Best Airline Premium Cabin/Product

[Ghost of LL 15531]

I just got off a verrrry long flight from Johannesburg to Doha to Dallas on Qatar in their business class Q-Suite product, and was blown away.  

The hard product itself is great.  It is a very comfortable seat with a door, which accords great privacy.  The seat is just really well laid out with plenty of storage and is very comfortable.  It really feels like a first-class product.

The food was also very good, albeit a good business-class product and not First.  The service was a bit hit-and-miss, but on balance very good.  But still, it blows anything offered by any American airline out of the water.  It's so good that if I were traveling to southeastern Europe, I would consider flying Qatar and backtracking from Doha to (for example) Athens rather than flying BA through Heathrow.

But that's just my latest flight--who else is running good new premium cabins that are worth trying?

[Brisketexan 105144]

I hear that sometimes, if you're lucky, you can get booked on a Greyhound bus that has a working shitter on board.

So, that's pretty plush.

[JulesVerne 32]

28 minutes ago, Ghost of LL said:

I just got off a verrrry long flight from Johannesburg to Doha to Dallas on Qatar in their business class Q-Suite product, and was blown away.  

The hard product itself is great.  It is a very comfortable seat with a door, which accords great privacy.  The seat is just really well laid out with plenty of storage and is very comfortable.  It really feels like a first-class product.

The food was also very good, albeit a good business-class product and not First.  The service was a bit hit-and-miss, but on balance very good.  But still, it blows anything offered by any American airline out of the water.  It's so good that if I were traveling to southeastern Europe, I would consider flying Qatar and backtracking from Doha to (for example) Athens rather than flying BA through Heathrow.

But that's just my latest flight--who else is running good new premium cabins that are worth trying?

Not well versed, how does the point situation work with Qatar. Is there a partnership with a domestic carrier like you mentioned AA with BA? I imagine you have to have points because those seats must run $10k each out of pocket.

[Nueces River Rat 5539]

Must be nice to be part of the Surly 1%...   I'd be happy flying Premium Economy when I start flying long haul somewhere.    Actually some of the international carriers not named American, United or Delta have a pretty good Premium Economy product.  Especially some of the Asian based airlines.   A few of European carriers do to from what I've seen online.   It rivals the US based carrier first or business class, minus the privacy setups.  

[hornbri 1398]

Good to know, I am on a Qatar business class flight from DFW to DOH (and on to MLE) and back in September. Never flown them before. 

I am pretty partial to the Asia airlines, both Singapore Airlines and Cathy Pacific, have really great business class products. 

Back in 2019 I flew on a Emiratas A380 in business class from LHR to UAE and that plane was FANTASTIC. 

[Ghost of LL 15531]

5 minutes ago, JulesVerne said:

Not well versed, how does the point situation work with Qatar. Is there a partnership with a domestic carrier like you mentioned AA with BA? I imagine you have to have points because those seats must run $10k each out of pocket.

Qatar is a OneWorld member, so you can use AAdvantage miles (and you obviously accumulate AAdvantage miles on the flights).

The fares aren't nearly as much as you think.  My family (i.e., four of us), flew DFW-NBO and JNB-DFW for $16,500 in business--i.e., about $4,100/pp.  That's a helluva deal, and less than half of what BA or AA would've charged me when I priced the flights out on them.

Just now, hornbri said:

Good to know, I am on a Qatar business class flight from DFW to DOH (and on to MLE) and back in September. Never flown them before. 

I am pretty partial to the Asia airlines, both Singapore Airlines and Cathy Pacific, have really great business class products. 

Back in 2019 I flew on a Emiratas A380 in business class from LHR to UAE and that plane was FANTASTIC. 

I liked it far better than Emirates.  As I pointed out, the hard product is much better.  But the soft product is better too, because Qatar has a dine-on-demand system.  Emirates wheels a cart up and down the business-class aisle, and you eat when they make the food available.  Qatar just lets you eat whenever, which is a very first-class concept.

One word to the wise, though--make your meal selections at the beginning of the flight so as to reserve what you want.  I neglected to do that yesterday, and they had run out of the lobster starter by the time I got around to taking lunch.

