At Travel-Dealz, we don’t only offer you flights to a wide variety of destinations, but we also offer a diverse selection of airlines that you could fly with. Nevertheless, many of these airlines are rather unknown for many readers, and one would actually like to know what to expect. After all, it’s not supposed to just be any business class flight, but a particularly great one!
That is why we have created a quick overview here, showing all differences that the business class has with regard to the aircraft type, seat pitch, alignment, formation, and have put those in a table with the facts about most business class seats. Below the table, we’ve gone into more detail for 28 of the 50 airlines.
Airline | Aircraft | Pitch | Alignment | Formation |
---|---|---|---|---|
Aer Lingus Business Class | A330-200 | 180° | Classic | 1-2-1 |
A330-300 | 180° | Classic | 1-2-2 | |
Aeroflot President Class | 777 | 180° | Classic | 2-2-2 |
A330 | Angled | Classic | 2-2-2 | |
Aeromexico Clase Premier | 787-8 | 180° | Classic | 2-2-2 |
787-9 | 180° | Rev. Herringbone | 1-2-1 | |
Air Astana Business Class | 767 | 180° | Classic | 1-2-1 |
Air Austral Club Austral | 777 | 180° | Classic | 2-3-2 |
787 | 180° | Classic | 2-2-2 | |
Air Belgium Business Class | A340 | 180° | Classic | 1-2-1 2-2-1 |
Air Canada Signature Class Details | A330 767 | 180° | Classic | 1-1-1 |
777 787 | 180° | Rev. Herringbone | 1-2-1 | |
Air China Capital Pavillon | A330 777-300 787 | 180° | Classic | 2-2-2 |
A350 | 180° | Rev. Herringbone | 1-2-1 | |
Business Class | 747 | Angled | Classic | 2-2 |
777-200 | Angled | Classic | 2-2-2 | |
Air Europa Club Business | A330 | Angled | Classic | 2-2-2 |
787 | 180° | Classic | 2-2-2 | |
Air France Business Class Details | 787 | 180° | Rev. Herringbone | 1-2-1 |
A350 | 180° | Others | 1-2-1 | |
777 | Various | Various | Various | |
A330 | 180° | Classic | 2-2-2 | |
Air India Executive Class | 787 | 180° | Classic | 2-2-2 |
747 | Angled | Classic | 2-2 | |
Air New Zealand Business Premier | 777 | 180° | Herringbone | 1-2-1 |
787 | 180° | Herringbone | 1-1-1 | |
Alitalia Business Class Details | A330 777 | 180° | Classic | 1-2-1 |
American Airlines Flagship Business Details | A330 777 787 | 180° | Rev. Herringbone | 1-2-1 |
ANA Business Class Details | A380 777 | 180° | Classic | 1-2-1 |
787 | 180° | Classic | Various | |
Asiana Airlines Business Smartium | A350 A380 | 180° | Classic | 1-2-1 |
A330 | Angled | Classic | 2-2-2 | |
767 | Angled | Classic | 2-1-2 | |
Austrian Business Class Details | 767 | 180° | Classic | 1-2-1 |
777 | 180° | Classic | Various | |
Avianca Business Class | 787 | 180° | Herringbone | 1-2-1 |
Azul Business | A330 | 180° | Classic | 1-2-1 |
British Airways Club World Details | A380 777 | 180° | Classic | 2-4-2 |
787 | 180° | Classic | 1-1-1 1-2-1 | |
Club World Suite Details | A350 | 180° | Rev. Herringbone | 1-2-1 |
Brussels Airlines Business Class | A330 | 180° | Classic | 1-2-1 2-1-2 |
Cathay Pacific Business Class Details | A350 777 | 180° | Rev. Herringbone | 1-2-1 |
A330 | 180° | Various | 2-2-2 | |
Condor Business Class Details | 767 | Angled | Classic | 2-2-2 |
Czech Airlines Business Class | A330 | 180° | Classic | 2-2-2 |
Delta Delta One Details | A350 A330neo 767 | 180° | Classic | 1-2-1 |
A330 | 180° | Rev. Herringbone | 1-2-1 | |
Edelweiss Business Class | A330 A340 | 180° | Classic | 1-2-1 2-2-1 |
Emirates Business Class Details | A380 | 180° | Various | 1-2-1 |
777 | Various | Classic | Various | |
Ethiopian Airlines Business Class | A350 | 180° | Classic | 2-2-2 |
787 | Angled | Classic | 2-2-2 | |
Etihad Business – Details | 787 777 A380 A330 | 180° | Classic | 1-2-1 |
EVA Air Royal Laurel Class | 777 | 180° | Rev. Herringbone | 1-2-1 |
787 | 180° | Classic | 1-2-1 | |
Finnair Nordic Business Class Details | A350 | 180° | Rev. Herringbone | 1-2-1 |
A330 | 180° | Classic | 1-2-1 2-2-1 | |
Garuda Indonesia Business Class | 777 | 180° | Classic | 1-2-1 |
Iberia Business Plus Details | A330 A340 A350 | 180° | Classic | 1-2-1 |
Icelandair Saga Premium Details | 757 737 | Recliner | Classic | 2-2 |
