The best luxury suites in the sky and how to fly them

This story has been up to date with new info.

Lately, the newest business-class cabins characteristic lie-flat seats in personal pods with sliding doorways.

Whereas these merchandise have now develop into mainstream — within the U.S., American, Delta and JetBlue all supply or have introduced absolutely enclosed business-class suites — it wasn’t way back that sliding doorways and absolutely enclosed suites had been reserved for the world’s high first-class merchandise.

Regardless of the proliferation of fancy absolutely enclosed suites, there’s nonetheless some fairly important differentiation throughout these enterprise and first-class merchandise.

Under, we’ll spherical up a number of the finest luxurious suites within the sky, that are all certain to supply a really once-in-a-lifetime flight expertise. Higher but, I’ve included the place you’ll be able to fly these merchandise (primarily based on revealed Cirium timetables for November 2024), in addition to the standard money and award charges.

These jets had been grounded during the pandemic, and whereas the preliminary assumption was that they’d be retired for good, the Abu Dhabi-based service introduced them again to the skies for one final hurrah.

That is nice information for deep-pocketed vacationers as a result of The Residence presents a three-room suite comprised of a lounge (predominant seating space), bed room (with an actual mattress) and a non-public shower-equipped bathroom.

Etihad used to supply a separate butler service with an elevated floor expertise for Residence passengers, however a lot of the tender product (the expertise not hooked up to the plane) has been scaled again for the reason that A380 returned to service.

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That is not the top of the world, although, as a result of even with a pared-back service expertise, The Residence stays the very best and most unique cabin in business aviation.

The place it flies

Etihad is presently flying its Residence-equipped Airbus A380 to 4 locations: London, Mumbai, New York and Paris, from its hub in Abu Dhabi.

Reserving with money

As a part of the reintroduction of The Residence, Etihad revamped its business technique for promoting the product. It used to cost upwards of $11,000 for a one-way ticket. These days, vacationers must buy a first-class ticket after which pay a separate seat project price for The Residence.

The seat project price varies by vacation spot. Primarily based on searches, the improve price seems to begin at round $2,000 for flights to Europe and India and jumps to almost $4,000 one-way to and from New York.

Be aware that these charges are on high of the usual first-class fares.

If it is any comfort, as a result of The Residence suits two passengers, the improve charges cowl two passengers (however each passengers will need to have been booked in top quality).

Worth verify: Are airline credit cards worth it anymore?

Redeeming miles

The excellent news is that it is certainly doable to e book The Residence utilizing miles. Sadly, nonetheless, it is not an excellent deal. Etihad expenses its proprietary Etihad Visitor members at the least roughly 300,000 miles, value $3,600 in line with TPG valuations, for a seat project price for The Residence.

For those who’re trying to improve, I would suggest saving your factors for a greater redemption. That mentioned, Etihad Visitor is a 1:1 switch companion of American Specific Membership Rewards (instant transfer), Capital One miles (24 hours) and Citi ThankYou Factors (instant transfer) — simply know that there are much better makes use of in your hard-earned factors.

Emirates 777 Sport Changer first-class suite

Dubai-based Emirates solely operates a wide-body fleet, and whereas lots of the service’s plane supply some variation of its flagship first-class suite, there’s one jet specifically that includes a actually extraordinary product — the Game Changer on the Boeing 777-300ER.

Emirates operates simply nine of these Boeing 777 variants, making it fairly elusive for those who’re attempting to hunt out the product. (The excellent news is that some new plane, together with the perpetually delayed Boeing 777X, are anticipated to characteristic the brand new suite when the jets are lastly inaugurated.)

As for what you’ll be able to anticipate onboard, the Sport Changer first-class presents a totally enclosed suite with doorways that go from ground to ceiling. Consider it extra like a roomette on a practice than a first-class suite on an airplane. Coupled with Emirates’ legendary service, facilities and culinary choices, this is without doubt one of the finest methods to fly.

The one draw back is that these 777s do not characteristic showers in top quality, an amenity that is reserved for the Airbus A380.

The place it flies

With simply 9 jets geared up with this cabin, you may need to double (and triple) verify your route to verify it options this product. To try this, check out the first-class seat map and be sure you see simply six suites unfold out throughout two rows in a 1-1-1 association.

Proper now, Emirates schedules the Sport Changer Boeing 777-300ER on the next routes from Dubai:

• Brussels
• Chicago (choose frequencies solely)
• Dammam, Saudi Arabia
• Geneva
• Kuwait
• Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
• Tokyo Haneda
• Zurich

Simply word that plane substitutions are at all times doable, so getting the brand new aircraft on these routes is rarely assured.

Reserving with money

Reserving a ticket in Emirates Sport Changer top quality requires some fairly deep pockets.

For those who’re in search of the most cost effective choice, you’ll be able to fly to Kuwait for about $1,800 every approach. (Simply keep in mind that these flights are solely about two hours lengthy.)

