Long-haul flights are not fun. Lengthy lines, cramped seats, stuffy air, testy passengers and limited meal options… the list goes on.
Yet, like most, I get on with it. And despite being a seasoned traveller, I had never once travelled in business class.
Splashing that cash on some extra leg room and a medium rare steak wasn’t for me, especially in this climate. Or so I thought.
Last month I was invited to try out Fiji Airways’ business class offering for Aussies and jetted off to Dallas Fort Worth from Sydney via Nadi on the A350-900 XWB Airbus.
It’s true what they say. Once you’ve experienced flying this way, the back of the plane will simply never be the same.
In December, Fiji Airways commenced direct flights between Nadi, Fiji and Dallas Forth Worth (DFW), offering Aussies a new seamless one-stop connection to Texas and beyond.
The 13-hour service operates three times per week every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday and with DFW the second most connected airport in the world, it offers those Down Under convenient access to multiple must-visit destinations.
That alone is your argument for ditching local airlines for Fiji Airways next time you are heading to the US. Now let’s get to the good part: the luxury.
Last month I was invited to try out Fiji Airways’ business class offering for Aussies and jetted off to Dallas Fort Worth from Sydney via Nadi on the A350-900 XWB Airbus
It’s true what they say. Once you’ve experienced flying this way, the back of the plane will simply never be the same
BUSINESS CLASS – SYDNEY TO DALLAS FORT WORTH VIA FIJI – From $5,850 one way, $9,427.72 return
Check-in, baggage and the lounge
After swanning past the general baggage line at Sydney International Airport, the Fijian staff slipped me my boarding pass and I was in and ready within minutes.
Business class passengers are treated to plenty of luggage: two 7kg carry-on bags and three 30kg check-in suitcases. The dream!
My one suitcase weighed a mere 20kg for the two-week trip, but it was fantastic knowing I had plenty of room to cater to spontaneous shopping sprees and gifts.
In Sydney, Fiji Airways doesn’t have its own ‘exclusive’ lounge, but passengers are invited to use the Qantas Business Lounge.
Once through the doors I bee-lined for the array of fresh salads and nibbles. The menus are curated based on what’s in season and I was delighted by the extensive menu.
You also have your usual beverages – coffee, tea, juice, wine, spirits and water – along with a selection of seriously tempting sweets.
As the flight was on a Monday afternoon, there was ample seating options to choose from with charging ports readily available.
Hot tip: Be sure to keep your eye on the time as Qantas doesn’t make boarding announcements for passengers travelling on other airlines.
The cabin
Ah, bliss.
First to board, I was welcomed by a delightful male flight attendant donning a frangipani behind his ear. He swiftly directed me to my window seat all set up with a soft pillow and cosy blanket.
For the longer flights, in this case my second leg, we received a Samsonite amenity kit containing earplugs, breathable socks, a large eye mask, various cosmetic essentials and a 10mL body lotion from the Italian vegan skincare brand, Teaology.
The cabin has a ‘1-2-1 configuration’ with the seats positioned on a slight angle. While there’s 334 economy seats onboard, just 33 lucky passengers are seated in business.
After I settled in I was offered a warm hand towel and a drink – champagne or orange juice – of which I chose the latter.
Being 5’5, I had to stand on my toes to reach the overhead storage space. This was a problem I’ve never had before – who knew too much space was an issue in travel?
The cabin has a ‘1-2-1 configuration’ with the seats positioned on a slight angle. While there’s 334 economy seats onboard, just 33 lucky passengers are seated in business
The seat and entertainment – 20A
My window seat, 20A, was perfect. Very private and plenty of space to sprawl.
The seat fully reclines to 203cm, drastically reducing jet lag, aches and pains and sleep disruption when the lights go down.
I slept brilliantly on the long-haul flight; those over 6’3 may struggle a little more.
The huge seat is equipped with 17-inch monitors, USB ports, in-seat power and entertainment on demand.
There were two compartments neatly built into the seat interior and with the push of a button the lids lifted to reveal the storage space within.
It’s a convenient place to store and charge your phone, earphones or devices and keeps the space free from unruly cords.
On the side was a third hidden compartment which stored a small bottle of Fiji Water and pair of over-ear high quality headphones.
There was another hidden compartment I re-purposed as a bin and a footrest when reclined. I also used it to store a small travel bag during the flight.
The in-flight entertainment options were a little niche compared to what I’ve been used to in the past, but passengers still had an abundance of classics, a few new releases, Harry Potter, Marvel movies and 90s blockbusters to choose from.
There was still plenty to work with, though, and I opted for childhood favourite of mine from 1994: Black Beauty.
If you don’t feel like watching a movie or TV show, all guests are given a complimentary Wi-Fi card.
There were two compartments neatly built into the seat interior and with the push of a button the lids lifted to reveal the storage space within
The menu – Sydney to Fiji
The menu for the first leg of the flight from Sydney to Nadi was a condensed version of the flight from Nadi to Fort Worth.
20 minutes in I was delivered a glass of soft drink and bowl of tasty cheesy crackers.
I had the choice of three main dishes while onboard the flight – Mediterranean chicken casserole, ika vakalolo (fish) or mushroom alfredo. This was served alongside couscous salad, a bowl of tropical fruit and two slices of garlic bread.
I chose the fish which came with grilled Wali and prawn with mashed sweet potato, sautéed spinach, Lolo (coconut cream), green oil and roasted cherry tomato. The meal was light, cooked to perfection and delicious.
For dessert I was served Fijian Purini – a signature steamed coconut caramel pudding served with vanilla anglaise, salted caramel mousse, roasted pineapple and coconut.
