Qantas Club, Adelaide

For 20 years, Qantas offered travellers a single public lounge at Adelaide Airport – the humble Qantas Club. But since those pre-GFC days, passenger numbers through the South Australian hub have surged. With more premium flyers travelling from Adelaide, it was time for something new.

That’s where Adelaide’s fresh Qantas Club comes into play. Part of a broader redevelopment of the airport’s lounge precinct, there’s also a new Qantas Business Lounge opening in May 2025. Meanwhile, the airport’s ‘secret’ Chairman’s Lounge has also been redeveloped, hidden behind a subtle unmarked door.

As for the Qantas Club, it resides within the same footprint of the previous lounge – but it’s now smaller than before. That’s because around half of the existing space has been given over to the new Business Lounge. Once the Business Lounge opens too, capacity won’t be such a big deal – given passengers will be spread across the two spaces. But in the interim, this Qantas Club gets busy – even at off-peak times.

Here’s a look at Adelaide’s recently refurbished Qantas Club. But first, a reminder of what Qantas planned this lounge to look like before the redevelopment kicked off. I’d say, the reality is a very close match to this original plan.

Location, layout and amenities

If you’ve lounged about in Adelaide before, you’ll know where to find the Qantas Club. Make an immediate right after security, and keep following the concourse. You’ll spot the Qantas Club on your right. Compared to before, the entrance is grander and looks a tad more ‘international’, in the context of how Qantas styles its other lounges.

Once inside, the space might feel a little familiar, even though there’s been a complete overhaul. The ‘front room’ previously filled with office-like working pods is now a relaxation zone. Settle back in one of the booth-like seats or unwind in an armchair where drink tables are within easy reach.

Planning to get some work done? The lounge’s centre zone is the new home for this. Here, you’ll find working benches with power points at easy reach. But this space also doubles as a dining zone – and it’s near the buffet, barista counter and bar, to boot. When you mix in the stone floors, low ceilings, and people chatting over a meal – or on the phone – it becomes quite an echo chamber.

There’s no other way to frame this. For travellers planning to knock over some serious work, this is a downgrade to the environment that was here before. It may look more modern than the previous ‘office desk’ setup, but it’s less functional. I must admit, it reminds me somewhat of a shopping centre food court – which isn’t a compliment.

The previous office-like work zone is now a relaxation space.

Productivity is a greater focus in the centre of the lounge space.

But this area is very noisy: the working tables are right near the coffee machine and bar.

There’s power and a little zonal privacy, but this could just be in a Westfield.

These pods are great for families travelling with kids. Not so much, adults looking for a seat and finding only a beanbag.

The same chairs have a view of the TV. At least, until the beanbags become occupied.

I like that the zones are divided, but the plants don’t do much to dampen the sound.

While the working space isn’t what it was before, the new relaxation zone brings positive beach vibes. The TV nooks include beanbag-like chairs suited to shorter stays. Sitting here reminds me of Qantas’ international lounge in Brisbane when the morning sun is shing through. It’s a nice spot to unwind before dashing off to board. Restrooms and showers are available here, too.

Food and beverage in Adelaide’s Qantas Club

Before getting its latest revamp, the Adelaide Qantas Club was slightly more of a ‘premium’ lounge. This reflected that Qantas didn’t have a Business Lounge in the same city – and it was particularly noticeable on the food front. “Qantas pitched their lounge sort of in between the Qantas Club and Business,” observed Adelaide Airport Managing Director Brenton Cox during a recent interview with Point Hacks. “It was a higher end (Qantas) Club and has a good space.”

But now, with the Business Lounge imminently arriving, this Qantas Club anchors back into distinctly ‘Qantas Club’ territory. The basics are covered, no doubt. There’s all-day barista coffee, bar service from noon and a buffet with something warm when you’re hungry. But the extent of the food offerings now mirrors the Qantas Club standard in other airports, moving away from that previous premium tilt.

I swing by twice in the same week, and find identical offerings during both visits. Headlining the buffet is the soup of the day, served with croutons, sour cream, and warmed bread rolls with butter. It’s simple, but it’s tasty and warming on an otherwise cold and rainy day.

