12 Best Business Class Airlines in the World

The allure of Business Class travel has never been stronger. In the modern, fast-paced world of executive and luxury travel, selecting the right airline can be the difference between a productive, relaxing flight and a nightmare at 35,000 feet.

As airlines compete and evolve to deliver even greater luxuries, refined service and pioneering amenities, this article will explore some of the best airlines offering a Business Class product to make your flight an unforgettable experience – for all the right reasons.

Many airlines are cutting back on their First Class offerings and ramping up their Business Class cabins to feed an ever-growing demand. More and more families are flying in Business Class and airlines are catering for them too!

We here at BusinessClass.com will only review an airline if we have actually flown it. We experience everything from the chauffeur service to the airport, to check-in, the lounges, the flight and everything in the middle - cuisine, Champagne, service, amenity kits, and most importantly the seat and comfort! We do the work so you can make a more informed choice of which airline to fly with! 

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The BusinessClass.com guide to the 12 Best Business Class airlines in the world: 

Qatar Airways

BusinessClass.com overall score: 10/10

Arguably, the best Business Class experience in the skies – known for its Qsuites, lavish lounges and impressive inflight service and dining.

Business Class passengers enjoy expedited check-in and security lines at Doha and the stunning Al Mourjan Business Lounge, offering shower and nap facilities and numerous dining options, including buffet and à la carte restaurants.

Most Qatar Airways long-haul aircraft boast flatbed seats. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Airbus A350 have 1-2-1 seat configurations, while the Airbus A330 and some older Boeing 777s still have 2-2-2 setups. Many aircraft offer the famed Qsuite, while the latest Dreamliners boast the newest Business Class Suite.

Dine-on-demand gourmet cuisine is accompanied by a solid wine list and a long list of cocktails and mocktails. Passengers on the A380 also take advantage of the upper deck Bar.

Qatar Airways flight attendants are among the most service-oriented in the skies. Other perks include collectable amenity kits, pyjamas, a pair of comfortable slippers and great in-flight entertainment.

What We Love:

• A superb dining and inflight experience
• The fabulous Al Mourjan lounge in Doha
• Qsuite - Business Class suites with doors that close

Champagne: 

• Laurent-Perrier Brut, and Charles Heidsieck Réserve

Virgin Atlantic

BusinessClass.com overall score: 9/10 

Virgin Atlantic appeals to a younger, funkier demographic, with a warm, friendly cabin crew keen to interact with passengers.

Virgin flies to 35 locations across five continents. The exclusive Upper Class (Business Class) Wing at London Heathrow offers personal porters, dedicated check-in, priority lifts and fast-track security. Uber stylish Virgin Atlantic's Clubhouses are more like a members' club – offering table service, a fantastic range of food and drink, relaxation and wellness facilities.

Virgin Atlantic Upper Class seats transform into fully flat beds with direct aisle access. The airline's exclusive Retreat Suites on the latest Airbus A330-900neos offer two connecting suites large enough for four passengers to socialise and dine in the intimacy of their own booth.

Passengers choose from a four-course menu for a restaurant-style experience with an excellent wine list.

Night-flight passengers receive pyjamas and quality bedding, including a duvet, a large pillow, and an amenity kit. Upper Class cabins also feature a dedicated social space to meet colleagues, drink with friends, or eat dinner.

What We Love:

• The uber-cool Clubhouses
• The slick and stylish look and feel of Virgin
• The onboard social space

Champagne:

• Ayala Champagne
• If Ayala unavailable - Canard-Duchêne and Champagne Chanoine Frères Réserve Privée Brut NV.

Etihad Airways

BusinessClass.com overall score: 9/10 

Etihad Business Class is among the best Middle Eastern carriers, with impressive service from an international crew that speaks multiple languages.

Business Class lounges in Abu Dhabi offer Middle Eastern and Asian-inspired menus, fine wines, cocktails and mocktails. There are shower suites, quiet relaxing places, and dedicated business facilities.

Business Class seats vary depending on the aircraft. However, all have lie-flat seats with direct aisle access. The Airbus A380s offer 70 of the latest, more private Business Studios with higher partitions and access to 'The Lobby' lounge bar area.

Etihad offers a dine-on-demand service with a bespoke dinner service labelled 'Beyond Business.' An excellent beverage menu includes Champagne, two whites, two reds and a dessert wine, plus a long list of spirits and soft drinks.