767 | Recliner | Classic | 2-1-2 | |
Kenya Airways Premier World | 787 | 180° | Classic | 2-2-2 |
KLM World Business Class Details | 777 | 180° | Classic | 2-2-2 |
787 | 180° | Rev. Herringbone | 1-2-1 | |
A330 | Various | Classic | 2-2-2 | |
Korean Air Prestige – Details | A330 A380 747 787 | 180° | Classic | 2-2-2 |
777 | Various | Classic | Various | |
LATAM Premium Business | A350 | 180° | Classic | 2-2-2 |
777 | 180° | Classic | 1-2-1 | |
LOT Business Class Details | 787 | 180° | Classic | 2-2-2 |
Lufthansa Business Class Details | A330 A340 A350 | 180° | Classic | 2-2-2 |
747 unten | 180° | Classic | 2-2-2 | |
747 oben | 180° | Classic | 2-2 | |
Malaysia Airlines Business Class | A380 | 180° | Classic | 2-2-2 |
Oman Air Business Class | A330 | 180° | Classic | 1-2-1 |
787 | 180° | Classic | 2-2-2 | |
Qantas Business Class Details | 787 A330 | 180° | Classic | 1-2-1 |
A380 | 180° | Classic | 2-2-2 | |
Qatar Airways Business Class Details | A380 A350 787 | 180° | Rev. Herringbone | 1-2-1 |
777 | 180° | Classic | 2-2-2 | |
SAS SAS Business Details | A330 A340 A350 | 180° | Classic | 1-2-1 |
Saudia Business Class | A330 | 180° | Classic | 2-2-2 |
777 | 180° | Classic | 2-3-2 | |
787 | 180° | Rev. Herringbone | 1-2-1 | |
Singapore Airlines Business Class Details | A350 A380 777 787 | 180° | Classic | 1-2-1 |
A330 | Angled | Classic | 2-2-2 | |
SWISS Business Class Details | 777 | 180° | Classic | 1-2-2 |
A330 A340 | 180° | Classic | 1-2-1 2-2-1 | |
TAP Portugal Executive Class Details | A330 & A321LR | 180° | Various | Various |
Thai Airways Royal Silk Details | A350 A380 | 180° | Classic | 1-2-1 |
787 | 180° | Classic | 2-2-2 | |
777 | Various | Classic | Various | |
747 | 170° | Classic | 2-2 | |
Turkish Airlines Business Class Details | A330 | 180° | Various | 2-2-2 |
A350 787 | 180° | Classic | 1-2-1 | |
777 | 180° | Classic | 2-3-2 | |
A340 | Angled | Classic | 2-2-2 | |
United Airlines New Polaris Details | 767 777 787 | 180° | Other | 1-1-1 1-2-1 1-2-1 |
Old Polaris Details | 757 767 777 787 | 180° | Classic | 2-2 2-1-2 2-2-2 2-2-2 |
Domestic / Pacific Details | 777 | 180° | Classic | 2-4-2 |
Vietnam Airlines Business Class | A350 | 180° | Classic | 1-2-1 |
787 | 180° | Rev. Herringbone | 1-2-1 |
Table of Contents
- What can you Expect in Every Business Class?
- Where are the Biggest Differences?
- Different Versions at the Same Airline
- 28 Airlines in a Detailed Comparison
What can you Expect in Every Business Class?
While there may be very big differences between the airlines regarding the seats, there are other aspects under which all airlines are similar. Almost every business class flight includes benefits like lounge access, better food, more baggage allowance, priority boarding & check-in, as well as usually access to a security “fast-lane” and preferred luggage handling. Even the seats have certain aspects that are quite standard by now, e.g. power sockets.
Where are the Biggest Differences?
Depending on when the business class seat was designed and installed by the airline, there may currently be enormous differences. For instance, British Airways was an absolute front-runner when it introduced lie-flat-seats 20 years ago. Today, those seats, often installed in a 2-4-2 formation, are mostly seen as small and old. Also, technology, e.g. the size of the screen, can quickly be outdated. The most important point, however, is usually if a seat can be converted into a flat bed.
Another hot topic nowadays is having direct access to the aisle from every seat – which is why the 1-2-1 formation is on the rise. The trend toward Suite seats (seats with a door) for more privacy has also been implemented by many airlines by now. While all seats were facing forward in the olden days (classic), the seats are now often diagonally facing the aisle (herringbone) or the window (reverse herringbone).
But not only the seat is decisive. The airlines also differ from each other in other details: noise-cancelling headphones, free Wi-Fi, a particularly good amenity kit and other extras are offered to make the flight especially comfortable.
