Flying in business class is primarily about the seat. The class is meant to offer both a more comfortable experience and the ability to be more productive, since business class is traditionally meant to be targeted at business travelers. Today, this means direct aisle access for privacy, a sliding door in many cases, and a lie-flat seat that can convert into a bed. This is important because it allows business travelers to sleep on the plane and allows them to wake up in time for their work after landing, essentially wasting no time.

Business class seat models have been incredibly innovative, with new technological innovations, improvements in footwell size, and advances in space efficiency. At one point, the angled-flat seat was an attempt at differentiation, with the initial idea being that this was preferable for sleeping since planes cruise with a slightly nose-up attitude, although passengers generally disagreed. Today, with full lie-flat seats being an expectation, differentiation can primarily come from bedding, or the bed length.

5

Japan Airlines

79 inches (201 centimeters)

Credit: Japan Airlines

In 2024, Japan Airlines inaugurated services with its Airbus A350-1000. Unlike its pre-existing fleet of A350-900s, which fly domestic services, the A350-1000 was to be its new long-haul flagship, succeeding the Boeing 777-300ER in this role. With it came brand new seats in all travel classes, including an updated first class product, one of the best premium economy seats, new Recaro CL3810 economy seats, and a brand new business class seat with a bed length of 79 inches (201 centimeters).

JAL was the launch customer for the Safran Unity, the aerospace company’s new flagship staggered seat model. Safran had already sold a staggered seat in the form of the Safran SkyLounge (originally developed by Zodiac), but the Unity is differentiated by being significantly more spacious in virtually all categories. The seats not only include longer beds, but they also include larger footwells and more overall living space. In JAL’s highly customized version of the Unity, it also comes with privacy doors and partitions that are 52 inches (132 centimeters) tall.

These seats are pitched at roughly 51 inches (130 centimeters), so they’re much larger than the seats that you’ll find on most future Unity operators, including Qantas and Riyadh Air. In addition to the space, JAL also offers a 24-inch (61 centimeter) 4K display, as well as innovative speakers in the headrests dubbed ‘Euphony’ by Safran. With exceptional space, incredible privacy, and excellent technology, JAL’s iteration of the Safran Unity on the A350-1000 is one of the world’s best business class seats.

4

Qatar Airways

79 inches (201 centimeters)

Credit: Shutterstock

QSuite remains one of the most innovative business class products ever developed, and it was first introduced by Qatar Airways in 2017. The bespoke model, manufactured by Collins Aerospace, is a staggered layout that alternates between forward and rear-facing, with the option to retract center seat dividers and privacy partitions separating seat pairs, allowing for an open pod of four seats for families.

In addition, the center suites offer a double-bed function, while the bed length is 79 inches (201 centimeters). The suite is enclosed by partitions that are 52 inches (132 centimeters) tall, among the tallest of any business class product, and it also features large 21.5-inch (55 centimeter) screens. The suite is renowned for its privacy, premium finishes, and interior space. Not only is the bed more than long enough for almost every traveler, but it also comes with a large footwell, which means that most passengers should have no trouble getting comfortable.

In 2024, Qatar Airways unveiled the QSuite Next Gen, an update to the QSuite that’s set to debut on the Boeing 777-9 in 2027. It’s unclear if QSuite Next Gen will be retrofitted onto current aircraft in Qatar Airways’ fleet or if future Airbus A350 deliveries will feature this product. With QSuite Next Gen, passengers will be enclosed by 56-inch (142 centimeter) high privacy walls, while the window seats facing each other will now incorporate retractable dividers. In addition, the seat will include a larger screen and more charging options.

Related

What Are The Benefits Of Flying Emirates Business Class?

The benefits extend beyond the cabin and begin well before boarding.

3

JetBlue Airways

80 inches (203 centimeters)

Credit: Shutterstock

On premium transcontinental routes in the US, you’ll find a mix of international widebodies with solid international business class seats, along with Airbus A321 and Boeing 757 narrowbodies operated by the three legacy US carriers that are equipped with the Collins Aerospace Diamond, a four-abreast seat model. JetBlue has long been the exception, as its Mint business class seat is based on the Thompson Vantage.

