Airline reviews: the world’s best business class seats
We tested out the international carriers that won awards for their business class experience and here is what we found.
The Skytrax Awards are regarded as the Oscars of the aviation industry, They are based on hundreds of thousands of passenger surveys and are funded by the organisers to ensure independence.
There are a number of awards; the world’s best airline, best cabin crew, best airline in Europe, best long-haul low-cost airline, best economy and world’s cleanest airline.
But the one we are most interested in is the world’s best business class. The top five in the world for 2024 were Qatar Airways at No 1, followed by Singapore Airlines, ANA All Nippon Airways, Emirates and Cathay Pacific Airways.
At Travel + Luxury, we have tested out all five and here are our reviews:
1. Qatar Airways
Our verdict: Qatar was named world’s best airline and best business class by the Airline Ratings website at the end of last month, and with good reason.
The service is exceptional, food is restaurant-quality and plentiful, and the seats are spacious.
I had the best sleep I have had on a plane, thanks to the length of the flat-bed. It turns a long-haul flight from London to Sydney into a luxury experience.
2. Singapore Airlines
Our verdict: This really is flying at its best. Great service, tasty well presented meals, a broad selection of entertainment and a comfortable seat in business class. The ‘amenity kit on demand’ is probably a model other airlines should follow to reduce all those tiny toiletries, fairly useless ear plugs and socks going into landfill.
3. ANA All Nippon Airways
Our verdict: For a day flight when I was more focused on working than being fed and entertained, ANA was perfect – a very business-focused business class. The Japanese levels of service do lift the experience, putting ANA at the top of the second tier of business class offerings but a few rungs below the standard set by at Qatar, Qantas and Singapore Airlines.
4. Emirates
Our verdict: There were plenty of things to like about this flight. The staff were friendly and the service faultless, while the food, from taste to presentation, was exceptional. But is it worth paying a premium for the comfort and perks of business class for just three hours in the air? If you’re wanting to test out the airline’s offering before committing to a longer haul flight or are crossing the Tasman for a celebration, then possibly. The UAE carrier’s A380 business class cabin design, once the gold standard, has undergone multiple refreshes since its first iteration in 2008. As more rival airlines unveil impressive reimaginings of this class, it is time for Emirates to consider a more dramatic makeover for its once lauded but becoming dated cabin design.
Read the full flight review here.
5. Cathay Pacific Airways
Our verdict: There are lots of positives here – clean plane, snug pods, punctual departure and early arrival (which should never be taken for granted), kind attendants, lovely food – but for that price on an overnight flight, you should get pyjamas.
Read the full flight review here.
If you love to travel, sign up to our free weekly Travel + Luxury newsletter here.
More Coverage
