Qantas opens Darwin International Transit Lounge for London passengers

Heading to London on the Red Roo’s newest Kangaroo Route via the Top End? Qantas will surprise guests with a new international pop-up lounge at Darwin International Airport, staffed by local Qantas crew. Cool off with a refreshing cold towel and the signature welcome mocktail – a Top End lemonade.

You’ll find the space housed within the existing Catalina lounge in the international wing of the airport. Qantas will temporarily offer a serviced buffet with local culinary influences, such as Asian-style soup inspired by the Darwin markets. You can also quench your thirst with a range of premium Australian wines, beers and non-alcoholic drinks.

A strong focus on food and beverage

We recently visited the domestic Darwin Qantas Club. It’s a fabulous space, with an impressive focus on food. If this standard is anything to go by, we’ve got high hopes for the Qantas Darwin International Transit Lounge.

A delicious lunch spread at the Qantas Club, Darwin.

Fresh and healthy salads are part of the package.

You won’t go thirsty in a Qantas lounge, either.

Qantas Group’s Chief Customer Officer, Stephanie Tully, highlighted how the Darwin international pop-up transit lounge would cater for travellers during the brief 90-minute stopovers.

We know that spending time in our lounges is one of the most enjoyable parts of the travel experience. We are excited to work with our friends at Darwin Airport to have our lounge facility ready next week in time to welcome our first international customers in 20 months.

Given the relatively brief transit time of 90 minutes, our focus will be on offering a comfortable space for customers to stretch their legs, enjoy a brunch or light supper and to refresh before their onward journey.

– Stephanie Tully, Qantas Group CCO, 27 October 2021

Summing up

Qantas continues to show a strong dedication to the premium travel experience. The lounge’s guest list includes the usual roster of Platinum One, Platinum and Gold frequent flyers, plus Qantas Club members. Business Class guests and eligible oneworld and partner airline elite members can enjoy access as well.

Meanwhile, Qantas will reopen its Sydney International First Lounge from 1 November 2021, so all the aforementioned guests will kick their journeys off in style. For the next few weeks, lounge-worthy travellers will also be able to visit the British Airways T3 Lounge in Heathrow, and unusually, the Star Alliance Lounge in Los Angeles.

But before long, Qantas will reopen its own lounges in those ports, giving jet-setting customers a taste of home before they – well, jet home! We expect the Qantas London and Los Angeles lounges to open in December 2021.