Written by Julie Jones, Have Wheelchair Will Travel, July 2025
I’ve been fortunate to fly in premium economy class on quite a few airlines now so when I was recently booking a trip to the US I was keen to try the Qantas Airbus A380 premium economy cabin. For me, the main attraction of premium economy is extra legroom but overall I found Qantas premium economy offered elevated service and comfort.
Qantas Airbus A380 Premium Economy class review
The Qantas A380 premium economy cabin seats 60 passengers on the upper deck of the aircraft with a two, three, two seating configuration. On the day I travelled it was a quiet flight with several empty seats which gave me the luxury of no-one in the seat beside and in front of me. That meant there was no-one reclining mid-flight and no polite small chat with a neighbour. It was heavenly.
Probably the most notable feature of premium economy, that I appreciated anyway, was the comfort of the seat. Usually I use the airline provided pillow to support my lower back and use my neck pillow for sleeping. I didn’t even need a pillow to support my lower back because the seat was so comfortable. I wish other airlines would adopt this design because it made a world of difference to my flight experience.
It was good to have the airline provided pillow free to use as it has been specially designed to fit over the ergonomically designed headrest which proved pretty nifty. There’s no losing your pillow in the middle of the night because it is secured into place.
A pillow, blanket, headphones and an amenities kit are provided for each premium economy passenger.
I find footrests can be an added comfort on flights but I didn’t really get the design of the one on the Qantas A380. It’s almost like a basket for your feet but I didn’t find it particularly supportive.
The extra legroom however was what I was looking for. At 167cm (65.7 inches) tall I love the space that premium economy offers.
Qantas premium economy seats provide multiple storage areas but it should be noted they are not particularly spacious.
As a gal that appreciates storage anywhere, I was happy to have various places to stow all the bits and pieces I was travelling with but nothing beats the copious storage in the business class cabin. That is the stuff dreams are made of.
Qantas A380 Premium Economy class food & beverage service
My expectations for the quality of food and beverage on flights is fairly low so it is always lovely to be pleasantly surprised.
Premium economy class passengers are offered a welcome beverage before take-off. The perfect way to decompress after the hustle and bustle of check-in, security and boarding.
Travelling on the Qantas A380 between Sydney to Los Angeles in the evening dinner service was fairly swift after departure. It was a tough choice between the salad of chicken with whole grains, pumpkin tortellini and braised Angus beef with roast vegetables. Ultimately, the Angus won and it was tender flavoursome and perfectly accompanied by the creamy mash and vegetables. When CJ, the flight attendant, asked if I’d like some fresh parsley as a garnish I was surprised this wasn’t reserved for business class or first class. A nice touch to the dinner service making it feel more personal and less mass produced. The meal was substantial when accompanied by fresh bread, greek salad and a dark chocolate and sour cherry fondant cake.
I was so full that I didn’t partake in any of the additional items on the menu available mid-flight and on demand. These included greek style spinach and feta pie with mediterranean salad, reuben style grilled cheese, beef and sauerkraut toastie, dip with lavash and carrot sticks, vanilla bean biscuits, Red Rock Deli chips and fresh fruit.
I did manage to find a little bit of space for a Bulla chocolate salted caramel ice cream before tucking myself in for the night.
I love a hot breakfast and I was not disappointed with the potato frittata with sausages, sauteed greens and mushrooms. The beans – well, they are not my thing but I’m sure they are delicious if you like beans. The carrot, apple and oat muffin was fresh and tasty and the fruit was actually really good. Often on flights the fruit is rock hard and tasteless.
Accessibility in the Qantas A380 premium economy class cabin
It’s important to note that there is a fixed armrest between the premium economy seats.
Seats on the aisle have an armrest that can be lowered to make transferring to the seat from the aisle chair easier.
An aisle chair is located on board the aircraft which flight attendants will bring to your seat if required to access the bathroom. The footplate on the aisle chair does not fold out of the way which can be problematic for transfers.
Located between premium economy and business class there is a row of toilet cubicles, including one which can be enlarged to accommodate the aisle chair and to make access easier. An accessible bathroom of sorts.
If you are likely to need to access the enlarged cubicle bathroom it is important to chat to the crew when you board the aircraft. It takes a while for the crew to organise the bathroom set up to be the enlarged cubicle (there’s lots of latches and secret panels that need managing to make it happen). It’s best to allow time for the set up and to avoid asking during the meal service unless it is a “I need it now” kind of situation. I found the flight attendants to be keen to accommodate and super helpful.
Don’t forget, if you are unable to travel without the assistance of a companion or family member, you may be eligible for the Qantas Carer Concession fare. This is available on international fares in business, premium economy and economy. All you need to know is in this review.
Is Premium Economy worth it?
If your travel budget can stretch to premium economy you’ll enjoy the comfort of the seat and the added space to stretch out during the flight. For me, this makes premium economy worth the extra dollars. The delicious food was the icing on the cake.
If you are looking to lie flat during a flight then business class is the way to go. You can read about my experience flying business class on the Qantas A380 in this review.