As a Qantas Gold, Platinum or Platinum One frequent flyer, or a Qantas Club member, you can generally access Qantas lounges when travelling on any Qantas or Jetstar flight. This extends to Qantas-marketed codeshare flights with a “QF” flight number that are operated by partner airlines.

As many frequent flyers know, lounge access rules are often not as simple as they seem. When partner airlines and third-party lounges get involved, things can get messy.

But it’s crucial for the lounge staff to know and apply the rules correctly because denying access to a passenger who is legitimately entitled to enter causes disappointment, embarrassment and is virtually impossible to compensate for afterwards.

Qantas lounge access on WestJet codeshare services

Qantas has a loose partnership with the Canadian airline WestJet. This allows Qantas Frequent Flyer members to earn and redeem points for WestJet Economy Class flights. Qantas also places its “QF” code on certain WestJet flights, including on several routes from Los Angeles to destinations in Canada.

According to the Qantas website, customers who are eligible for lounge access and booked on WestJet codeshare flights with a Qantas flight number can access Qantas lounges. This would include the Qantas international Business and First Lounges at Los Angeles International Airport.

Unfortunately, it seems that not all of the Qantas lounge staff in Los Angeles are aware of this rule. An AFF member says they were recently denied lounge access in Los Angeles ahead of a Qantas-marketed flights operated by WestJet.

AFF member roslynm wrote:

Hi, we just did Qantas to LAX connecting Westjet to Vancouver on Tuesday this week. A couple of comments, we were booked on Qantas boarding passes all through to Vanc. We were able to book baggage all the way thru. Picked up in LAX and dropped off immediately. Mister & I are both Qantas Club so we’re expecting to get into Q club in LAX Terminal 5 as we had 5 hours waiting. We checked back in thru security to airside, able to because we had Q boarding passes but were informed by the lounge that even though Qantas booking, the Lounge would not take anyone on a Westjet flight as there are no reciprocal arrangements. They were very firm. The First class lounge has the same rule, I heard it from them directly.

Australian Frequent Flyer has confirmed with Qantas that eligible flyers should receive Qantas lounge access on codeshare flights with a “QF” flight number. This also applies to Qantas-marketed codeshare flights operated by any other airline.

Lounge access would not be permitted if booked on a WestJet “WS” flight number.

Qantas Platinum member denied lounge access on Jetstar ticket

Qantas Club, Gold, Platinum and Platinum One frequent flyers are also generally entitled to use Qantas-operated lounges when flying with Jetstar. Yet, a Qantas Platinum member was recently refused entry to the Qantas international Business Lounge in Wellington when flying Jetstar to the Gold Coast.

jetset posted on our forum:

I was flying from Wellington to Gold Coast JQ as a QF plat and the Qantas staff at the Qantas Wellington Lounge refused me access.
They stated that no JQ passengers have access regardless of status.

Qantas has confirmed that this was also incorrect and is following up internally.

Matt Graham

The editor of Australian Frequent Flyer, Matt's passion for travel has taken him to over 90 countries… with the help of frequent flyer points, of course!
Matt's favourite destinations (so far) are Germany, Brazil & Kazakhstan. His interests include aviation, economics & foreign languages, and he has a soft spot for good food and red wine.

You can connect with Matt by posting on the Australian Frequent Flyer community forum and tagging @AFF Editor.