It has always been a dream of mine to fly Qatar Business Class.
And I don’t mean a passing thought… I mean a full blown obsession.
I would spend hours reading business and first class review blogs. Even though I figured it would be 100 years until I could save up enough to experience a flight like that. That was until I saw a crazy anniversary sale pop up on God Save The Points deal page (which I stalk on the regular).
He laid out different routes that Qatar was putting on deep discounts, and they just so happened to coincide with our travel plans. We were Bali bound from Europe and needed a ride. Without hesitation, I booked us the dang flights.
Doing a multi city option actually came out cheaper than booking a one-way ticket! So instead of just booking one way from Brussels to Bali, I added in a 4 day Doha trip, as well as a 14 hour flight to NYC! For the same price as it would have been just to Bali. Mind blown! That is like getting 4 business class flights for the price of 1.
Not only did we get to take advantage of the bonus NYC flight to see family, but we also got to experience multiple aircraft, which is like a fantasy come true for me.
Our Qatar Business Flights
We flew on 4 different Qatar Airways Flights over 2 months
a350-900
Brussels to Doha
Dec 5th 2017 6.5 Hours
(short layover in Doha)
787-800
Doha to Denpasar (Bali)
Same day- Dec 5th 2017
9.5 Hours
787-800
Denpasar to Doha
(4 day layover, on purpose, in Doha)
Feb 1st 2018
10.5 Hours
a350-900
Doha to NYC
14.5 Hours
Feb 5th 2018
This is going to sound a bit dramatic, but the business class flights I took with Qatar Airways are still one of the best memories of my LIFE. (Is that sad? Or do fellow AV geeks totally get me on this one?)
Not only were they a life milestone, but for better or for worse, they have ruined me for all other air travel. Now that I’ve had a taste, I am jonesing for more. It’s a good thing I don’t have kids, because I would likely sell them to take an international flight on the Q Suite, which is my next flight goal BTW.
Okay, you came here for the review, not to hear my crazy Qatar obsessed rambling.
What Made Flying Business Class on Qatar Airways LIFE CHANGING
The Service
The staff treat you as if you are the only passenger on the plane. They take the initiative to learn your name, your travel plans, your drink order, really anything that will enhance your experience. They have mastered the art of service. From stepping foot onto the plane, right until disembarking, they make every moment memorable.
The Space
The seats are phenomenal. Having my own personal space made even the longest of flights completely comfortable and dare I say enjoyable. Massage chairs, touch screen entertainment, lie flat seats, large bathrooms and even an on-board bar area. Business class on Qatar is so clean, spacious and luxurious, you almost forget you’re actually on an airplane.
The Small Details
They make your bed when you want to sleep. They refresh the washrooms after each passenger uses them. They give you a small box of Godiva chocolates after dinner. Hot towels, flowers, and everything in between. There are no lack of moments that take your breath away with how over the top they are.
Qatar A350 Business Class Review:
Doha to NYC & Brussels to Doha
We took the a350 from Brussels to Doha (on our way to Bali where we stayed for 2 months!), and again 60 days later from Doha to NYC. I really want to focus on the Doha to NYC flight, because it stood out as the best! The jaw-dropping lounge at DOH airport might have had something to do with that.
Doha Airport – Qatar's Business Class Experience
From the moment I pulled up to the Doha airport Qatar Airways made everything tranquil, pleasurable and simply magnificent.
Two men in suits opened up the taxi door and wouldn’t let me lift a finger. They look my luggage from the trunk and wheeled it into the terminal for me. The business class area of the terminal was a sight in itself. The only word I can think of to describe it would be palatial! It looked more like the lobby at the Four Seasons than the airport.
We were whisked through a private checkin and security area that was so quiet, we felt like the only people in the entire airport! It was all so fast and smooth that we felt like we were missing something. On the other side of security, we were shown the way to the business class lounge to wait for our flight.
Al Mourjan Business Class Lounge at DOH
After reading reviews of the phenomenal Al Mourjan business class lounge in Doha, I made sure we went to the airport exceedingly early so we could reap all the benefits. Taking the escalator up, it’s kind of hard to believe you’re entering an airport lounge. Grand curved staircase, enormous dripping chandelier, trickling fountains… it’s magical! The lounge itself is spread out among two floors, with the upper half being mostly dedicated to dining.
