Jetstar’s Business Class Max Bundle is a solid upgrade from economy if you value extra space, lounge access, and decent food—without paying full-service airline prices. Just don’t expect lie-flat seats or uninterrupted sleep.

Jetstar Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner at Sydney International Airport, docked at the airbridge before boarding.

South Korea has been high on our travel bucket list for years—its presence in pop culture, dynamic cities, and incredible cuisine kept calling. So when the opportunity finally came up, we jumped at it—and wanted the journey there to be as enjoyable as the destination.

Living in Australia means most international travel starts with a long-haul flight. And if you're like us—champagne tastes on a craft beer budget—you’ll know that once you’ve flown business, it’s hard to go back. Jetstar’s Business Class on the Boeing 787 isn’t lie-flat luxury, but it’s a compelling mid-tier upgrade on the direct Sydney–Seoul route. We flew it round-trip to see if it’s worth the extra spend.

Note: For this flight, we booked Jetstar’s Business Class Max Bundle, which includes lounge access, Qantas points and status credits and more cancellation flexibility. Not all Business fares include these perks, so it’s worth checking the fare type when you book.

Flight numbers: JQ47 (Sydney to Seoul), JQ48 (Seoul to Sydney)
Route: Sydney (SYD) – Seoul Incheon (ICN) – Sydney (SYD)
Aircraft type: Boeing 787-8
Seat numbers: 2B (outbound), 2F (inbound)
Fare type: Business Class Max Bundle

First Impressions and the check-in experience

We started our journey at the Sydney International Airport on a Sunday morning. The Jetstar check-in desk at Sydney International Airport is tucked down near Terminal K—a bit of a walk from the car drop-off. There’s a dedicated Business line, which we breezed through easily, though we arrived a little before 7:30am and had to wait for the counter to open at 7:45am (two hours before boarding). With our ticket, we also had access to the Business express lane through customs and security—always a welcome perk.

At Incheon International Airport (T1), we arrived via the Airport Railroad (AREX) All-Stops train from Seoul Station—slower but cheaper than the Express option. Jetstar’s check-in desks are located in section J (appropriately enough), but as check-in areas are spread out, it’s worth checking airport screens when you arrive.

Airport lounge access in Sydney and Seoul

Qantas International Business Lounge – Sydney

In Sydney, we had options. With our Qantas status/Club membership, we already had access to the International Business Lounge. As we’d chosen the Max Bundle, this also gave us lounge access. In fact, the staff member took care to tell us that for Jetstar, only Business Max customers could access the lounge.

If you’re at all familiar with this lounge, you’ll know it hasn’t been updated in a while but still provides a little liminal sanctuary on the way overseas. On the day we visited, it was so crowded that they’d opened an ‘extra’ section — basically a few chairs and tables under some stairs.

One World Lounge – Seoul Incheon T1

In Seoul, we could access the beautiful One World Lounge. You walk through a striking entrance into a very nicely appointed modern area. It’s not large, but it’s cleverly designed so it never feels crowded. There are showers and bathrooms available, and the WiFi is impressively fast (clocked at 580Mbps on fast.com!) The small buffet features a good range of salads and breads, though there was only one hot vegetarian option.

Note that this lounge is located right after security and customs. In Seoul, you will have to catch an additional shuttle train to your gate, so allow another 10-20 minutes from the lounge to get to your gate for boarding.

The seat

On both flights, we were among the first to board thanks to the dedicated Business queue, turning left into Jetstar’s version of “business” class—quotation marks warranted, as it’s really more of a premium economy product.

The 21 seats are arranged in a 2-3-2 layout (compared to 314 in Economy), though on both legs, two were curtained off for staff use. The black leather seats look a little dated but are generously wide, with a 38-inch pitch. These aren’t lie-flat or shell seats, so your comfort depends on the recline of the seat in front. In our case, the seats ahead snapped back surprisingly fast—startling us more than once. When fully reclined, they leave very little room to exit your own seat without contorting.

Each seat has a 10.6” screen, USB-A power, and an international plug socket (though the middle bank of three seats shares one set between neighbours). The tray table folds out from the armrest, and a small drink shelf on the armrest is a nice touch. Window seats have dimmable shades.

The amenities and service

Amenity kit

The amenity kit is a basic affair but is welcome. It’s a small logo pencil case size with a set of foam earplugs, Standard Procedure lip balm, a dental kit, eye mask, inflatable neck pillow and a branded pen.

In-Flight Entertainment

Included as part of the fare, Jetstar’s entertainment package offers a surprisingly decent selection of current, classic, and international films, but a very limited TV box sets. I managed to catch a few fairly recent US, Japanese, and (appropriately) Korean films on the way over, and watched Dune: Prophecy on the way back. I also watched a few things on my laptop. Amy, who leans toward TV, had less luck finding something and felt that the TV offerings were limited. Noise cancelling headphones are provided for in-flight use, and I thought they did a good job of blocking background noise.

Toilets

One minor gripe: there’s only one toilet available for the 21 passengers in Business Class, and it’s located through the galley. On one flight, four of us were awkwardly queued up as three cabin crew valiantly worked around us, while a single passenger took more than 15 minutes to emerge. Fortunately, there were no super urgent calls to nature mid-air.

Connectivity

There’s no in-flight Wi-Fi on Jetstar’s 787s, so plan accordingly if you’re hoping to get work done or stay connected during the flight.

The service

Staff were friendly and constantly hustling. Regular water offered and while we didn’t ring the call bell ourselves, the seats in front did and response was very quick.

Food and drinks

We were concerned before departure, as there didn’t seem to be an option to request vegetarian meals in advance. Thankfully, meals were included in our fare, with menus provided before each of the two meal services. (In Economy, food must be pre-purchased or bought onboard).

Vegetarian Options

On the outbound daytime flight, vegetarian choices included a creamy ravioli dish for lunch and a vegetable pie for dinner. The return overnight flight began with a small salad appetiser, followed by Shanghai Vegetable Noodles for dinner. Breakfast options included either Scrambled Eggs & Beans (with potatoes, mushrooms, and spinach) or a Bakery Platter with fresh fruit.

Drinks and Snacks

A welcome drink—sparkling wine or juice—was offered on boarding. Alcohol, soft drinks, tea, and coffee were served with meals. On the outbound flight, we were regularly offered bottled water, small snacks like pretzels, and mini cans of Pringles. On the return, we slept through much of the flight but received similar offerings when awake.

Final thoughts

So, is Jetstar Business Class worth it? If you’re expecting Qantas-style business, then no. But if you’d like a little bit of premium quality on a 10-hour flight, it does offer significant upgrades from Jetstar economy. For less than $5,200 total for two people, we got lounge access, meals, in-flight entertainment, and a full count of Qantas points and status credits to keep our Frequent Flyer accounts healthy.