The buffet also serves up a selection of salads, fruit, cookies, and pre-prepared canapé bites. Those bites are okay, but the bread takes on the literal role of serving as a foundation: it’s rock hard.

Other than the typical toasted sandwich, this is the extent of the hot food at lunchtime.

The sourdough is rock hard – my front teeth just won’t cut it, literally.

The lounge has a more modern design, but the food options are much thinner.

Make your soup how you like it.

The chilled buffet serves up salad, and enough for making a toasted sandwich.

At least, there’s no shortage of fruit here.

Wine is self-serve, with bar staff on hand for other drinks.

Beer, wine and spirits are all complimentary from noon. It’s a busy work week for me, which sees coffee as the priority rather than the vino. Next time, I’ll have to explore the South Australian wines a little more.

Accessing the Adelaide Qantas Club

While Adelaide’s Business Lounge remains under construction, the Qantas Club serves as the Roo’s catch-all space. But once the Business Lounge opens, Business passengers and Platinum-grade travellers will shift next door. With that in mind, here are the flyers that’ll call the Qantas Club home, after that shift occurs.

• When flying with Qantas, QantasLink, Jetstar, or on a QF codeshare flight:
  • Qantas Gold (+1 guest).
  • Qantas Club (+1 guest).
  • Qantas Club Flexible (no adult guests).
  • Single entry pass holders – available via eligible credit cards and Qantas Silver (no guests).
• When flying with Qantas or QantasLink (not Jetstar or ineligible QF codeshares):
  • oneworld Sapphire (+1 guest).
  • Emirates Skywards Gold (+1 guest).
  • Air New Zealand Gold and Elite (+1 guest, but only when on an NZ flight number).
  • Alaska Airlines Lounge (+2 guests).
  • American Airlines Admirals Club (+2 guests).
• When flying with Fiji Airways:
  • oneworld Sapphire, including Qantas Gold (+1 guest).
  • Fiji Airways Tabua Club (no guests).
• When flying Air New Zealand:
  • Airpoints Elite (+1 guest).
  • Airpoints Gold (+1 guest).
  • Airpoints Elite Partner (+1 guest).
  • Air New Zealand Koru (+1 guest).
  • Star Alliance Gold (+1 guest).

Several other Qantas partner airlines also serve Adelaide, including Emirates, Malaysia Airlines and Qatar Airways. While selected passengers on these flights may technically be eligible for Qantas lounge access, these airlines direct travellers to alternative lounges by default. For Emirates and Malaysia Airlines, that’s the Plaza Premium Lounge after international immigration. For Qatar Airways, it’s the Virgin Australia domestic lounge.

Summing up

The new look and feel of Adelaide’s Qantas Club is an overall improvement. The lounge now looks much more modern, with a greater focus on relaxation. While it’s smaller than the previous Qantas Club, a significant portion of travellers will be redirected to the Business Lounge instead. That’ll help with easing the current squeeze at peak times, where travellers are trying to congregate into a single space.

But it’s fair to highlight, this isn’t a full ‘upgrade’ for those who’d normally default to the Qantas Club. Rather than being a ‘premium’ Qantas Club, this is now a standard Qantas Club, creating better differentiation with the Business Lounge next door. The facilities for pre-flight work aren’t as spacious or office-like as before. Some might consider this an advantage, if seeking an environment with greater buzz. But those hoping for a quieter workspace will be left wanting. The Wi-Fi speeds are decent, at least – downloads average 85Mbps, and uploads exceed 94Mbps.

On the food front, the offerings reflect that broader shift towards being a more ‘standard’ Qantas Club. If you’re Platinum or flying Business, that’s unlikely to affect you, as you’ll be over in the Business Lounge instead. But if you’re Gold or a Qantas Club member, you may find that the pickings aren’t as broad as before.

Whether this refurbishment represents an upgrade or a downgrade depends on your circumstances. Let us know what you think in the comments below!

All photography by Chris Chamberlin, who accessed the lounge as a regular guest via (earned) frequent flyer status while travelling on a paid ticket.

Also read:

• Adelaide Airport plans for more lounges and flights
• Qantas plans a Domestic Business Lounge for Adelaide
• Photo tour: Plaza Premium Lounge, Adelaide
• Review: Virgin Australia Lounge, Adelaide