So obviously, the top floor is where we spent the rest of our time.
Most people don’t go to the airport with intensions of having sensational food, but in this lounge, it’s to be expected. Endlessly long marble tables were stacked with every dish you could imagine, constantly being restocked.
My eyes went to the bar right away. My 4 day stay in Doha was pretty dry, meaning it’s nearly impossible to find booze, so I was more than happy to indulge in some sparkling rosè wine.
Thank goodness I went to the airport with hours to spare, because I needed the extra time to be able to move after gorging on everything in the lounge. Tuna salad nicoise, carrots with lemon dijon vinaigrette, roasted vegetable roots with feta crumble and romesco sauce, Thai coconut and lemongrass soup… it never ends. Breads, pastas, meats, and of course an entire table dedicated to sweet finishes.
It’s time to get on the plane. We gratefully say goodbye to the lounge and head to our gate. If there was anything I didn’t like about the entire experience, it was the extra 10 steps of security to get into each gate. Laptops are scrutinized and need to undergo even more checks. I get it, it’s for safety and I appreciate that so very much, it just felt insanely excessive.
But who cares because I was headed onto the a350!
(Now, the pictures below will be a mix from my Brussels to Doha a350 flight and the Doha to NYC a350 flight. Why? Because they were both amazing and I didn’t take enough photos on each flight specifically to make a good blog. I was too caught up in the moment of living my best life.)
Boarding The a350
Entering the cabin, my husband and I were greeted and escorted to our seats. Both times they had a the pinkish/purple mood lighting on, which is great in person, but not so much for photos.
At the seat was a new pillow, duvet blanket, Bric’s amenity kit, pyjamas, slippers and a smiling attendant.
She introduced herself, called me by name, gave me the menus, and asked my preference for a take-off drink.
I got sparkling wine, and my sober husband who usually just gets a pop, was delighted they had a mocktail menu. He got a ‘So Jennie' which is an alcohol free champagne!
Before take-off, my attendant gave me a little tour of my ‘pod’. She showed me how to adjust the seats into lie flat mode, where I could store my purse and shoes, and a few other gadgets that would make my flight enjoyable.
Qatar Business Class Dining
Each flight we were told the lunch and dinner menu is on demand, so there are no set dining times. Whenever we requested to eat, it would be prepared for us. The menus on all our flights were delectable! I think my husband made himself sick on each flight from ordering way more than he normally would. Good thing I only took pictures of my own meals, or we’d be here forever.
Doha to NYC a350 Dining @ 2:00am (14 hour flight)
Dinner Service
Salmon and Mango Amuse Bouche
Arabic Mezze
An excessive amount of wine, so much so, that I forgot to take pictures of the main course
Breakfast Service
Tea & Biscuits
Granola and Fruit Parfait
Croissant and Jam
Omlette with potatoes, chicken sausage, mushrooms and veggies
Brussels to Doha a350 Dining @ 8:00am
Welcome Drink
Orange Juice (to early for champagne)
Breakfast Service
Energizer Drink – Celery, pear and apple
Tea and Bread Basket with butter
Granola and Fruit Parfait
The BEST Blueberry Pancakes EVER
Mid Afternoon Drink
Champagne, of course
Qatar’s In Flight Entertainment
There is nothing I appreciate more on a long flight than a giant screen packed full of movies and shows. Tablets on flights suck. So does trying to use my little phone to watch something. Qatar’s business class has such great screens, with a remote at your chair. You know, incase reaching out in front of you to change the channel becomes too overwhelming. 😉
They had tons of movies and shows to pick from, but also had a feature I really enjoyed: cameras installed on the exterior of the plane. This meant I could watch our take-off and landing from different vantage points outside of the aircraft, which I did every single time.
Qatar Business Class Amenity Kit
Qatar teamed up with Bric’s to make a fantastic in-flight amenity kit. The case itself is so sturdy, I still have mine and I use it to hold smaller creams and such for flying. It’s very cute!
