Do more Qantas lounges need a Platinum dining area?

Great Idea worth copying this idea at all lounges

The danger of rolling these out is that Qantas then sees them as an excuse to close First Class lounges. They do love a cost-cutting exercise...

I think this would be a great idea. I'm a P1 and spend a lot of time in the lounges, would be most appreciated in my travels. 

Given the 'renovations' for BNE, I think we will see a Platinum Dining Room appear there before long, or maybe they will even dedicate one of the three levels as a Platinum-only domain, well P1 and CL too of course.

My view might be counter to most, but this is exactly what I don’t like about Qantas.  We fly both First Class and Business Class with a variety of airlines like Singapore Airlines, Qatar, Emirates, Swiss, Qantas on occasions and others.  Irrespective of status you do feel valued and that they genuinely appreciate your business on all those airlines other than Qantas.  The Qantas two tiered approach has the consequence of making lower or non status flyers feel anything but  valued.  Recently we were booted out of our assigned business class seats on a Qantas flight to Singapore because ‘higher value’ flyers wanted those seats.  We were shunted to the last row in business.  The ‘platinum only’ dining in lounges, along with the lack of access to the best seats in premium classes when booking clearly shows that Qantas prefer to target their elite at the expense of others.  I know when booking Qantas no matter what class I book I’ll never be eligible for the ‘best’ experience so we never choose to fly them when we have a choice.  Rant over!

Was at AKL earlier today.  The P tables looked a bit odd - a bunch of people at tables in their own corral.  Idea sounds good, execution meh. 

BTW the Villa Maria sparkling was pretty good anyway 😊

I’d support an approach similar to AJ on SQ. Don’t get me wrong the first class lounge is great, but it feels a bit wrong being able to be in there on an economy fare while a more infrequent traveller who has coughed up a large sum for a business class seat is packed in to the business lounge eating some uninspiring slop from the buffet.  A great example of supporting the class of travel over status is the Qatar lounge in Singapore, which offers a great space and dining compared to say the QF Lounge there. 

I've been P and P1, and LTG for the past decade, and back up to P till 2027. I must say I don't like the idea of discriminatory in-lounge perks, though I did enjoy some nice champagne and preferential dining last time at LHR, so I guess I'm a hypocrite!

So would that mean a Platinum status flyer on a $150 Jetstar fare can take themselves and family in to the first class dining area but a gold etc on a QF $1000 business fare can’t use it, don’t see how they justify that. 

Yes, absolutely. Where a separate 1st/Platinum lounge is not available, a specialised area in the lounge set aside for 1st/Platinum/OWEmerald flyers should be offered. Recognising higher yield with higher benefits would keep me coming back for more.

Personally I am very negative toward idea "lounge inside lounge". Moreover I strongly believe that lounge access should be granted only based on class flown and not on the status. Use your status to upgrade your class and then your are welcome. Good business lounge is indeed good enough, so nothing wrong if First Class pax will go to Business lounge when First one not exists. Moreover in some places I do prefer Business lounge to First one like The Pier in HKG for example.

need a larger serving of squid in Akl, otherwise its great. 3 pieces is a bit scroogey! 

Qantas should have thought about the platinum and love dilemma from inception of their new lounges. This idea of roped off areas is somewhat divisive when it's in full view - the have and have nots. Not very Aussie IMHO.

A dedicated area for more frequent and higher status flyers sounds great - until you enounter the reality. The Auckland lounge high status area has very restricted hours, which mostly avoid the morning and early afternoon trans-Tasman flights (in other words, most of them). Clearly, they are designed for long haul flights to New York, etc. So, futher exclusion within the exclusion. As a Platinum flyer, I feel excluded, which is surely counter to the initial idea. They should be open during the same hours as the lounge itself.

Ttotally agree with this proposal.  Nice. Similar to the reserved areas at London and Singapore first lounge and Hong Kong. 

Qantas lounge dress code?  What dress code.? Not in the new Qantas Auckland International Business Class lounge.  We saw many men and women in thongs - the footwear type (where the big toe is separated from the others - not talking about sandals) , on a recent visit (Feb. 23, 2026).  When I pointed out to the Qantas attendant at the lounge entrance, that the man in front of me checking in was wearing thongs, and that I thought this was contrary to the dress code, she had no idea what I was talking about.  She referred to her supervisor, who just shrugged as the passenger walked off into the lounge.  Why is this a problem?  Because rules are rules and my wife was refused entry to the Qantas business lounge in Perth because was wearing orthopaedic, jewel-encrusted "thongs."

Also, this new lounge is so big, it has no atmosphere - just like a huge cafeteria.   The meals being served by starched, white-jacketed waiters in the Platinum Only area didn't look terribly special, either.

Does anyone seriously think this will result in anything better once we're past the short term ?  You're either good enough for a lounge or you're not.  Once you're in, don't need micro-distinctions 

I'd say the ultimate result will be less given than now to most people in lounges and the so-called First or Platinum or whatever will end up about the same as now.  At best.

I'm Platinum and my wife is Gold.  She's travelling with me. Can she join me in the Platinum dining area?