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Qantas vs Emirates
Is it better to fly with a domestic or international airline?
We’re reader-supported and may be paid when you visit links to partner sites. We don’t compare all products in the market, but we’re working on it!
We put Qantas and Emirates to the test side by side to see which airline has the better food, seats and more flexible bookings based on the price point.
Covering everything from each airline's flight destinations, what flight deals they have and their baggage allowances, we share all of the details to keep you informed which airline is best based on your specific needs and desires.
Qantas vs Emirates
| Feature | Qantas | Emirates | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| What are the destination choices? | 70+ destinations in these regions:
| 150+ destinations in these regions:
| Emirates flies to more destinations worldwide. |
| What star rating is it? | 4-star | 4-star | Both are 4-star airlines. |
| What classes are available? | First class, business class, premium economy and economy classes. | First class, business class and economy class. | Qantas offers a larger range of classes, though the additional economy class is only available on international flights. |
| What is the baggage allowance? | Economy allows one 7kg carry-on and one 30kg checked bag. | Economy class allows one 7kg carry-on and two 23kg checked bags. | Emirates offers a more generous checked luggage allowance. |
| Where does it fly from in Australia? |
|
| Qantas flies from almost every destination in Australia whereas Emirates only flies from five. |
| What's the in-flight entertainment like? | Qantas offers movies, TV, an entertainment app, the Qantas magazine, radio and more. | Emirates offers 2,500+ options of movies, TV shows, music and games. | Emirates offers more entertainment options. |
| Can I make changes or cancellations? | Yes on most tickets, though fees apply. | Yes on certain tickets, though fees apply. | Both airlines offer changes and refunds on select tickets with associated fees. |
| What type of plane will I fly on? | Qantas flies:
| Emirates only flies two types of planes:
| Qantas flies more aircraft types. |
| What frequent flyer programs are associated with each? | Qantas Frequent Flyer | Skywards | Qantas’ program can be used for more types of rewards. |
| Is there Wi-Fi? | Wi-Fi is in the process of rolling out on select planes and domestic flights. | Yes, 20MB is free for the first two hours. More data can be purchased from US$9.99 for 150MB. | Emirates offers Wi-Fi on all of its flights. |
| Can I price match? | Yes. If the same flight on another site is cheaper, Qantas will refund you the difference. And, if you are a frequent flyer member, you will receive 1,000 Qantas points. | Yes. If the same flight on another site is US$20+ cheaper, Emirates will refund the difference. | Qantas will refund the difference without a set price difference. Emirates only refunds if there is a minimum of a USD$20 difference. |
| Does it serve alcohol? | Yes. On international flights a welcome drink is also served. | Yes. | Both airlines offer drinks free of charge on international flights although Qantas serves a welcome drink. |
| Is there online chat? | Contact is only available by email and phone. | Contact is only available by email. | Qantas offers more help contact options. |
| Does it charge for infants? | Infants under two years are charged 10% of the adult fare when they are accompanied by an adult and sitting on the adult’s lap. | Infants under two years are charged 10% of the adult fare when sitting on the adult's lap. | Both airlines charge the same fees for infant travel. |
| Does it fly pets? | Yes. Service dogs are permitted in the main cabin. All other animals must travel as cargo. | Yes. Guide dogs are permitted in the main cabin. All other animals must travel as checked baggage or cargo depending on the route. | Both airlines allow pets to travel. |
| What are my payment options? |
|
| Qantas offers more payment options. |
| Can I book round the world fares? | No. | Yes, up to six stopovers can be made. | Qantas has more flexible options. |
| Can I book multi-city fares? | No . | No. | Both airlines offer multi-city fares. |
| Any features to find the best price? | Qantas offers flight deals. | Emirates offers featured fares. | Both airlines offer features to find reduced fares. |
Who offers the best price?
We compared the same flight routes from Sydney to New York City JFK airports on the same dates to see which airline came out on top.
Qantas:
Emirates:
The verdict?
Qantas was a total of almost $300 cheaper than Emirates. Even if you needed to add extra baggage to your Qantas flight it would still be a better deal.
Is it a good airline to fly with?