Different Versions at the Same Airline
To keep up with the competitors, the technological innovations, as well as the passengers’ wishes, most airlines will renew their business class every 10-20 years. Nevertheless, installing a new business class is not a process that’s completed within a couple of days. It can easily take various years until all planes of the fleet get the new version. For some airplane types, which aren’t expected to be used for much longer, the airlines might often not even bother to switch to the new business class, thus reducing their expenses.
This leads to many airlines having different business class seats installed in their planes instead of a single version. This can sometimes lead to confusion, especially when different business classes can be found in the same aircraft type.
The soft product (food, amenity kit, etc.) should, however, always be roughly the same at the airline, no matter what year the seat has been designed in.
28 Airlines in a Detailed Comparison
Air Canada
The Canadian Star Alliance member Air Canada has three business class versions: an old one, which is mostly disappearing, and two modern versions. We can recommend the flights in the Boeing 787, as you’ll be guaranteed a business class experience which is up to the current expectations. Travel-Dealz founder Johannes flew from Copenhagen to Toronto with the 787-Dreamliner and was generally very satisfied.
Seat angle | 180°, completely horizontal |
Alignment | 1-1-1 in the A330 & Boeing 767 1-2-1 / 2-2-2 in the Boeing 777 1-2-1 in the Boeing 787 |
Bed length | 191 cm in the A330 & Boeing 767 191 / 203 cm in the Boeing 777 203 cm in the Boeing 787 |
Width | 52 cm in the A330 & Boeing 767 52 / 53 cm in the Boeing 777 53 cm in the Boeing 787 |
Reviews | Boeing 787 (One Mile At A Time), Boeing 777 (The Points Guy), A330 (princeoftravel.com) |
Baggage allowance | 2 x 32 kg |
Air France
Before Covid-19, Air France still had 4 different business class versions, but now, as the A380 & A340 have left the fleet, only 3 remain. The business class in the A380 was no longer up to today’s standards, unlike the business class that’s installed in the Boeing 787-Dreamliner and Airbus A350, which is modern and comfortable. This business class is now continuously being installed in other Air France planes as well.
Seat angle | 180°, completely horizontal in the Boeing 787, Airbus A350, Airbus A330 175° / 180° in the Boeing 777 |
Alignment | 2-2-2 in the Airbus A330 2-3-2 / 1-2-1 in the Boeing 777 1-2-1 in the Boeing 787 and Airbus A350 |
Bed length | 196 cm in the Boeing 787 198 cm in the Airbus A330 & A350 196 / 200 cm in the Boeing 777 |
Width | 54 cm in the Airbus A330 55 cm in the Boeing 777 & 787 57 cm in the Airbus A350 |
Legroom | 155 cm |
Reviews | Boeing 777 (thepointsguy.com), Boeing 787 (thepointsguy.com), A330 (thepointsguy.com) |
Baggage allowance | 2 x 32 kg |
Alitalia
The Italian SkyTeam member Alitalia manages to survive over and over again, and despite its questionable image, its business class is absolutely not bad. All Magnifica seats are roughly the same: very nice but possibly problematic for big people, as the seat only extends to a bed of 185 to 189 cm.
Seat angle | 180°, completely horizontal |
Alignment | 1-2-1 |
Bed length | 185 / 189 cm in the A330 189 cm in the Boeing 777 |
Width | 53 cm in the A330 56 cm in the Boeing 777 |
Legroom | 110 / 145 cm in the A330 117 cm in the Boeing 777 |
Reviews | Boeing 777 (Travel Update), A330 (One Mile At A Time) |
Baggage allowance | 2 x 32 kg |
American Airlines
Even if American Airlines doesn’t enjoy a good reputation for many, its business class is very good. Every seat has direct access to the aisle and the service, as well as the food and the seat, are at a very high standard. Travel-Dealz founder Johannes tested the Boeing 777 and really enjoyed the flight.
Seat angle | 180°, completely horizontal |
Alignment | 1-2-1 |
Bed length | 195 cm |
Width | 52 cm in the A330 52 / 53 cm in the Boeing 777 53 cm in the Boeing 787 |
Legroom | 122 cm in the A330 152 cm in the Boeing 787 109 / 152 cm in the Boeing 777 |
Reviews | Boeing 777 (the Luxury Travel Expert), Boeing 787 (Point Hacks), A330 (Travel Codex) |
Baggage allowance | 2 x 32 kg |
ANA – All Nippon Airways
You’ll usually sit and lie in ANA‘s Business Staggered when flying from Europe to Japan. The seats are wide and offer ludicrous amounts of space for your personal items. Nevertheless, many of the seats are already over 10 years old, and it shows in some places. At least you always have direct access to the aisle, always either sitting right next to the window (recommended for more privacy) or directly at the aisle. Otherwise, many planes still have the old business class installed, which cannot be transformed into a completely flat bed, and then there’s the brand new THE Room class, in which the seat is unbelievably wide. Unbeatable for sleeping, sometimes unnecessarily wide for sitting. Additionally, they’ve installed a 24-inch 4K-screen and every other row is facing backward. As the seat is still only available on very select flights (from Frankfurt, London, and New York), we haven’t included it (yet) in our table.
