Qantas reveals new 737 business class, economy
The workhorse jets will be upgraded with new seats and larger overhead luggage bins.
By David Flynn, February 27 2025
Qantas will upgrade over half of its Boeing 737 fleet – the workhorse of domestic and short-range international flights – with new seats in both business and economy, along with larger overhead luggage bins boasting up to 50% more space.
This refresh of 42 jets will begin in late 2026, with the first jets rolling out of the hangar and into the skies in early 2027.
Speaking to media this morning, following the release of the airline’s results for the first half of the 2025 financial year, Qantas Group CEO Vanessa Hudson said the upgraded 737s will use the same seats as the new Airbus A321XLR, which is now expected to arrive in June.
“It’ll fly alongside the XLR with the same seat, the same interior and bigger bins... we want our customers when they step on an XLR or they step on a 737 to feel the same.”
Qantas' A321XLR business class.
However, a Qantas spokesperson subsequently told Executive Traveller that the seat selection process was still being worked through, although it “would be in line with the A321XLR product.”
If that’s so, the biggest change could be that passengers will no longer have seatback video screens, instead relying on streaming content from the onboard Qantas video library to their own smartphone, tablet or laptop.
Qantas' A321XLR business class.
The A321XLR business and economy seats include inbuilt device holders, although that’s less convenient for those who want to watch content on their laptop during mealtimes – after all, there’s no room on the tray table for your laptop and your meal.
Also missing would be AC sockets: the only options for keeping your tech charged up will be USB-A, USB-C and wireless charging.
Qantas' A321XLR business class.
Each of Qantas’ A321XLR economy seats is fitted with high-power USB-A and USB-C sockets...
Qantas' A321XLR economy class.
... with a tablet holder which opens from just above the drop-down meal tray.
Qantas' A321XLR economy class.
The tip-to-tail 737 upgrade will also add super-sized luggage lockers – hopefully leading to less of a bunfight when it comes to stowing your cabin bag overhead – along with new carpets, sidewalls, and ambient LED mood lighting “for a more enjoyable flight.”
“Investing in our fleet is one of the most significant ways that we can transform the flying experience for our customers and make sure we’re consistently delivering a great journey,” says Qantas Group CEO Vanessa Hudson.
“As we bring more new aircraft into our fleet, we are also making our existing aircraft look and feel like new.”
“Previous cabin upgrade programs have delivered great outcomes for our customers, and allowed us to bring next generation designs and technologies to current fleet that reflect how our customers want to travel.”
Qantas says the Boeing 737 aircraft being upgraded will be the younger members of the 72-strong fleet, which are already due for a mid-life refresh and are scheduled to leave the Qantas fleet towards the end of the A321XLR renewal program.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
30 May 2013
Total posts 402
How incredibly average.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
05 Oct 2016
Total posts 163
I have no particular issues with the 73s, happy to keep flying on them, but this comment "we are also making our existing aircraft look and feel like new." Is pretty much cover for "we stuffed up our fleet management and didn't order new planes when we should have"...
20 Oct 2015
Total posts 279
Well the upgrade is welcome, these 737s are getting to that stage of their life anyway, and no surprise that Qantas will use the same seats as they have for the A321XLR, it's simple 'economy of scale'. Doesn't worry me much not having an IFE screen, it's not really useful on most domestic flights under say two hours, more useful on longer flights and east-west. Hopefully Qantas will try to keep these upgraded 737s on the triangle, MEL-ADL etc etc.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
19 Dec 2013
Total posts 9
Loss of seatback IFE is really disappointing especially for west-east routes. Not everyone has an ipad for each person in their party to watch movies. Given their expressed desire to do medium haul routes to Asia on A321XLR and existing NZ routes on 737's, no seatback IFE is a big disadvantage to competitors. I have no desire to fly in either of these apart from 1 or 2 hour hops. Less and less difference between qantas and jetstar now...
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
02 Jul 2011
Total posts 1383
Think if / when a future sub-fleet of 321XLRs (and it might be a way off) flies to Asia it will be with a different product, likely with lie flat business and IFE throughout, like the international widebodies.
But domestic is being treated differently. Inflight internet, BYO device entertainment and recliners in Business.
31 Mar 2014
Total posts 404
Just like the domestic A330's, these will find themselves onto international flights at some point
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
04 Nov 2017
Total posts 360
CGK, DPS (Bali) and perhaps PER-SIN or ADL-SIN. Mostly the Short Haul International legs as the 'International' equipped 737s do now.
28 Mar 2018
Total posts 41
Most of my flights are transcontinental flights to Darwin. I use WIFI for work, chatting with friends as the flight is often my only free time, or finding entertainment I enjoy. I am happy to forgo the screen.
I cannot remember the last time I actually watched something on a B737/A330 screen other than the safety video. Does this signal the end of those epic productions?
25 Feb 2015
Total posts 73
No IFE screen is disappointing and underwhelming - and shows that Qantas didn’t take any notice of the (not unanimous but still common) feedback when they revealed their A321 hard product.
They need to take a look at the CX A321 product. Similar density (since they are obviously not going to introduce lie flat J), but a really premium narrow body hard product.
05 Dec 2017
Total posts 23
I just don't understand what people are paying a premium for on Qantas. This is the American Airlines of Australia except that it charges about 30% more than Virgon, offers almost nothing extra for it, then corners the budget market with Jetstar to maintain its 65% (65!!!) marketshare. For such a mediocre offering. What a business model!
23 Feb 2017
Total posts 26
Take a book?
RC
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
22 Jun 2018
Total posts 10
Look forward to the A321s ... wider cabin and better comfort. Recently flew on a brand new KLM one. Not sure why people moan a lot .about nothing really. Yeah, take a book
QFF
12 Apr 2013
Total posts 1617
Nowadays most people (perhaps 80%) using their phones/tables regardless. Introducing LCD screens on the back seat in front of you few decades ago was really welcome, but now they more burden than useful feature. Chuck them and design better tables where you can place your tablet instead. For time been as transition period Qantas may offer their tablets for rent.
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