The World’s 10 Best Business Class Seats

I like to publish a list of what I consider to be the world's best first class airlines, best first class lounges, best business class seats, etc.

I wanted to provide an updated ranking of what I consider to be the world's best business class seats.

Business class seats have changed a lot.

Over the past several years, we have seen a lot of innovation when it comes to business class seats, with some of the world's best seats having only recently been introduced.

Over the past 20 years, we have seen business class seats go from recliners to flat beds, to seats with aisle access, to suites with doors. Premium economy cabins are not that different from business class of 20 years ago.

I wanted to share an updated post with what I consider to be the world's best business class seats.

What makes a business class seat good?

Since not everyone is looking for the same thing when flying, I think creating a formula for ranking these seats would be too subjective.

Direct aisle access from every seat is a favorite of some people. Some people love to sit next to their travel companion. Some people like seats with doors. Others don't like them. The list continues.

What goes into my decision as to what I consider to be the best seats in business class? A fully flat bed with direct aisle access from at least most seats is a given to make this list.

Business class is about the bed, so a comfortable sleeping surface is the most important factor. There is a lot of space for my feet, since some airlines are developing seats with small footwells.
I care about the ability to maximize privacy, though others don't. I find it awkward to sleep next to strangers on the ground, and the same applies in the air, because I have the choice of taking a seat that offers more privacy over one that doesn't.
I wonder if the person who designed the business class seat has ever been in business class before, because the design doesn't have great attention to detail. How easy it is to use the tray table, where buttons are located, how good the lighting is, and more are some of the things I am talking about.
It is important that seats are different for different occasions so that you can travel with your family or with a companion. It is great to have a lot of privacy, but exceptional airlines have designed their cabins in such a way that you can choose whether you want to sit alone or next to someone else.
There is something to be said for a cabin that is stylish and beautiful.
I won't be able to cover this thoroughly since I'll be talking about seats that are used by many airlines. For any airline product, individual air nozzles make a huge difference in terms of being able to sleep comfortably, given how warm the cabins are.

OMAAT seat rankings are why you should trust them.

Hopefully I don't have to explain this to regular OMAAT readers, but I feel like this is worth mentioning for those who aren't regular readers...

I see media outlets ranking the best business class seats, but they usually just use stock images and descriptions of their seats, rather than actually seeing them.

I am not saying you need to agree with my rankings, but I am sharing my honest and informed take here.

I pay for my flights with cash or miles.
I don't let the airlines know that I'm reviewing their products, and go out of my way to remain anonymous.
I have flown business class hundreds of times, and have tried virtually every kind of seat out there, so have a lot of context for what makes a great seat.
I don't have a financial relationship with any airline.
I have been reviewing airlines for over 15 years and have written hundreds of flight reviews.

The world's 10 best business class seats.

I think that the world's best business class seats are number ten to one. Before I do that, I have just a few final notes.

I will only be listing each type of seat once, even if there are minor differences, because some of the seats are only available on one airline.
I will refer to it by the seat name if it is a situation where multiple airlines have the same seat.
I have a hard time deciding which seat in a configuration to judge, for example, Singapore Airlines' bulkhead business class seats are phenomenal, while the rest of the seats aren't nearly as good; so I'll be judging seat variations only if at least an average of the seats is
This list is about the seat, not the other things.

The top business class seat is listed here.

10. The old business class of Air Arabia.

The only seat on the list that has been around for over a decade is the one that is cutting edge business class seats. One of my favorite airlines is Oman Air, and some of their planes have spacious business class seats. They are in a 1-2-1 configuration and remind me of what first class used to be like.

The comfort, storage, and spaciousness of the seats are comparable to any new seat today. It is a blast from the past. The seats won't be around for long as the planes are being re-CONFIGURED to replace them with Apex Suites.

This seat can be found on select A330s. No other airlines have this product.

The cabin of the Air Arabia is A330.

The business class seat is on the Air.

9. A380 business class on Singapore Airlines.

New cabins are offered by Singapore Airlines on its A380s. The new seat in business class is better than the old one. The cabin is beautiful, the seats are spacious, and there is plenty of privacy even though the seats don't have doors. The center seats can be turned into double beds for couples traveling together.

The problem? You need to sleep at a strange angle because the sleeping surface is hard. I don't find this seat to be particularly comfortable for sleeping.

This seat is available on most Singapore Airlines A380s. No other airlines have this product.

The A380 is a business class cabin.

Business class seat on Singapore Airlines.

Business class seats on Singapore Airlines.

8. The Zodiac seat is called the Optima.

The new Polaris business class seats are being installed on long haul aircraft. Every other row of the plane has private window seats, and the center section has honeymoon seats. The seats are comfortable. The footwell is on the tight side, and they are not particularly spacious.

This seat is available on all United Airlines flights, as well as on select flights. Air France plans to install these seats on some of its planes. The seats on the 787-9s and A330-900neos are the same as those on the ELAL.

The United Airlines Polaris cabin is business class.

United Airlines Polaris business class seat.

United Airlines Polaris business class seat.

7. The Mint Suites are from the airline.

I put this seat on the list because it is heavily tailored, and because I think it is a different product than the other one.