Seat angle | 170° / 180° in the Boeing 777 180° in the Boeing 787 |
Alignment | 2-3-2 / 1-2-1 in the Boeing 777 1-1-1 / 1-2-1 in the Boeing 787 |
Bed length | 185 / 190 cm in the Boeing 777 190 cm in the Boeing 787 |
Width | 49 / 65 cm in the Boeing 777 49 cm in the Boeing 787 |
Legroom | 111 / 165 cm in the Boeing 777 111 cm in the Boeing 787 |
Reviews | Boeing 777 (UpgradedPoints), Boeing 787 (One Mile At A Time) |
Baggage allowance | 2 x 32 kg |
Austrian Airlines
The Austrian business class may not be known by many, but all seats are at a consistently high standard. The Boeing 767, as well as the Boeing 777, are both equipped with the same seats, which are not only comfortable but also offer a good sleeping experience. The catering is also said to be especially good.
Seat angle | 180°, completely horizontal |
Alignment | 1-2-1 in the Boeing 767 1-2-1 / 2-2-2 in the Boeing 777 |
Bed length | 2 m |
Width | 51 cm |
Legroom | 112 cm |
Reviews | Boeing 777 (the Luxury Travel Expert), Boeing 767 (Airline Reporter) |
Baggage allowance | 2 x 32 kg |
British Airways
British Airways was the first airline to offer lie-flat seats – over 20 years ago. Sadly, many seats are still from that time and no longer reach today’s standards in other aspects. Especially in the Boeing 747, the seats were extremely narrow. Furthermore, it is unusual that every other seat is facing backward. If you, however, fly in a plane that has the new Club World seats installed, you’ll be flying in a much better product, sometimes even with Suite seats that offer a lot of privacy. A general downside at British Airways: there is no free seat reservation, which is unusual for a business class.
Seat angle | 180°, completely horizontal |
Alignment | 1-2-1 in the A350 Alternating 1-1-1 and 1-2-1 in the Boeing 787 2-4-2 in the A380 (Main Deck) & Boeing 777 2-3-2 in the A380 (Upper Deck) 2-2-2 in the Boeing 767 |
Bed length | 200 cm in the A350 183 cm in the A380, Boeing 787, 777 & 767 |
Width | 69 cm in the A350 63 / 51 cm in the Boeing 787 63 cm in the A380, Boeing 777 & 767 |
Legroom | 201 cm in the A350 183 cm in the A380, Boeing 787, 777 & 767 |
Reviews | Boeing 747 (The Points Guy), A350 (One Mile At A Time) A380 (youngtravelershongkong.com), Boeing 787 (theluxurytravelexpert.com), Boeing 777 (godsavethepoints.com) |
Baggage allowance | 2 x 32 kg |
Cathay Pacific
Hong Kongese airline Cathay Pacific started equipping its planes with a new business class in 2011. By now, this process has been completed. Therefore, you’ll always sit in a modern seat, which can naturally also be converted into a flat bed (as long as you’re not sitting in a regional flight). Nevertheless, the business class is still only slightly above average – as Travel-Dealz author Dennis was able to find out. Especially the food and the service was surprisingly disappointing.
Seat angle | 180°, completely horizontal |
Alignment | 1-2-1 in the A350 & Boeing 777 2-2-2 in the A330 |
Bed length | 191 cm |
Width | 51 cm in the A350 52 cm in the A330 75 cm in the Boeing 777 |
Legroom | 114 cm in the A350 152 cm in the A330 191 cm in the Boeing 777 |
Reviews | Boeing 777 (Travel-Dealz), A330 (One Mile At A Time), A350 (UpgradedPoints) |
Baggage allowance | 2 pieces – total of 40 kg |
Condor
If you’re making a business class comparison of various airlines, then Condor will under no circumstances end up in the upper half of the standings but rather near the bottom. Neither the seat nor the catering is outstanding in any way. If there are other alternatives to fly to your destination and your looking for outstanding comfort, Condor will hardly be your first choice.
Seat angle | 170°, angled |
Alignment | 2-2-2 |
Bed length | 180 cm |
Width | 50 cm |
Legroom | 152 cm |
Reviews | Boeing 767 (One Mile At A Time) |
Baggage allowance | 2 x 32 kg to USA/Canada – otherwise max. 30 kg |
Delta Air Lines
If you’re travelling to North America, Delta is surely not a bad choice, especially if the route is operated with an Airbus plane. The seats in the Boeing 767 are good, but already quite old. The seats in the A330 and especially the A350, however, are on an extremely high level. All A330neo and A350 planes already have the Suite seats installed, which offer maximum privacy.
