If you are looking for a relaxing flight offering good amenities and a comfortable experience without the exorbitant expense of a first class ticket, it makes sense to travel in business class.
With pre-flight drinks, meals served with knives and forks and fully flat-bed seats, traveling business class means you can enjoy a comfortable flight and arrive at your destination refreshed and ready to go.
Benefits of Business Class Airlines for Business Travelers
Flying business class offers a range of benefits that are particularly advantageous for business travelers. The primary appeal lies in the enhanced comfort and convenience provided, which is crucial for those who need to arrive at their destination feeling rested and prepared for important meetings or events. Business class cabins typically offer spacious seating that can convert into flat beds, ensuring a more restful sleep during long flights. Additionally, the environment is conducive to productivity, with features like in-seat power outlets, larger workspaces, and Wi-Fi connectivity, allowing passengers to work efficiently while in the air. The overall experience is further enriched by superior dining options, priority boarding, and often access to exclusive airport lounges, which provide a quiet space to work or relax before the flight.
Benefits of flying business class for business travelers include:
- Enhanced Comfort: Spacious seating that often converts into flat beds for better rest.
- Productivity Boost: In-seat power outlets, larger desks, and Wi-Fi to work during the flight.
- Superior Dining: High-quality meals and a variety of dining options.
- Priority Services: Faster check-in, priority boarding, and increased baggage allowances.
- Access to Lounges: Use of exclusive airport lounges for work or relaxation before flights.
- Privacy: More privacy than economy class, which is beneficial for confidential work or rest.
- Reduced Jet Lag: Better sleep and more comfortable travel conditions can help mitigate jet lag.
- Networking Opportunities: Meeting other business professionals in business class or lounges.
- Enhanced Entertainment Options: Larger screens and a wider selection of movies, TV shows, and music.
- Personalized Service: More attentive and personalized service from the flight crew.
Selecting the Best Business Class Airlines: Our Methodology
When it comes to choosing the best business class airlines for small business owners and entrepreneurs, several key factors come into play. Our aim is to provide you with a clear and comprehensive guide to help you make an informed decision. Here are the criteria we consider crucial:
- Comfort and Seat Quality (Very High Importance)
- Fully-reclining seats
- Adequate legroom and personal space
- Quality of in-flight bedding and amenities
- In-Flight Connectivity and Productivity Tools (High Importance)
- Availability of Wi-Fi
- Power outlets for charging devices
- Workspace suitability (tray tables, lighting)
- Flight Network and Scheduling Flexibility (High Importance)
- Wide range of destinations, especially major business hubs
- Convenient flight schedules and frequency
- Ease of making changes to bookings
- Loyalty Programs and Business Perks (Moderate Importance)
- Reward programs and perks for frequent flyers
- Partnerships with other airlines and services
- Business lounge access and priority boarding
- Cost and Value for Money (High Importance)
- Competitive pricing for business class
- Transparency in pricing and fees
- Balance of cost vs. the quality of service and features
- Catering and Dining Experience (Moderate Importance)
- Quality and variety of food and beverages
- Customization options and dietary accommodations
- Service excellence from the cabin crew
- Safety Record and Reliability (Very High Importance)
- Airline’s safety and operational history
- Reliability in terms of on-time performance
- Handling of luggage and personal belongings
- Customer Service and Support (High Importance)
- Responsiveness to customer inquiries and issues
- Quality of in-flight and ground service
- Multi-channel support (phone, email, chat)
Each of these criteria is vital for ensuring a comfortable, efficient, and productive journey. While comfort and safety are paramount, aspects like connectivity and cost also play a significant role in the decision-making process.
Best Business Class Airlines
If you’re deliberating about which airline offers the best value to business class travelers, take a look at the following best business class airlines flying today.
American Airlines
American Airlines offers business class customers what the company hails as the largest business class seats on a U.S. airline. Seats are a whopping 27.7 inches wide and 79 inches long when reclined to a flat position.
The airline also provides its business class customers with 18-inch entertainment screens. These screens are loaded with AC and USB plugs, as well as around 300 movies, meaning whether you’re want to spend the flight productively working on your laptop or kick back and watch the latest blockbuster, you can do either comfortably on a business class flight with American Airlines.
Business class tickets with their five-star service are available on American Airlines’ shorter international flights under 3,000 miles.
Delta
In 2016, Delta announced it was creating the first ‘all-suite business class’ in the industry. This means if you yearn for privacy and seclusion during a business class flight, you can enjoy a seat that is fully enclosed — with its own door!
You can also enjoy a high-res 18-inch screen on a Delta flight, with a USB port and universal power outlet for each seat. With luxury bedding and sleep suites on some transpacific flights, you can enjoy some valuable shut-eye in a Delta business class cabin.
Delta business class flights — a.k.a. Delta One — are available on long-haul international flights and on select long-haul domestic flights too.
