Is it better to fly with a domestic or international airline?
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
| 66% off luxury Thailand escape + 1 Qantas point per $1 spent |
Deal expires |
Valid for stays until 31 October 2019 at Mai Khao Lak Resort & Spa, Thailand. Choose from 8 or 10-nights package inclusive of daily buffet breakfast, 1 Thai set dinner, four 30-minute massage to share and more. T&Cs apply. |
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| $10 for $125 toward Europe flights |
Deal expires |
Valid for travel on select dates and any destination in Europe with Qantas, Etihad, Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Virgin, Qatar and Delta. T&Cs apply. |
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| $5 for $100 toward North, Central and South America flights |
Deal expires |
Valid for travel on select dates and any destination in North, Central or South America with Qantas, Etihad, Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Virgin, Qatar and Delta. T&Cs apply. |
Last verified |
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| Earn more Qantas points | Earn more Qantas points when you ride with Avis. Get (4) four Qantas points for every $1 spent on eligible time and kilometre charges. |
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