Qantas beware: Virgin now offers a best-in-world business class

The airline: Virgin Australia/Qatar Airways

• Route Doha to Sydney, flight VA2 (Melbourne flights launch December 1, 2025)
• Frequency Daily
• Aircraft Boeing 777-300ER
• Class Qsuite business class; seat 1E
• Flight time 13 hours, 50 minutes; due to a faster than usual flight, we depart 15 minutes after the scheduled time to avoid the early morning curfew at Sydney.

Checking in

Look for Virgin Australia screens with the Qatar Airways logo when checking in.Credit: Trudi Jenkins

Virgin Australia’s new alliance with Qatar Airways (the world’s best airline according to the 2025 Skytrax awards) means you book through Virgin Australia but the plane and crew are supplied by Qatar Airways (a “wet-lease” arrangement that allows VA to fly long haul again, and gives Qatar more slots into Australia).

Check-in is with Virgin (the Qatar Airways logo is also on screens) and staff are still finding their feet with the ticketing process on our flight, which is early on in the new arrangement, but there is minimal queuing. Business-class passengers also get priority at security and on boarding; both are swift.

Doha’s Hamad airport is enormous with several business-class lounges.Credit: iStock

There are several business lounges at the impressive Hamad International Airport (which tends to alternate with Changi in world’s best airport awards), including the new Al Mourjan The Garden in the northern extension.

Baggage allowance

Up to 40kg in business class (multiple pieces accepted). Cabin allowance is two pieces, 15kg in total. Velocity Gold and Platinum members receive an additional baggage allowance.

Loyalty program

Velocity members can now earn points and status credits on eligible Qatar Airways flights, including those operated with a VA flight number, for benefits such as lounge access (Velocity Gold and Platinum members have access to Qatar Airways’ network of lounges when travelling on eligible flights), priority check-in, and additional baggage allowances across both networks.

The seat

The seat in Qsuite is within its own cubicle.

I’m in Qsuite, the business class cabin with a 1-2-1 configuration on select Boeing 777 and all A350-1000s (check the seat map before booking to confirm QSuite will be available on your route, note that it’s not available on the A380). It’s been around for eight years, but this is the first time you can book it via Virgin. Each seat area has a high sliding door that closes fully to create a very private, cocoon-like space; it feels so quiet you could be the only person on the plane. Although the dark, library-like atmosphere on our flight leads to two women who are chatting being shushed by a passenger keen to sleep, even though it’s only late afternoon.

And as you can’t see the flight attendants coming, it can be a bit of a surprise when their heads pop up over your door. Also, half the seats, including mine, face backwards, which takes a bit of getting used to.

A clever configuration with partitions and sliding doors allows for openness or complete privacy. Note that some seats face backwards.

The layout can also be customised, with movable panels creating “quads” for families, or double beds for couples. Other features – including a flat bed that can be made up for you, a touch TV screen and charging ports – are similar to other airlines’ business class, although I found the position of the stowed tray table (under the TV screen and above your lower legs) made things a bit cramped when sleeping.

Overall, however, it’s a supremely peaceful way to fly, with nice touches including rosewater-scented towelettes and a Diptyque amenities kit (the female version is waiting for me when I take my seat rather than being handed out after take-off).

The lime and mint welcome drink, and Diptyque amenity kit.Credit: Trudi Jenkins

Food

Service starts with Arabic coffee and dates, and is followed by a mint and lime welcome drink, with which I become slightly obsessed. The “dine-on-demand” menu is a revelation, as you can order meals or snacks to be delivered to suit, room-service style (but I leave it too late to try the afternoon tea and the breakfast bircher muesli, which have both run out by the time I decide on them, so make your choices early, no matter if you’re not hungry at that point. Having said that, the Arabian breakfast of ful medames with pita bread, feta and salad is a delicious alternative).

The Arabian breakfast of ful medames with feta and salad is delicious.Credit: Trudi Jenkins

New on flights out of Australia are three dishes by Woodcut’s Ross Lusted; his lamb osso bucco-style is one of the best things I’ve eaten on a plane. On this flight, I opt for the Middle Eastern mezze, and the Qatari machboos, a local basmati rice dish with hamour (grouper), fried onions and cashews.

I drink the alcohol-free sparkling and a glass of red, and note the refreshingly large choice of no fewer than five mocktails (alcoholic drinks are listed on a separate menu).

Entertainment

The choice of movies on the Oryx One entertainment system is pretty limited, so I binge an entire season of British crime series The Unforgotten instead.

Boeing 777 passengers also get free access to Starlink Wi-Fi for the duration of the flight, with only a couple of spots where it drops out, so working is an option too (given some passengers make video calls during the flight, you can form your own view as to whether this innovation is positive or negative). Qatar will also introduce Starlink on A350 aircraft from summer 2025.

Sustainability

Virgin Australia plans to reduce emissions through fleet modernisation, fuel optimisation programs, and investments in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Virgin Australia and Qatar Airways are collaborating on sustainability initiatives that aim to reduce carbon emissions, and advance the use of SAF and Low Carbon Aviation Fuels (LCAF) in Australia. *

One more thing

If you leave your carry-on with friends/family in a business lounge to go duty-free shopping at Hamad, make sure you note exactly which one you are in, and its location in this vast airport, as there are several and you may not find it easily again (I speak from jet-lagged, disoriented experience).

The price

From approximately $8000 return for business class.**

The verdict

The alliance between Virgin Australia and Qatar Airways means serious competition for Qantas. Credit: Trudi Jenkins

It’s easy to see why Qatar has won world’s best airline again this year, and the Qsuite is the most private and peaceful business class I’ve flown. The alliance with Virgin Australia means Qantas now has a serious (and realistically, superior) local contender for flights to the Middle East and on to Europe.

Our rating out of five

★★★★½

The writer travelled as a guest of Virgin Australia.

*For more information about air travel and sustainability, see iata.org

**Fares are based on those available for travel three months from the time of publication and subject to change.

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