
• Perth Qantas Club: open
• Perth Qantas Chairman’s Lounge: opening December 7
• Broome Qantas Club: open
• Kalgoorlie Qantas Club: open
• Karratha Qantas Club: open
• Port Hedland Qantas Club: closed until further notice, due to works taking place in the airport terminal.

Qantas lounges in the Northern Territory

• Alice Springs Qantas Club: open
• Darwin Qantas Club: closed until further notice, due to works taking place in the lounge.

Qantas lounges in Tasmania

• Hobart Qantas Club: open
• Devonport Qantas Club: open
• Launceston Qantas Club: open

Qantas international lounges

Given Australia’s current restrictions on overseas travel, all Qantas international lounges remain closed.

This includes lounges in the international departures areas at Australian airports, as well as at airports overseas.

Qantas says it aims to open those lounges as soon as international travel restrictions are eased, beginning with limited overseas flying to ‘travel bubble’ locations such as New Zealand, the Pacific Islands and Singapore.

Depending on passenger numbers, this may see Qantas reopen its first class lounges before the business class lounges at airports with both, much in the same way that some domestic Business Lounges returned before their neighbouring Qantas Clubs.

Read: Qantas eager to reopen its international lounges

Chris C.

Chris is a a former contributor to Executive Traveller.