The menu for the first leg of the flight from Sydney to Fiji was a condensed version of the flight from Fiji to Fort Worth
For dessert I was served Fijian Purini – a signature steamed coconut caramel pudding served with vanilla anglaise, salted caramel mousse, roasted pineapple and coconut
Touching down in Fiji
The flight time from Sydney to Nadi was about four hours while the flight from Fiji to Fort Worth was 13.
Rather than enduring the 16-hour flight plus the additional time for the stop over, I decided to spend 24 hours in Nadi.
Here I was able to experience the Fiji Airways Premier Service where I was personally greeted by a staff members as soon as I stepped off the plane. The service includes expedited airport processing, priority check-in, baggage assistance, and exclusive lounge access.
I had an Elite Pass ($280) with lounge access but prices start at $170.
I stayed at Crowne Plaza – a 20-minute drive from the airport – and spent the day soaking up paradise.
The hotel has a 4.5 star rating on Tripadvisor with prices starting from $329 a night. Nestled along Wailoaloa Beach, it’s a popular choice among families and couples.
There’s a staggering 10 restaurants and I dined at three – Harvest for dinner and breakfast, La Bottega and Azura Pool Bar & Kitchen for a cocktail overlooking the beach.
After a dip and a cocktail or two I was pampered with a relaxing one-hour full-body Fijian Bobo Massage at Mareqeti Spa. Heavenly!
Overnight in Fiji I stayed at Crowne Plaza – only a 20-minute drive from the airport – and spent the day in paradise
During the day I soaked up the sunshine by the pool with a cocktail in hand, went for a swim in the main pool and let all troubles float away. The hotel has a 4.5 star rating on Tripadvisor with prices starting from $329 a night
The Fiji Airways Premier Lounge at Nadi International Airport
Before I boarded my long-haul flight spent some time in the Premier Lounge at Nadi International Airport.
The lounge was bustling with travellers from around the world enjoying the service. It’s spacious in seating, wonderfully decorated and the staff are friendly. There’s also a shower, an area with computers and shoe shining machine.
The buffet-style banquet is full of hot foods including Thai beef, mustard seed rice, and mixed vegetables. There’s a salad bar, juice bar, sandwiches, fresh fruit, bread, pastries and dessert.
If you arrive at the lounge for breakfast there’s a delicious selection of food, including scrambled eggs, sausages, bacon, fried rice, bread to toast, pastries, juice, water, iced coffee and more.
Before the second half of my long-haul flight I was able to indulge at the Premier Lounge at Nadi International Airport (pictured)
The menu – Fiji to Fort Worth
Roughly 30 minutes into the 13-hour flight supper was served. But having indulged in the lounge food, some passengers chose to bypass the offering or only eat an appetiser.
Of the three-course menu, appetisers included chicken terrine, eggplant rollatini and champignon mushroom cream soup.
There were four options for mains – Fijian BBQ chicken, Ika vakalolo (which I had earlier), champagne ham and cheese in a ciabatta roll, and paneer butter masala.
For dessert, there was the Fijian purini, lemon cream pie or a tropical fruit bowl.
Upon my return back to Australia, I was delighted to discover the menu from Fort Worth to Sydney is slightly different.
During the return flight, the appetiser included choice of grilled prawns, harissa hummus and pea watercress soup – I chose the prawns.
For mains, I chose the mushroom ravioli but had the option to choose a seared halibut salad, reuben sandwich or signature Fijian BBQ chicken.
Dessert was either a pineapple and mango sorbet, fruit bowl or ice cream.
For breakfast I enjoyed a fresh bowl of fruit, Greek vanilla yoghurt parfait with berry compote, mango coulis and cereal granola
Unfortunately during my travels I was struck down with sickness – a bad chesty cough, fever and runny nose.
Knowing I was headed straight for business was a life saver. I’m not sure how well I would have managed at the back-end of the plane.
Overall, the service was generous, non-invasive and attentive. Staff were friendly and on hand for any needs or requests. There was a noticeable air of calm about the cabin, no fed-up energy.
The menu consisted of four options for mains
Upon my return back to Australia, I was delighted to discover the menu from Fort Worth to Sydney is slightly different
For supper, I chose the mushroom ravioli (left) and for breakfast I had a croissant bread pudding with apricot (right)
For breakfast I enjoyed a fresh bowl of fruit, Greek vanilla yoghurt parfait with berry compote, mango coulis and cereal granola
The price
The cost of a return business class flight from Sydney to Dallas Fort Worth start from $9,427.72, but the price varies based on the time of year, day of the week and how far in advance you book.
The best time to visit Fiji is in June and July whereas the best time to visit Dallas Fort Worth is March-May and September-November.
One perk of flying to America via Fiji is being able to bundle two destinations in one holiday. I was able to experience both a tropical paradise and the wild west over two weeks.
A quick Google search will show alternative services for Sydney to DFW cost far more compared to Fiji Airways.
For example, travelling with Qantas will set you back $12,101 return from December 1-15, while opting for Emirates via Dubai will cost you $17,137 return.
Is it worth the money?
I just loved this experience. I suffered zero jetlag and was unbelievably comfy throughout the long flight.
Is it worth it? Yes. Absolutely. If you have the funds.
My tip is to really work on building those frequent flyer points to score a discount or a rewards flight. They rack up quickly and it makes it far easier to justify the added luxury.
Until then, I’ll be lugging my bags back up to row 77 and dreaming of tropical islands, seared halibut and a cosy flat bed as I go…
