My wife and I will be heading to Sydney next week on QF 108 and used miles to book in FIRST (can't believe we actually were able to get seats using award travel) -- any recommendations on which seats we should try to get? Also, does anybody know if there is an arrivals lounge in Sydney?

1A and K is good.

Otherwise the middle pairs are ok, or you can go one window and one aisle.

Hmmm, I wouldn't go for 1A/K personally. There isn't much room there, especially with a storage space between the seats. If you don't particularly care about having a windows seat, I'd go for the middle pair. 3E/F or 4E/F would be my pick. 2E/F are OK, but 2A/K may need to get into your space to reach the overhead bins.

I don't think there're arrival lounges in Sydney.

Lastly, welcome to Flyertalk.

1AK are the 2 seats that I would avoid on a night time flight. They are ok on a daytime flight when not lying down. 4AK are nice seats imo since they have a nice large ledge which makes a good additional table

Dave

There is no arrivals lounge at SYD. If you have a connecting flight you can use showers in the departure lounges. Otherwise most hotels are able to accomodate early arriving pax, it is a common request.

Best seat depends on your taste. If you want to be seated together, the only choices are the middle seats (no window and somewhat less privacy) or 1A/K which has some drawbacks as well as advantages. But most of the time higher status pax will snag 1A/K so your desire for them is academic. But these differences between seats are micro, and there is probably more difference between specific planes and flights than between seats. QF10-late is notorious for being a bad experience, so you picked the worst of the trans-pac flights in terms of that. Generally QF11/12 is the best, fwiw. Of course the worst QF is 10x better than the best UA or CO, etc.

I don't understand why people bag 1A/K. They are no good for couples of course unless you are about to go through divorce or are just over them and are happy to give them the odd smile. All the magazines are there for you and you just don't have to look at the humanity which is behind you.

One oh late is not always late either.

it may be the way I sleep, but I find 1K to be a lot narrower at the end of the bed due to the cupboard. 2K is a lot better (and also has its own overhead locker (although you sometimes need to stray into 2E's space to get into it).

As for not looking back at "humanity", that's a bit rich - you're already in F and it's only F that you would see.....

I find it the same

Dave

I prefer 3E/3F for a pair. There is more separation from the aisle seats. No arrivals lounge, unless you are connecting to a domestic flight - then it would be the QF Lounge in the domestic terminal - with showers, food, etc.

Maybe - but you can still have a reasonably private conversation without everyone else being witness, and then you can be far enough away so the snoring doesn't wake you.....

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i wouldn't pick row 4 as you can be disturbed by noise from the galley or by other passengers going past to the toilets.

It is slightly narrower in row 1 (maybe an inch, not enough to matter). The first row in the middle does have a much narrower "canoe" portion, fwiw (has to be due to aisle width and the tapered 747 nose), so that might be a consideration; otherwise it is all the same. On CX I usually get 1A as it is better, but on QF I don't bother.

On your return trip, I would recommend arriving at the airport extra early so you have time to fit in a complimentary massage at the First Class lounge. Great way to start your 20 hr journey back.

If flying first then they will call you a day ahead to offer a treatment so long as you have a local number for them to reach you.