[JulesVerne 32]

4 minutes ago, Ghost of LL said:

Qatar is a OneWorld member, so you can use AAdvantage miles (and you obviously accumulate AAdvantage miles on the flights).

The fares aren't nearly as much as you think.  My family (i.e., four of us), flew DFW-NBO and JNB-DFW for $16,500 in business--i.e., about $4,100/pp.  That's a helluva deal, and less than half of what BA or AA would've charged me when I priced the flights out on them.

I liked it far better than Emirates.  As I pointed out, the hard product is much better.  But the soft product is better too, because Qatar has a dine-on-demand system.  Emirates wheels a cart up and down the business-class aisle, and you eat when they make the food available.  Qatar just lets you eat whenever, which is a very first-class concept.

One word to the wise, though--make your meal selections at the beginning of the flight so as to reserve what you want.  I neglected to do that yesterday, and they had run out of the lobster starter by the time I got around to taking lunch.

There is a whole different world out there and you people are living in it.

[CooterBrown 18013]

So, a seat with a door for privacy. Did you jerk it on only one leg of the flight or all of them?

[Chico_SA 521]

Product? 

 

[Scary Stranger 1715]

11 minutes ago, CooterBrown said:

So, a seat with a door for privacy. Did you jerk it on only one leg of the flight or all of them?

My first thought as well.

[Js1 85342]

15 minutes ago, JulesVerne said:

There is a whole different world out there and you people are living in it.

LOL right?

"Oh nbd, just dropped 16.5k on airfare.  Chump change, good sir!" 

[deadshank 24653]

Buncha fancy boys here.  
 

Did they serve Allsup’s burritos?

[Brisketexan 105144]

3 minutes ago, deadshank said:

Buncha fancy boys here.  
 

Did they serve Allsup’s burritos?

My family would dig on an airline class that did that.

As for my family, they just bitch about the fact that the cheap seats we book on every airline now serve only pretzels, no more peanuts.  That's how we roll.

[Pescado_Rojo 19416]

55 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

I hear that sometimes, if you're lucky, you can get booked on a Greyhound bus that has a working shitter on board.

So, that's pretty plush.

it's pretty unlucky for anyone on the bus with you. 

[Brisketexan 105144]

Just now, Pescado_Rojo said:

it's pretty unlucky for anyone on the bus with you. 

It's a win-win.  I get a sweet ride, and Greyhound gets to upsell tix on their other busses as "no-Brisketexan class."

[Ghost of LL 15531]

20 minutes ago, Js1 said:

LOL right?

"Oh nbd, just dropped 16.5k on airfare.  Chump change, good sir!" 

I'm not saying it's "chump change."  I'm just saying that it's not $10K, as JulesVerne speculated.

It's a helluva lot of money.  But even in coach, that itinerary was going to be a helluva lot of money.  And the point is that Qatar doesn't price their business class at 10X their coach fares, as a lot of airlines do.

[Js1 85342]

9 minutes ago, Ghost of LL said:

I'm not saying it's "chump change."  I'm just saying that it's not $10K, as JulesVerne speculated.

It's a helluva lot of money.  But even in coach, that itinerary was going to be a helluva lot of money.  And the point is that Qatar doesn't price their business class at 10X their coach fares, as a lot of airlines do.

Just joking with ya.  I have flown Qatar twice (economy both times) and it's a very nice airline! 

[Gladeite 375]

I have flown qatar, Emirates , BA, Delta, Lufthansa and others.  Qatar is the best in my opinion and the least expensive.  Round trip to Africa has always been less than $4500.  Stellar service, private pod, good food and wine.  I enjoy the 5 star layover Oryx hotels in Doha.  If you can stay awake, about 10 pm, some of the best looking women in the world show up to the jazz clubs, trolling for billionaire sheiks.  Yes Weather is too hot, humid and sandy so I don’t do the markets, tourism stuff.  

[Buzzrock 14920]

My family of four got upgraded to Comfort+ on Delta for a 90 minute flight two days ago. I got a free Bloody Mary. So pretty much the same thing.

[Ag with kids 581]

I flew the Emirates A380 Business Class several years ago.  It was mind blowing.  Especially having an actual bar with hot stewardesses to serve you.