Qatar Airlines
Qatar Airlines business class customers can enjoy lying back on fully flat beds. The airline’s signature feature is its 180-degree flatbed seats with foot rests, 8 in-seat massage settings and in-seat power supply, meaning you will arrive at your destination fully revitalized and relaxed.
Qatar also provides touch-screen in-flight entertainment on 15.4-inch monitors. Business class travelers can also enjoy the airline’s free dine-on-demand or a la carte menu. Qatar’s business class flights are competitively priced.
United
You can stretch out and relax during business class flights with United, which are available between the U.S. and Latin America or the Caribbean. Wave goodbye to standing in line at the airport. With United you can cruise through airports with Premier Access benefits.
On board, you can relax as you fly to your business destination in a comfortable leather chair with a six-way adjustable headrest and padded articulating seat cushion. United business class flights also feature an in-arm tablet or laptop slot and a flip-up mobile device holder. A universal AC power plug is also available to charge your devices throughout the flight.
You can also stay connected while traveling on United with WiFi available for purchase on most flights.
British Airways
British Airways business class flights, known as Club World, allow business class travelers to fly as if you are taking — in the airline’s own words — “your own private jet.” The direct flights between New York’s JFK and London City airport feature 32 spacious seats with fully flat beds.
These long-haul flights offer on-board mobile data connectivity and pre-clearance of US immigration on flights to New York — meaning you don’t have to waste valuable time getting through immigration control at the airport.
On British Airways Club World flights, you can also benefit from getting your own personal iPad, featuring the latest movies and television programs. UK, EU and US power sockets for laptops and other devices are also provided on British Airways business class flights.
Singapore Airlines
Singapore Airlines provide comfortable business class options on a number of international long-haul flights. The airline’s new business class seats offer two seating positions designed for optimum comfort. The Lazy Z position ensures you are sitting centered and balanced, while the Sundeck position is perfect for lounging and stretching out.
You can also change the seat into a fully-flat bed with a cushioned headboard for some well-needed sleep on your business flight. Devices can be used and charged on Singapore Airlines business flights with eXport, HDMI and USB ports. You can reserve your meal up to 24-hours before your flight to ensure you’re well fed when you arrive at that important business meeting.
Lufthansa
With lounge access, priority boarding at the airport, increased free baggage allowances and exclusive in-flight meals, choosing a Lufthansa business class flight will ensure you’re well rested and relaxed when you reach your destination.
Business class passengers can enjoy high-quality cuisine recommended by top chefs on board a Lufthansa business class flight. A large selection of entertainment is also available during the flight to help you relax and reach your destination refreshed.
Business class flights are available on short overnight, short and medium-haul routes and long-haul routes on Lufthansa.
Emirates
With a modern A380 Onboard Lounge, you can even network and do business on an Emirates business class flight. Alternatively, if you want to relax or spend the flight productively on work, you can sit back in a relaxing seat with LED mood lighting.
Emirates 78-inch long business seats are patterned after the seating of modern sports cars, creating what the airline says is an inspiring environment to relax, work or play during an Emirates business class flight. With in-seat power for your laptop or other devices, you can send emails, update spreadsheets or write your presentation during an ultra-comfortable business class flight with Emirates.
| Feature | American Airlines | Delta | Qatar Airlines | United | British Airways | Singapore Airlines | Lufthansa | Emirates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seat Size | 27.7 inches wide, 79 inches long (flat) | All-suite with a door | 180-degree flatbed seats with foot rests | Comfortable leather chair with six-way adjustable headrest and padded articulating seat cushion | 32 spacious seats with fully flat beds | New business class seats with two seating positions | Comfortable and adjustable seating | 78-inch long seats inspired by modern sports cars |
| Entertainment Screen | 18-inch screen with AC and USB plugs | High-res 18-inch screen with USB port and universal power outlet | 15.4-inch touch-screen monitors | In-arm tablet or laptop slot and flip-up mobile device holder | Personal iPad with movies and TV programs | eXport, HDMI and USB ports | In-flight entertainment with a large selection of options | In-seat power for devices |
| Flight Availability | Shorter international flights under 3,000 miles | Long-haul international and select long-haul domestic flights | – | Flights between the U.S. and Latin America or the Caribbean | Direct flights between New York’s JFK and London City airport | International long-haul flights | Short overnight, short and medium-haul, and long-haul routes | – |
| Special Features | – | Luxury bedding and sleep suites on some transpacific flights | 8 in-seat massage settings, in-seat power supply | Premier Access benefits, WiFi available for purchase on most flights | On-board mobile data connectivity, US immigration pre-clearance | Lazy Z and Sundeck seat positions, reserve meal up to 24-hours | Lounge access, priority boarding, increased baggage allowance, exclusive in-flight meals | Modern A380 Onboard Lounge, LED mood lighting |
| Dining Options | – | – | Dine-on-demand or a la carte menu | – | – | – | High-quality cuisine recommended by top chefs | – |
Photo via Shutterstock
This article, “Best Business Class Airlines: 8 Top Options for Business Travelers” was first published on Small Business Trends