As a frequent flyer, I have been quite lucky to have been able to fly in business class a few times in my life. However, not all business class travel is made equal! While I do plan to review them all in the future, I wanted to give Qatar business class it’s own special moment because honestly, they deserve it. Spoiler alert – it is amazing. Buckle up because I go into detail on all of the aspects of flying business with Qatar Airways.
Business Class – The Itinerary:
First off, this was the longest flight I have ever flown – Geneva, Switzerland to Adelaide, Australia. The total travel time was about 23 hours with a four hour connection in Doha, Qatar. I have always heard that Emirates, Qatar, and Singapore are the crème de là crème of traveling and when I had the opportunity to fly business with them? In their Qsuite? How could I say no!
The first leg of the flight took six hours and was on their older plane that did not have the Qsuite. While Qsuite was incredible and hard to beat, the older model was pretty decent. However, I would have preferred consistency. Maybe this was because it was not a long haul flight and did not merit the new planes? Who knows.
The Flight:
Now the second leg of the trip was the big one at 13 hours and had all of the bells and whistles. It is no surprise that the flight itself was outstanding. I mean, Qsuite is top tier. Nothing beats having an actual sliding door that closes for privacy, especially when trying to fall asleep. However, even the older business class model still gave a good amount of privacy because of the layout. Both options have lots of storage, with the Q suite being top notch. You basically have space for a second person to sit next to you so you don’t feel cramped in or confined.
The movie selection was great, but honestly I am not very critical of in-flight entertainment. The air hostesses were fine, but I was not blown away. For me, it was standard for a business flight. As for the restrooms, they were very clean and smelled pleasant. I did notice that the crew tried to clean in between each guest when possible, which was lovely. They were a bit bigger than the average plane lavatory and had an array of amenities available.
As for the flight itself, the seat can be adjusted in every way possible and does include a massage function. But the best part has to be the bed, naturally. It is made by the air stewards and includes a little ‘mattress’ topper, which is always appreciated. I slept like a baby, especially during the longest leg of my trip. Nothing beats landing at your destination feeling well-rested and refreshed. Not only that, but since you get off the plane first (first class usually has private shuttles and the crew who helps them with their arrival so they are not included), I actually ended up leading the charge and being the first from my flight to get to customs. This was comforting as business luggage is ticketed priority and I always worry it will be on the carousel before I make it to baggage claim. My anxiety tends to kick in at that point and I get paranoid someone will take my luggage! This is a completely irrational fear, as it has never happened to me or anyone I know… But alas, here we are…
Food & Amenities:
Shortly after arriving at your seat, you are given a warm hand towel along with a welcome drink; champagne, water, or juice. Then, your air host or hostess will come by and either take your order or confirm it if pre-ordered online. They also ask when you would like the dining experience to start, if you’d like breakfast, and if you should be woken if asleep during a meal service. Then, you are given an assortment of mixed nuts and a beverage for the apéro. Presentation wise for the meal, you have the standard white tablecloth over the tray table, real tableware, and a proper cloth napkin. There are also these cute little LED candles which were a nice touch.
Drinks and snacks were available at all times. Alcoholic beverages wise, the list included classic cocktails, which was a surprise to me. The wine selection was top notch, too. One of my favorite wines, Whispering Angel, was available, too.
Now, for the important bits. The food on Qatar Airways was truly out of this world for being in the air, and this is speaking as a vegetarian. In general, business class traveling means a non-stop, continuous stream of food followed by a long nap and this was no exception. I am not one to let my (company’s) money go to waste, so I tend to order every course that I can within reason. However, don’t assume that they will bring out each course if you don’t ask. I had to request both the cheese plate and the dessert, especially as I ordered my meals ahead of time on the app. At one point, I had to ask my flight attendent twice for the cheese plate. To be fair, she seemed quite new. When it arrived, I was not disappointed. Truly a highlight of the flight.
Amenities wise, the kit was a bit disappointing for three out of four flights. For Qatar Business Class, I expected a proper cosmetics bag for my goodies. While I did get a lovely leather pouch for one of the longer flights, the others were just a simple cardboard box with a ribbon wrapped around it… Do better, Qatar Airways!
They have a partnership with Diptyque and you find all of the standard business class goodies inside. This includes a toothbrush and paste, an eye mask, compression socks, ear plugs, lotion, lip balm, and a little spray. I actually still use the lip balm and lotion when traveling! They are part of my carry-on cosmetics kit.
You are also given over-the-ear headphones, a large, fluffy blanket, a real pillow, pajamas and slippers from The White Company (not all airlines do this now-a-days), along with some chocolates from Läderach right before landing. I do like the variety in Qatar’s partnerships. They truly aim to give you the best quality in each category.
The Lounge:
Following a quick, streamlined customs and security process, I discovered the lounge. There are multiple in the Doha airport and I was advised by an employee to go to the Garden Lounge and boy oh boy, was he right. Right when you get off the elevators, you are greeted by a gorgeous Louis Vuitton lounge and restaurant. It is a separate cost from the lounge, but it was nice to look at all the same.
The first thing I did was take a hard left and head over to the showers as I had just flown six hours, slept a good part of it, and did not feel too fresh. I did the same on the way home. You can request a kit with a shaving razor, toothbrush, and toothpaste and off to the showers you go. This was quite a decent size, included the fluffiest towels, Diptyque shower amenities, and even a hair dryer. I was advised to reserve a slot in advance, which I forgot to do. I got lucky and there was no wait time as I was there quite early in th morning, but by the time I left, there was a line. Do keep that in mind depending on the time you will be there.
Following my shower, I grabbed a latte and a sweet had a seat in a quiet area and caught up on some work, while taking in the gorgeous garden views. Then, I decided to head on over to the opposite side of the lounge where most of the food was at. Naturally. You can order just about anything and honestly, it was a bit overwhelming! I settled for a glass of champagne and some veggie sushi, because why not.
Final Thoughts on Qatar Business Class:
Overall, this was an outstanding experience. The only thing that I can fault is the price. Obviously, this depends on where you are flying to and from, time of year, etc. My company did pay for this as it was a work trip, but the price tag is hefty regardless. If it is within your budget, I would strongly consider it for massive flights like the one I did. It does make quite the difference.
If you skip business class, I would recommend buying lounge access if you connect in Doha and have a decent amount of time there. Being able to shower in between long flights makes you feel like a human again and the overall ‘vibe’ is much more relaxed than the typical stressful airport ambiance. Not all lounges are worth it (Paris/Air France, I’m looking at you…), but this one certainly is.
Would I book business with my own money? Absolutely, but with the right travel itinerary. Actually, flying business sort of ruins you. A few weeks after this trip I flew about 12 hours to the United States in economy and it was a rough wake-up call. It was via Delta and they have you walk through business, whereas Qatar has a separate entrance. It was slighly depressing to see what we could have had, especially after having flown business recently. So, as long as it is within budget and a very long flight, I would most certainly do it again.
Interested in my trip to Australia? Make sure to check out the outfits worn for my business trip in Australia here!
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Stay Chaotic,
Tess
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