One of the best advantages of the Qantas-Emirates partnership is the reciprocal lounge access between the airlines – yet this is something many Qantas passengers don’t even know about.

In many cases, Qantas business class travellers or any Qantas passenger holding Qantas Platinum One, Platinum or Gold frequent flyers status can visit an Emirates lounge ahead of their QF flight.

That’s especially appealing if there are no Qantas or Oneworld airline lounges at the airport you’re flying from, or if the Emirates lounge is a cut above the rest.

That can also include when Qantas directs you to a sub-standard partner lounge, and for international Qantas flights out of Sydney and Melbourne, where the Emirates lounge is largely better than the Qantas business class lounges (provided of course the Emirates lounge is open at hours suiting your Qantas flight).

There are even instances where Qantas Club membership provides Emirates lounge access.

It also works the other way: an Emirates first class passenger or Skywards Platinum member can visit the swish Qantas First Lounge ahead of Emirates flights from Sydney, Melbourne and Singapore.

However, the rules surrounding Qantas access to Emirates lounges come with a few caveats, so here’s what you need to know.

You must be flying with Qantas or Emirates, on a QF or EK flight number: other partner airlines (such as Oneworld members) or flight numbers (such as codeshares) are excluded from this lounge access arrangement.

The Qantas-Emirates lounge access agreement is not worldwide: it applies only to lounges in Australia, New Zealand, Asia, the Middle East, North Africa and Europe.

In addition, you can’t visit an Emirates lounge in Australia if you’re on a Qantas flight to a destination outside of that group, such as North America or South Africa.

The opening hours of Emirates lounges might not align with your Qantas flight: after all, Emirates opens its lounges to suit its own timetable for departures.

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What to expect at an Emirates lounge

Most Emirates lounges around the world follow the same design template, with the same reliably familiar offerings including:

  • an ample buffet which often surpasses other lounges in both variety and quality
  • a selection of hot dishes at breakfast, lunch and dinner
  • a self-pour bar stocked with wine, spirits and Moet Champagne
  • plenty of comfortable seating
  • free WiFi

Can Qantas Club members access Emirates lounges?

Qantas Club members draw the short straw in the Qantas-Emirates lounge partnership: the only lounge they can use are Emirates’ business class lounges in Dubai, and only if they are booked onto an Emirates flight under a Qantas QF8xxx flight number.

An Emirates flight with an EK flight number isn’t valid for Qantas Club entry to an Emirates lounge. Of course, if a Qantas Club member holds Qantas Gold or Platinum status, that changes things… 

What Emirates lounges can Qantas Gold members access?

Qantas Gold frequent flyers enjoy access to most Emirates lounges on this list as long as they’re flying with Qantas or Emirates under a QF or EK flight number; they typically can also bring one guest into the lounge with them.

What Emirates lounges can Qantas Platinum and Platinum One members access?

Platinum-grade Qantas frequent flyers have access to all Emirates lounges on this list – including Emirates’ flagship first class lounge at Dubai – provided they’re flying with Qantas or Emirates under a QF or EK flight number; they typically can also bring one guest and two children into the lounge with them. 

Emirates lounges access for Qantas business and first class passengers

Qantas business class and first class passengers largely have access to the same Emirates lounges as their Gold and Platinum frequent flyer counterparts, although they can’t bring guests into an Emirates lounge – that’s one of the useful perks of Qantas status.

Can Qantas flyers pay for Emirates lounge access?

Stuck in premium economy or economy and lacking any Qantas frequent flyers status? You can still gain entry to Emirates lounges by paying at the door.

The cost is US$155 for most Emirates lounges around the world (discounted to US$120 if you’re a member of Emirates Skywards loyalty program, even if at the base tier), with US$175 for Emirates’ business class lounge at Dubai (US$150 for Skywards members) and US$300 for the Emirates first class lounge at Dubai (US$250 for Skywards members).

Which Emirates lounges around the world can Qantas passengers access?

To make things easy ahead of your next Qantas flight, here’s a complete list of the Emirates lounges which Qantas travellers can access, along with how many guests they can bring in.

You can find more information on each lounge at the Emirates website.

Emirates Lounge, Auckland

By class of travel: Qantas first and business class passengers

By Qantas Frequent Flyer status: Qantas Gold (plus one guest), Platinum and Platinum One (plus one adult guest and two children) when travelling with either Emirates or Qantas

Emirates’ Auckland lounge is definitely preferable to Qantas’ own lounges, at least until those are upgraded into a single premium lounge in late 2024.

However, the Emirates Auckland lounge doesn’t open until 5.15pm, which rules out a visit ahead of Qantas’ morning departures back to Australia.

Emirates Lounge, Bangkok

By class of travel: Qantas first and business class passengers

By Qantas Frequent Flyer status: Qantas Gold (plus one guest), Platinum and Platinum One (plus one adult guest and two children) when travelling with either Emirates or Qantas

Qantas doesn’t have its own lounge at Bangkok, which has made Emirates’ Bangkok lounge a popular go-to – although there are also two very good Oneworld lounges operated by Cathay Pacific and Qatar Airways (the latter is open only to business and first class passengers). 

Emirates Lounge, Birmingham

By Qantas Frequent Flyer status: Qantas Gold (plus one guest), Platinum and Platinum One (plus one adult guest and two children) when travelling with either Emirates or Qantas

Emirates Lounge, Brisbane

By class of travel: Qantas first and business class passengers

By Qantas Frequent Flyer status: Qantas Gold (plus one guest), Platinum and Platinum One (plus one adult guest and two children) when travelling with either Emirates or Qantas

At the time of writing, Emirates’ Brisbane lounge is temporarily closed, with the airline directing eligible travellers to the Plaza Premium Lounge instead – but the Emirates lounge will reopen by mid-February 2024.