The first business class seat has a door. The first airline to introduce this was a low cost carrier with narrow body aircraft that didn't have a premium cabin.

Mint Suites are available on a first come, first served basis, and are located in the traditional Mint cabin. The cabin has a door and plenty of storage. The footwell is pretty tight, which is the main downside to the seat.

The all new business class product is on the A321LRs, which are used for trans-Atlantic flights. The new Mint Suite isn't a better product than the old one, and the Mint Studio doesn't meet my threshold of being an average of one of the seats per row.

This seat is available on select A321s. Other airlines have put the same staggered seats on A321s, but they haven't added doors. No other airlines have this product.

The cabin of the airline is called the Mint business class cabin.

The seat in the business class is Mint.

The seat in the business class is Mint.

6. The business studio is for Etihad Airways.

The business class seat that is currently in service is a modified staggered configuration, with seats alternating between being closer to the aisle and closer to the windows. When traveling alone, I like to sit in the window seats, while many people travel with a companion in the middle of the cabin.

What makes the Business Studio different from other configurations? The seat functions are thoughtfully designed, the seat is spacious, and there is a good amount of privacy.

This seat is available on all of the Etihad planes, but they may not fly again because of the grounding of the A380s. No other airlines have this product.

The business class cabin of the airline is called the 787.

The business class seat is on the airlines.

5. The seat has a door.

The Delta One Suite is a business class suite with a door. Similar to what you will find on Philippine Airlines, Qantas, RwandAir, and SAS, Delta uses a modified Vantage XL seat.

The addition of a door makes the seat an evolved version of it. The seats are well designed and private.

The seat is a bit rough around the edges, the doors are low, and the window seats lack storage. This is a very good product, but there is more that could have been done with the finishes.

This seat is available on all Delta A350-900s and A330-900neos. China Eastern and Shanghai Airlines both have these seats on 787-9s.

The A350 is a business class cabin.

One business class seat in Delta.

One business class seat in Delta.

4. British Airways Club Suites are business class.

British Airways made a quantum leap with its business class hard product in 2019, when it went from a product that it had for nearly two decades, to a brand new reverse herringbone seat with a door.

The seat is a standard Collins Aerospace reverse herringbone seat. I won't include the seat on the list since it's an evolved version of that, and you can find it on many airlines.

I like reverse herringbone seats because they are virtually identical and there are no bad seats. The seats have plenty of privacy, the window seats face the windows, and the seats are comfortable regardless of whether you are relaxing or sleeping. The center seats are quite private, so they aren't ideal for traveling with someone.

The seat has a door, and that is a nice feature. You don't have to use the door if you don't want to, or if you find it too claustrophobic.

This seat is available on all British Airways A350-1000s and 787-10s, and on select 777s, as many planes will be reconfigured with these seats in the coming years. The A350-1000s are grounded because the product installed on them is similar to the one installed on the other planes.

British Airways Club Suites are business class cabins.

British Airways Club Suites are business class seats.

British Airways Club Suites are business class seats.

3. The suites are called the Apex Suites.

You may think that the seats at the Apex Suites are just average business class seats, but they don't look that impressive. The 2-2-2 configuration will be used on the 787. The window seats feature an incredible amount of privacy and personal space, which makes them superior. You can raise or lower the partition between the window seats to give you full privacy.

You have to sleep with your feet in a small footwell for many other business class seats, and in an Apex Suite you have an unlimited amount of space for your feet. If you travel with someone, you can choose an aisle and window seat, but you won't have the same level of privacy in the aisle seat.

This seat can be found on Gulf Air (787-9s), Japan Airlines (select 777s and 787-9s), Korean Air (787-9s, 787-9s, and 787-9s), and Oman Air (787-9s, 787-9s, and 787-9s).

Korean Air business class has seating.

Korean Air business class seat.

2. The business class of the airline is called Qsuites.

The new standard for business class at the time was set by the Qsuite. It is private, spacious, stylish, and has plenty of storage, and everything is thoughtfully designed.

The suites are so changeable that they really seal the deal. If you are traveling with a group of four, you can create a huge suite with a quad, double bed, and window seat.

The new business class seat on the 787-9s looks great, but I am not sure if it is comparable to Qsuites. I hope to fly it soon.

This seat is available on all of the Qatar Airways A350-1000s, as well as on some of the A350-900s, the A350-LRs, and the 777-300ERs. No other airlines have this product.

The business class cabin is A350.

The business class seat is on the Qsuites.

The business class seat is on the Qsuites.

1. The business class is called The Room.

The new first and business seats on All Nippon Airways are simply amazing, and they were introduced in the summer of 2019.

The business class suite is better than many first class suites and I feel like airline products have come full circle. I didn't think anyone could beat the Qsuite, but ANA did.

This seat is only available on ANA's select ANA 777-300ERs, and more are expected to be retrofitted with these seats. No other airlines have this product.

Business class cabin of ANA.

Business class seat in ANA.

Business class seat in ANA.

I think the 10 best business class seats are there. Some seats are specific to one airline while others are the same for many airlines.

The rankings are very subjective, and on a given day I could see the order of some of them being changed, depending on whether I am traveling with someone or not.

What do you think are the best seats in business class? How does your list compare to mine?