This seat model features a staggered configuration where seats alternate between pairs of two and solo seats, meaning that four out of 16 Mint passengers have more spacious ‘throne’ style seating. The Thompson Vantage is an otherwise unremarkable seat model today, being most common on narrowbodies and Boeing 767s that can’t fit larger seats, but it is an upgrade compared to what US legacy carriers currently offer on their narrowbodies.

Furthermore, JetBlue’s iteration of the Vantage offers slightly more privacy through higher privacy screens and is most notable for offering sliding doors in the throne seats. JetBlue was the very first airline to install doors in business class, and Mint debuted in 2014, three years before QSuite.

JetBlue now offers an updated Mint Suite with privacy doors at every seat and direct aisle access on select Airbus A321neos, as well as its A321LRs. However, these seats, based on the Thompson VantageSOLO, actually come with a slightly shorter bed, at 77 inches (196 centimeters). Meanwhile, the original Mint seats found on select A3321-200s come with a uniquely long bed length of 80 inches (203 centimeters), one of the longest in the world.

2

Virgin Atlantic

82 inches (208 centimeters)

Credit: Virgin Atlantic

Virgin Atlantic currently uses three seat models for its Upper Class across its fleet. Its Airbus A330-300 and Boeing 787-9s are currently equipped with older herringbone seats, which are decades-old, while its Airbus A330-900s feature its newest interiors, with Upper Class seats being based on the Thompson Vantage XL. Meanwhile, Virgin Atlantic also operates the Airbus A350-1000, and Upper Class on these aircraft is based on the Safran Cirrus NG.

Unlike the A330neos, Virgin Atlantic’s A350-1000s do not offer privacy doors in Upper Class, but they do offer the longest bed length of any aircraft in the carrier’s fleet, at 82 inches (208 centimeters). The Safran Cirrus, previously manufactured by Zodiac Aerospace and originally by Sicma, goes back all the way to the late 2000s when it was introduced by US Airways, and the original design is still in use with Delta Air Lines on its Airbus A330-200/300 fleet.

The Cirrus NG was the final evolution of the Cirrus line before being replaced by the Versa. Just like the rest of the family, the Cirrus NG is a reverse herringbone seat, angled away from the aisle. Unlike its predecessors, however, the Cirrus NG includes a herringbone option for the center seats, an option that Virgin Atlantic selected. This is preferable for couples who like to be seated next to one another, since center seats in a reverse herringbone layout are quite far from one another.

Related

The Most Comfortable US Business Class Seats You Can Book Today

Don’t count out American Airlines.

1

Lufthansa

86 inches (218 centimeters)

Credit: Shutterstock

Lufthansa’s Allegris project includes brand-new seats in all travel classes, but the project has been far from smooth. This primarily stems from the complexity of the business class seats, as Lufthansa has partnered with three different vendors to manufacture essentially the same seats for different aircraft: Stelia Aerospace for the A350 and 747-8, Collins Aerospace for the 787, and Thompson for the 777. What’s more, there are five types of Allegris business class seats on each aircraft.

The seat itself strongly resembles the Safran Optima, but is a bespoke model for Lufthansa. Lufthansa offers passengers the choice of a Classic seat, Extra Space seat, Privacy Seat, a Suite, or an Extra Long Bed seat. These seats, located in the center section of seats in every other row in alternating positions, offer a bed length of 86 inches (218 centimeters), achieved by installing a larger footwell. This can be done because the center seats alternate between pairs of two and solo seats.

Allegris is currently available on select Airbus A350-900 and Boeing 787-9 aircraft, and will be available on the A350-1000, Boeing 747-8, and 777-9 in the future. However, it remains to be seen whether the Extra Long Bed seats will be offered on the 747, as its wider fuselage means that all seats in the center section will be in pairs of two. These seats are also available on SWISS’s A350-900s and will be installed on the carrier’s A330-300s as well as its 777-300ERs in the future, branded as SWISS Senses.