The newly renovated Qantas Domestic Business Lounge at Melbourne Airport offers nice open spaces and great business facilities
The Qantas Domestic Business Lounge at Melbourne Airport is one of Qantas' flagship lounges and was recently renovated in 2018. I wanted to check out the new changes, particularly the increased seating, so I stopped by during a recent business trip.
We visited the lounge at about 6am on a Saturday morning and it was very quiet due to the lack of business travellers.
What I liked
Great views
I really enjoyed the views of the runway from this lounge. It was pretty amazing to see aircraft taking off and landing, including Emirates A380s and flights coming in from Asia.
Zoned business area
The business area in this lounge is one of the best I've seen. It's separated from the food area, which is great if you need some quiet to make a business call or do some work. It's also well-equipped with Apple computers, printing facilities and great Wi-Fi.
Open spaces and lots of seating
This lounge has high ceilings, open spaces and attractive colours which make it a nice change from the previous lounge. There's plenty of greenery, particularly around the buffet and seating areas, with a great use of timber.
Food options
There were extensive food choices available when we visited this lounge, including cold and hot breakfast options. There were different types of cereal, Neil Perry-inspired bircher muesli, yoghurt, cut-up fruit, banana bread, fresh juices and an extensive range of pastries. In terms of hot foods there were pancakes, sausages, baked beans, eggs and bacon. There were also ingredients to make your own sandwiches as well.
Many of the food options offered in this lounge were offered in the old lounge, but there's more variety and larger quantities in the renovated lounge. Compared to Virgin's Melbourne lounge there was more variety and larger quantities here.
Barista coffee
This lounge has great all-day barista coffee. Some airport lounges internationally are cutting costs and opting to use automated and pod coffee machines, so it's nice to see this. You can also get your coffee in a takeaway cup which helps if you're short on time.
Lots of power outlets
There are plenty of power outlets and USB charging ports in this lounge, which is a nice contrast with the old lounge.
INSIDER TIP
You might be tempted to rush through this lounge because it's a domestic lounge, but you should plan to spend an hour or two here. It's a nice environment with lovely tarmac views and you could easily relax here with a book, some food and your favourite drink. If you're coming from an international flight and are connecting elsewhere, this lounge is a great pit stop and has clean and modern shower facilities too.
What I didn't like
No à la carte breakfast options
The food in this lounge was great compared to other domestic lounges in Australia, but could be improved with à la carte breakfast options. It should be noted there are à la carte options offered later in the day, so Qantas is already halfway there. Business travellers using this lounge numerous times every week might appreciate made-to-order options instead of the standard hot food options.
Bar hours
The bar in this lounge is open from midday and has a range of options. These include spirits like Chivas Regal, Jack Daniels and Smirnoff; Kirin and Iron Jack beers; and a range of sparkling, red and white wines.
While only a very minor complaint, the lounge could be further improved if the bar opening hours were extended so it opened when the lounge opened or just earlier than midday. Many other world-class lounges do this and it gives travellers more drink options.
Points Finder Lounge Rating: ★★★★★☆
THE POINTS FINDER TAKE
This is an exceptional lounge with great views and food, a well-thought-out business area and lots of seating and power outlets. It could be improved with à la carte breakfast options and slightly longer bar hours.
THE FINDER LOUNGE REVIEW PROMISE: Our lounge reviews are based on a visit to the actual lounge during normal operation. We offer an honest and open critique from one of our frequent flyer experts, and update with any relevant news as it comes to hand. Being in a lounge should always be more pleasant than just being stuck with waiting at the gate, but we won't shy away from highlighting issues. Learn more about how our scoring works.
Qantas Domestic Business Lounge Melbourne Airport details
Location: Airside, first floor after security.
Opening hours: One hour prior to each Qantas service until the last Qantas flight of the day.
Who can get in?
- Domestic business class travellers.
- First and international business passengers connecting to or from Qantas or Emirates international flights.
- Qantas Platinum/Platinum One frequent flyers, Emirates Platinum Skywards members and Emerald oneworld flyers travelling on Qantas, Jetstar and Emirates or oneworld flights.
How many Qantas Points can you earn flying from Melbourne?
The number of Qantas Points you earn for a flight depends on the fare class and the destination. To find out more about how to earn Qantas Points, you can read the Points Finder guide to the Qantas Frequent Flyer Program.
Below are some examples of how many points you'll earn flying in various types of economy and business class tickets from Melbourne.
| Destination | Points earned in discount economy | Points earned in flexible economy class | Points earned in business class | Points earned in flexible business class |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney | 800 | 1,200 | 1,400 | 1,600 |
| Brisbane | 800 | 1,200 | 2,100 | 2,350 |
| Adelaide | 800 | 1,200 | 1,400 | 1,600 |
| Hobart | 800 | 1,200 | 1,400 | 1,600 |
| Perth | 1,450 | 2,200 | 3,300 | 3,600 |
| Darwin | 1,450 | 2,200 | 3,300 | 3,600 |
| Canberra | 800 | 1,200 | 1,400 | 1,600 |
| Cairns | 800 | 1,200 | 2,100 | 2,350 |
| Broome | 1,450 | 2,200 | 3,300 | 3,600 |
To review the Melbourne Qantas business lounge you need to visit it during the day. The lounge has very poor seating arrangements, during busy times you will not find a seat.