TRIP REVIEW: Qantas — Double Status Credits long way Sydney to Adelaide with upgrades

I took my first flight for 2025 on Qantas between Sydney and Adelaide via Melbourne. It makes for a long trip, but when you buy the fare on a Double Status Credits promotion, it is one way of maximising your status credits.

Points Upgrades

I applied for points upgrades to Business Class on all four flights. I received upgrades on three out of the four flights. Each upgrade cost me 10,900 Qantas Frequent Flyer points.

Whether that’s a good use of points is debatable. Given the current pricing of these flights in business Class, I got about 3.7 cents value for each point. If my flights had been at more peak times, where business class Sydney to Melbourne costs an outrageous AU$1,064, compared to Economy at AU$239, the value would have increased to more like 7.5 cents per point.

Not a full review

This is not going to be a full-flight review. Qantas’s domestic short-haul experience is pretty standard and relatively consistent. The only variable is the friendliness of the cabin crew and their teamwork. Everything else is pretty standard, baring bad weather and mechanical delays.

So for this review, I am not going to give you timings and crew interaction details or any comments on the annoying passenger in 1A who had an argument with the purser on-boarding about the way he was treated by staff because he was asked to put his jacket on (out of his suit holder) so he didn’t have too many carry-on pieces of luggage. As she pointed out, he was a frequent flyer who should know the rules (hear hear!).

Oops, I just gave details of crew interactions. While I’m at it, I should also laud the passenger who thanked the purser for the way she handled the situation. I think he said that the passenger was a ‘pain in the arse‘ (my lipreading skills are usually better), which, from what I saw, was an accurate description.

Enough of that.

Upgraded Whoppee!

Luckily, I was upgraded on three out of the four flights. If I was going to travel this long distance to Adelaide, I wanted to be comfortable. The first flight between Sydney and Melbourne was not upgraded.

The second flight upgrade, Melbourne to Adelaide, was confirmed immediately after I booked. The upgrade for my Adelaide to Melbourne leg came through on Wednesday (three days prior), and my final flight was upgraded four hours before departure. I needed to re-check in online to get my new boarding pass.

On checking my luggage on the return leg in Adelaide, I was asked if I wanted to change to a direct flight, if she could find a seat. I declined, given my need to maximise status credits.

What I ate and drank

The most important aspect of a domestic upgrade, besides the size of the seat, the space, access to the front toilet, and staff attention, is the food and beverage.

On all flights there were two meal/snack options to choose from. My flights were all after 2 pm, so mainly qualified as a ‘snack’ or ‘afternoon tea’ rather than ‘lunch’ or ‘dinner’. I’m not quite sure what the difference is. You be the judge.

Here in images is what I ate in order of flights taken.

QF449 Sydney to Melbourne, Economy

Let’s start with my flight between Sydney and Melbourne. The choice was, well, there wasn’t really a choice. If you said no to the ‘snack,’ then you were offered a packet of nuts. This may be suitable for a kid’s lunch box prepared by a busy parent, but it is not really suitable for paying adult customers, even in Economy, in my view.

QF691 Melbourne to Adelaide, Business Class

I was upgraded to Business Class on my flight between Melbourne and Adelaide. This curry pie, with a glass of red wine and some white chocolate from Koko was quite good. However, is it any different from the cardboard packet pie in economy, with just a bit of limp rocket on the side?

You can be the judge.

QF686 Adelaide to Melbourne, Business Class

Again, I got lucky and had my seat upgraded to Business class three days before my flight. OK, this pie with mashed potatoes and tomato relish was definitely a step up from the economy equivalent. The other option I had was a cheese plate. I don’t remember the red wine other than it was a blend from the Barossa Valley.

QF470 Melbourne to Sydney, Business Class

Again, the upgrade gods were with me, and four hours before the flight, I received notice of the upgrade via text. The only aisle seat left was 1D. I chose the ploughman’s lunch plate this time. I think the other option was another pie or curry that I didn’t fancy. I’d already had a substantial ‘snack’ on the last flight, so this plate did the trick, together with another, although different, Barossa red blend.

2PAXfly Takeout

There was nothing wrong with what I was served. I just don’t feel it was as good as the Business Class meal service food that was served pre-COVID. Maybe I’m just being nostalgic.

Keeping that in mind, these were short domestic flights, mostly a touch over an hour, so service time is restricted. It really needs to be tray service rather than individual courses.

Business Class food is quite a step up from Economy, on the whole, although I think the pies are sometimes very similar.

Perhaps most importantly, the service on all flights was great. In Business Class, you get more interaction with staff, but even in Economy, cabin staff have time for a kind word.

I rarely fork out the cash for domestic Business Class, but I am happy to exchange some points for an upgrade, for a more comfortable ride. I’d just like Qantas to up its game further on the food front.