QC Life Member access to International J lounge when domestic?

[beardoc]

I'm considering a flight SYD-ADL and I noticed that there's a single flight that's an international leg leaving from the international terminal in SYD to ADL. If I book this, and I am QANTAS Club Life Member, do I get access to the international J lounge when I fly? I know about having to be there 3 hours early, but if I get to go to the J lounge, then this might be worth it!

Is the SYD J lounge any good? Better than the SYD or MEL Domestic Lounges?

 

[benhadi]

Dont know about the rest, but i find the QC domestic lounges are miles better than Qantas international J lounges. Havent been to all of them, but this is certainly the case for Sydney and Brisbane.

And yes, you can enter the QP with your status, provided you're flying QF or JQ.

 

[Wunala Dreaming]

Hi beardoc,

Yes you will have access to the Qantas Club (Business Lounge) due to you holding a club membership. Note that the current J lounge at Sydney Int' is partially open but is being refurbished. Subsequently, certain passengers are being redirected to a temporary lounge:

From late October we will start refurbishing our Sydney International Business lounge to create a new space where you can relax or work when you travel with Qantas. The current Business lounge will remain open during construction, however as space will be limited, Qantas customers are invited to use temporary lounge facilities next to gate 24. Eligible customers travelling on other airlines including Jetstar, British Airways and Cathay Pacific Airways will be accommodated in the current lounge, however due to limited capacity, guest restrictions may apply. The lounge is due for completion in February 2008.

Flying on the A330-300 from SYD - ADL on QF81 is a very pleasant experience. Just remember that you will be subject to the liquid restrictions so take that into consideration if you are only taking hand luggage.

Never been to the temporary J lounge at SYD so can't tell you much about it. The lounge being upgraded is nice, with good views. The SYD domestic lounge is huge but can get very busy during peak periods.

Cheers

 

[beardoc]

Hi beardoc,

Yes you will have access to the Qantas Club (Business Lounge) due to you holding a club membership. Note that the current J lounge at Sydney Int' is partially open but is being refurbished. Subsequently, certain passengers are being redirected to a temporary lounge:


Flying on the A330-300 from SYD - ADL on QF81 is a very pleasant experience. Just remember that you will be subject to the liquid restrictions so take that into consideration if you are only taking hand luggage.

Never been to the temporary J lounge at SYD so can't tell you much about it. The lounge being upgraded is nice, with good views. The SYD domestic lounge is huge but can get very busy during peak periods.

Cheers

It sounds like I shouldn't bother going to the effort at the moment to take the flight via the International Airport. Is there anything that is somehow better in the SYD International J Lounge than the SYD domestic lounge?

 

[JohnK]

I know about having to be there 3 hours early, but if I get to go to the J lounge, then this might be worth it!

I don't think you need to be there 3 hours early. I think 90 minutes would be more than sufficient and if you only have carry on you could almost get away with 1 hour early.

It all depends on how long you want to spend in the lounge. If you had F lounge access then it is probably worth the effort to get there as early as possible.

Is there anything that is somehow better in the SYD International J Lounge than the SYD domestic lounge?

The lounges are very similar. A minor advantage of the international J lounge is you do not have to wait until 1:00pm for the bar to open.

 

[rhjames]

I don't think you need to be there 3 hours early. I think 90 minutes would be more than sufficient and if you only have carry on you could almost get away with 1 hour early.

I agree 3 hours is not necessary, particularly if you can check in at the business desk. I normally work on 90 minutes (immigration can be a bit slow)

Lounges are just a place to sit and have a drink and relax. The domestics can get quite crowded at peak time. I'd rather be at home than in an airport lounge - I wouldn't leave home early just to be there (Qantas international first is different where you can get full meal service.)

 

[simongr]

What class of travel - I assume as you want to get into teh lounge based on QP membership that you are flying whY? I can not compare whY seat pitch but in J the difference in seat would outweigh and costs of the liquids restriction.

Immigration wont be too bad as you will have a D sticker meaning you can use the fast lane.

 

[SFSC]

The thing that makes it worthwhile for me to use an international flight is that the booze is on whenever the international J lounge is open.

QF81 might leave a little early for some to start drinking but as an ex shiftworker, the sun passes over the yardarm when I choose it to so I structure my travels as much as possible to depart SYD T1 rather than T3 or T2

 

[rhjames]

QF81 might leave a little early for some to start drinking but as an ex shiftworker, the sun passes over the yardarm when I choose it to so I structure my travels as much as possible to depart SYD T1 rather than T3 or T2

I've structured airline travel around cost, convenient departure time, optimum arrival time, number of stops, minimum travel time, but never which lounge has the bar open. Silly of me after all this time.

 

[straitman]

I've structured airline travel around cost, convenient departure time, optimum arrival time, number of stops, minimum travel time, but never which lounge has the bar open. Silly of me after all this time.

rhjames,

Sounds like you almost have it right. With the addition of bar opening (and maybe closing) times your list seems complete to me.

 

[simongr]

I assume some weighted scoring system applying a value to each variable could be used to determine the optimum flight to be takem.

For me I owuld generally prefer to fly out of T1 due to teh chance of a better seat on board.

 

[SFSC]

I've structured airline travel around cost, convenient departure time, optimum arrival time, number of stops, minimum travel time, but never which lounge has the bar open. Silly of me after all this time.

Well I'm retired and my time is my own. Just about the only other thing I would take into consideration is cost. Mrs SFSC usually comes with me and travelling by air is still a bit of a novelty for us both (I didn't travel much for work). Transits, connections and lounge time are all part of the experience.

Anyway, it's good to claw back some of the cost of the senior life membership drink by drink.

 

[serfty]

Dont know about the rest, but i find the QC domestic lounges are miles better than Qantas international J lounges. Havent been to all of them, but this is certainly the case for Sydney and Brisbane. ..

I completely disagree with this, certainly for MEL/SYD/BNE!

(Especially since recent reports the SYD J lounge(s) have beer fridges rather than self pour postmix.

)

As with most things, YMMV!

 

[rhjames]

Well I'm retired and my time is my own. Just about the only other thing I would take into consideration is cost. Mrs SFSC usually comes with me and travelling by air is still a bit of a novelty for us both (I didn't travel much for work).
Anyway, it's good to claw back some of the cost of the senior life membership drink by drink.

I retired earlier this year, but unlike you I travelled a lot for work. So much so that I retired early to get rid of the travel. Since then my wife has taken me for a trip to Europe, Samoa and New Zealand. South America next month!!!. I might have to go back to work to get rid of the travel!!! At least I have lifetime gold (can you imagine dropping back from platinum next year) so I can still use the lounges and the alcohol.

 

[beardoc]

I completely disagree with this, certainly for MEL/SYD/BNE!

(Especially since recent reports the SYD J lounge(s) have beer fridges rather than self pour postmix.

)

As with most things, YMMV!

But other than the alcohol (which I don't drink) are the lounges/food/drinks/internet access the same as a domestic J lounge?

If they are, then I'll just take a T3 flight rather than a T1 depature flight.

 

[straitman]

But other than the alcohol (which I don't drink) are the lounges/food/drinks/internet access the same as a domestic J lounge?

If they are, then I'll just take a T3 flight rather than a T1 depature flight.

beardoc,

To bring this back on topic, the answer is in post #3.

Yes is the answer.