Seat angle | 180°, completely horizontal |
Alignment | 1-2-1 |
Bed length | 196 cm |
Width | 55 cm in the A350 53 cm in the A330 & Boeing 767 |
Legroom | 193 cm in the A350 203 cm in the A330 194 cm in the Boeing 767 |
Reviews | Boeing 767 (Business Traveller), A330 (onemileatatime.com), A350 (forbes.com) |
Baggage allowance | 2 x 32 kg |
Emirates
There’s a brutal difference between the business class that Emirates offers in its two aircraft types. While the business class in the Airbus A380 offers a special experience, one really cannot recommend the Boeing 777 business class. In the Boeing 777, you’ll mostly not even have lie-flat seats and 3 seats in the middle section – this could be better! In the A380, which you’ll see in most Emirates advertisements, you’ll be offered more. Not only are the seats more modern and luxurious, but there’s even a lounge area with sofas and a bar. You need to be careful, however, when selecting your seat in the A380 as the seats at the window are clearly bigger than those at the aisle. In one aspect, however, Emirates is the clear number 1: The in-flight entertainment with over 1,000 movies and various live TV channels is unbeatable.
Seat angle | Angled or 180°, completely horizontal in the Boeing 777 180°, completely horizontal in the A380 |
Alignment | 2-3-2 / 2-2-2 in the Boeing 777 1-2-1 in the A380 |
Bed length | 200 cm (window & middle) in the A380 178 cm (aisle) in the A380 roughly 183 cm in the Boeing 777, depending on the version |
Width | 46 / 52 cm in the Boeing 777 47 cm in the A380 |
Legroom | 119 / 152 / 183 cm in the Boeing 777 144 cm in the A380 |
Reviews | Boeing 777 (Simple Flying), A380 (One Mile At A Time) |
Baggage allowance | 40 kg |
Etihad
Even though Etihad’s seats are very good (big legroom, direct aisle-access, etc.), they often look a bit worn out. Nevertheless, Etihad offers its business class passengers some services that are rather rare, e.g. you can decide at which point of the flight you’d like to eat. In the Airbus A380, there’s even a Lobby area, where you can relax with a drink during the flight and chat with some other passengers.
Seat angle | 180°, completely horizontal |
Alignment | 1-2-1 |
Bed length | 205 cm in the A380 & Boeing 787 185 cm in the A330 & Boeing 777 |
Width | 51 cm in the A380, A330 & Boeing 777 56 cm in the Boeing 787 |
Legroom | 185 cm |
Reviews | Boeing 787 (One Mile At A Time), Boeing 777 (Sam Chui) |
Baggage allowance | 40 kg |
Finnair
Finnair, the Oneworld member from Northern Europe, offers a very modern and comfortable business class in its Airbus A350. Their A330 product is comfy, but the seats do show their age. A remarkable thing about Finnair is that they’re planning to introduce a Light fare (on some routes), which doesn’t include luggage – an absolute novelty for this travel class.
Seat angle | 180°, completely horizontal |
Alignment | 1-2-1 in the A350 Alternating 1-2-1 and 2-2-1 in the A330 |
Bed length | 200 cm |
Width | 53 cm in the A350 51 cm in the A330 |
Legroom | 198 cm in the A350 114 cm in the A330 |
Reviews | A350 (One Mile At A Time), A330 (Live And Let’s Fly) |
Baggage allowance | 2 x 32 kg To Japan: 3 x 32 kg |
Iberia
Iberia is one of the few airlines that has the same product across its entire long-haul fleet. A positive is that every seat has direct access to the aisle. The seats which are directly next to the window (in every 2nd row) offer especially high privacy. In total, it’s a very good product, as Travel-Dealz founder Johannes could witness on his short test flight on an A340.
Seat angle | 180°, completely horizontal |
Alignment | 1-2-1 |
Bed length | Almost 2 m |
Width | 66 cm |
Legroom | 198 cm |
Reviews | Airbus A340-600 (Travel-Dealz) |
Baggage allowance | 2 x 23 kg |
Icelandair
It’s actually questionable if Icelandair should even be mentioned in this comparison, as the Saga class is more of a premium economy class than a business class. It especially shows when you look at the seat, which doesn’t even come close to meeting today’s standards for a long-haul business class. Even the in-flight entertainment is nothing special. You do have to consider, however, that the prices of the Saga Class are also closer to premium economy prices than business class prices, with tickets from Europe to North America sometimes being available starting at €700. Other positives include the catering and the lounge in Reykjavík.
Seat angle | 111° – Recliner seats |
Alignment | 2-1-2 in the Boeing 767 2-2 in the Boeing 757 & 737 |
Bed length | – |
Width | 52 cm |
Legroom | 101 cm |
Reviews | Boeing 757 (One Mile At A Time), Boeing 767 (liveandletsfly.com) |
Baggage allowance | 2 x 32 kg |
KLM
By now, modern seats have also become the norm at KLM. Its business class is definitely not a bad choice, also thanks to the good service. Like many other airlines, the Boeing 787 always has the newest business class seats installed.
