Simple Flying

Qantas launches new private and small group tour packages.

Qantas is spreading its wings deeper into the luxury travel market and building on its relationship with subsidiary TripADeal.

With Australian airfares, bookings and passenger load factors at bursting point, flag carrier Qantas aims to capture more of the lucrative private travel market. Yesterday, the airline announced it was launching private and small group tour packages for premium, ready-made holidays worldwide.

For close to thirty years, Australians have been well served in this market space by the popular Captains Choice products, which uses business class private jets on tours to exotic locations, including in South America, India, Africa, Antarctica and the Middle East. Now Qantas wants to tap into these premium, often high net worth, travelers looking for something unique and pampered far beyond standard packaged holidays, be they to the Gold Coast , Fiji or Benidorm.

More strings on the Qantas bow

Qantas Yam Dreaming Livery Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner VH-ZND

Launched as Qantas Tours, the tours will be curated by Qantas, with the packages organized and operated by Australian travel company TripADeal. Based in the tourist mecca of Byron Bay, TripADeal has been majority owned by Qantas Group since May 2022 . Qantas says the new offering will allow travelers to book travel experiences "designed to showcase the best of each destination with planning and logistics managed by expert tour operators."

One of the most profitable parts of Qantas is its loyalty program, and with three Qantas frequent flyer points for every dollar spent on a Qantas Tour booking, this offer is aimed squarely at the program members. Qantas Loyalty CEO Olivia Wirth said the launch of the package tours was designed for members looking for a ready-made premium travel experience.

"Qantas Tours will offer members unforgettable experiences in destinations they may not have visited before without having to plan or manage the logistics of travel. With this latest expansion of the Qantas Holidays portfolio, we're giving frequent flyers more opportunity to make great holidays possible with their Qantas Points and growing ways they can boost their points balance."

Qantas Tour packages include Qantas or partner flights, premium accommodation and detailed itineraries led by a local guide. The initial offering contains ten tours of 11-15 days, with bookings now open for travel commencing in May this year. The airline says it will progressively expand its tour offerings over the coming months, but for now, these are available for booking:

  • Tuscany, Rome and The Amalfi Coast
  • Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi Vietnam
  • Essential Japan
  • Ultimate Sri Lanka and Maldives
  • Treasures of The Nile
  • Discover The Balkans and Beyond
  • South Africa Explorer
  • Taste of Türkiye
  • Best of The Greek Islands
  • Alaska and Canada Discovery

The booking window varies by tour but runs between May this year and March 2024 in the case of the South Africa Explorer tour. The timing is exquisite for Qantas as the airline winds down from the peak summer season in Australia and catches its breath before the return of holiday traffic in December.

The widebody fleet is working hard

Qantas Airbus A380

Fleet utilization data from ch-aviation.com shows that Qantas has 112 of its 125 aircraft back on active duty, with just five Airbus A380s , five A330s and three Boeing 737-800s not in service. The widebody in-service fleet contains six A380s, 23 A330s and 11 Boeing 787-9s , while domestic services are catered for with the 72 737-800s .

Discover more aviation news for Australia and Oceania here

Complementing the new Tour packages is Qantas Luxury Holidays, which gives members access to limited-time hotel deals that are exclusive to Qantas. These can be booked with or without a Qantas flight and include extras such as room upgrades, massages and champagne on arrival.

With travel options off the table for the last few years, 2022 saw Qantas' frequent flyers come out in droves, redeeming more than 16 billion points on holiday bookings globally. Today, Qantas points can be used and earned at more than 460,000 destinations around the world.

Have you redeemed your frequent flyer points in 2022? Let us know in the comments.

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THE 5 BEST Santa Clara Tours & Excursions

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  • The ranking of tours, activities, and experiences available on Tripadvisor is determined by several factors including the revenue generated by Tripadvisor from these bookings, the frequency of user clicks, and the volume and quality of customer reviews. Occasionally, newly listed offerings may be prioritized and appear higher in the list. The specific placement of these new listings may vary.

