Qantas Economy Plus: what you need to know
Enjoy extra legroom, priority boarding and priority access to your overhead bin.
By David Flynn, February 2 2026
Qantas hopes to turn extra comfort into extra revenue with this week’s launch of its new Economy Plus seating, which starts at $30 on the short Sydney-Melbourne hop and $70 on transcontinental east-west flights.
There’s typically 34-38" of pitch on most Qantas Economy Plus seats, compared to 30" on a standard Qantas Economy seat.
Here is the legroom you can expect at most Qantas Economy Plus rows, which are set at a 34" of pitch.
Qantas A321XLR Economy Plus legroom at the 34” rows.
The first row of the economy cabin delivers even more space to stretch out: 51-52" on the airline’s Boeing 737s, and 39" on the Airbus A220 and A321XLR jets.
The spacious Economy Plus row 4 on the Qantas Boeing 737.
But this costs more than the regular Economy Plus rows, of course – and these seats will be available free of charge to top-tier Qantas frequent flyers, who are sure to snap them up.
Qantas is also adding Economy Plus to its Asia-bound Airbus A330 fleet from mid-2026, as part of an overhaul to fit all-new economy seats with upgraded video screens, Bluetooth pairing and USB-C power.
Qantas' new A330 economy class seats.
Read more: Here is Qantas’ new international economy seat
For 737, A220 and XLR jets on short-range international routes, sample Economy Plus pricing includes a $35 starter for Melbourne-Auckland and $90 for Melbourne-Bali.
Beyond legroom: other Qantas Economy Plus perks
Available on the majority of domestic Qantas flights from 6 February 2026, Economy Plus also includes practical perks of priority boarding and ‘priority access’ to the luggage bins above your seat.
Sound familiar? It’s the same recipe as rival Virgin Australia’s Economy X, launched in 2017 – as well as being a popular product on many other international airlines.
This approach taps into the two pain points of domestic economy – legroom (or lack of), and being able to secure your spot in the overhead luggage bin.
The latter has increasingly become an issue as more passengers seem to be travelling with carry-on bags – especially to avoid the risk of checked luggage going missing.
Virgin Australia has responded by slashing its Economy X pricing to start as low as $15 for the likes of Sydney-Melbourne and Sydney-Brisbane, and $23 for east-east routes across February, while also boosting the Economy X cabin baggage allowance to equal that of business class.
Qantas Economy Plus and Forward seating
In addition to those Economy Plus rows, Qantas also continues to levy a seat selection fee for what it now terms Forward seating (a rebranding of Preferred Seating).
In the case of the workhorse Boeing 737, this means the entire front half of the economy cabin is now cost-extra seating.
Here’s how the revamped Qantas economy cabin looks on the Airbus A220.
There are 20 Economy Plus seats, the majority down the left side of the jet at rows 4-9, and this is what the difference in actual legroom looks like.
Qantas A220: Economy Plus legroom vs standard legroom.
Here’s how the revamped Qantas economy cabin looks on the Airbus A321XLR.
The XLRs have 36 Economy Plus seats, with a notable cluster behind the emergency exit rows.
Qantas Economy Plus rows 17 and 18 on the A321XLR.
Qantas Economy Plus for frequent flyers
Qantas frequent flyers will enjoy free access to Economy Plus and Forward seating, depending on their status tier, with the same benefits also available to Oneworld equivalents.
For example, on the Qantas Boeing 737s:
- Platinum Ones will be able to see and select all rows, free of charge
- Qantas Platinums will see up to row 5, with free seat selection.
- Qantas Golds will see up to row 7, with free selection of Forward seats
Here’s how Qantas breaks it down.
More to follow...
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
10 Jun 2019
Total posts 8
I am Plat and booked on an A220 and i cant select the extra leg room seats without a fee, am I missing something? Flight is just under 1 month away.
02 Feb 2026
Total posts 1
I am Plat as well, and i have a flight to Perth this weekend and the seat selection says $0 but when i click a seat, it says $75 please!
What am I missing as well?
17 Jan 2025
Total posts 1
I'm seeing the same issue...it shows $0 for the 'Forward Seat' and then wants to charge me when confirming the selection.
