Hi all, I am likely to get to Platinum for next year.

Hi all,

I am likely to get to Platinum for next year.

I have seen right ups about it being worth going into the international terminal on domestic flights so you can use the first class lounge, but is this really practical? If I was going to Sydney for work (assuming there was a flight that suited), how much more time would it take going through customs etc?

In summary, does anyone do it or is this just one of those things you might do on a leisure trip?

Cheers

QF platinum that is, just to avoid any confusion.

Im not sure if QF and JQ do any domestic flights departing from the INTL terminal anymore... but i may be incorrect!

If you are really that interested then there are still some flights only on Jetstar which fly between the INT to INT terminals whilst being a domestic flight

Typically customs is not that long as you are elgiable to use a special "D" Lane only for domestic customers when arriving and leaving a both ends

I would recomend JQ domestic flights operated by international aircraft as a great use of frequent flyer points 

Domestic flights from International Airports

Brisbane - Melbourne - JQ6 - Mon

Melbourne - Brisbane - JQ5 - Sun

Sydney - Melbourne - JQ4 - Mon, Tue, Sun

Melbourne - Sydney - JQ3 - Mon

Sydney - Melbourne - JQ7 - Mon

Melborune - Sydney - JQ9 - Mon

Sydney - Melbourne - JQ10 - Mon

Sydney - Gold Coast - JQ11 - Thu, Wed

Gold Coast - Sydney - JQ12 - Tue

Thanks Henrus- both really helpful replies!

QF domestic lounge is Sydney really not bad, plenty enough for me to avoid custom and passport control TWICE. Also with domestic if you flying just for a day you can check-in upfront and arrive to aircraft door some 20 min before departure - absolutely impossible with international. IMDO does not worth really.

The biggest issue will be matching the flights with your requirements. Current schedules show that the Gold Coast and Brisbane flights no longer exist. There's currently only one weekly MEL-SYD flight and two weekly SYD-MEL flights. There's also a couple of weekly MEL-CNS flights.

I have done this once and it does add a few minutes going through customs but presumably you would come early anyway to enjoy the lounge. I don't think think the lounge is worth it for breakfast as there's only so much you can do with breakfast foods. After midday for lunch or dinner is better.

I was going to do this a second time but my flights were cancelled and I was transferred to domestic JQ flights, yet another risk worth noting. 

Steve987,

In my opinion it is utterly indulgent and foolish to go through all the hassle of the international terminal to enjoy the First Lounge. 

The Qantas Domestic Lounge, which QFF Plat/Plat1/OWE get access to is fairly superior and meet the needs of the domestic traveller.

Now I guess if one doesn't ever travel internationally on Qantas or other OW carriers and one is hung up about trying the First Lounge, one might on occasion opt to take the flights that henrus suggested. But for a wider menu selection and the off-chance of a free spa treatment, one has to wonder if it's worth it.

I had thought this might be the case the realbabushka! Great point by anonymous too re breakfast being not that exciting no matter where you go.

Donestic business lounge it is!!