Economy cabins and seats just got bigger on this Qantas aircraft

Plus, a spring-time festival in country NSW worth a visit.

You'll have more cabin and overhead baggage space on the new Qantas Airbus.

By Sarah Falson

Updated April 1, 2025, first published September 10, 2024

Qantas must have listened to Australia's collective call for more leg room, as it's revealed the first interior pictures of its new Airbus aircraft, with more cabin room and bigger seats, set to replace Boeing 737s on domestic and short-haul international flights from 2025.

Passengers will be able to stretch their extremities that little bit more in economy and business class, with higher ceilings and more overhead baggage space. Business class seats will be set out in a 2-2 configuration and economy seats in a 3-3 configuration. Business class passengers will relax into a 37-inch seat pitch and 5-inch seat recline, with wireless charging pads within arm's reach, while economy passengers will enjoy a 30-inch seat pitch and dual USB A and USB C charging ports, allowing them to connect multiple devices. In a boost for the environment, the Airbus carriers will generate fewer emissions per seat than the aircraft they replace. qantas.com.au

Tiptoe through the tulips

Can you imagine anything more lovely than wandering through hundreds of flowering tulips, their colourful heads popping up to greet the sun? Stay in the beautiful Southern Highlands - an hour's drive south-west of Sydney - this spring to delight in the region's tulip festival, Tulip Time, at Corbett Gardens in upscale Bowral from September 12 to 30.

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Head to the Southern Highlands for the Dog's Day Out finale of Tulip Time on September 30.

This year's festival promises a kaleidoscope of activities including gourmet food and artisan markets. And if you're travelling with your beloved pooch, you can dress it up in its finest attire for Dog's Day Out among the flowers on September 30. Instagram opportunity, anyone? Stick around after the festival for Corbett Gardens' groovy Garden Tea Party from October 3 to 6 where blooms and beats come together and lively DJs drop house and dub sets. visitsouthernhighlands.com.au

Cruising into summer

Whether you love cruising or are a first-timer, the summer cruise season ahead should put some wind in your sails, with 62 cruise ships scheduled to visit Australian shores. Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) says the fleet will make 1904 port calls - up 3 per cent on last summer - with many fresh experiences to choose from.

Australia's cruising season is going to be busier than ever this summer.

They include Silversea's Silver Nova, Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Sun and Cunard's Queen Anne, which will make their maiden visits in November, December and February respectively. And it's not just cruise fans who'll benefit - all those port visits, says CLIA, will help bring billions of dollars in economic activity to local communities around Australia. cruising.org.au

Bang for your buck

Pretty much everyone scrutinises international flight prices before they book, trying to get the best deal, but have you ever considered how much your flight is costing you per minute? No? Neither had we.

But luckily for us, Money.com.au has put together a ranking of Australia's top-10 most popular international flights so we can see which offer the biggest bang for our buck. Take Melbourne to Singapore, for example, which costs an average $1.78 per minute - that's cheaper than flying to Singapore from Sydney, which will set you back (on average) $2.10 per minute. When flying to Auckland, originating in Melbourne is once again cheaper than coming from Sydney - per minute. We're noticing a pattern.

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