Qantas Launches 'Peasant Plus' Making Economy Less Miserable From Just $30

Qantas has officially joined the global airline playbook of charging for comfort while quietly admitting standard economy has become a test of human flexibility.

From today, the airline has rolled out Qantas Economy Plus, a new paid seating tier that promises up to 40 percent more legroom, priority boarding and priority access to overhead lockers. For frequent flyers, especially Platinum and Platinum One members, it lands as a meaningful upgrade rather than another upsell dressed as innovation.

The new seats will be available from 6 February 2026 across Qantas’ Boeing 737, Airbus A220 and the incoming A321XLR fleet. Domestically, that covers most Australian trunk routes, while internationally it stretches to New Zealand, the Pacific Islands and Bali.

In practice, Economy Plus sits somewhere between classic exit-row roulette and full Premium Economy, offering extra space without the cabin jump or price shock.

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For top-tier frequent flyers, Qantas has sweetened the deal. Platinum and Platinum One members receive complimentary Economy Plus whenever it is available, with extra legroom seats automatically unlocked if it is not.

Forward seating, previously called Preferred seating, has also been expanded across more rows in the front half of the cabin and remains complimentary. It is a rare case of loyalty status actually translating into something you can feel in your knees.

Globally, Qantas is late rather than bold. Airlines around the world have been carving up economy cabins for years. Lufthansa offers its Extra Legroom seats across long and short haul. British Airways has long sold exit-row and extra space seating under its Economy Plus banner.

Delta Air Lines markets Comfort Plus as a quasi-premium product with priority boarding and more pitch, while United Airlines pushes Economy Plus aggressively across its global network. Even low-cost carriers like Ryanair and easyJet monetise legroom as a core revenue stream.

The difference with Qantas is positioning. By bundling Economy Plus into elite status benefits, the airline is using comfort as a loyalty retention tool rather than purely a cash grab. It also reflects a broader shift in airline economics: economy is no longer one product, but five subtly different experiences priced by desperation, height and frequent flyer balance.

For Australian travellers who live on short-haul flights, Economy Plus is not revolutionary, but it is practical. Less knee pain, earlier boarding and a better shot at overhead space is often all that matters. In 2026, that alone feels like progress.