31 Aug 2025
Total posts 1
So my reading of this: "Platinum's will see up to row 5, with free seat selection"...does this mean the hallowed Row 4 (on 737's etc) remains off limits at the time of booking? Does it come down to what they term Economy Plus and if there is a subset of Economy Plus - Front...
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
24 Jan 2018
Total posts 869
When it becomes this complex to know how to select the best seat, that much 'fuss and bother', the vendor has lost the goodwill intended to be generated (anybody who studies and learns the complexity is already a 'backed-on' customer 'owned' by the vendor.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
20 Aug 2014
Total posts 184
$35 for Melb to Bali and $90 for Melb to Aukland? Have you got that the right way around? Melb to Bali is a substantially longer flight than to Auckland.
15 Jun 2024
Total posts 7
Anything that involves New Zealand automatically costs more than anywhere else... !
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
13 Aug 2022
Total posts 3
My guess is that this spells the end of the middle seat blocked out for P1's and P's in the front rows of Y on 737's. No chance of that now.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
21 Jul 2014
Total posts 148
The lack of “forward” seats on the 737 is diabolical lol
07 May 2015
Total posts 76
There are 24 Forward seats on the 737, what's wrong with that? If there were more then people would whinge about there not being enough Economy Plus seats. This is a 737, not a 747!
QF
11 Jul 2014
Total posts 1090
So what Qantas is doing is copying Virgin Australia's Economy X. Some of the best marketing people just copy other brands the downside is it gives credibility to the other brand (Virgin).
30 Aug 2024
Total posts 2
Copying United Airlines would be more like it. Even the name is the same as what UA has offered for over 25 years!
QF
11 Jul 2014
Total posts 1090
It's all perception in marketing and we are talking about Australian Airlines, how many people would even know about UA and how long has VA been doing this..... Since John Thomas who brought the idea into Australia. Just Copycat Marketing, crunch the numbers and see what is working.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
23 Apr 2019
Total posts 7
Waah! I paid $79 each way for exit rows SYD-PER in late Feb. Although it's a 737, Manage Booking shows Economy Plus seats available, free to me as Platinum.
Googling to find the typical exit row seat pitch, someone says 34 inches, someone else says 36. Anyone know the answer? Do Economy Plus seats have leg room like exit rows, or somewhere between exit row and standard pitch?
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
31 Mar 2016
Total posts 39
As a long time economy flyer with QF (weekly at the moment) I am loving the new economy plus. Shame they didn’t bring it in years ago.
Whist Row 4 looks great - the leg room is almost too much, meaning it is difficult to reach the seat pocket or your bag under the seat! Only thing I have noticed occasionally row 4 middle seat is used for assistance passengers as it is very easy for anyone at the window to just walk around.
After years of squeezing space, a real benefit.
22 Jul 2022
Total posts 7
Why not award status credits at the Premium Economy rate for these seats? Even American Airlines offers a free alcoholic drink in their equivalent Main Cabin Extra.
07 May 2015
Total posts 76
The obvious answer to this is that Qantas is launching Economy Plus with a bit of a Minimum Viable Product' approach, it's done all the sums and now has a product on market which ticks all the obvious boxes. Qantas could have done more, but it also could have done less. It's hit on pretty much what it regards as a formula that will work, but now that it's out there in the market, the uptake will determine what Qantas does next. Qantas could uplift E+ SC earnings as you suggest, it could roll out a DSC offer just for E+ to see how that boosts bookings, it could even add better meals and reposition E+ to be more like premium economy. But right now it's just launched and Qantas will be sitting back to see how the initial MVP approach lands.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
11 Nov 2016
Total posts 72
Agree, I am sure this is Mascot HQ's game plan. Whatever puts the biggest hole in VA's revenue
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
30 May 2013
Total posts 402
Ching ching, ching ching. QF is getting more low cost carrier by the day.
22 Sep 2017
Total posts 113
Forward on A220 looks a bit dicey as there is actually a higher proportion of middle seats compared to basic economy.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
26 Oct 2013
Total posts 34
Is there an option to use points (in Classic Rewards etc) to book Economy Plus I wonder?