The seating was huge and comfortable and food was awesome.

So, I go to book my next work trip on the Emirates to Singapore a few months later.  It gets kicked back by travel since I was supposed to only book American flagged airlines due to the Fly America Act.  I told them that's only for gov't funded programs and I was working on an IR&D one - so it should be ok.  NOPE!  Asshole wouldn't approve it.

So, instead of having my company pay $4500 for A++ service on the Emirates A380 for me, I had to get American's B- service...for $11500.

Fucking ridiculous.

[DDD Dad 14339]

3 hours ago, Ghost of LL said:

I just got off a verrrry long flight from Johannesburg to Doha to Dallas on Qatar in their business class Q-Suite product, and was blown away.  

The hard product itself is great.  It is a very comfortable seat with a door, which accords great privacy.  The seat is just really well laid out with plenty of storage and is very comfortable.  It really feels like a first-class product.

The food was also very good, albeit a good business-class product and not First.  The service was a bit hit-and-miss, but on balance very good.  But still, it blows anything offered by any American airline out of the water.  It's so good that if I were traveling to southeastern Europe, I would consider flying Qatar and backtracking from Doha to (for example) Athens rather than flying BA through Heathrow.

But that's just my latest flight--who else is running good new premium cabins that are worth trying?

So...mile high club with Mrs. GoLL?

[JulesVerne 32]

3 hours ago, Ghost of LL said:

I'm not saying it's "chump change."  I'm just saying that it's not $10K, as JulesVerne speculated.

It's a helluva lot of money.  But even in coach, that itinerary was going to be a helluva lot of money.  And the point is that Qatar doesn't price their business class at 10X their coach fares, as a lot of airlines do.

I wasn't meaning any offense, I've just flown business before on older planes (British Airways) and saw that even First Class was around $10k a seat which I thought was astonishing. I mean, to be frank, I don't know that I've even heard of anyone purchasing those seats and assumed they are only there for upgrades or the occasional millionaire flyer.

I had a colleague join my small firm right before Covid-19 who came from a very large firm and act very confused when he expensed a first class ticket for $7,000 and everyone looked at him like he slapped our mothers.

[52-80 19159]

Lufthansa and Swiss are my reference, both for J and for F.  They're consistently and interchangeably good.  Some folks poo-poo the open layout of LH J, or the age of LX hard product.  After a while, the nit picking seems silly.  Overall experience esp the ground service matters much more, and they have nice lounges, generally good on-board staff, etc.  And jammies are cool.

Speaking of service, Cathay, Thai, and Asiana are great.  I just don't fly TPAC much anymore. 

All the others I've flown I don't care much for -  BA, SK, QF, NZ, UA, AA, JJ, OS, TK, whatever.  Sometimes they're good, sometimes they're okay.  Get on, eat, drink, sleep.  

The Middle East carriers never flown them and not interested in for political reasons but also for practical reasons - always early AM layover for my routes.  So I'm most often TATL and defaulting to LH/LX.  Why mess with a good thing.

 

[hornmpa96 2618]

I think that ticket pricing on Qatar is a function of lack of business travel due to Covid. I still think the best business class product is Singapore’s A380, second is Qatar and Emirates comes in third. However I haven’t flown in Qatar’s new Q-suite.

if your considering flying to Doha and back to Southern Europe, consider doing that trip on Turkish Airlines. The onboard product isn’t as great; however Turkish’s business class lounge in Istanbul is my favorite lounge in the world. My wife and I did that going to Rome and it was an extremely comfortable trip.

[Ghost of LL 15531]

11 minutes ago, hornmpa96 said:

I think that ticket pricing on Qatar is a function of lack of business travel due to Covid. I still think the best business class product is Singapore’s A380, second is Qatar and Emirates comes in third. However I haven’t flown in Qatar’s new Q-suite.

if your considering flying to Doha and back to Southern Europe, consider doing that trip on Turkish Airlines. The onboard product isn’t as great; however Turkish’s business class lounge in Istanbul is my favorite lounge in the world. My wife and I did that going to Rome and it was an extremely comfortable trip.

That's a good suggestion.  I haven't flowing Turkish, but I've heard some good things.