Seat angle | 175° / 180° in the A330 180°, completely horizontal in the Boeing 787 & 777 |
Alignment | 2-2-2 in the A330 & Boeing 777 1-2-1 in the Boeing 787 |
Bed length | 190 / 207 cm in the A330 207 cm in the Boeing 787 & 777 |
Width | 51 cm |
Legroom | 152 cm in the A330 107 cm in the Boeing 787 160 cm in the Boeing 777 |
Reviews | Boeing 787 (onemileatatime.com), Airbus A330 (theluxurytravelexpert.com), Boeing 777 (onemileatatime.com) |
Baggage allowance | 2 x 32 kg |
Korean Air
On cannot speak of a single Korean Air business class, as there are 4 versions. The newest version has mainly been installed in the Boeing 747-8 and the A330. There, you’ll fly in a modern and comfortable seat. The special part: Even though the seats are aligned in a 2-2-2 formation, everyone still has direct access to the aisle. The seats are not right next to each other, thus creating a corridor to the window seat – a great idea for wide planes like the Jumbo! In the A380’s upper deck, you’d fly in an older business class version, but Korean Air has a bar area where you can comfortably sit on the couch drinking a cocktail. The worst business class version is still being used on less prominent routes on some older Boeing 777 planes – with a row of three in the middle and angled seats.
Seat angle | 180° / 170° in the Boeing 777 180°, completely horizontal in the A330, A380 & Boeing 747 |
Alignment | 2-2-2 in the A330, A380 & Boeing 747 2-2-2 / 2-3-2 in the Boeing 777 |
Bed length | 190 cm |
Width | 51 cm in the Boeing 747 54 cm in the A380 55 / 54 cm in the A330 51 / 54 / 55 cm in the Boeing 777 |
Legroom | 188 / 198 cm in the A330 188 / 152 cm in the Boeing 777 187 in the A380 191 cm in the Boeing 747 |
Reviews | Boeing 747 (onemileatatime.com), A380 (travelcodex.com), A330 (executivetraveller.com), Boeing 777 (onemileatatime.com) |
Baggage allowance | 2 x 32 kg |
LOT
The Polish airline LOT only has one long-haul aircraft type, the Boeing 787 (Dreamliner) – thus every flight will have the exact same seats. Everything is slightly above average, except the seat alignment (2-2-2), which doesn’t offer direct access to the aisle for the window seats. A further disadvantage of flying with LOT: There’s no Wi-Fi, even if you’d be willing to pay for it. So, if you intend to work (with internet access) during the flight, you should choose a different airline. LOT is, however, very generous with its baggage allowance (3 x 32 kg).
Seat angle | 180°, completely horizontal |
Alignment | 2-2-2 |
Bed length | 200 cm |
Width | 53 cm |
Legroom | 190 cm |
Reviews | Boeing 787 (One Mile At A Time) |
Baggage allowance | 3 x 32 kg |
Lufthansa
Many of our readers may have already experienced Lufthansa’s business class. Generally, Travel-Dealz writers and readers are not big fans of the Lufthansa business class, even though it is definitely not bad. One reason for that is that the service is too inconsistent: From extremely friendly and quick to unfriendly and slow – everything is possible with Lufthansa, even in business class.
Seat angle | 180°, completely horizontal |
Alignment | 2-2-2 in the A330, A340, A350, A380 & Boeing 747-8 (main deck) 2-2 in the Boeing 747 (upper deck) 2-3-2 in the Boeing 747-400 (upper deck) |
Bed length | 198 cm |
Width | 51 cm in the A330, A340, A350 & Boeing 747-8 50 cm in the A380 & Boeing 747-400 |
Legroom | 163 cm in the A330, A340, A350, A380 & Boeing 747-8 145 cm in the Boeing 747-400 |
Reviews | Boeing 747-400 (Travel-Dealz) |
Baggage allowance | 2 x 32 kg |
Qantas
At Qantas, a comfortable seat with much privacy awaits you, though the seats are not exactly new anymore. You can see the age of the seats, e.g. by looking at the screens that are no longer up to today’s standards. The seats, however, are great for sleeping, and the crew is also usually very friendly. In the A380, much older seats are installed (which really don’t match the modern standards), but thanks to Corona, these planes won’t be used by Qantas in the following years.
Seat angle | 180°, completely horizontal |
Alignment | 1-2-1 in the A330 & Boeing 787 2-2-2 in the A380 |
Bed length | 2 m |
Width | 58 cm in the Boeing 787 55 / 58 cm in the A330 55 cm in the A380 |
Legroom | 117 cm in the Boeing 787 185 / 198 cm in the A330 198 cm in the A380 |
Reviews | A330 (ctm), Boeing 787 (Business Traveller), A380 (Flatbeds) |
Baggage allowance | 2 x 32 kg |
Qatar Airways
Qatar Airways undoubtedly offers one of the best business class products, if not even the best. Especially the new Qsuite is almost on a first class level, but sadly not yet installed in every plane. A short while ago, however, Qatar Airways published a very negative update to their business class conditions: Lounge access is no longer included in their cheapest business class fare.