04 Feb 2026
Total posts 1
Feedback on David Flynn's article of Feb 2. The table in the article is incorrect. I'm a life time Gold FF and went to select seats Adel - Wellington and return (2 legs each way) in a forward area (10D) for all 4 flights. On Qantas' website it was showing at no additional cost for each flight BUT at the end of the seat selection process I was charged a total of $82.00. After waiting 53 minutes on Qantas help line for an explanation, I finally got through and to cut a very long story short, those seats (Forward) are only free if they are vacant 24 hours before departure, similarly shown as per Qantas Economy Plus table hi-lighted in blue. I would like to believe that Qantas is wrong and your article/table is correct but my experience contradicts that position. I can provide screen shots and email confirmations to support the discrepancies. Please confirm your articles position or amend the advice.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
14 Oct 2012
Total posts 53
Qantas needs to rethink how they reward long term loyal customers: for example, lifetime gold should have greater benefits than gold. It requires long term loyalty and lifetime platinum is almost impossible to attain. While I'm happy to get the current benefits based on status, I know it wont last, and I'll direct my funds elsewhere.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
11 Nov 2016
Total posts 72
But an LTG might have only flown once a year for the last ten years.. Why reward someone over and above when they no longer show current loyalty? An LTG gets lounge access for life on QF and OW: that's a significant benefit.
QF will not care that you'll direct funds elsewhere because there are many, many others who are flying them just to get the 'life insurance' of LTG.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
18 Feb 2018
Total posts 4
Just flew Wellington to Brisbane in seat 5B. Qantas plus. First the positives, the plane is amazing. It’s quiet, smooth, seat is reasonably comfy and being able to see out the window no matter where you are is great.
Now for the seats. The leg room is without a doubt a lot more and well worth it but that’s about it. The absolute shocking thing is how they have push the “normal economy” seats even closer. There averaged sized people in my view and their legs were touching the seat infront of them.
The worst part, these seats attract a certain type of individual. May I point out through no fault of their own. I had someone width wise well over my side of the chair. To add to it, we had 2 blokes almost punch on because of the width of the chairs. The arm rests are almost non existent.
I really fear that this is the end of the middle seat being blocked. After the experience I just had I’d far prefer middle seat blocked on a 737 leg room than being sat on top of.
Going into it I thought this was a great call by Qantas. Having now experienced it, the plane itself is fantastic and the wifi is great trans-Tasman. However the things that are in QANTASs control, they have failed. I’ll summarise it in one word. “SHRINKFLATION”
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
20 Jul 2018
Total posts 17
From the perspective of a 6'2" tall Platinum, I think Qantas has pitched this pretty well. If you look at their two biggest regional rivels - VA on domestic and NZ on the Tasman - both have quite a good Economy Plus product, and the absence of that on QF was the one thing that made me hesitate to book Qantas (that and the truly awful seat pitch on some of their 737s). At a stroke, this effectively removes that blocker.
Sure, if middle seat blocking completely vanishes I'll miss it... but it didn't work reliably anyway, and the extra legroom makes a big difference to someone like me.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
16 Nov 2017
Total posts 16
Isn't it wonderful to see Qantas behaving like a true low cost carrier now!
It's only a matter of time before they start charging extra for food & wifi.
I noticed a sentence in this article that is so true - "The latter has increasingly become an issue as more passengers seem to be travelling with carry-on bags - especially to avoid the risk of checked luggage going missing."
The aviation industry is full of experts who create problems, then charge people extra $$ for the solution, which used to be standard. I'm talking about access to overhead bins specifically here...
Qantas are now charging $85 for seats in the first 2 rows of economy on CNS-MEL/ MEL/CNS, which is my most frequently travelled route. A few years ago (when I was gold QFF, I had access to these seats for free. Has QF actually torn out seats on aircraft with the new economy plus , or have they just changed the colour scheme of the seats? Would love to know.
I'm betting that the first row of economy on 737 is no different to how it's always been.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
28 Oct 2011
Total posts 488
The first row of Economy on a B737 (row 4) now has 52 inches of pitch - as compared with 38 inches for most of the other Economy Plus seats. That row is specifically labelled "Economy Plus Front."
To answer your question - Qantas has actually removed one whole row of Economy from the aircraft, which has allowed the extra space for the Economy Plus seats.
The fourth photo in the article shows the row 4 legroom - it is about 12 inches (30cm) more than row 4 used to have. You've lot your bet!
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