While flying business class is something that many of us will never get to experience, it can make for a nice treat for a special occasion.
But which airports and airlines offer the best experience for business class travelers?
New study has ranked the top airlines for business class travel in the world, based on factors such as cabin & seat comfort, inflight service, inflight entertainment and amenities & facilities to reveal the best airlines for business class travel in the world.
The 10 best business class airlines in the world
| Rank | Airline | Average score /10 |
| 1 | Singapore Airlines | 9.57 |
| 2 | Qatar Airways | 9.29 |
| 3 | Cathay Pacific | 9.00 |
| 4 | Turkish Airlines | 8.86 |
| 5 | Etihad Airways | 8.71 |
| 5 | Emirates | 8.71 |
| 7 | Asiana | 8.57 |
| 7 | Japan Airlines | 8.57 |
| 7 | ANA | 8.57 |
| 10 | Air New Zealand | 8.43 |
| 10 | Thai Airways | 8.43 |
| 10 | Hainan Airlines | 8.43 |
| 10 | Virgin Atlantic | 8.43 |
| 10 | Delta | 8.43 |
US-based Delta Air Lines, ranks in the top 10 best airlines in joint 10th place, joined by Air New Zealand, Thai Airways, Hainan Airlines and Virgin Atlantic, which all have an overall score of 8.43 out of 10.
The airline that has the highest overall score is Singapore Airlines, with a score of 9.57 out of 10. Singapore Airlines has been synonymous with luxury since taking to the skies almost 50 years ago, scoring 10 out of 10 for both its cuisine and beverages. The airline also gained a perfect score for its service and entertainment too.
In second place is Qatar Airways, with an average score of 9.29 out of 10. Qatar unveiled a new business class cabin called “Qsuite” in 2017, offering passengers sliding doors for total privacy as well as double beds, allowing passengers to be able to create their own private room. Qatar scored a perfect 10 out of 10 in two categories: cuisine and service.
The 10 worst business class airlines in the world
| Rank | Airline | Average score /10 |
| 1 | Egyptair | 5.71 |
| 2 | Copa Airlines | 6.71 |
| 3 | Air China | 7.14 |
| 4 | Royal Air Maroc | 7.29 |
| 5 | Kenya Airways | 7.43 |
| 5 | Iberia | 7.43 |
| 5 | Ethiopian Airlines | 7.43 |
| 8 | Royal Jordanian | 7.57 |
| 8 | LOT – Polish Airlines | 7.57 |
| 8 | American Airlines | 7.57 |
Another US based airline, American Airlines, ranks in the top 10 worst airlines in joint eighth place, joined by Royal Jordanian and LOT – Polish Airlines, which all have an overall score of 7.57 out of 10.
Egyptair has the lowest average score across all categories resulting in a score of 5.71. While the airline has recently invested in new aircraft for some routes, much of its fleet is outdated at this point. Also, it scored particularly poorly for its beverages, largely due no alcohol being served on their flights for religious reasons, with a score of 4 out of 10.
In second place (albeit a significant improvement over Egyptair) is Copa Airlines, the flag carrier of Panama, with an average score of 6.71 out of 10. Copa scored a respectable 7 out of 10 for the majority of factors, although was let down slightly by its inflight service and entertainment options.
Further study insights:
- The best business class airport is Heathrow Airport, situated in London, United Kingdom. Heathrow has the highest number of lounges at 43 and a wide range of 239 destinations to choose from, giving it an overall score of 7.10
- Ninoy Aquino International Airport in the Philippines is the worst business class airport in the world with an overall score of 0.88 out of 10. It ranks bottom for the number of destinations, on-time performance, and rating from Skytrax.