It comes with:
- Hard Cover Zipper Case
- Adjustable Eye Mask
- Foam Ear Plugs
- Monte Vibiano Lip Balm
- Monte Vibiano Hand Cream
- Monte Vibiano Facial Mist
- Socks
Also part of their in-flight amenities include:
- The White Company pyjamas
- Slippers
- Items in Washrooms: toothbrush, toothpaste, body lotion, razors, etc.
Qatar Business Class In-Flight ’Bar’ Area
The bar is one of my FAVORITE parts of the a350! I saw a video by Casey Neistat where he demonstrated how much room there was for activities.
Trevor and I used it to stretch our legs, break up some of the longer flights, but most of all to get snacks! Yes, even after being fed nonstop, we still wanted to sample some treats. The attendants always made sure a chilled bottle of champagne was open and the baskets were stocked with both healthy, and not so healthy snacks. Full disclaimer: I totally filled up my purse with chocolates and chips from the bar. Yes, I’m THAT person. My future self thanked me for the organic chocolate covered dried fruit later in the horrid Newark airport.
Time For Bed – Sleeping on the a350
When the enormous meals and the delicious wine had finally taken me over, an attendant came to make my bed for sleeping. They put down a mattress pad, get your seat fully flat, and set up the duvet and pillow. My bed was made when I went to the bathroom to wash my face and brush my teeth, so hubby snapped a pic for me.
Sleep quality is pretty good! I like the white noise of the plane, plus being jostled like a long car ride. It’s not quite like a 5-star hotel bed, but it’s a wonderful opportunity to catch some shut eye and ward off jet lag.
Qatar Business Class Blanket
It took every ounce of restraint to not steal this blanket. It’s ultra soft, super snuggly and gave the same calming effect as a Xanax chased with champagne … or so I’ve heard. If I wasn’t a full time traveller and wasn’t bouncing from hotel to hotel, I would have taken it for sure. But by all means, if the lovely people at Qatar want to send me one, I’ll happily accept!
Watch our videos from our a350 experience:
Qatar 787 Business Class Review
Doha to Denpasar & Denpasar to Doha
To be honest, the 787 is a LOT like the a350, it just has a slightly smaller business class section. The seat configurations are almost identical, as is the service and amenities. On the two legs that we took the 787 the flights were a little shorter, which just meant we had to fit in eating and sleeping into a smaller time frame. Oh, and they didn’t have my favourite Burgundy blankie on those planes, but I guess I can forgive them.
When we were flying to Bali from Doha, business class was actually COMPLETELY EMPTY with the exception of 1 other passenger. This wasn’t normal at all, as the crew told us this is usually a sold out flight. It was because a few days prior, Mount Agung had just spewed out smoke, grounding all planes and leaving travellers stranded. Our flight was just 1 day after the airport re-opened. We expected it to be pandemonium when we got there, but it was blue skies and beautiful.
If you are headed to Bali, we made guides on which taxis to use, pool access rooms under $100, and a complete Bali Travel Guide.
One thing that really stuck out on our 787 flight from Bali to Doha, was that the crew REMEMBERED us from our flight there 2 months earlier. Impressive! The whole crew even stopped before landing to take a keepsake photo with us. We were both overwhelmed at how thoughtful and considerate the entire staff was on that flight. It really made us feel like we were flying with friends, which is a relief to the stress and anxiety of air travel.
Dining on Qatar’s 787 Business Class
Doha to Bali 787 Dining @ 5:30pm
Welcome Drink
Sparkling Wine (and a non-alcoholic one for Trevor)
Dinner Service
Thai Soup
Arabic Mezze (tabouleh, hummus, and moutabel)
Pesto Chicken with mustard cream sauce, soft polenta, and veggies
White chocolate, raspberry and mango cake
Wine, wine, wine
Breakfast Service
Cappuccino and bread basket
Scrambled Eggs with chives and herb chicken, potatoes and mushrooms
Bali to Doha 787 Dining @ 9:30am
Welcome Drink
Energy shot – Celery, pear and apple
Lunch Service
Oil, vinegar and bread basket
Portabello lasagne
We got the same amenity kits, in flight entertainment and snacks at the bar and impeccable service as the a350 flights.