Amenity kits by Acqua di Parma contain signature fragrances, eye masks, ear plugs and luxurious socks. The mosaic-tiled lavatories also feature luxury comfort products.

What We Love:

• A dine-on-demand menu
• The excellent Abu Dhabi lounges
• Top-notch service from an international crew

Champagne: 

• Piper Heidsieck Cuvée Brut

Vietnam Airlines

BusinessClass.com overall score: 8.5/10

The flag carrier since 1993, Vietnam Airlines goes from strength to strength. It operates 96 routes, including 27 international destinations spanning Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Indochina, Australia, and North America. It has one of the world's fastest-growing domestic markets, with hubs in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, and a secondary hub in Da Nang.

Vietnam Airlines operates one of the youngest and most modern fleets in Asia, consisting of Boeing 787-9, 787-10 Dreamliners and Airbus A350s for long-haul flights, with older Airbus A321ceos and state-of-the-art A321neos used on shorter routes.

All Business Class seats have direct aisle access and offer fully converting lie-flat beds of around 75 inches (190.5 centimetres) in length, a pitch of 42 inches (106.7 centimetres), and a spacious seat width of 21.5 inches (54.6 centimetres) in a 1-2-1 reverse herringbone configuration.

Vietnamese cuisine reflects the country's vibrant culture and traditions with a delicate balance of flavours, textures, and colours alongside sweet, salty, sour ,and spicy elements. Gourmands will savour the meal service. 

Vietnam Airlines offers passengers a good standard of service, and though it may not be as personalised as with some leading airlines, passengers will still feel welcomed and relaxed by the attentive crew. Flight attendants are professional, friendly, and courteous, and with a generous ratio of up to four cabin crew for the Business Class cabin

What We Love:

• A modern and young fleet of aircraft
• Spacious and comfortable Business Class seats
• Fresh, delicious, and well-presented food in the lounges and onboard

Champagne: 

• Heidsieck & Co's Monopole Blue Top Brut

Qantas

BusinessClass.com overall score: 8.5/10 

Qantas is an iconic Australian brand and one of the oldest airlines still in operation, with a Business Class cabin on all international long-haul flights to a global network.

The home hub in Sydney offers a Qantas International Business Lounge with facilities including a range of dining spaces plus premium wines and spirits. Business Class passengers receive priority check-in, dedicated boarding lanes and speedy disembarkation.

The airline's international Airbus A380s, A330-300s, and Boeing 787s provide comfortable Business Suites with a fully lie-flat bed. The A380s also offer a stylish upper deck lounge for socialising.

Passengers enjoy a fabulous range of dining options, from formal restaurant-style dining to lighter meals. Wine experts' Sommeliers in the Sky' recommend a range of award-winning Champagnes and Australian wines. A wide selection of non-alcoholic beverages is also available.

Service is polished, professional, and heartfelt. Wi-Fi is unavailable on most international routes, but some 2,500 hours of entertainment are available on the seatback HD IFE screens.

Amenities include a mattress pad, a cotton duvet and pillow, designer pyjamas and an eye-catching amenity kit containing fight essentials.

What We Love:

• A practical, luxurious, and comfortable product
• Sommeliers in the Sky - a touch of class
• The stylish upper deck lounge on the Airbus A380

Champagne:

• Rotates between Duval-Leroy Brut, Jacquart Mosaïque Brut, Charles Heidsieck Brut Réserve and Taittinger Cuvée Prestige Brut.

Oman Air

BusinessClass.com overall score: 9.5/10 

The national flag carrier of Oman delivers a high-quality Business Class product. Headquartered at Muscat International Airport, the airline operates a mix of Airbus A330s and Boeing 787 Dreamliners with direct flights to Europe, the Gulf, the Far East, and the Indian subcontinent.

A stunning new terminal offers Business Class Lounges with marble floors and an appealing Arabic design. Passengers will find excellent dining options, a spa, nap pods, sleeping rooms, and refreshing shower suites.

Cabins are light, sleek, and elegant and provide passengers with one of the best Business Class seats in the skies with direct aisle access.

Superb 'dine-on-demand' East-West fusion cuisine is plated on board for inflight dining, closely resembling First Class on other airlines. All wine is served in long-stemmed glasses – a wide alcohol selection includes Laurent-Perrier Brut Champagne. For an Arabic experience, try the Karak Tea.

