In the course of one while heading outbound from Canberra on international business class travel, I tested out four lounges between Canberra and Sydney. The Qantas Business Class Lounge in Canberra was by far the best of the four.
Canberra International Airport, serving, of course, Canberra and the surrounding areas as the capital of Australia is small, but that's what makes it great. Never have I experienced an easier or cleaner airport. The Qantas lounge is no exception. Large and bordered entirely on one side with windows, with tall ceilings, white surfaces, and dark carpets and furniture, it presents an upscale and airy environment to spend time before a flight.
The food and bar area is largely self-service unless you want harder stuff or beer. The wine and food sections are self-serve. The food itself was varied in style and substance, but all good. During my couple of hours in the lounge, I enjoyed lumpia, kale Caesar salad, and small finger sandwiches. I chose to enjoy the food alongside Champagne -- the only lounge serving actual (meaning French) Champagne of the four lounges I tried this day -- not even the Qantas business lounge in Sydney served Champagne. Maybe it was a good day for Canberra or an off day for Sydney. Either way, Canberra won the day.
This lounge is absolutely worth arriving at the airport early for a pre-flight chill out. read more