Qantas comes in with a overall rating of seven out of ten on Skytrax whereas Emirates falls behind with only six out of ten.
The verdict?
Qantas rates the same or higher for every category than Emirates for food and beverages, in-flight entertainment, seat comfort, staff service and dollar value. In fact, Qantas rates 4-stars in all categories except for food and beverage which is 3-stars.
What are the deals like?
Both airlines offer similar prices for deals, especially to European destinations. While some prices vary slightly, others are exactly the same and this could come down to the fact that the two airlines are codeshare.
Overall, Qantas features more destinations within Australia and the Asia Pacific region. Emirates has a larger focus on the Middle East.
The verdict?
Qantas wins this round as the airline has more deals available for a wider range of destinations despite Emirates flying to more destinations. The deals are often slightly better with Qantas over Emirates as well.
Top deals with Qantas and Emirates
Luxury Escapes
Up to 70% off holidays
Book holidays to Thailand, Bali, Fiji, Maldives, Vietnam and across Australia at up to 70% off. Earn 1 Qantas Point per $1 spent. T&Cs apply.
Last verified
Kayak
Australia-wide flights from $139 with Qantas
Available on select travel dates in 2021 to Sydney, Adelaide, Canberra, Perth, Brisbane, Coffs Harbour and more. Sample fares is and Melbourne-Launceston. T&Cs apply.
Last verified
Deal ends
Kayak
Cairns flights from $80 each way
Available on select dates until May 2021. Sample fare departs from Brisbane with Jetstar. Other airlines include Virgin Australia from $140 and Qantas from $149. T&Cs apply.
Last verified
Deal ends
Cheap Flights
Canberra flights from $227 return
Available on select flights until August 2021. Sample fare departs from Sydney with Virgin Australia. Other airlines include Qantas Airways from $383 and more. T&Cs apply.
Last verified
Deal ends
Trip.com
Queensland flights from $76 each way
Available on select flight dates from January - March 2021 to Brisbane, Cairns, Hamilton Isaland, Gold Coast and more. Sample fare is Sydney-Sunshine Coast with Jetstar. Other airlines include Virgin Australia from $113, Qantas from $123 and more. T&Cs apply.
Last verified
Deal ends
Lastminute.com.au
Cairns flights from $91 each way
Available on select flights in 2021. Sample fare departs from Brisbane with Jetstar. Other airlines include Qantas from $159, Virgin Australia from $199 and more. T&Cs apply.
Last verified
Deal ends
Expedia.com.au
Coffs Harbour flights from $79 each way
Available on select dates in 2021. Sample fare departs from Sydney with Virgin Australia. Other airlines include Qantas from $149. T&Cs apply
Last verified
Deal ends
Expedia.com.au
Canberra flights from $125 each way
Available on select dates in 2021. Sample fare departs from Sydney with Virgin Australia. Other airlines include Qantas from $193. T&Cs apply
Last verified
Deal ends
Skyscanner
Greece flights from $1,247 return
Available on select travel dates to Santorini, Thessaloniki, Crete and more. Sample fare is Perth-Athens with Malindo Air and Turkish Airlines. Other Airlines include British Airways from $1,583, Qantas from $1,633 and more. T&Cs apply.
Last verified
Deal ends
Skyscanner
Emirates flights from $1,199 each way
Available on flights from January - March 2021. Destinations include Dubai, London, Johannesburg and more. Sample fare is Sydney-Dublin. T&Cs apply.
Last verified
Deal ends
Budget Car Rental
Earn 4 Qantas points for every $1 spent
Rent a car across Australia and earn 4 Qantas points for every $1 spent. T&Cs apply.
Last verified
Deal ends
Popular Travel coupon codes
| Last checked | Code description | Code |
|---|---|---|
| 13 Jan 2021 | Extra 10% off Australia activities with code | RBF**** |
| 13 Jan 2021 | Extra $10 off site-wide with code | FDR**** |
| 14 Dec 2020 | Get $20 credit | FIN**** |
| 2 Dec 2020 | Up to 10% off international flights with code | MAS**** |
| 23 Oct 2020 | $1 wine tastings in the Hunter Valley | WIN**** |
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