Motion Sickness on Qantas Flights: Best Seats and How to Avoid Air Sickness

Qantas (QF) operates from its hub at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (SYD), with major bases in Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth in Australia. Its primary fleet consists of Airbus A380 and Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner on long-haul international; Airbus A330 on regional international and domestic trunk routes; Boeing 737-800 on domestic services, now being progressively replaced by the new Airbus A321XLR; QantasLink regional flying uses the Airbus A220 and De Havilland Dash 8 turboprops. Airbus A350-1000ULRs for the planned nonstop Sydney-London and Sydney-New York 'Project Sunrise' flights are expected from 2027.. The motion sickness risk profile for this airline is rated low.

Qantas flies its long-haul network mostly on widebodies - the double-deck Airbus A380 and the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner - which are among the steadiest aircraft in the sky, and the 787's lower cabin altitude and higher humidity help many travelers feel less fatigued on ultra-long sectors. Some routes are simply long and cross weather: trans-Pacific flights pass through equatorial convection, and the Southern Ocean legs to Santiago and Johannesburg cross the stormy high latitudes where riders sometimes report bumps. Domestic and regional flying on the 737, A220 or a Dash 8 turboprop can feel more motion than a widebody, as smaller aircraft usually do.

Best Seat on Qantas for Motion Sickness

For the smoothest Qantas ride, a widebody A380 or 787 on the international network feels steadier than a domestic 737 or a QantasLink turboprop. On any of them, a window seat over the wing tends to feel most stable and gives a fixed horizon to focus on; on the A380 the upper deck often feels especially settled.

Known Turbulence Routes on Qantas

• Sydney and Melbourne to Los Angeles and Dallas across the Pacific (equatorial convection)
• Sydney-Santiago and Sydney/Perth-Johannesburg over the Southern Ocean near the Antarctic latitudes
• The 'Kangaroo Route' to London and Europe, crossing tropical Southeast Asia

How to Prevent Air Sickness on Qantas

• Choose a seat over the wing if possible
• Take a window seat to see the horizon
• Avoid alcohol the night before and during the flight
• Eat lightly before flying
• Use cool air vents on your face
• Download Dizzout before flying - works on any aircraft

FAQ

Is Qantas a bumpy airline?

Qantas's motion sickness risk profile is rated low. Turbulence depends much more on route, weather, and aircraft type than on airline operations. Qantas flies its long-haul network mostly on widebodies - the double-deck Airbus A380 and the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner - which are among the steadiest aircraft in the sky, and the 787's lower cabin altitude and higher humidity help many travelers feel less fatigued on ultra-long sectors.

What does Qantas provide for air sickness?

Most airlines including Qantas provide air sickness bags in every seat back. Flight attendants can provide ginger ale or water. They generally do not stock motion sickness medication - bring your own or use Dizzout (drug-free, works on any flight).