QANTAS: Economy Plus cabin on A330 to service Asia

Qantas’ shiny new Economy Plus cabin, the one that gives you more room and the warm fuzzy feeling of boarding before everyone else, is getting a long-haul upgrade. From next year (2026), the airline will bolt the product onto its international Airbus A330 fleet, the aircraft that does much of the grunt work between Australia and Asian destinations.

It’s all part of the global trend which recognises that for some passengers, space in Economy is just too tight. Airlines are carving out ever more micro-cabins between cattle class and the good seats, at a modest charge, or free for those with premium status. It meets the needs of those with closer to beer budgets, but requires more champagne-style space.

What you’re actually getting in Economy Plus

Economy Plus, rolling out from February 2026 on Qantas’ domestic narrowbodies (737s, A321XLRs, A220s), bundles the the following attributes:

• Extra-legroom seats
• Priority boarding
• Dedicated overhead bin space

According to an ET ‘exclusive’, conversation with Cam Wallace, Qantas International CEO, the A330s are next in line because they lack a formal premium economy cabin, so Economy Plus becomes the upsell of choice.

Notably absent from the Economy Plus rollout are the A380s, 787s and future A350s — they already have proper premium economy. It looks like Qantas doesn’t want to muddy the waters with a new sub-cabin in Economy.

How much will it cost?

Your guess is as good as ours. Qantas is still holding that card close to their chest. Expect the charge to reflect flight length. The charge will be less than premium economy, but more than those historically free “extra legroom” rows that vanished when this new product was announced.

However, if you have the correct status with Qantas/OneWorld, no fee will apply. Platinum and Platinum One frequent flyers will get complimentary Economy Plus anytime. For Gold status flyers, the T-24 rule applies: if any extra-legroom seats are available, you can choose to sit there up to 24 hours before your flight. So check at online check-in.

New A330 economy seats inbound

Behind the Economy Plus fanfare sits a more substantial upgrade. Qantas is refitting all ten international A330s with its next-gen economy seats. These are the same design destined for Project Sunrise flights from Sydney/Melbourne to London and New York. Qantas promises it has considered these marathon rides in its redesign, so they should be well comfortable for shorter hops like east coast Australia to Singapore or Tokyo.

The new seats come with thicker sculpted bolsters, lumbar support, siz way headrests, better knee clearance, and 13.3” 4K OLED screens. You also get Bluetooth audio pairing for your own headphones, and fast USB-C charging along with device holders. There will be some new soft furnishings and lighting as well.

2PAXfly Takout

This is an interesting move by Qantas. It adds another much-appreciated benefit to frequent flying. In a way, it’s back to the future, since years ago Gold and Platinum members could always hijack an exit row or other extra-legroom seat at no charge.

On longer haul routes, I think these extra legroom Economy Plus seats won’t be a game, so much as a rule changer. If I could get extra legroom and an empty middle seat on a flight to Asia, I might be tempted to travel in economy, especially if it were a daytime flight. For me, nighttime flights always make me want to be in Business!

A cabin and seat refresh on those A330s in Economy is long overdue. It will be gladly welcomed by most customers especially if they deliver on those comfort promises for the new Economy seats.