Qantas Club Domestic Sydney Lounge
The Domestic Sydney Qantas Club is a huge lounge occupying most of the top floor of Terminal 3 in Sydney. It is vast - one of the largest airline lounges in the world, and it needs to be big - because it gets a vast amount of traffic, most of which is on the shuttles up to Brisbane, or down to Melbourne, on two of the busiest air routes in the world. At peak times there can be wide bodies flying to both cities every half hour, but despite this. the Sydney Qantasclub has been made somewhat smaller, with a quarter of it being partitioned off for the enhanced Business Class section.
Sydney Qantas Club Domestic lounge review
Indeed, are you sure you don't want the Sydney Domestic Business Class lounge, if you have a Business Class ticket? The Qantasclub is for members, Gold Frequent Flyers, and oneworld Sapphire, and it as a slightly downrated bar (two at peak times)
a buffet area, a shop, and great views over the airport and hangers.
As a result, to get to the Sydney Qantasclub domestic lounge you have to go past the first set of escalators on the concourse (which go to the Business lounge), then go up the second set, turn right and go through sliding glass doors, where there are two people checking your ticket and your membership card.
And then you are into the Sydney Qantasclub, from right in the middle of the lounge. To your left is the shop, with service desks to your right. While you are here you can admire the strange artworks over the ticket desks.
Head straight in, and the buffet area is straight ahead. There are seats to dine on here, and indeed most people tend to hang around this part of the lounge, which makes it very busy.
Continue walking right, and the self-serve bar overlooks an area with vast communal tables, and a big screen TV on the wall, which most evenings is on a sports channel. There are some spinally tables too.
Past here in the Sydney Qantasclub domestic is an area that has recently been revamped with new tables and chairs. It needed it. There are benches by the windows which are the closest the lounge comes to a sleeping or napping area. Here there is a bad view of the flat roof, so carry on around the circle, and past the children's area, which occupies what used to be the best aircraft spotting area of the lounge, right in the corner overlooking the active runways.
Alas, this has gone, so the best option now to look at the planes is the racks of seats occupying the view over the hangars.
As you walk on down the ramp again, there is an area that is a pop up bar in the evening, and then the main business centre, which has been relocated to the centre of the lounge. There are work cubicles and computers, but it is a terrible area to put them.
You're now back where you started, and this is the area for pop-up sales display stands. Keep on going, and the Sydney Qantasclub domestic lounge gets better. There are more seats overlooking the windows, in various different set ups - groups of four, six, or on their own.
Finally, at the far end is a much quieter area, that few people seem to visit. Here there are also 4 more computers, hidden behind a white partition. Separating this area from the main lounge is a half wall with a TV: Channel 9 on this gives the air traffic control information.
There are also a few more armchairs here, and a long bench seat. It's really odd the way this has been arranged, and it's clear this is the area that was 'chopped' when the business lounge was created.
In short, the Sydney Qantasclub domestic is large, and it has had a revamp, but it can't escape from looking a little tired. It is due for a revamp soon, and will be styled similar to the Brisbane lounge.
Food
The is a large buffet on the marble benches at the end of the main central space at the Sydney Qantasclub domestic.
It is good, with a better selection that at most QantasClubs, but the type of food hasn't changed in years.
During the day there are normally two types of soups, hot rolls, several platters of ham and cheese, biscuits, and four tubs of green salad, Greek salad, potato salad and rice.
At lunch and dinner times there are two tubs of hot food with meat, rice and pasta. Also, don't miss the toasted sandwich machine, with that staple of the QantasClub, a ham, cheese and pineapple toasted sandwich. It is very popular.
Sydney Qantasclub domestic food at breakfast times offers scrambled egg and sausages, along with rolls, toast and fruit.
Bar
To the left of the buffet is the main Sydney Qantasclub domestic bar. It is free, all afternoon and evening.Wine is in the trough beside the bar, with normally three types of white and red. You pour it yourself, whereas you have to ask for beer or spirits.
Beer comes from bottles behind the bar, or on draft from the three taps at the front.
There is a second bar in the Sydney Qantasclub domestic, which is now rarely opened (opens at 4pm when it does) at far left.
The Qantas club bar opening times vary, but are now at noon (midday) having been put back from the previous 2pm start.
Bathrooms
There is a small corridor with the bathroom and shower suites (which are now getting pretty tired).
Business Facilities
In the main central area of the lounge there are more computers: 16 in total. If you print it goes to the separate photocopier.There are work cubicles too, but the area is terribly located, right in the middle of the lounge and very noisy.
The Sydney Qantasclub domestic of course has free wifi.
There are newspaper racks in the lounge, and there are some magazines dotted around, but newspapers are harder to come by: a stack of Australians is normally in the central part of the lounge. If you are on a cityflyer service, you can get a newspaper at the gate.
There is also a good newsagents in the lounge itself, with a good book selection, and it even sells toys and games.
Access
The Sydney Qantasclub domestic is designed as a paid membership club, or for Qantas Frequent Flyers with status. As such, if you have a Business Class ticket you should head next door, to the somewhat more upmarket Sydney Domestic Business Class lounge.Gold level Qantas FrequentFlyer members can also enter the lounge, as can oneworld Sapphire members. Qantas Platinum and oneworld Emerald members, plus Business Class passengers are quite firmly directed to the Business Class lounge, but you can access if you insist.
Qantas also now permits low or non tier frequent flyers purchase single-visit pass to the Sydney Qantasclub domestic, at the cost of $49AUD (or 7,000 Qantas Points), but only those selected by Qantas get an email offering a paid for pass. There is no paid for access on the door. Mind you, you have to seriously ask if it is worth it. For only a few more points you can upgrade to Business Class, and access the Business lounge.
Video: QantasClub Domestic
View photos of Qantas Club Domestic Sydney Lounge
Sydney Airport Guide
| Qantas Club Domestic Sydney Lounge | ||
|---|---|---|
| Rating |
Video walkthrough and Image gallery by Loungeindex.com
| |
| Pros | Very large lounge Great bar |
|
| Cons | Lounge is really quiet tired Dining is so-so |
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| Location | Terminal 3, Airside, by gate 5, top floor | |
| Terminal | 3 | |
| Opening hours | 0500-2200 | |
| Cost | Daypass sold to selected members only, AU$50 | |
| Lounge for: | Qantas | |
| Access | QantasClub, Gold & Platinum QF FrequentFlyer members, oneworld Emerald & Sapphire | |