As to the pricing on Qatar, I don't think it's a Covid thing.  I originally booked this trip for Summer 2020, and the fares were roughly the same.

22 minutes ago, 52-80 said:

Lufthansa and Swiss are my reference, both for J and for F.  They're consistently and interchangeably good.  Some folks poo-poo the open layout of LH J, or the age of LX hard product.  After a while, the nit picking seems silly.  Overall experience esp the ground service matters much more, and they have nice lounges, generally good on-board staff, etc.  And jammies are cool.

Speaking of service, Cathay, Thai, and Asiana are great.  I just don't fly TPAC much anymore. 

All the others I've flown I don't care much for -  BA, SK, QF, NZ, UA, AA, JJ, OS, TK, whatever.  Sometimes they're good, sometimes they're okay.  Get on, eat, drink, sleep.  

The Middle East carriers never flown them and not interested in for political reasons but also for practical reasons - always early AM layover for my routes.  So I'm most often TATL and defaulting to LH/LX.  Why mess with a good thing.

 

Qatar has jammies in business class, which is typically just an F amenity.  That's really nice.

LH's First is just ok.  Actually, it's seat in F is less than ok--it's not as nice as the Qatar business-class seat.  But the ground product on LH is amazing--they have a dedicated First Class Terminal at FRA.  When your flight lands, they meet you at the plane with a Mercedes, whisk you off to the FCT, and then get you to your connecting flight in a Mercedes.  It's all pretty great.

[Beantown Express 2.0 6559]

Being out of Dallas I only fly American since I travel for a living and do enjoy my status with them so I may have to check out Qatar since its One World.  I will tell you I have spoiled my wife and son where we always upgraded to business class when we have gone to Europe and now neither will travel to Europe or any other long flight without being first/business class.  That's on American where the business class experience is good but nothing that great.  Beats the hell out of coach for 8 plus hours though.

[52-80 19159]

3 minutes ago, Ghost of LL said:

That's a good suggestion.  I haven't flowing Turkish, but I've heard some good things.

As to the pricing on Qatar, I don't think it's a Covid thing.  I originally booked this trip for Summer 2020, and the fares were roughly the same.

Qatar has jammies in business class, which is typically just an F amenity.  That's really nice.

LH's First is just ok.  Actually, it's seat in F is less than ok--it's not as nice as the Qatar business-class seat.  But the ground product on LH is amazing--they have a dedicated First Class Terminal at FRA.  When your flight lands, they meet you at the plane with a Mercedes, whisk you off to the FCT, and then get you to your connecting flight in a Mercedes.  It's all pretty great.

Never been in LH F that's more than half full.  Been 1 of 2 or even 1 of 1 before, so even if the seats are fully open, it still felt private.

Turkish I used to fly a ton (my main FFP).  Food is tasty.  Lounge is full of amenities but often a complete zoo.  Everything else is ass, which is to expected of when employees are essentially paid by the state. 

[dcbc 14484]

We got to hitch a ride on a private jet out of Aspen headed back to Houston once upon a time.  I planted myself in the leather love seat in the back of the plane.  No door on the seat like the OP had unfortunately. 

[gmr548 16580]

I used a free boarding upgrade on my southwest credit card a couple weeks ago. Probably better than GoLL’s $4k first class cabin with a door. Didn’t even have the lobster starter. Fucking peasant.

[DFWTexEx 276]

The Q-Suite and on-demand dining, makes Qatar my choice (when I have one) out of Dallas to India.  It's amazing.

That being said, I am perfectly fine in the AA business class pod.   

I don't care how "fancy" service can be, business class in traditional seats with a configuration that is not all aisle access is a loser (looking at you Emirates)

[castolon 193]

My family of four got upgraded to Comfort+ on Delta for a 90 minute flight two days ago. I got a free Bloody Mary. So pretty much the same thing.

You joke but as far as domestic bullshit goes, comfort+ is a bargain at twice the price.

[LABEVO 928]

I used to fly private from LA to SF. Would recommend. Yearly membership was $36 + each flight was around $600. A+++ service

[ZB'Tejas 593]

Never flown but I've heard that Singapore Air and Emirates are at the top. Since they have just about taken 1st class away I've done overseas trips on AA and Qantas. DFW -> SYD on Qantas was really nice in terms of food and wine that was served.  DFW - > CDG on AA Biz was pretty good compared to where they used to be.