Emirates Lounge, Cairo 

By Qantas Frequent Flyer status: Qantas Gold (plus one guest), Platinum and Platinum One (plus one adult guest and two children) when travelling with either Emirates or Qantas

Emirates First Class Lounge, Dubai

By Qantas Frequent Flyer status: Qantas Platinum and Platinum One (plus one adult guest and two children) when travelling with either Emirates or Qantas

This is Emirates’ flagship first class lounge and features an la carte dining room.

Emirates Business Class Lounge, Dubai

By Qantas Frequent Flyer status: Qantas Gold (plus one guest), Platinum and Platinum One (plus one adult guest and two children) when travelling with either Emirates or Qantas

By Qantas Club membership: Access allowed when flying with Emirates under a QF flight number

This is Emirates’ flagship business class lounge and features its own Champagne Lounge; it’s also the only Emirates lounges open to Qantas Club members, and then on the strict condition that the Emirates light is booked as a Qantas codeshare carrying a QF8xxx flight number.

Emirates Lounge, Frankfurt

By Qantas Frequent Flyer status: Qantas Gold (plus one guest), Platinum and Platinum One (plus one adult guest and two children) when travelling with either Emirates or Qantas

Emirates Lounge, Glasgow

By Qantas Frequent Flyer status: Qantas Gold (plus one guest), Platinum and Platinum One (plus one adult guest and two children) when travelling with either Emirates or Qantas

Emirates Lounge, Hamburg

By Qantas Frequent Flyer status: Qantas Gold (plus one guest), Platinum and Platinum One (plus one adult guest and two children) when travelling with either Emirates or Qantas 

Emirates Lounge, London Gatwick

By class of travel: Qantas first and business class passengers

By Qantas Frequent Flyer status: Qantas Gold (plus one guest), Platinum and Platinum One (plus one adult guest and two children) when travelling with either Emirates or Qantas

Emirates Lounge, London Heathrow

By class of travel: Qantas first class passengers

By Qantas Frequent Flyer status: Qantas Gold (plus one guest), Platinum and Platinum One (plus one adult guest and two children) when travelling on an Emirates flight

London is an odd one out when it comes to lounge access: the only Qantas passengers offered entry to the Emirates lounge at Heathrow T3 are those booked into Qantas first class. Everyone else is of course directed to Qantas’ own London Heathrow lounge.

That said, we believe Qantas’ first class passengers and Platinum-grade frequent flyers may find Cathay Pacific’s LHR T3 first class lounge is a superior place to spend those pre-flight hours.

Emirates Lounge, Manchester

By Qantas Frequent Flyer status: Qantas Gold (plus one guest), Platinum and Platinum One (plus one adult guest and two children) when travelling with either Emirates or Qantas

Emirates Lounge, Melbourne

By class of travel: Qantas first and business class passengers

By Qantas Frequent Flyer status: Qantas Gold (plus one guest), Platinum and Platinum One (plus one adult guest and two children) when travelling with either Emirates or Qantas

Emirates’ Melbourne lounge is located on level 3, accessed via an escalator near Gates 9 and 10.

Emirates Lounge, Milan Malpensa

By Qantas Frequent Flyer status: Qantas Gold (plus one guest), Platinum and Platinum One (plus one adult guest and two children) when travelling with either Emirates or Qantas

Emirates Lounge, Munich

By Qantas Frequent Flyer status: Qantas Gold (plus one guest), Platinum and Platinum One (plus one adult guest and two children) when travelling with either Emirates or Qantas

Emirates Lounge, Paris Charles de Gaulle

By Qantas Frequent Flyer status: Qantas Gold (plus one guest), Platinum and Platinum One (plus one adult guest and two children) when travelling with either Emirates or Qantas 

Emirates Lounge, Perth

By class of travel: Qantas first and business class passengers

By Qantas Frequent Flyer status: Qantas Gold (plus one guest), Platinum and Platinum One (plus one adult guest and two children) when travelling with either Emirates or Qantas

Emirates Lounge, Rome

By class of travel: Qantas first and business class passengers

By Qantas Frequent Flyer status: Qantas Gold (plus one guest), Platinum and Platinum One (plus one adult guest and two children) when travelling with either Emirates or Qantas 

Emirates Lounge, Singapore Changi Airport

By class of travel: Qantas first and business class passengers

By Qantas Frequent Flyer status: Qantas Gold (plus one guest), Platinum and Platinum One (plus one adult guest and two children) when travelling with either Emirates or Qantas

Qantas travellers have several lounges at Singapore’s Changi Terminal 1 to choose between – we suggest Qatar Airways’ Singapore Premium Lounge is the prime pick if you’re in first class and business class (although the Qantas Singapore First Lounge is still excellent), with the Qantas Singapore Business Lounge or the Emirates Singapore Lounge suited to business class passengers and Qantas Gold-grade frequent flyers. 

Emirates Lounge, Sydney 

By class of travel: Qantas first and business class passengers

By Qantas Frequent Flyer status: Qantas Gold (plus one guest), Platinum and Platinum One (plus one adult guest and two children) when travelling with either Emirates or Qantas

Many Qantas business class passengers and Gold frequent flyers happily make their way over to ‘the other end’ of Terminal 1 (the same departures wing as used by Air New Zealand and Singapore Airlines, among others) to visit Emirates’ Sydney lounge rather than Qantas’ own lacklustre Sydney international business lounge.

Emirates Lounge, Zurich

By Qantas Frequent Flyer status: Qantas Gold (plus one guest), Platinum and Platinum One (plus one adult guest and two children) when travelling with either Emirates or Qantas