Those who fly First or Business expect more than just high-tech seats - individuality, privacy, culinary delights and warm service are what count here in a confined space. Falstaff TRAVEL has compared the leading airlines and shows who really take off with well thought-out details.
Flying can be so wonderfully comfortable and enjoyable - if you can afford a First Class or Business Class ticket and know which airline offers the most for the money on the route you want to take.
Falstaff has analyzed, compared and evaluated the top airlines ' business class - and where available, first class - offerings. The Gold List of the top ten premium airlines provides an indication of how a gradation in product quality can be weighted. In the end, of course, it's all a matter of taste.
The airline from the Southeast Asian city-state has always been a promise of service - and the way Singapore Airlines (SIA) delivers on this promise in its premium classes on practically every trip, always reliably and at a high level, is an unrivaled phenomenon in the industry. No one else offers innovations such as "Book the Cook", which allows each passenger to choose their favorite dish for a flight from a large menu card in advance (bestseller: Lobster Thermidor). The First Suite with a swivel chair and a fixed bed in the Airbus A 380 is second to none, and from 2026 SIA will again be bringing new standards on board with new compartments in First Class and Business Class in its A 350 and Boeing 777-9. Internet access in flight has recently become free for premium passengers, another mosaic stone on the way to perfection - coupled with the legendarily efficient handling at the home airport in Singapore Changi, buying an SIA ticket offers the best chances of an extremely comfortable journey.
The airline from the gas-rich mini-emirate on the Persian Gulf with the size of Schleswig-Holstein is a big player when it comes to comfort - Qatar Airways has shaken up the premium airline market in recent years and cleverly positioned the Doha hub. The Arab airline is always good for the next round of innovations: recent headlines included "Caviar in Business Class too" and "Fast Starlink Internet free on board". At Qatar, luxury in the sky starts with the little things: Where else is there a selection of white or rosé champagne (the latter in the company colors, so to speak) before take-off? The business compartments with sliding doors - known as "QSuite" - have been groundbreaking to this day. With so much privacy in Business, you no longer need First Class; Qatar therefore only offers this on board the A 380. The revised "QSuite NextGen" will then arrive in 2026, which for the first time offers the option of setting up private compartments for two or four passengers in Business Class, depending on how many passengers want to travel together.
Founded 40 years ago (as the first airline in the Persian Gulf), the Dubai-based airline invented and perfected the concept of global connections via an Arab hub. Emirates ' most important aircraft to date is the Airbus A 380, of which the company operates over a hundred; and it is still the only airline to offer two shower compartments for First Class passengers in the A 380. The Onboard Lounge at the rear of the upper deck is also open to Business Class guests and is a unique place to pass the time on board in a pleasant way. Emirates is currently renewing its business class and offering appropriate privacy. Another new feature is the availability of caviar in unlimited quantities in First Class. Despite its size, Emirates manages to consistently offer a uniquely high standard of service.
Japan is the country of seemingly almost perfect service quality. Both major Japanese airlines, Japan Airlines (JAL) and All Nippon Airways (ANA), offer exceptional quality for the money in both premium classes. JAL makes it onto this list because it is setting new standards in Business Class and First Class with its new Airbus A 350-1000; ten aircraft of this type are currently flying. The new seats are industry-leading - in both classes, for example, they have loudspeakers integrated into the headrests so that you can enjoy sound without headphones. In First Class, there is one narrow and one wide seat (which can be extended to form a spacious bed) next to each other in each compartment. In addition, there is the high school of Japanese culinary art in the in-flight menus and the extremely pleasant hub airport Tokyo-Haneda, which is very close to the city.
Due to the closed Russian airspace, the geographical advantage of Asian flights from Helsinki is gone - they now take even longer from the far north than from anywhere else. Nevertheless, Finnair can score points: The excellent, manageable Helsinki hub airport makes transferring a pleasure. Although Finnair does not offer First Class, the airline sets standards for seating and service in its innovative Business Class on long-haul routes: the seat is a spacious cocoon with a fixed backrest, which everyone can upholster with cushions to their liking. Very friendly and efficient service complements the excellent technical equipment of the seats, rounded off by appealing Finnish accents such as wash bags from Marimekko and tableware from Iittala. One minus: even in Business Class, Internet use is only free for one hour.