[SurlyGator 865]

21 hours ago, Scary Stranger said:

My first thought as well.

C’mon, this is Surly.  It was everyone’s first thought.

[Telegraph_it 3357]

I am ready. First time on Qatar. 
 

[Gil Bang 25960]

22 hours ago, Beantown Express 2.0 said:

Being out of Dallas I only fly American since I travel for a living and do enjoy my status with them so I may have to check out Qatar since its One World.  I will tell you I have spoiled my wife and son where we always upgraded to business class when we have gone to Europe and now neither will travel to Europe or any other long flight without being first/business class.  That's on American where the business class experience is good but nothing that great.  Beats the hell out of coach for 8 plus hours though.

I too fly AA everywhere.  I've been in first on 777, and business on 787.  I've never flown first or business on any other airline, so I have no basis for comparison other than yeah, it's a fuckload better than coach.   Actually, I thought first on the 777 was quite nice.  Really, really nice.  Flew LAX-NRT and enjoyed it immensely.  Only negative was the old queen flight attendant that thought I was drinking too much and balked at giving me another beer.  "you've already had 6"...yeah motherfucker, and I've been on this plane 6 fucking hours.  What's the problem?  

Edited July 7, 2021 by Gil Bang

[DCA_HORN 725]

I too fly AA everywhere.  I've been in first on 777, and business on 787.  I've never flown first or business on any other airline, so I have no basis for comparison other than yeah, it's a fuckload better than coach.   Actually, I thought first on the 777 was quite nice.  Really, really nice.  Flew LAX-NRT and enjoyed it immensely.  Only negative was the old queen flight attendant that thought I was drinking too much and balked at giving me another beer.  "you've already had 6"...yeah motherfucker, and I've been on this plane 6 fucking hours.  What's the problem?  

I hope you told her over got a long flight ahead of me so keep em coming.

[Gil Bang 25960]

Just now, DCA_HORN said:

35 minutes ago, Gil Bang said:

I too fly AA everywhere.  I've been in first on 777, and business on 787.  I've never flown first or business on any other airline, so I have no basis for comparison other than yeah, it's a fuckload better than coach.   Actually, I thought first on the 777 was quite nice.  Really, really nice.  Flew LAX-NRT and enjoyed it immensely.  Only negative was the old queen flight attendant that thought I was drinking too much and balked at giving me another beer.  "you've already had 6"...yeah motherfucker, and I've been on this plane 6 fucking hours.  What's the problem?  

I hope you told her over got a long flight ahead of me so keep em coming.

it was a him.  

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19101]

I have flown Global First on United a number of times and First on Lufthansa on their newest 747.  Global First on United is really no difference from BusinessFirst on the 787s, though you do get access to a different lounge, which in Healthrow is nice.

Lufthansa first on those 747 is in the nose.  8 seats, 3 flight attendants.  A great product.

Internationally, I have flown Business on Turkish (no First), SAS (no First), British Airways, and United.  I have no issues with BA.  Always had good flights.  

I am getting to take Virgin Atlantic Upper Class in January and will be flying Swiss business in September.  

I am at the point where if I am flying more than 4 hours or so, I will pay for the premium cabin.  I get stir crazy.

[Ghost of LL 15531]

1 hour ago, Gil Bang said:

I too fly AA everywhere.  I've been in first on 777, and business on 787.  I've never flown first or business on any other airline, so I have no basis for comparison other than yeah, it's a fuckload better than coach.   Actually, I thought first on the 777 was quite nice.  Really, really nice.  Flew LAX-NRT and enjoyed it immensely.  Only negative was the old queen flight attendant that thought I was drinking too much and balked at giving me another beer.  "you've already had 6"...yeah motherfucker, and I've been on this plane 6 fucking hours.  What's the problem?  

Mrs.LL got cut off on AA in business coming back from CDG, and she was pretty fucking ripshit (I don't blame her).  The FA was grilling her on where she was driving--nowhere; we're taking an Uber home (not that it's any of your fucking business).  We're both still pretty surly at AA about that.

