Neighbour Free: Spread out with an extra Qantas seat

Introducing Neighbour Free travel: the way to secure more space in Qantas economy

This is what economy dreams are made of. Once a mere hope, Qantas is now making it possible to secure an empty seat next to you, and luck won’t have much to do with it.

While Qantas’ new Neighbour Free service won’t be offered on full flights, passengers flying in economy on selected flights can now opt out of those not-always-warranted neighbourly flight chats. When eligible, Qantas customers will be given the option via email approximately 48 hours before the flight is due to depart.

In what could be the ultimate flight add on, Qantas is expected to initiate its neighbourless seat trial on several domestic routes, including Sydney to Gold Coast.

How much will a Qantas Neighbour Free seat cost?

Previously only a perk for top-tier Platinum and Platinum One Qantas Frequent Flyer members, the new Neighbour Free program gives all passengers the option to purchase some extra room.

Seat costs will vary depending on the length of the flight. A flight from Sydney to Perth, for example, will cost more than a reservation on a Sydney to Melbourne flight.

As reported on the Australian Frequent Flyer forum, Qantas Neighbour Free seats will start from roughly $30 on the shortest domestic flights.

Worth the additional cost? A generally positive response would argue yes, as the development comes during a time when domestic travel continues to ramp back up, and guaranteed personal space makes flying that much more appealing.

What to watch out for

Providing it sticks around after the trial, the Qantas Neighbour Free initiative has the potential to enhance customer comfort in economy class for years to come. There are, however, a handful of things to note when making a reservation.

Here’s what to watch out for:

• Neighbour Free reservations cannot be changed or cancelled once booked
• Passengers can only make one Neighbour Free reservation for each segment of their booking
• Qantas points and Status Credits will not be earned on Neighbour Free reservations
• Neighbour Free seats are not guaranteed once booked and are subject to aircraft changes, even once the flight has departed
• Neighbour Free seats cannot be used for infant seating or to hold carry-on baggage

It is also worth noting that those $50 Qantas flight vouchers cannot be redeemed on a Neighbour Free seat.

Are you a fan of Qantas’ Neighbour Free seat trial?

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