Qantas
Airline Statistics
233
Active Routes4919
Flight Observations59
Unique Destinations61
Origin Airports2406
Avg Route Distance (mi)9172
Longest Route (mi)3
Domestic Routes97
International RoutesAbout Qantas
Qantas, an acronym for Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services Limited, is Australia's flag carrier and one of the world's oldest airlines still in operation, having been founded on November 16, 1920. Established in Winton, Queensland, by Hudson Fysh, Paul McGinness, and Fergus McMaster, it initially provided air taxi, joy flights, and government-subsidized airmail services, connecting remote communities. The airline was nationalised by the Australian government in 1947 and later privatised between 1993 and 1997. Popularly known as "The Flying Kangaroo," Qantas has adopted the official slogan "Spirit of Australia."
Qantas's main operational base and headquarters are located in the Sydney suburb of Mascot, adjacent to Sydney Airport, which serves as its primary hub. Other significant hubs include Melbourne, Perth, and Brisbane, with focus cities like Adelaide, Cairns, Canberra, Darwin, and Hobart. The airline operates an extensive route network, serving over 60 domestic destinations across Australia. Internationally, Qantas connects Australia to Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Europe, North America, and South America, covering more than 98 destinations in 25 territories. Its regional subsidiary, QantasLink, also provides services to numerous regional centers within Australia and some short-haul international flights.
As a founding member of the Oneworld airline alliance, Qantas offers travelers an expanded global network and various reciprocal benefits. The Qantas mainline passenger fleet, as of November 2025, consists of 131 aircraft, featuring a mix of narrow-body and wide-body jets. This includes Boeing 737-800s for domestic and short-haul international routes, Airbus A330s (A330-200s and A330-300s) for medium-haul international and domestic services, Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners for long-haul efficiency, and Airbus A380-800s for high-capacity premium international flights. The airline is also introducing Airbus A321XLRs for extended-range narrow-body operations and has significant orders for new Airbus A220, A320neo, A321neo, A350, and Boeing 787 aircraft to modernize its fleet over the coming decade. On international flights, Qantas offers four distinct cabin classes: First, International Business, International Premium Economy, and International Economy. For domestic travel, passengers can choose between Domestic Business and Domestic Economy classes.
Traveler Reviews
Recent traveler reviews for Qantas indicate a mixed sentiment, with appreciation for the in-flight experience often contrasted with frustrations regarding customer service.
What Travelers Love:
- Exceptional In-flight Experience: Many travelers consistently praise the excellent in-flight experience, including attentive and friendly cabin crew.
- Comfortable Seating and Amenities: Particularly in Premium Economy and Business Class, passengers value the cabin comfort, noting extra legroom, wider seats, and enhanced entertainment options.
- Quality Meal Service: The meal and beverage service, especially in premium cabins, is frequently highlighted as a positive aspect of the Qantas travel experience.
- Convenient Direct Long-Haul Routes: Travelers appreciate the convenience of direct international flights offered by Qantas, particularly on long-haul routes.
Common Complaints:
- Appalling Customer Service Post-Booking: A pervasive complaint revolves around Qantas's customer service, described as inflexible, unhelpful, and difficult to reach, especially for flight changes, cancellations, or issues like damaged luggage. Long call wait times and a "clunky" or buggy website are frequently mentioned.
- Limited Frequent Flyer Reward Availability: Many loyal Qantas Frequent Flyer members express disappointment with the scarcity of reward flight availability, making it challenging to redeem accumulated points.
- Outdated Business Class Seats on Some Routes: Some international Business Class passengers have noted that the seating on certain routes feels outdated and does not compete favorably with other premium carriers in the region.
- Flight Delays and Lack of Communication: Instances of unexplained flight delays and a perceived lack of timely updates or clear communication to passengers are also points of dissatisfaction.
Overall, while Qantas consistently delivers a positive experience in the air with its service and cabin comfort, particularly on premium international routes, the airline faces significant criticism regarding its customer service and post-booking support. The sentiment suggests that the "Spirit of Australia" shines brightest during the flight itself, but the ground experience can be a source of considerable frustration for many travelers.
Safety Information
Qantas maintains an outstanding safety record and is widely recognized as one of the safest airlines globally.
- Recent safety record and any notable incidents: Qantas has not experienced a fatal accident since 1951 and has not lost an aircraft since 1960. While the airline has an exceptional record, there have been a few non-fatal incidents in recent years:
- In May 2024 and November 2024, Qantas Boeing 737-800 flights experienced severe turbulence, resulting in injuries to a few passengers.
- In January 2023, two separate Qantas flights, QF144 and QF101, returned to Sydney due to an engine failure and a mechanical issue, respectively, with no injuries reported.
- In November 2024, Qantas Flight QF520 also returned to Sydney following an engine failure shortly after departure, landing safely.
- Minor incidents in March and September 2025 involved smoke detected on the flight deck or in the cabin, leading to safe diversions and landings.
- A Qantas Boeing 737-800 flight in March 2025 had a captain partially incapacitated during a flight from Brisbane to Sydney.
- Regulatory certifications: Qantas's consistent high rankings in global safety assessments, which consider audits from aviation's governing and industry bodies, suggest adherence to rigorous international safety standards. The airline's robust approach to safety and operational discipline is regarded as a benchmark within the industry.