Same fucking flight, the FAs auto-dimmed the 787 window shades so you couldn't see outside.  That really pissed me off, as we were flying over Greenland and I wanted to see the goddamned glaciers.  AA recently sent out a memo to its FAs telling them not to do that anymore.

Bottom line--AA has by far the worst FAs in the industry.  The "service" in their premium cabins is absolutely abysmal, and when compared to other international carriers, it's downright laughable.

3 minutes ago, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

I have flown Global First on United a number of times and First on Lufthansa on their newest 747.  Global First on United is really no difference from BusinessFirst on the 787s, though you do get access to a different lounge, which in Healthrow is nice.

Lufthansa first on those 747 is in the nose.  8 seats, 3 flight attendants.  A great product.

Internationally, I have flown Business on Turkish (no First), SAS (no First), British Airways, and United.  I have no issues with BA.  Always had good flights.  

I am getting to take Virgin Atlantic Upper Class in January and will be flying Swiss business in September.  

I am at the point where if I am flying more than 4 hours or so, I will pay for the premium cabin.  I get stir crazy.

First in the LH 747 is great because you can actually see forward owing to the curve of the nose.

That brings up a separate point--this was my first time flying the A350, and I think I have a new favorite plane.  The exterior cameras are an absolute game-changer.

[Gatorubet 30239]

Last Europe trip I flew United Polaris Business class. Nice trip with a pod/seat that converts to a bed. I go right to sleep on planes, so I drank a double scotch and woke up above Belgium.

[DDD Dad 14339]

20 minutes ago, Ghost of LL said:

Mrs.LL got cut off on AA in business coming back from CDG, and she was pretty fucking ripshit (I don't blame her).  The FA was grilling her on where she was driving--nowhere; we're taking an Uber home (not that it's any of your fucking business).  We're both still pretty surly at AA about that.

Same fucking flight, the FAs auto-dimmed the 787 window shades so you couldn't see outside.  That really pissed me off, as we were flying over Greenland and I wanted to see the goddamned glaciers.  AA recently sent out a memo to its FAs telling them not to do that anymore.

Bottom line--AA has by far the worst FAs in the industry.  The "service" in their premium cabins is absolutely abysmal, and when compared to other international carriers, it's downright laughable.

First in the LH 747 is great because you can actually see forward owing to the curve of the nose.

That brings up a separate point--this was my first time flying the A350, and I think I have a new favorite plane.  The exterior cameras are an absolute game-changer.

Ain't nobody happy when Mrs. LL ain't happy.

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19101]

The Virgin Atlantic flight in Jan in Upper Class is on the new A350. Cannot wait.

[Ghost of LL 15531]

17 minutes ago, DDD Dad said:

Ain't nobody happy when Mrs. LL ain't happy.

Especially when she's been drinking.

[LABEVO 928]

AA is terrible. United continues to decline but at least not AA.

BA and Lufthansa in same class. Turkish air 5+ years ago was great but now just ok. 

ANA/ JAL great.

China Eastern terrible. 

I think that is all the airlines that I have flown business or first. Agree with LL that 1st is not worth it but definitely it is for business. 

[Firemans4Horn 18050]

1 hour ago, LABEVO said:

China Eastern terrible. 

Quoted for truth

[Sam Lin 3559]

1 hour ago, LABEVO said:

China Eastern terrible. 

The lavatory wall of a China Eastern flight in 2018. Short flight, just boarded, didn't happen during the flight. The plane just clearly did not get cleaned:

[Biff Tannen 45688]

11 hours ago, Telegraph_it said:

I am ready. First time on Qatar. 
 

I cannot believe this thread is germane to my interests, but as of today it is. Doing this exact flight in February. My wife and I’s 40th bday present to ourselves. 
 

 

All I can think is seinfeld references.

“More anything?”

”More everything!”

 

[Lhorn 4913]

Not sure if this qualifies as a product for this thread, but anyone use this bad boy?  I have a hard time sleeping on a plane but not THIS hard.

Edited July 8, 2021 by Lhorn

[Lhorn 4913]

Yeah, I’d be totally comfortable wearing this on a plane.