This airline is one of the traditional Asian brands - with an excellent reputation. The Hong Kong site has not had an easy time in recent years and the home company has not fared any better. Everything is in place for a strong performance: a hub in Hong Kong that usually functions excellently and a first-class service culture. Cathay, which only offers First Class on a relatively small number of Boeing 777-300s, has now hit the jackpot with its new business class product; the "Aria" suite is considered to be an absolute success and impresses with its elegant design and high-tech, without being overwhelming. It offers innovations such as an interactive map that shows which toilets on board are currently free. Currently only available in Europe from/to London; all Boeing 777-300 ERs are to be equipped with it from the end of 2026.
There is hardly any way around Istanbul as a hub, which has recently become the best-connected airport in the world - and therefore not without Turkish Airlines. The national airline holds the world record for destinations, currently over 350 in more than 130 countries around the world. Premium customers in Business Class (there is no First Class) will find Turkish an impressive product on the ground and in the air, phenomenal in its consistency. On board long-haul aircraft and on many shorter routes, free Internet is offered from gate to gate, even on the ground, as well as live TV programs. The suites in the Boeing 787 and Airbus A350 fleets offer a great deal of privacy, while the conversion of the large Boeing 777 fleet is underway. There is even a fully-fledged Business compartment on European flights. One of Turkish's great strengths is its cuisine; on most routes there is even a dedicated chef on board who prepares the meals and caters to requests - unique in the industry. Even if the distances at Istanbul's huge airport are exceptionally long; once you've made it into the lavish lounge complex, you'll never want to leave...
Long overshadowed by the large Emirates in neighboring Dubai, Etihad Airways from Abu Dhabi has established itself as the second premium airline in the United Arab Emirates following a relaunch. The futuristic new airport terminal in Abu Dhabi in particular is a delight and more clearly laid out than Dubai; the lounge, which includes direct access to the A 380, is also top class. The A-380 First Class ("The Apartment") is surpassed by "The Residence", a "three-room apartment", as the airline puts it, with a bedroom and shower. New at Etihad (now also to Düsseldorf and Zurich) is luxury on board smaller aircraft on long-haul routes. The new Airbus A 321 LR with more range offers two full First suites in the front as well as 14 business class compartments - and privacy almost like in a business jet.
Savoir-vivre à la française is hard to beat - and who could embody this better than Air France? The historical trademark of Hippolyte (a winged horse), which is now increasingly reappearing, also symbolizes elegance and style. The French bring most of this to their recently upgraded First Class "La Première", which creates inimitable privacy and lightness in its extremely comfortable suites with simple curtains instead of heavy sliding doors. The latest version has an ottoman that can be extended into a bed, plus a seat opposite. While "La Première", including the world's best First Lounge in Paris (with Michelin-starred cuisine and spa), is only available on a few routes, Air France's latest business class is also impressive: with tricolor mood lighting and a selection of sorbet for dessert, it's also très chic!
The crane can do it! Lufthansa will be one hundred years old in 2026 and has many construction sites - but the new "Allegris" cabin gives hope and shows that the German airline can also offer contemporary premium comfort. Unfortunately, and this is not only Lufthansa's fault, the introduction is progressing slowly; it is expected to take until the end of 2028 to convert all jets. But those who experience "Allegris" have an aha experience: in business class there are now (slightly confusingly) up to seven different seat types, some at extra cost; the business suites and privacy seats by the window are the best options. The First Class with three spacious compartments (a lavish double suite in the middle) represents a quantum leap. Coupled with the exclusive First Class Terminal in Frankfurt and the formidable First Lounge in Munich, Lufthansa has a winner on its anniversary.