- Fleet age and maintenance reputation: As of November 2025, the Qantas mainline fleet has an average age of 16.2 years. While some aviation experts have noted an increasing average fleet age, potentially impacting its top safety ranking in some surveys, they emphasize that well-maintained older aircraft can be incredibly safe. Qantas has a strong and long-standing reputation for its maintenance practices, a focus established by its chief aircraft engineer, Arthur Baird, in its early years. The airline has significant orders for new aircraft to progressively replace and modernize its fleet over the coming decade.
- Overall safety assessment based on available data: Qantas consistently ranks among the safest airlines in the world. AirlineRatings.com named Qantas the world's safest airline in 2014 and 2023, and it was ranked second in the full-service airline category for 2024 and 2025. In July 2025, Qantas also received the "greatest peace of mind when flying" award in AirlineRatings.com's Flyers' Choice Awards. This strong safety record is attributed to its operational discipline, comprehensive pilot training, and robust fleet management practices.
- Any safety awards or recognitions:
- Ranked 2nd in AirlineRatings.com's "World's Safest Airlines for 2024" (full-service category).
- Topped AirlineRatings.com's "Flyers' Choice Awards 2025" for providing the "greatest peace of mind when flying."
- Recognized as the world's safest airline by AirlineRatings in 2014 and 2023.
- The crew of Qantas Flight 32 received the "Professionalism Award in Flight Safety" from the Flight Safety Foundation in 2011, acknowledging their exceptional airmanship during an uncontained engine failure incident in 2010.
Route Network Map
Most Popular Routes
Top Destinations
Top Origin Airports
Top Border Crossing Flights
Longest Routes
All Routes
233 Total Routes| Route | Destination | Flights | Distance | Aircraft | Last Seen |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SYD → MEL |
Melbourne Tullamarine
Melbourne
|
245 | 439 mi | B738 | Jan 30, 2026 |
| SYD → BNE |
Brisbane
Brisbane
|
173 | 468 mi | B738 | Jan 31, 2026 |
| ADL → SYD |
Sydney
Sydney
|
167 | 724 mi | B738 | Jan 30, 2026 |
| ADL → MEL |
Melbourne Tullamarine
Melbourne
|
133 | 399 mi | B738 | Jan 30, 2026 |
| DRW → ADL |
Adelaide Int'l
Adelaide
|
128 | 1631 mi | E190 | Jan 28, 2026 |
| DRW → SYD |
Sydney
Sydney
|
112 | 1962 mi | B738 | Jan 30, 2026 |
| HBA → SYD |
Sydney
Sydney
|
110 | 646 mi | B738 | Jan 29, 2026 |
| BNE → MEL |
Melbourne Tullamarine
Melbourne
|
109 | 859 mi | BCS3 | Jan 30, 2026 |
| CHC → SYD |
Sydney
Sydney
|
104 | 1322 mi | A321 | Jan 28, 2026 |
| HBA → MEL |
Melbourne Tullamarine
Melbourne
|
96 | 384 mi | BCS3 | Jan 29, 2026 |
| DRW → BNE |
Brisbane
Brisbane
|
96 | 1773 mi | B738 | Jan 30, 2026 |
| SYD → ADL |
Adelaide Int'l
Adelaide
|
95 | 724 mi | B463 | Jan 29, 2026 |
| DRW → ASP |
Alice Springs
Alice Springs
|
90 | 813 mi | E190 | Jan 28, 2026 |
| MEL → SYD |
Sydney
Sydney
|
90 | 439 mi | B738 | Jan 17, 2026 |
| CBR → MEL |
Melbourne Tullamarine
Melbourne
|
85 | 292 mi | BCS3 | Dec 31, 2025 |
| MEL → BNE |
Brisbane
Brisbane
|
82 | 859 mi | BCS3 | Jan 17, 2026 |
| OOL → SYD |
Sydney
Sydney
|
78 | 423 mi | B738 | Jan 30, 2026 |
| ADL → BNE |
Brisbane
Brisbane
|
72 | 1008 mi | E190 | Jan 30, 2026 |
| LST → MEL |
Melbourne Tullamarine
Melbourne
|
69 | 296 mi | E190 | Jan 29, 2026 |
| DRW → MEL |
Melbourne Tullamarine
Melbourne
|
68 | 1949 mi | B738 | Jan 28, 2026 |
| ZQN → SYD |
Sydney
Sydney
|
65 | 1206 mi | B738 | Jan 29, 2026 |
| WLG → SYD |
Sydney
Sydney
|
63 | 1386 mi | B738 | Jan 28, 2026 |
| MCY → SYD |
Sydney
Sydney
|
63 | 521 mi | BCS3 | Jan 30, 2026 |
| ADL → CBR |
Canberra Int'l
Canberra
|
61 | 604 mi | E190 | Jan 30, 2026 |
| BNE → SYD |
Sydney
Sydney
|
59 | 468 mi | B738 | Jan 30, 2026 |
Airline statistics are based on flight route observations collected from FlightAware AeroAPI and other sources. Flight counts represent observed operations, not scheduled frequencies. Route data is continuously updated as new flight information becomes available.
Last Update: Jan 31, 2026 06:05
Coverage: Observed routes only