The Omani cabin crew provide genuine Arabic hospitality with excellent spoken English. Passengers receive well-stocked amenity kits, and long-haul passengers get quilted duvets, fluffy pillows, slippers, and a cotton sleeper suit.

What We Love:

• Best-in-class window seats
• Excellent and varied à la carte meal options
• Warm hospitality with Omani style

Champagne: 

• Laurent-Perrier Brut

Air Canada

BusinessClass.com overall score: 8.5/10 

Air Canada's Signature Class (Business Class) offers an end-to-end premium experience with a distinctly Canadian flavour with hubs in Montreal, Toronto, Calgary, and Vancouver Airports.

Signature Class travellers access priority check-in, security lanes, boarding and the airline's Maple Leaf lounges in 16 airports across Canada, the United States and Europe. Toronto Airport also boasts the impressive Air Canada Signature Suite. An airside chauffeur service is available to eligible Toronto and Vancouver Airport customers.

The latest lie-flat Signature Class seats, named "Executive Pods", are arranged in a 1–2–1 reverse herringbone configuration on Boeing 787 and B777 aircraft. Some Airbus A330s feature the older "Classic Pods" in a 1-1-1 design.

Long-haul passengers enjoy a gourmet "dine on demand" service created by a panel of esteemed Canadian chefs, a decent wine list, and Laurent-Perrier Champagne Brut.

The charming and professional cabin crew are fluent in English and French, and a solid IFE system entertains passengers. All widebody long-haul aircraft have Wi-Fi connectivity, and passengers receive a sanitised pillow, duvet, mattress pad, a CleanCare+ kit, and a branded amenity kit containing travel essentials.

What We Love

• The Air Canada Signature Class - Executive Pod
• Air Canada Chauffeur service
• Gourmet "dine on demand" service

Champagne: 

• Laurent-Perrier Brut

ANA 

BusinessClass.com overall score: 9/10 

Japanese precision and service are hallmarks in All Nippon Airways (ANA's) highly regarded Business Class. ANA operates dual hubs at the incredibly efficient Tokyo Haneda and Tokyo Narita airports, offering premium check-in and fast-track security access.

ANA-branded lounges in Tokyo host the airline's famous noodle bar, self-service alcohol and automatic beer machines. Lounges feature showers, napping areas, free Wi-Fi and private work cubicles. Other ANA lounges are in Honolulu (Hawaii) and Osaka, Kansai. Elsewhere, ANA's Star Alliance partners provide lounge facilities.

ANA operates long-haul Boeing 787, B777 and Airbus A380s with flatbed seats designed in a 1-2-1 configuration in Business Class. Look for smaller "mini cabins" for a more intimate feel. The newest, widest and most private Business Class seat, 'The Room', is on the B777-300.

ANA's inflight service is incredibly friendly yet reserved. Excellent Western cuisine and Japanese set menus have restaurant-style presentations. There is a good wine list, plus sake, spirits, teas and speciality coffee.

Large IFE screens contain international programming with headphones, plus paid wireless internet. Amenity kits include Japanese designer toiletries, and seats come with comfortable bedding, two pillows, plus a shoe bag. Long-haul aircraft also have bidet toilets.

What We Love:

• Japanese cuisine and an impressive alcohol list
• Chic lounges
• The new Business Class seat - The Room

Champagne: 

• Champagne Castelnau - Cuvée Brut Réserve

Cathay Pacific

BusinessClass.com overall score: 9/10 

The admired flag carrier of Hong Kong connects continents with an impressive route map and enviable inflight service.

Hong Kong's Chep Lap Kok airport offers priority check-in and dedicated security lines. Cathay Pacific is renowned for its lounges, with The Pier Business Class Lounge regarded among the best in the world. Other Cathay Pacific lounges are found in gateway cities.

Most aircraft have one large Business Class section and a smaller cabin, and all offer 1-2-1 flatbed seating on the long-haul Boeing 777s and Airbus A350s.

Inflight dining is like a restaurant service in the air with as many as six main course options, including signature dishes from Hong Kong. The airline's celebrated wine panellists select bottles from around the world, plus Champagne, exclusive beers, and spirits.

Service is warm and hospitable, with passenger names used throughout the flight. The A350s feature wireless internet, which will soon be available throughout the widebody fleet. Large IFE screens hold an impressive amount of entertainment content.