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1. Private Santa Clara University Tour

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2. Big Sur Private Charter from San Francisco by Luxury SUV 10 hrs

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3. Adventurous Scavenger Hunt in Santa Clara by Zombie Scavengers

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4. The Escape Game in San Jose

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5. Private Santa Clara Halloween Family Fun Tour

Keep the fun going with other experiences in the area.

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Yosemite National Park and Giant Sequoias Tour from San Jose

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Yosemite and Giant Sequoias Day Tour

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Airplane - San Francisco Bay Airplane Tour

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Private Walking Tour in Stanford University

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Big Sur Monterey California Coast McWay Falls from San Jose

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17-Mile Drive,Carmel & Monterey Day Trip from San Francisco

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Half Moon Bay Guided E-Bike Tour

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Elite Airplane Flight Tour of San Francisco

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Santa Cruz, California Scavenger Hunt

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San Jose Scavenger Hunt: The Heart of Silicon Valley

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San Jose Brew Bike Bar Tour

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San Jose Shuffle Scavenger Hunt

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San Jose Scavenger Hunt Walking Tour and Game

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Private Monterey, Carmel and Big Sur Day Trip from San Francisco

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Airplane San Francisco Sunset Flight Tour

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Tour of California Self-Guided Driving Bundle

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San Francisco Indoor Skydiving with 2 Flights & Personalized Certificate

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4 Hour Livermore Valley Wine Tour

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Whale Watching Monterey Bay semi-private limited to 6 people max

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Capitola Private 2-Hour Walking Tour

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3 Day Tour to Oregon Redwood Crater Lake from San Francisco

  • Private Santa Clara University Tour
  • Private Santa Clara Halloween Family Fun Tour
  • Adventurous Scavenger Hunt in Santa Clara by Zombie Scavengers

Five quick questions answered on Virgin Australia's plans to allow animals into flight cabins

Two air hostess lie next to a dog wearing a pilot costume.

Virgin Australia has announced it will be allowing  small cats and dogs on specific domestic routes within the next 12 months. 

The news has been met with a mixed response, with some commenters on social media excited to bring their pets on holidays, and others worried about allergies. 

On the ABC News Facebook page, there were just as many "woo!" comments as there were people saying "no!"

"Cats being chased by dogs up and down the aisles now that's in-flight entertainment for the passengers," one user commented. 

"About time we caught up with the rest of the world," another said. 

A disappointed passenger wrote: "just perfect if you've flown Virgin Australia all your life and now you won't be able to as you're allergic to cats."

"This is not good. Kind of disgusting really. Now passengers have to put up with barking dogs on flights on top of everything else that comes with air travel," another person wrote. 

These are some of your pressing questions answered:

How will they manage passengers with allergies?

Concerns about pet allergies was one of the most common comments after the announcement. 

A Virgin Australia spokesperson said the company would be spending the next few months designing a safe proposition, with strict rules to manage this issue. 

The spokesperson said pets would be limited to a small number of designated rows and would not be allowed to roam freely or sit on laps.

"Cabin airflow dynamics (air circulating from top to bottom), the renewal of cabin air 20-30 times per hour and use of hospital grade HEPA filtration in our aircraft (which captures greater than 99 per cent of airborne particles) mean the risk of allergy-triggering particles being circulated on-board is low," the spokesperson said. 

They said the airline has robust systems in place for guests who have severe allergies to identify themselves, so those risks for these guests could be mitigated and arrangements put in place prior to travel.

"We also want to point out that pets in cabin flights work effectively overseas and we believe there's no reason why they won't work in Australia too," the spokesperson said. 

A woman in a pink shirt holding two dogs in pilot uniforms.

How will animals cope with air travel? 

RSPCA Australia Chief Science Officer, Suzie Fowler, said while there were risks associated with air travel for any type of pet, travelling in the cabin was generally a preferable option to pets travelling in the cargo with the right safeguards in place.