Seat angle | 180°, completely horizontal |
Alignment | 2-2-2 in the Boeing 777 1-2-1 in the A350, A380 & Boeing 787 |
Bed length | 198 cm in the Boeing 777 200 cm in the A350, A380 & Boeing 787 |
Width | 55 cm in the Boeing 777 56 cm in the A350, A380 & Boeing 787 |
Legroom | 198 cm in the Boeing 777 129 cm in the A380 127 cm in the A350 & Boeing 787 |
Reviews | Boeing 777-300ER (One Mile At A Time), A380 (Travelin For Miles), A350 (One Mile At A Time) |
Baggage allowance | 40 kg |
SAS
Scandinavian airline SAS has very big and comfortable seats, each offering direct access to the aisle. There’s a lot of storage room and also a very big desk which is perfect to work. The seats alternate between either being directly next to the window or directly at the aisle. Another upside of flying SAS: Free unlimited Wi-Fi! The SAS business class is therefore definitely not a bad choice for hard-working businessmen.
Seat angle | 180°, completely horizontal |
Alignment | 1-2-1 |
Bed length | 196 cm |
Width | 61 cm in the A330 58 cm in the A340 56 cm in the A350 |
Legroom | 196 cm in the A330 155 cm in the A340 198 cm in the A350 |
Reviews | A350 (thepointsguy.com), A340 (Andy’s Travel Blog), A330 (onemileatatime.com) |
Baggage allowance | 2 x 32 kg |
Singapore Airlines
If you fly in Singapore Airlines’ new business class, like Travel-Dealz founder Johannes, you’ll get a very convincing product, but even the older seats still offer high comfort. A notable aspect (especially with the older seats) is the width – the seats are extremely wide. Singapore Airlines’ main upside, however, is the service. The so-called Singapore Girls are really very friendly and attentive. The in-flight entertainment, however, is mediocre.
Seat angle | 180°, completely horizontal |
Alignment | 1-2-1 |
Bed length | 193 cm in the A380 198 cm in the A350 & Boeing 777 |
Width | 64 / 76 cm in the A380 71 cm in the A350 71 / 76 cm in the Boeing 777 |
Legroom | 127 / 140 cm in the A380 152 cm in the A350 130 / 140 cm in the Boeing 777 |
Reviews | Airbus A350 (Travel-Dealz), Boeing 787-10 (Travel-Dealz) A380 (UpgradedPoints), Boeing 777 (the Luxury Travel Expert) |
Baggage allowance | 40 kg USA: 2 x 32 kg |
SWISS
With SWISS, it very much depends on the specific seat, as SWISS has a throne seat in every row. While the double seats share a platform in the middle, the throne seat has its own platform on each side, which you won’t have to share with anyone. Those seats thus offer privacy and comfort to an extent that the other seats cannot compete with. Therefore, you may be disappointed if you don’t get one of the throne seats, even if the other seats obviously also have a very high standard.
Seat angle | 180°, completely horizontal |
Alignment | Alternating 1-2-2 and 2-2-1 in the Boeing 777 Alternating 1-2-1 and 2-2-1 in the A340 & A330 |
Bed length | Over 2 m in the A340 & Boeing 777 2 m in the A330 |
Width | 52 cm in the A340 & Boeing 777 57 cm in the A330 |
Legroom | 152 cm |
Reviews | Boeing 777 (Travel-Dealz) A330 (One Mile At A Time) |
Baggage allowance | 2 x 32 kg |
TAP Portugal
Not too long ago, TAP’s Executive Class was infamously subpar. By now, however, all planes have been equipped with new seats that can be converted into fully flat beds and offer quite a high comfort. The service is also said to be very friendly.
Seat angle | 180° in the A330 & A321LR |
Alignment | 2-2-2 / 1-2-1 in the A330 2-2 / 1-1 in the A321LR |
Width | 57 cm in the A321LR 51 / 52 cm in the A330 |
Legroom | 112 cm in the A321LR 107 / 152 cm in the A330 |
Reviews | A330 (The Points Guy), A321LR (onemileatatime.com) |
Baggage allowance | 2 x 32 kg |
Thai Airways
Thai Airways‘ business class is satisfactory. You’ll get everything that a business class has to offer: better food, friendly service, and you can sleep well. You shouldn’t, however, expect much more. Most planes that are used for flights to Europe have the newest business class, so you won’t need to worry about that.
