The promise of an extra half day in island paradise might be the clincher for booking Fiji Airways’ early-morning service from Sydney. While the breezy afternoon departure gets the airline’s flagship Airbus A350 widebody jet, the bleary-eye morning voyage is served on the single-aisle Boeing 737 MAX 8 instead.
Here’s what to expect onboard in Fiji Airways Boeing 737 MAX 8 Economy.

Check-in and boarding
When I arrive at the airport just before 4:15 am, Fiji Airways check-in is in full swing with what looks to be a 5-10 minute queue for Economy passengers. If you have Qantas Gold or Oneworld Sapphire-equivalent status, you can bypass that and use the Premium check-in counter instead.
I’ve been allocated a standard seat during online check-in, but through Expertflyer, I see that seat 23A in the exit row is still available. After enquiring at the counter, the swap’s a done deal – and free of charge.
Lounge access isn’t included by default on Economy tickets. Qantas Gold and higher members can use the Qantas International Business Lounge, while Priority Pass members can access The House. However, both lounges open at 5am, so you’ll have about 30 minutes to eat breakfast before boarding.




Boarding is done efficiently, starting with Business Class passengers and elite status passengers in Group A. The rest of the Economy cabin boards from back to front.
Seat and layout
Fiji Airways’ Boeing 737 MAX 8 has 162 seats in Economy, arranged in a 3-3 layout. Rows 14, 23 and 24 have extra legroom – usually at a cost, but it becomes free at airport check-in. The standard seats are spacious enough with 32″ of pitch and 5″ of recline. One downside of the exit rows is you have to put all your bags in the overhead locker. For me, it’s worth the compromise.
Happily, Fiji Airways outfits the cabin with Wi-Fi and 10″ entertainment touchscreens in Economy – both somewhat of a rarity on single-aisle jets flying from Australia. Under the screen is a USB charging outlet, but there aren’t any AC charging ports.





Food and beverage
Once we’re airborne, the cheerful crew pours us cups of the iconic Fiji Water. We then have two choices for breakfast: a frittata with roast potatoes or scrambled eggs with a sausage and hash brown.
I’m happy with the frittata dish, as the roast potatoes still have a satisfying crunch. Breakfast comes with a small fruit salad, yoghurt and coffee or tea. A bread roll or croissant would be a good accompaniment.

There’s no other scheduled service for the remaining three hours of the flight. However, a full bar – offering spirits, wines, beers, and soft drinks – is available upon request. I decide to forgo ordering anything and use the time to catch up on some much-needed sleep instead.
Service and amenities
Fiji Airways offers complimentary messaging Wi-Fi for all passengers. Paid plans start from US$7.95 for Standard Web and US$14.95 for Web Plus. The standard connectivity is enough for me and works well. I measure download speeds at 7.43 Mbps and upload speeds at 1.80 Mbps.


Basic headphones are provided on each seat. But as always, bring your own for better sound quality and comfort. You’ll find a decent range of new-release movies, TV shows, music, live TV and games on the screen.
It’s not the most extensive selection, and most TV seasons have just five episodes, but it’s enough for this four-hour flight. I get through half of Civil War before sleep beckons – I’ll have to finish it on the next flight.






Unsurprisingly, Fiji Airways’ crew are very friendly and relaxed. Pillows and blankets aren’t proactively placed on seats but are available on demand.
How to book this flight with points
You can redeem points and miles from key partners on Fiji Airways. This Sydney-Nadi flight in Economy costs:
- 18,000 Qantas Points + A$114, or
- 15,000 Asia Miles + HKD 549, or
- 15,000 AAdvantage miles + US$70.6
Fiji Airways will soon become a full oneworld member and join the American Airlines AAdvantage program, although this won’t affect any of the redemptions above.

Fees and taxes are identical across all three programs, and the points/miles needed are pretty similar, so go with whichever program is more convenient for you. If you collect American Express Membership Rewards points or other flexible bank reward programs, transferring them to Cathay Asia Miles may be your cheaper option.
Summing up
Considering Sydney to Nadi is a tad shorter than flying to Perth, Fiji Airways has pitched its Boeing 737 MAX 8 Economy cabin just right. All the trimmings of a full-service international carrier are here, from an included luggage allowance to inflight meals, entertainment screens, pillows, blankets and free messaging Wi-Fi.
Fiji Airways could improve the meal service – more treats like a pastry wouldn’t hurt. The early departure is also a bit rough, but it’s worth it once you’re sipping cocktails by the pool in the early afternoon.

Photography by Brandon Loo, who travelled as a guest of Fiji Airways. All opinions are his own.
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