"If animals are in the cabin, owners or caregivers should ensure that their animals are under control, socialised to other animals and people and are calm and comfortable when travelling," Dr Fowler said. 

A woman with short red hair standing in front of a tree trunk.

"Travel can be stressful for animals, so we recommend that owners start preparing them for travel at least a few weeks beforehand.

"This includes getting them comfortable with their container (for example, by placing it somewhere they like to relax in the house and making it as inviting as possible, such as with your pet's favourite bedding, toys and treats) — hopefully meaning that they associate the container with good things and positive feelings.

"Ensure that any container complies with International Air Transport Association regulations, and that the animal has enough space to turn around normally while standing, to stand and sit erect, and to lie in a natural position."

Dr Fowler warned that some flat-faced breeds such as British Bulldogs, French Bulldogs, pugs, Boston terriers and Persian cats are at greater risk of heat stress. She said that owners should be aware of the increased risk that comes with air travel.  

She recommended owners consult their vet prior to travel for an assessment of the animal's suitability for travel, regardless of whether it is in cargo or in the passenger cabin. 

What steps are being taken to manage the extra mess and noise?

A Virgin Australia spokesperson said these finer details would be revealed in due course following appropriate stakeholder consultation and regulatory approval.

What they can confirm is that only small dogs and cats would be allowed on board, those which can fit into pet carriers stowed under the seat for the duration of the flight. 

This means pets will not be allowed to sit on owners' laps. 

In the United States, where animal travel in the cabin is generally allowed on domestic flights, most airlines recommend taking the pet to the bathroom before the flight, and using potty training pads as a back up. 

American Airlines, for example, does not allow animals under 8 weeks to fly, restricts certain breeds, and allows pets only on flights under 12 hours. 

Who is supporting the move?

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA)  updated the rules on flying animals in December 2021 , giving airlines permission to bring pets into the cabins. 

Virgin Australia is the of the major first airline groups to begin to bring the CASA change into practice. 

Virgin conducted a survey in April 2023 with 643 Australian travellers, of which 426 were pet owners. 

Of those pet owners, 286 said if it was allowed by the airline, they would most likely fly with their pets in the cabin "more than zero" times. 

Additionally, 164 of those pet owners said they would take at least one extra return flight a year if they could fly with their pet in the cabin. 

Dr Fowler said the RSPCA welcomed the announcement, as it supported policies that allow companion animals to travel, appropriately contained, in the aircraft with their owner or caregiver. 

"We look forward to continuing to work with the airline industry to ensure that any transport of pets is done safely and with the animals' welfare front of mind," Dr Fowler said. 

A Qantas spokesperson said there were no changes to their current policy for any Qantas Group flights, including Jetstar.

A Rex spokesperson said the airline was not ruling out the carriage of pets in the cabin. However, it had no immediate plans to introduce it, adding that assistance animals are still welcome in the cabin. 

Will it cost more to bring your pets on board?

Two cavoodles wearing a pilot and air hostess costume

A spokesperson says Virgin Australia is still working on the finer details in regards to things like cost. However, they confirmed there would be a fee for guests to bring their pet onboard.

This cost does not apply to service animals. 

In the US, United Airlines charges a $US125 ($190) fee to bring a pet on board. 

  • X (formerly Twitter)
  • Air Transport Industry
  • Large Animals
  • Travel Health and Safety
  • Travel and Tourism (Lifestyle and Leisure)
  • United States

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  14. Qantas Launches New Private And Small Group Tour Packages

    Qantas Tour packages include Qantas or partner flights, premium accommodation and detailed itineraries led by a local guide. The initial offering contains ten tours of 11-15 days, with bookings now open for travel commencing in May this year. ... Complementing the new Tour packages is Qantas Luxury Holidays, which gives members access to ...

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  23. Five quick questions answered on Virgin Australia's plans to allow

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