Seat angle | 180°, completely horizontal in the A350, A380 & Boeing 787 170° in the A330 & Boeing 747 180° / 170° / 163° in the Boeing 777 |
Alignment | 1-2-1 in the A350 & A380 2-2-2 in the A330 & Boeing 787 2-2-2 / 1-2-1 in the Boeing 777 2-2 in the Boeing 747 |
Bed length | 187 cm in the A350 190 cm in the A330, A380, Boeing 747 & 777 198 cm in the Boeing 787 |
Width | 53 cm in the A350 & Boeing 787 51 cm in the A330, A380, Boeing 747 & 777 |
Legroom | 104 cm in the A350 152 cm in the A330, Boeing 747 & 787 152 / 155 / 221 cm in the Boeing 777 188 cm in the A380 |
Reviews | Boeing 777 (Young Travelers Of Hong Kong), Boeing 787 (Cahill), Boeing 747 (liveandletsfly.com), A350 (One Mile At A Time) |
Baggage allowance | 40 kg |
Turkish Airlines
In theory, the Turkish Airlines business class is very good – there’s good food, very friendly service, free & unlimited internet, a lot of storage room, quite comfortable seats – but there is a pretty big downside: The seats are rather cramped. Not only is the bed length a bit short, but they even have 3 seats in the middle of the Boeing 777 – completely unacceptable nowadays! While a new business class has been installed in the Boeing 787, with the modern 1-2-1 alignment, there have been many complaints that the seats are uncomfortable – which is why this new business class is going to be changed again. We’ll have to wait and see how the 787 business class will end up being in the end – in the other planes the seats will stay good, but small.


Seat angle | 180°, completely horizontal |
Alignment | 2-2-2 in the A330 2-3-2 in the Boeing 777 |
Bed length | 188 cm |
Width | 56 cm in the Boeing 777 51 cm in the A330 |
Legroom | 155 cm in the A330 198 cm in the Boeing 777 |
Reviews | Boeing 777 (the Luxury Travel Expert), A330 (Travel Codex) |
Baggage allowance | 40 kg |
United Airlines
United has clearly upgraded its business class in the past years since they’ve announced the so-called Polaris business class. The new seats especially offer high privacy and comfort, which barely any other airline can keep up with.
Nevertheless, United also uses the term Polaris for flights with the old seats. On United.com/Polaris, you can check which planes were already refurbished. Currently, a big portion of the Boeing 767 and Boeing 777 planes have the new seats, while the chances are rather low for the Dreamliner.
You have to be especially careful with flights on a Boeing 777-200. Some of those have a 2-4-2 alignment in business class, which results in narrow seats. Luckily, these planes are mainly used within the USA on transcontinental flights, as well as to Hawaii and Guam. Occasionally, however, they do use them for transatlantic flights.
To give you a better overview, we’ve divided the United business class in three separate sections:
New United Business Class – “Real” Polaris
When we talk about the Polaris business class on Travel-Dealz, we mean the new hard product, which has been introduced in 2016.
Especially in the Boeing 777 and 767-300, there’s a good chance that you’ll get one of these seats. Furthermore, all new Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners will also have the new business class.
Seat angle | 180°, completely horizontal |
Alignment | 1-1-1 in the Boeing 767 1-2-1 in the Boeing 777 and 787 |
Bed length | 2 m |
Width | 52 cm in the Boeing 767 56 cm in the Boeing 777 52 cm in the Boeing 787 |
Reviews | Boeing 767 (One Mile At A Time) |
Baggage allowance | 2 x 32 kg |
Old United Business Class – “Fauxlaris”
As previously mentioned, United also calls the old business class “Polaris business class”, despite it already being many years old. Jokingly, many call it Fauxlaris.
At least you’ll get the same soft product as the Polaris business class, e.g. with a cushy blanket and a great pillow. This old business class will gradually be replaced by the new one.
Seat angle | 180°, completely horizontal |
Alignment | 2-2 in the Boeing 757 2-2-2 in the Boeing 787 2-1-2 in the Boeing 767 |
Bed length | 193 cm in the Boeing 757 198 cm in the Boeing 787 190 cm in the Boeing 767 |
Width | 52 cm |
Reviews | Boeing 787 (GodSaveThePoints) |
Baggage allowance | 2 x 32 kg |
United Business Class Pacific / Hawaii / Domestic (Boeing 777)
The special High-Density-Version of the Boeing 777 is mostly used for flights within North America, especially on the long routes to Hawaii. Furthermore, it is also used on the routes to Guam, e.g. Guam – Honolulu or Guam – Tokyo. Sometimes, however, United will use them on touristic routes to Europe.
At least these seats are also lie-flat and comfortable. This is, however, not a modern business class.
Seat angle | 180°, completely horizontal |
Alignment | 2-4-2 in the Boeing 777 |
Bed length | 198 cm in the Boeing 777 |
Width | 52 cm |
Legroom | 198 cm in the Boeing 777 |
Reviews | Boeing 777 (Live and let’s Fly) |
Baggage allowance | 2 x 32 kg |
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