Review: Qantas First Class lounge Sydney

Background Together with its sibling in Melbourne, the Qantas First Class lounge at Sydney’s Kingsford Smith airport is the Australian carrier’s flagship product on the ground – and worthy of the term flagship it is.

Shaped like a boomerang and placed almost on top of the terminal, the lounge is among the best in the world: for design, ambiance, facilities, food, views, and service. I love spending some time here before a long-haul flight, and my most recent visit did not disappoint.

Getting access to the lounge can be achieved in a number of ways. The most straightforward is having a first class ticket on Qantas, Emirates (a result of the partnership between the two airlines), or another Oneworld carrier. Alternatively, you need Oneworld Emerald status to get through the door, at which point it wouldn’t matter if you were flying the most discounted Economy ticket there is – a truly superb benefit of Emerald status with the alliance. You can find the lounge by going up the escalators just beyond the set of duty-free shops after security. The glass sliding doors at the top are for the first class lounge, make a left and continue down the balcony overlooking the terminal and you will get to the business class equivalent.

Facilities The entrance of the first class lounge is a good sign of what is to come, with a gorgeous living wall of green plants that arches away to your left, at the end of which another set of escalators takes you up towards reception.

I love the light marble Qantas chose for the reception area, along with the classic ticker board for departures. It reminds me of staring at the departures board at the airport when I was little and imagining all the different places to go to. You can store luggage at reception, and once your boarding pass has been checked (there is also a lounge host downstairs once you step through the sliding doors), you’re on your way.

Giving its position and design, the lounge has stunning views over the apron, with Sydney’s skyline in the background – taking one of the armchairs facing the windows is perfect for a bit of plane spotting.

Coming from reception, you are at about the middle point of the boomerang shape. To your immediate left is the restaurant, with actual table service, as well as a kitchen counter, a range of seating areas, and at the very end the spa.

To your right are further seating areas, a number of meeting rooms, and at the far end the quiet library.

The spa is a standout feature of the lounge, where the living walls return in the treatment rooms. Ticketed first class customers can pre-book, while everyone else has to take their chance on the day. I have managed once to get a treatment (they’re extremely popular of course) and it’s one of the best treatments I have had at an airport lounge spa. Getting a proper (if naturally, brief) facial or massage in one of these rooms is as far away from a hectic airport terminal as you will ever get while still in the middle of one.

WiFi is free and easily accessible, there are a number of work stations with iMacs, and meeting rooms if you need to lock yourself away and get proper work done. I noticed during my last visit that some of the furniture is starting to show its age, with worn-down leather, scuff marks, and the odd recliner seat that wouldn’t function properly. It wasn’t to the point where it distracted from the experience, but a refresh in some areas will be needed in the future.

Food and drink Many a lounge boasts about serving “restaurant quality” food, but this is one of the few that delivers on that promise. With a menu and kitchen overseen by Chef Neil Perry, I have eaten some of the best food I have ever had in an airport lounge here. A breakfast menu is served until 11am; the Eggs Royale I had during my last visit were outstanding. After 11am, there is an all-day menu with a range of options to choose from. Getting a table near the windows allows you to combine eating with watching the action out on the tarmac.

Conclusion There are only few airports where the step up from business to first class lounge is as big as it is at Sydney Kingsford Smith – Qantas does an excellent job from every angle. I really cannot recommend the lounge enough.