How you can access Emirates lounges when flying Qantas
- FlightIQ
- Jul 12
- 4 min read
A practical guide to when Qantas passengers can use Emirates Lounges, which flights qualify, and who benefits most.
TL;DR: If you're a Qantas Gold member or above, or travelling in Business Class, you can access an Emirates Lounge before eligible Qantas flights that also carry an Emirates (EK) codeshare. You don't need to book the EK flight number yourself, a QF booking is fine. As at July 2026, this is most useful on around eight daily Qantas-operated departures from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane to Auckland and Christchurch, where Emirates Lounge opening hours line up with the flight schedule. In my opinion, it's one of the most underrated premium travel benefits available to Australian frequent flyers, particularly while Sydney and Brisbane are operating with temporary international lounge arrangements.
If you have lounge access with Qantas, chances are you'll do exactly what the airline expects. You'll follow the signs to the Qantas lounge, settle in before your flight and never give it another thought.
As someone who enjoys experiencing different airline products, I'm always curious about what other options might be available. On a recent trip from Brisbane to Auckland, I had a good reason to find out.
Normally I'd head straight to the Qantas International Business Lounge. However, while Brisbane Airport is replacing its escalators and lifts, access to the lounge is temporarily landside. That means you still need to clear security and immigration after leaving the lounge, making the experience a little less seamless than usual.
I'd used the Emirates Lounge on a previous trip, so I knew it was an option. Looking back at the Qantas website, though, I still found the eligibility rules surprisingly difficult to interpret.
At first glance, the Qantas and Emirates partnership page focuses heavily on travel between Dubai and a long list of destinations, which initially made me think the lounge benefit only applied if I was travelling via Dubai. Reading more closely, however, the lounge access section explains that eligible customers can access Emirates Lounges when travelling on eligible Qantas or Emirates flights with either a QF or EK flight number. After confirming the practical application with Emirates Lounge staff, the rule became much simpler.
If you're a Qantas Gold member or above, or travelling in Business Class, you can use an Emirates Lounge before your Qantas flight. The only requirement is that your flight is one that Emirates also markets under an EK flight number. You can book either the QF or EK flight number and still access the lounge.
Which flights does this actually work on?
After reviewing the current schedules and Emirates Lounge opening hours, the answer is surprisingly specific. As at July 2026, there are around eight Qantas-operated departures each day from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane to Auckland and Christchurch where this benefit can be used. These flights are:
Brisbane
Brisbane → Auckland (QF125/EK5006) – 6:50 pm departure
Brisbane → Christchurch (QF135/EK5067) – 6:55 pm departure
Sydney
Sydney → Auckland (QF141/EK5041) – 7:10 am departure
Sydney → Auckland (QF147/EK5000) – 5:50 pm departure
Sydney → Auckland (QF149/EK5049) – 7:25 pm departure
Sydney → Christchurch (QF139/EK5045) – 7:15 pm departure
Melbourne
Melbourne → Auckland (QF157/EK5019) – 6:30 pm departure
Melbourne → Christchurch (QF169/EK5389) – 6:40 pm departure
Flight schedules, codeshares and lounge opening hours change over time. This list is current as at July 2026 and should be used as a guide only.
Who is this most useful for?
I don't think this is a benefit every frequent flyer needs to worry about. To me this opportunity offers the most value to three types of passenger:the first is Qantas Gold members travelling to New Zealand. Instead of the Qantas International Business Lounge, you can enjoy what I think is a noticeably more premium experience in the Emirates Lounge.
The second is Business Class passengers without status, who can access the Emirates Lounge on the same eligible flights and experience one of the better business class lounges available in Australia.
Finally, I'd also recommend Brisbane-based Platinum and Platinum One members seriously consider the Emirates Lounge while the temporary lounge arrangements remain in place. In Sydney and Melbourne I'd probably still choose the excellent Qantas First Lounges, but in Brisbane I think the Emirates Lounge has the edge.
For me, the biggest difference comes down to the dining. I've often joked that Qantas Business Lounges give you the ingredients, while Emirates actually cooks dinner. Both offer quality food, but Emirates feels much more like a restaurant than a buffet, with a wider range of freshly prepared dishes, excellent wines, two champagnes and a noticeably more indulgent atmosphere.
Does that mean the Emirates Lounge is always better?
No. Qantas operates some excellent lounges, and I'd happily spend time in many of them. But if you're travelling on one of these eligible New Zealand services, particularly while Sydney and Brisbane continue operating with temporary lounge arrangements, I think the Emirates Lounge is absolutely worth considering.
For me the broader lesson has very little to do with Emirates. One of the biggest mistakes I see frequent flyers make is assuming the airline they're flying automatically directs them to the best lounge they're entitled to. Sometimes that's true. Sometimes a partner airline offers a significantly better experience. The trick is knowing when.
That's why one of my FlightIQ principles is simple: Never assume the airline you're flying is sending you to the best lounge you're entitled to.
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