.
Qatar + – Discover Doha Layover Program
If you are every flying Qatar Airways and have a stopover in Doha… take advantage of it!
The airline will allow you to extend your layover for up to 4 days, at NO extra cost!
If you only want to extend your layover for 24 hours, they will even pay for your hotel, PLUS give you a tour.
We took advantage of their 2 night program, and added on another 2 nights on our own dime.
For only $100, they gave us a stay in a 5-star hotel, and discounted private airport transfer. We stayed at the AMAZING Souq Waqif luxury hotel in the best area of Doha. Located directed inside the Souq, it's walking distance to all the magical markets in the area.
Taking this opportunity let us explore a country will likely wouldn't have seen. Not only that, it made me fall in LOVE with Doha! It's truly a place I can't wait to return to.
Qatar Airways Business Class Cured My Husband’s Fear of Flying
My husband Trevor used to have a paralyzing fear of flying. His palms would literally sweat to the point of dripping water he would get so worked up. He would get dizzy, nauseous and completely overwhelmed. We realized this fear was being magnified by him being claustrophobic, and economy flights seemed to be the trigger. Being stuffed into tiny seats with no leg room and feeling a clear lack of control would send him over the edge.
Until we flew business.
Now I’m just talking about regular business class. Just some bigger seats at the front of a normal domestic United flight in the states.
His anxiety went down A LOT! Being near the front of the plane, not being able to see the overcrowding in economy and having extra room was a big help. But he still dreaded flying.
Flying with Qatar was the first time Trevor felt comfortable in the air. The spacious seats, sweet distractions and extremely attentive staff put him totally at ease. Now, I understand this sounds like a total diva move, and there is no way we can fly super luxe Qatar all the time, but it makes a big difference
Why (when possible) I Will ALWAYS Fly Business Class
Some people spend their money on decorating, fancy dinners, or on paying interest on their credit card debt. Others might value compulsive shopping or fancy brand names over travelling. I am none of those types of people. Trevor and I have done everything we can to create a life of freedom, including selling our house and 90% of our things. With no mortgage, no credit card debt, and no place to fill up with ‘stuff’, we can spend our hard earned money on things like business class flights.
For us, it's not about being wealthy, it's about not spending our money on other things that don't bring us joy.
Flying is my passion. I would rather be on a long haul flight than doing just about anything else. When our 14 hour flight from Doha landed in NYC, I was legit upset it was over.
So because of that I will, whenever possible, fly continue to fly business class.
Hopefully it can be with Qatar Airways!
Have you ever wanted to fly Qatar Airways Business Class?
PIN FOR LATER
immi
Monday 15th of April 2024
Truly special review! Wonderful! You read like you had so much fun! I recently got a free upgrade on Qatar from Economy to Business between Karachi and Doha. Lovely! No amenity kit but what you gonna do!? I toughed it out. Next time, try the Saffron Karak chai. You'll not find that anywhere else.
CasfromOz
Tuesday 15th of March 2022
Thanks for your excellent blog. Having now got the taste for business class I have sipped from the poison chalice!I can cope with economy for short haul but from now on it's business all the way. Qatar is my absolute favourite.I have experienced the Qsuite but TBH I found them a little claustrophobic. Happy trails.
Andrew Lock
Sunday 9th of May 2021
Great review, thanks for sharing all the details. I had the privilege of flying the Qatar A350 recently and the Q-Suite blew me away, it's absolutely a revolution in flying. I'm so glad you got to try it, too! Oh, and that lounge in Qatar is absolutely stunning, isn't it? I couldn't believe it!
Gilbert
Monday 3rd of September 2018
Wonderfully refreshing review. ?✈️?
Kashlee Kucheran
Saturday 8th of September 2018
Thanks so much Gilbert! We absolutely love your site and all the flights you cover!
Jackie
Saturday 1st of September 2018
It's a dream of mine to take a business class flight on Qatar. I love collecting the amenity kits from flights and you get free pajamas too! Thanks for sharing.