Amenity kits feature Bamford toiletry products, and passengers receive plush pillows and luxurious bedlinen by Bamford, along with slippers.  

What We Love:

• Luxurious lounges with impressive food and beverage options
• Restaurant-style onboard catering
• Business Class cabins are cocoons for comfort

Champagne: 

• Champagne Castelnau - Cuvée Brut Réserve

Singapore Airlines

BusinessClass.com overall score: 10/10 

Singapore Airlines is renowned for incredible hospitality, style, and inflight service, which is second to none.

The airline's hub at Changi Airport features premium check-in areas and seven airline lounges. The SilverKris Business Class lounges are recommended due to their superior offerings – and also found in ten other international cities.

All long-haul Business Class seats are exceptionally comfortable and are among the widest fully flat beds in the sky. The centre seats of the A380 also feature a central partition that, when fully lowered, forms a double bed.

The 'Book the Cook' onboard catering is exceptional, featuring a multi-course restaurant-style dinner service. The airline also boasts a vast wine and beverage list.

The cabin crew are among the most genuine and attentive in the skies. Passengers receive excellent noise-cancelling headphones and a wide selection of entertainment content. Limited complimentary Wi-Fi is available on most aircraft.

Passengers get a luxury amenity kit from Penhaligon's, while a sealed pillow and blanket, socks, eye masks and slippers wait at each seat before boarding.

What We Love:

• The inflight service is unrivalled
• Some of the most spacious and comfortable seats in class
• The “Book the Cook” service

Champagne: 

• Billecart-Salmon Brut or Deutz Brut Classic

Japan Airlines

BusinessClass.com overall score: 9/10 

Japan Airlines (JAL) is the country's flag carrier with impressive international and domestic route maps. JAL operates major hubs at both Tokyo Haneda and Tokyo Narita airports.

The Sakura Lounges in both Tokyo airports feature beautiful runway views, a selection of hot & cold Japanese or international food, an open bar and, in many locations, shower facilities. Sakura Lounges are also available overseas.

The long-haul fleet consists exclusively of Boeing widebody jets with varied seat configurations ranging from 1-2-1 to 2-2-2 and 2-3-2 layouts. All long-haul flights offer the comfortable JAL SKY SUITE with fully flat beds and direct aisle access.

JAL offers exceptional multi-course cuisine, serving traditional Japanese fare and international dishes. The bar menu is wide and varied and includes a rotation of excellent Champagnes. JAL crews are eager to please and make passengers feel welcome when called upon.

Wi-Fi is available on many flights for a fee, and multi-language entertainment on the IFE, along with noise-reducing headphones. Amenity kits contain high-quality beauty products and travel essentials. Cardigan sweaters are available on request in addition to the slippers, pillow and blanket provided at each seat.

What We Love:

• Japanese hospitality
• High-end food and beverage
• The JAL SKY SUITE

Champagne: 

• Duval-Leroy Brut Réserve and Drappier Carte D'or

SriLankan Airlines

BusinessClass.com overall score: 8/10 

The national carrier of Sri Lanka is based at Colombo Bandaranaike International Airport, offering a global network, including its codeshare partners. The airline flies Airbus aircraft with the A330-300 as its flagship.

Business Class passengers enter a dedicated check-in area before being escorted through security to the Serendib Lounge, which offers relaxing space, an international gourmet buffet, a business centre and shower facilities.

SriLankan Airlines operates a small fleet of eleven long-haul Airbus A330s with 18 or 28 Business Class seats. The newest A330-300s have 28 flatbed leather seats in a 1-2-1 configuration, with direct aisle access, while the A330-200s have flatbed seats in a 2-2-2 layout.

Passengers select between four delicious meal options, and Piper-Heidsieck Cuvée Brut is freely available during flights, along with wines, beers, cocktails and spirits. Look out for freshly blended fruit juice and impressive tea options.

A decent array of international entertainment comes with noise-cancelling headphones. Wi-Fi is available on all A330s for a fee, and amenity kits and slippers are provided on night flights. The cabin crew service is attentive and considerate.

What We Love:

• A fabulous tea service
• Swift and professional check-in
• Overall excellent service

Champagne: 

• Piper-Heidsieck Cuvée Brut

Read more: 

• Tips on Finding cheap Business Class flights
• Business Class Travel Tips

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