Qantas’ Melbourne–Los Angeles service has switched from the Airbus A380 to the Boeing 787-9, removing First class from the route. Passengers comparing cabins or checking an older reservation should review the aircraft and cabin now shown for their travel date.
Australian Aviation reported on October 27 that the final scheduled Qantas A380 departure from Melbourne took place on October 24, 2026, bound for Los Angeles. This is a change of aircraft on the route, not a report that Qantas has stopped flying between the two cities.
What changes for cabin choice?
Qantas’ 787-9 fleet and seating guide lists 236 seats: 42 in Business, 28 in Premium Economy and 166 in Economy. That published layout has no First cabin.
Business and First are separate products. If First was the reason you selected a particular itinerary, compare the cabin offered on every sector of any alternative, rather than relying only on the flight number or an older aircraft description.
The switch was planned earlier in 2026
In its March 10 consultation briefing, the Australian Federation of Air Pilots said Qantas had announced the Melbourne–Los Angeles A380 flying would transfer to the 787 from October. The October 27 report describes the implementation of that earlier plan.
Check your actual booking
- Confirm Melbourne (MEL), Los Angeles (LAX), the operating carrier and cabin on each flight.
- Open the current seat map for your departure date. Aircraft assignments can change, so a general fleet page is not a guarantee for an individual flight.
- If your reservation or upgrade request still refers to First, ask Qantas or the ticket issuer to explain the options for that booking before accepting a replacement.
Read more in our Australia and United States aviation coverage.
Archive photograph: Qantas Boeing 787-9 approaching Perth, December 30, 2018; not Melbourne, Los Angeles or a flight in the October 2026 change. Photo: Bahnfrend / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized and compressed to WebP; derivative retains the same licence.
