The 5 best business class cabins in the air today

Airlines today are pulling out all the stops as they vie for the lucrative business of executive travellers, and the quality of their offerings are reaching stratospheric heights.

With once enviable amenities like lie-flat seats and in-flight entertainment becoming the standard for intercontinental travel, carriers are now looking to distinguish themselves through luxurious cabins that incorporate everything from on-board bars to Michelin-style cuisine.

Discover some of the best in business class air-travel today with the following five airlines that frequently appear in critics and passenger polls.

Cathay Pacific

Recently winning the Airlines Ratings.com awards for Best Business Class, Cathay Pacific ticks all the boxes for business travel. The ‘herringbone’ layout gives every passenger easy and direct aisle access whilst the seat pitch, 82 inches in length and 21 inches wide, is one of the most generous in the sky.

Its new curved design emphasises privacy but without making you feel too cut-off from the rest of the cabin and the crew, and provides great protection from cabin noise as well as accidental bumps and nudges. Ample storage includes your own overhead locker, side cupboard and foot locker, whilst the new range of amenity kit is provided by renowned Australian natural skincare brand, Jurlique.

Air New Zealand

An innovative airline, Air New Zealand Business Premier consistently looks for ways to improve. Like Cathay Pacific, herringbone style is implemented on the seats which turn into fully flat beds and have mattresses that are separate to the actual seat.

You feel right at home in the luxurious 22-inch wide leather armchairs (converts to a 6 feet, 6 inch bed) with a separate ottoman footrest which also doubles as a ‘visitor’s seat’, making it easy to invite a guest over for a glass of fine New Zealand wine. The menu focusses on fresh New Zealand produce and regional flavours.

British Airways

This veteran airline is still going strong, consistently polling well with business travellers thanks to features like its Elemis amenity kits (now with a ‘his’ and ‘hers’ version) and on-board ‘club kitchen’.

In Club World, the lie-flat seats have a distinctive ‘Z’ position that also extends to six feet, six inches and features a touch-screen privacy screen (handy as the seats face each other). On selected routes, the ‘Sleeper Service’ is offered where you can maximise your sleep simply by minimising cabin service; you’ll be offered a night cap then left undisturbed before being served a quick breakfast before arrival.

Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines continue to accrue accolades including best airline in Asia. It offers one of the most spacious seats in the industry, particularly on the Airbus A380. Boasting a 28-inch wide seat that converts to a 78-inch long flat-bed by flipping the seat over rather than just reclining it, it has also fashioned two new positions between the standard upright seating lie-flat bed, which is known as the ‘Lazy Z’ and ‘Sundeck’ modes.

Passengers are pampered with gourmet entrees and snacks, Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve Champagne and café style hot beverages such as espresso and cappuccino. Featuring an elegant seasonal menu created by a panel of international chefs, including Suzanne Goin, you can enjoy your haute cuisine on fine china.

Oman Air

This relative newcomer (established in 1981) has been giving the chief players across the globe a run for their money in recent years, quietly working its way up the ranks. It came in third for Best Business Class Airline Seat and nabbed the number two slot for business class overall in last year’s World Airline Awards. In 2010, Oman Air became the first airline in the world to provide both mobile phone and Wi-Fi internet service to its passengers.

The cabins are small, creating a sense of exclusivity. There is an emphasis on elegance as style and class are incorporated into the cabin design. The state-of-the-art 77.5-inch lie-flat seats offer electronically controlled backrests, leg rests, and seat-depth adjustors. You can also enjoy an extensive menu of modern and traditional cuisine as well as signature Arabic dishes