All Nippon Airways (ANA) offers unparalleled room to stretch out in its business class with nearly twice the seat width of most competitors. The unique design is intended to be more like a sofa, allowing for a lounging experience distinct from every other experience in the sky. Qatar Airways steals the top spot for highest-ranking in business class seating due to its nearly complete privacy from the aisle with the sliding door, but it is not the widest seat.

Singapore Airlines and Lufthansa take third and fourth for the widest seats, yet there is an interesting discrepancy between seat width and the ranking of which seat is the best according to the SkyTrax awards for 2025. In this review, we will use the ranking as a baseline and compare the seat sizes of the top business class cabins available today.

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The Qatar Airways Qsuite remains the gold standard because it was the first to offer a sliding privacy door in business class. However, the ANA absolutely dwarfs its 22-inch width, reaching more than 37 inches at its widest point, according to WBP Stars. Singapore Airlines offers up to a 30-inch seat width on some planes, while Lufthansa edges out the rest of the pack with a maximum of 23-inch-wide seats.

JAL is also highly ranked but doesn’t come close to ANA either, with a seat width similar to Qatar’s. STARLUX falls behind Cathay Pacific and Lufthansa in seat size but receives a higher ranking, coming in fifth overall. Similar to how ANA has the biggest physical seat available, it did not secure the top spot for business class cabin rankings around the world.

Notably, while Delta Air Lines and American Airlines are in the top ten for seat size at 21 inches, these carriers lag well behind their peers in the leaderboard. Another interesting caveat is that Qantas, Turkish Airlines, and others rank higher in the overall standings among the top ten on this list for seat size.

The Podium Finishers

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The best business class airline in the world in 2025 was Qatar Airways. Launched in 2017, the Qsuite was the first business class to offer sliding doors for total privacy. It also has a uniquely flexible option for center seats with the ‘Quad’ configuration, which allows families or colleagues to open partitions and share a central area for dining or meetings. Middle seats can be combined to form a double bed for couples.

Qatar Airways dominated the business class categories, securing the top spot for World’s Best Business Class for the fifth consecutive year. While Skytrax remains a major industry benchmark, passenger and expert reviews often highlight different carriers as leaders in specific soft product areas, like catering and onboard amenities.

Singapore Airlines consistently ranks among the world’s top airlines, often alternating with Qatar Airways for the top spot in overall global rankings. Last year, Singapore Airlines ranked second for the best business class worldwide. In contrast to Qatar, privacy is less of a priority with a greater focus on spaciousness and ergonomics. However, upcoming cabin updates reportedly include a more secluded pod setup, like the Qsuite.

Unlike the electronic recline of many airlines, the Singapore Airlines seats are designed to flip forward to create a large, perfectly flat sleeping surface. This design requires manual flipping but offers a wider bed area (up to 76 inches long) that tapers less at the feet than electronic seats.

ANA won third in 2025 for best business class in the world. The seat is so wide that it can comfortably fit two people side by side. This width provides passengers with unprecedented shoulder room and the ability to change sitting positions freely. When converted into a fully flat bed, the seat length is approximately 76 inches. Unlike many designs that taper sharply at the feet, ANA’s ‘The Room’ features a shallow foot cubby that is less restrictive, offering more vertical and horizontal space for movement while sleeping.

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Airlines In The Top Ten

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Cathay Pacific narrowly missed the podium, finishing fourth in Skytrax’s 2025 business class rankings. For the first time, Cathay has introduced sliding privacy doors in business class. The suite walls are designed to be high enough to block views between seated passengers while maintaining an open feel for the cabin. It converts into a 78-inch (198 cm) fully flat bed and is highly rated for its ‘One Touch’ preset modes, which convert the seat position and change the lighting to settings like ‘Sleep’ or ‘Dining’ automatically.

Air France was the fifth-highest-rated business class airline in the world last year. The business class cabin offers an elegant atmosphere and some of the finest dining available on any airplane. The Air France aircraft, specifically its Airbus A350s, are equipped with the ‘Opera’ seat that folds down to a nearly 79-inch (200 cm) bed, and in addition to every seat having direct aisle access, they are also equipped with sliding privacy doors.

Hainan Airlines took sixth place for the highest-quality business class product in 2025. It is ranked the 10th-best airline in the world and remains the highest-ranked in China. Hainan Airlines’ high position is primarily driven by its ‘soft product,’ the service and amenities, rather than just the physical seat alone. The seat converts to a nearly 79-inch (200 cm) bed but does not have a privacy door, featuring extended wing partitions.

STARLUX Airlines was ranked seventh, and its A350 cabin has sliding doors for business class passengers. Japan Airlines took eighth place, and its large seat converts into one of the longest flat beds in the sky at 82 inches (208 cm). Turkish Airlines got ninth place thanks to the ‘Crystal Suite’ on its A350-1000 and Boeing 777s, which feature sliding doors. Virgin Atlantic was ranked tenth overall for the world’s best business class with its ‘Upper Class Suite’ and ‘Retreat Suite’, which are both spacious and have doors, but onboard flyers can also enjoy ‘The Loft’ social area outside their seats.

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Honorable Mentions

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Emirates ranked 11th in Skytrax’s business class ranking. Until recently, most Emirates 777s featured a 2-3-2 configuration, meaning passengers in the middle seats had no direct aisle access and limited privacy. The A380 fleet is highly preferred, featuring a 1-2-1 staggered layout where every passenger has direct aisle access and a personal minibar. Deer Line is undergoing retrofits and modernization efforts that will continue through this year, including its A380 fleet, but is unlikely to have privacy doors or significantly wider seats.

Qantas was ranked 13th by Skytrax in the 2025 business class review. The Qantas Business Suite is the flagship seat found on its Airbus A330, Boeing 787-9, and A380 fleets. The aircraft does not feature an all-suite business class like the top-ranked competitors; however, a unique feature is that the seats can be used in a reclined position during takeoff and landing. They also extend 80 inches (203 cm) in bed mode. Qantas is highly rated for its soft products, including seasonal menus designed by Australian chef Neil Perry and the provision of its popular bird-print pajamas.

The top finisher from America was Delta Air Lines, which ranked 14th worldwide. The airline led US carriers thanks to its consistent investment in its international long-haul fleet, reflected in higher views for both the hard and soft products. Yet Delta is still lagging behind global leaders due to fleetwide differences in seats and cabin design. The flagship Delta One Suite on the Airbus A350 and A330-900neo feature full-height sliding doors and some of the best in-flight entertainment systems, as well as direct dial access for every business class flyer. As it recently signed a deal with Boeing for new 787 Dreamliners, in addition to forthcoming Airbus wide bodies, its ranking is likely to improve next year.

Turkish Airlines won the 2025 award for best business class catering. Their partnership with Turkish Do&Co provides gourmet, multi-course meals that blend regional and global flavors. Qatar Airways and Hainan Airlines ranked second and third, respectively. Hainan Airlines claimed the top prize for onboard comfort amenities in 2025, followed by Qatar Airways and EVA Air.