What it’s like to fly premium economy with Qantas from Paris to Perth
Glasses are kept full and passengers are addressed by name. I was so impressed that I’ve since cashed in 108,400 points for another premium economy seat with this airline.
Inside Qantas Premium Economy: Is it worth the upgrade?
Take a seat
There are 28 premium economy seats, arranged in a 2-3-2 configuration. With just four rows, it’s a cosy cabin, partitioned by curtains so that it feels intimate. I have an aisle seat in the middle section of the last row. My colleague has the other aisle seat, and no one is seated between us, so we can converse and toast to our good fortune when an Adelaide Hills sparkling is offered on boarding. Passengers in middle seats may be less enamoured. Seats are significantly larger and plusher than economy, with a generous 96cm of pitch and a width of 53cm. They are stylishly upholstered, with a wraparound shell for privacy and an adjustable headrest. There’s ample leg room and the footrest – although looking rather tatty – makes a massive difference to comfort. While not a lie-flat seat, my quality of sleep on the flight is a huge improvement on the tortured slumber usually endured in economy. The whole cabin feels calm and serene.
Tech talk
Each seat has two USB-A charging ports, but oddly there are only two AC power outlets shared between the three seats in the middle row. Qantas is slowly rolling out wi-fi on select international flights, but for now the short answer is no. The good news is that when it does arrive, wi-fi will be free for all passengers.
That’s entertainment
There’s a wide selection of movies, with an emphasis on mainstream crowd-pleasers, plus a bunch of box-sets from Paramount Plus and HBO. Noise-cancelling headphones are a welcome perk, and the 33.8cm high-resolution screen is crystal clear, and a vast step up from economy class.
On the menu
A gin-based spritz with salted nuts is served as an aperitivo shortly after takeoff. The dinner menu has Parisian pretensions, offering a choice of rigatoni with ratatouille, Provencal capsicum and tomato chicken, or – my choice – a passable-at-best beef bourguignon with veggies and gluggy potato mash. I pair it with an excellent glass of Bellarine Estate 2023 pinot noir, and finish with a cheese platter accompanied by a cheeky “sticky” (a rich and raisiny Rutherglen muscat). Breakfast is a choice of a fruit platter, Bircher muesli with berries, or a hot breakfast of scrambled eggs with bacon, pork sausage, hash browns and tomato. Mid-flight snacks on offer include a chicken and leek pie, a toasted ham and cheese croissant, plus assorted chips and chocolate.
In the bag
Passengers can check in 40kg of luggage and two pieces of carry-on, weighing up to 15kg in total, along with one small personal item such as a handbag or laptop.
At your service
I can’t speak highly enough of the cabin crew, who help make the experience feel closer to business class than economy. Glasses are kept topped up, passengers are addressed by name and the service feels personal. It could be due to the small cabin size, but the service is vastly superior to the attention I received flying business class on Qantas’s much larger A380.
On the ground
Premium economy passengers can join the premium boarding lane at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. There’s no Qantas lounge at the airport, but gold frequent flyers and above can access the Paul Maxence lounge in Terminal 2A. CDG is an outdated and generally unsatisfying airport, but I find the check-in process quick and painless. After landing in Perth to refuel, QF34 continues through to Sydney. You’ll have about an hour and a half in the terminal (or the Qantas lounge) to refresh for your last leg.
Make your points
Another perk of flying premium economy is that it earns you more points and status credits. A return discount premium economy flight from Perth to Paris nets you 32,900 Qantas points and 240 status credits, and even more for a full-fare premium economy ticket.
The bottom line
Book early enough and you can get a one-way premium economy sale fare from Perth–Paris for $2651, or return for $4209, based on an airline website search for early 2026. A search for flights two months from publication shows the same return flights for $7525.
The verdict
It’s worth knowing exactly what premium economy means when you book. Are you paying for an “economy plus” experience – essentially a larger seat with more leg room – or a “business lite” offering, where the upgraded seat is matched with an all-round more premium experience? In this case, the outstanding service and the exclusive feel of the cabin mean it’s definitely the latter. I was so impressed that I’ve since cashed in 108,400 Qantas points for a premium economy Classic Rewards seat flying home from New York in November.
Ricky French was a guest of Mogul Ski World and was upgraded by Qantas.
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