Under is a breakdown of round-trip pricing for longer flights. Costs are rounded to the closest hundred {dollars} for a pattern itinerary in November 2024.

Although discovering a “deal” for Emirates top quality is nearly nonexistent, you will discover decrease fares by beginning your journey in cheaper markets, comparable to Colombo, Sri Lanka, or Cairo, Egypt. Check out this guide for details.

Redeeming miles

Reserving the Sport Changer with miles will take plenty of endurance and a few luck. The airline not often releases multiple award seat prematurely, and even then, you may be finest off reserving immediately by the Skywards program. Generally, last-minute awards can develop into accessible a number of days earlier than departure.

The excellent news is that Emirates Skywards program is a switch companion with all main bank card factors currencies, so topping off your account should not be too laborious.

Singapore Airbus A380 Suite

Singapore Airways is without doubt one of the world’s finest carriers, and as you may anticipate, the airline’s flagship product is sort of spectacular.

Dubbed Suites, Singapore presents small rooms within the sky to its first-class passengers on the Airbus A380. The Suites supply separate beds and reclining chairs, in addition to outsized TVs, sliding doorways and loads of storage compartments.

The place it flies

You will discover Singapore’s Suites product on any Airbus A380. Proper now, the airline is flying the A380 from its Singapore hub to:

• Frankfurt
• London
• Mumbai
• New Delhi
• Sydney

Reserving with money

Singapore’s Airbus A380 would not presently fly to the U.S., so you may must place to Europe or Asia to seek out the Suites product.

You may discover a breakdown of round-trip pricing under. Be aware that costs are rounded to the closest hundred {dollars} for a pattern itinerary in November 2024.

Redeeming miles

Award tickets for Singapore Suites are solely accessible by the airline’s KrisFlyer loyalty program — with simply six suites on every plane, Saver awards may be particularly laborious to seek out, although they’re accessible now and again.

You may usually discover much better availability for Singapore’s higher-priced “Benefit” awards.

Fortuitously, it is easy to shortly construct up a steadiness of eligible miles — KrisFlyer companions with all main transferrable-points packages, with a 1:1 switch price, together with American Express Membership Rewards, Capital One miles, Chase Ultimate Rewards and Citi ThankYou Rewards.

Etihad The Condo

Whereas Etihad’s high premium product (The Residence) receives a lot consideration, the airline additionally presents one other unbelievable absolutely enclosed first-class suite that is certain to impress.

The airline’s Airbus A380 options nine first-class apartments. Every is provided with a big chair, a door and a settee that folds right into a mattress. To not point out the truth that you’ll be able to sleep subsequent to a companion, hand around in a lounge and expertise a bathe within the sky.

The place it flies

Etihad operates The Condo on the identical routes as The Residence, since each merchandise are solely discovered on the superjumbo Airbus A380. (As talked about above, vacationers trying to fly in The Residence must first buy a ticket in The Condo.)

The airline is presently flying its Airbus A380 to 4 locations: London, Mumbai, New York and Paris, from its hub in Abu Dhabi.

Reserving with money

You may discover a breakdown of round-trip pricing under. Be aware that costs are rounded to the closest hundred {dollars} for a pattern itinerary in November 2024.

Redeeming miles

The Condo is without doubt one of the most accessible merchandise on this record since you’ll be able to routinely e book awards by varied loyalty packages.

As with The Residence, you’ll be able to e book The Condo by way of the airline’s own Etihad Guest program, however you may discover higher redemption values elsewhere. Asiana Membership presents a number of the lowest charges, however one of the crucial widespread choices for reserving Etihad’s Condo is by way of American’s AAdvantage program.

One other nice choice for redeeming miles for The Flats is by way of Air Canada’s Aeroplan program. Because of a slew of switch companions (and frequent switch bonuses), it is fairly simple to rack up miles with Aeroplan.

Air France La Premiere

On the subject of transatlantic flying, there’s maybe no higher choice than Air France’s exclusive four-seat La Premiere first-class cabin that spans only a single row.

Although the product is not technically a totally enclosed suite, it nonetheless deserves a spot on this record for its opulence, stylish French fashion and revolutionary privateness answer (floor-to-ceiling drapes that seem like a hospital curtain).

Plus, the bottom expertise and onboard service are a number of the finest in your entire world. Higher but, Air France is slated to debut a brand new La Premiere cabin within the coming months, however even the present product shines.

The place it flies

La Premiere is simply discovered on a subset of Air France’s Boeing 777-300ER jets, which fly from Paris to:

• Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire
• Dubai
• Los Angeles
• Miami
• New York
• San Francisco
• Sao Paulo
• Singapore
• Tokyo
• Washington, D.C.

Reserving with money

La Premiere is a giant splurge. The airline not often reductions the cabin, and the first-class fares are steep. And that is by design, in line with airline officers, who routinely say that the four-seat cabin sells to deep-pocketed leisure vacationers and enterprise executives. Plus, the product provides the remainder of the model a pleasant halo impact.

You may discover a breakdown of pattern round-trip pricing under. Be aware that costs are rounded to the closest hundred {dollars} for a pattern itinerary in November 2024.

Redeeming miles

To keep up the cabin’s exclusivity, Air France restricts La Premiere mileage redemptions to Flying Blue Platinum (or larger) elite members. Even if you’re a top-tier Flying Blue elite, you may want at the least 220,000 miles for a one-way flight throughout the Atlantic.

For most individuals, one of the simplest ways to get into La Premiere is to e book a business-class ticket and hope for a paid improve supply to top quality. That is how I used to be in a position to fly the cabin — I as soon as paid $1,780 for the upgrade from Paris to Washington, D.C.

Positive, the value is steep, however it was a bucket-list expertise that I am nonetheless raving about.

ANA The Room

Lately, the posh plane suites aren’t restricted to the unique first-class cabins. The world over, we’re seeing extra airways debut absolutely enclosed business-class suites that may even resemble what some may anticipate from a first-class cabin.

One such instance is Japanese carrier All Nippon Airways (ANA), which launched a brand new enterprise class called The Room in 2019.

This cabin is outfitted with spacious personal suites, full with sliding doorways. Mixed with top-notch catering and pleasant Japanese hospitality, you are certain to have a memorable flight in The Room.

The place it flies

The Room is out there on 10 out of ANA’s 13 Boeing 777-300ER jets. Proper now, the airline is constantly flying these planes on two routes from Tokyo Haneda:

A number of different routes characteristic ANA’s new Boeing 777 cabins (comparable to Chicago and San Francisco), however these flights are additionally served by older jets and cabins. You may need to check out the seat map throughout reserving to substantiate you may get pleasure from the brand new cabins — this jet is ANA’s solely 777 variant with 64 business-class seats.

Reserving with money

You may discover a breakdown of round-trip pricing under. Be aware that costs are rounded to the closest hundred {dollars} for a pattern itinerary in November 2024.

Redeeming miles

ANA is a member of the Star Alliance, that means that there are many methods to e book an award seat in The Room.

By way of U.S.-based packages, you are restricted to United MileagePlus, which expenses variable charges for Star Alliance awards.

Different redemption choices embrace ANA’s personal loyalty program, Mileage Membership, which is a transfer partner of Amex Membership Rewards. Be aware that ANA requires that awards be booked round-trip, which does not make that a really perfect choice right here. It’s also possible to e book The Room by way of Virgin Atlantic Flying Membership, which is a switch companion of all 4 main bank card factors packages.

One in every of your finest choices for The Room awards is Air Canada’s Aeroplan program, a switch companion of American Express Membership Rewards points, Bilt Rewards Points, Capital One miles and Chase Ultimate Rewards points.

Aeroplan permits prospects to e book most one-way awards on-line, and this system additionally presents low-cost stopovers.

Qatar Airways Qsuite

Although newer merchandise have been launched lately, Qatar’s Qsuite stays one of many world’s perfect premium-cabin merchandise. Launched in 2017, the airline’s well-known business-class product presents a stage of service, privateness and private area that exceeds top quality on quite a lot of worldwide carriers.

Qsuite is now accessible throughout lots of Qatar’s present long-haul jets, together with many Boeing 777s and Airbus A350s.

The place it flies

Of all of the cabins on this information, Qsuite is essentially the most ubiquitous. It is accessible fairly constantly on each route that Qatar flies to the U.S. from Doha, in addition to lots of the airline’s different medium- and long-haul routes from its Qatar hub.

We have listed all of Qatar’s U.S. locations under for comfort.

• Atlanta
• Boston
• Chicago
• Dallas/Fort Value
• Houston
• Los Angeles
• Miami
• New York
• San Francisco
• Seattle
• Washington Dulles

Simply word that Qatar usually makes last-minute plane substitutions, so you should definitely preserve checking the main points of your flight main as much as departure.

Reserving with money

Though Qsuite is out there on many Qatar Airways flights worldwide, I am going to focus solely on fares between the U.S. and Qatar’s Doha hub.

You may discover a breakdown of round-trip pricing under. Be aware that costs are rounded to the closest hundred {dollars} for a pattern itinerary in November 2024.

It is value noting that Qatar’s fares may be considerably decrease for those who join past Doha to different locations.

Redeeming miles

As a member of the Oneworld alliance, Qatar Airways flights may be booked by way of all Oneworld members, together with American Airways within the U.S.

American’s program, AAdvantage, costs awards primarily based on area, so all flights between the US and Doha require the identical 70,000 miles for enterprise class — you might be on the hook for extra miles for those who’re touring past Doha or the U.S. See our guide to earning AAdvantage miles for extra particulars on methods to increase your account.

Among the different extra fashionable reserving choices embrace British Airways Govt Membership and Qatar’s personal Privilege Membership program, in addition to Cathay Pacific Asia Miles.

Make sure you take a look at our detailed Qsuite guide for a greater concept of how else you may need to e book your award flight.

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