Business class index 2023

Flying business class provides a whole new level of luxury when traveling. From delicious gourmet food and drink to incredibly comfy seats, there are plenty of things to enjoy in business class.

But the luxury doesn’t just start once you step foot on the plane. Those flying business class also get exclusive access to lounges where they can relax and unwind before embarking on their journey.

While flying business class is something that some of us might never get to experience, some people may feel like treating themselves for a special occasion. But which airports and airlines offer the best experience for business class travelers?

To find out we’ve refreshed our 2022 Business Class Index and taken another look at some of the world’s most popular airports, including Dallas Fort Worth International and Tokyo Haneda, as well as airlines, such as Qantas and Emirates.

The best business-class airlines

1.  Singapore Airlines - 9.57 business class score
Taking the top spot for the second time is Singapore Airlines, again earning a 9.57/10 business class score. The airline, which was founded over 50 years ago, has its hub located at Singapore Changi Airport and provides connections to over 130 destinations, including  Auckland, Rome, and Hanoi.

Singapore Airlines scores highly across the board regarding its business-class service. It achieved 10/10 in four categories: cuisine, beverages, service, and entertainment. Depending on the aircraft, business class passengers can enjoy delicious food created by notable chefs from the airline’s International Culinary Panel. This includes Georges Blanc, Matt Moran, and Zhu Jun.

The airline also scored 9/10 for its airport experience, cabin/seat, and amenities/facilities. Some of the Singapore Airlines’ aircraft have two seating positions so that you can adjust your seat according to your needs. Guests can also transform their seats into a fully flat bed, which allows them to relax and get some rest on long-haul flights.

2.  Qatar Airways - 9.43 business class score
In second place again is Qatar Airways, but this time with a slightly higher score of 9.43/10 (compared to 9.29/10 in last year’s index). The airline has been running for over 30 years and has hubs at three different airports across the world: Hamad International Airport, Doha International Airport, and Luxembourg Airport. Passengers can fly to over 150 destinations, including Sao Paulo, Helsinki, and Dubai.

Qatar Airways scores 10/10 for its cuisine, service, and amenities/facilities. When on board, passengers can enjoy high-quality meals that are prepared by world-class chefs. The delicious food has a focus on local fresh and in-season ingredients and can be catered to various diets, including non-lactose, low-sodium, and diabetic.

The airline scored 9/10 in all other business-class categories. Qatar Airways customers can kick off their journey by enjoying a selection of luxurious Diptyque face and body care products before relaxing in ultra-comfortable loungewear and slippers by The White Company.  There is also ambient lighting on board all aircraft which helps passengers to better adjust to different time zones.

3.  Oman Air - 9.29 business class score
Making its first appearance in the top three is Oman Air, earning a business class score of 9.29. The airline was founded over 30 years ago and has its hub located at Muscat International Airport. Passengers can fly to over 40 different destinations across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, including Manila, Frankfurt, and Amman.

Oman Air scores 10/10 for its cabin/seat, cuisine, and amenities/facilities. Those flying business class are welcomed with the finest quality dates and ‘Kahwa’, a traditional Omani coffee. Depending on the length of the journey (the menu changes depending on whether the flight is short, medium, or long-haul), passengers can enjoy a variety of high-quality dishes, such as steamed sea bass with herb cream sauce, roasted chicken, and grilled fillet of beef with thyme jus.

The airline also scored 9/10 for its airport experience, beverages, and service. Passengers can relax in one of Oman Air’s business class lounges before embarking on their flight, which includes an entertainment area, in-house prayer rooms, and complimentary Wi-Fi access. There are an array of different drinks available on board, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, including champagne cocktails, Arabian mint and honey tea, and raspberry smoothies.

The worst business-class airlines

1.  Egyptair - 5.71 business class score
In last place for the second time is Egyptair, again earning a business class score of just 5.71/10. The airline, founded over 90 years ago, has its headquarters in Cairo and provides flights to over 80 destinations, including  Prague, Mumbai, and Cape Town.

Egyptair scores 6/10 in 6 of the 7 business class categories. Although the airline’s business class cabins and seats aren’t as high-quality as other airlines, they do offer a built-in lumbar massage and a headrest that can be moved in six directions for maximum comfort. However, passengers have been known to be disappointed with the 2-3-2 seating arrangement.

The airline only scored 4/10 for its beverages, which could be because the drink options available on Egyptair flights are thought to be very basic.

2.  Copa Airlines - 6.71 business class score
In second place again is Copa Airlines, which received a business class score of 6.71/10. The airline has been running for almost 80 years and has its hub at Tocumen International Airport in Panama. Passengers can fly to almost 90 destinations across the Caribbean and the whole of America, including  Guatemala, Cancun, and Buenos Aires.

Copa Airlines scores 7/10 in the following five categories: airport experience; cabin/seat; cuisine; beverages, and amenities/facilities. Although there aren’t complaints about the quality of the food served on board the aircraft, there has been disappointment in the number of options available. There are typically only two choices for the main meal - with a vegetarian option not always being available - and it has been said that meals are served at ‘odd times’.

The airline also scored 6/10 for both the service and entertainment categories. The satisfaction with the available entertainment can vary depending on the flight. Some aircraft have 16” touch-screen monitors, others have fold-out television screens, and some are limited to overhead monitors. While the first two options allow passengers to choose what they would like to watch (although there isn’t much choice), the latter means that passengers are only able to watch pre-chosen entertainment.

3.  Kuwait Airways - 7.00 business class score
Making its first appearance in the bottom three is Kuwait Airways, earning a business class score of 7/10. The airline was founded almost 70 years ago and has its hub located at Kuwait International Airport. Passengers can fly to over 50 destinations, including New York, Bangkok, and Casablanca.

Kuwait Airways achieves its highest score of 8/10 in the entertainment and amenities/facilities categories. Those flying business class receive an amenity bag full of mainly Allies of Skin products, including a toothbrush, toothpaste, socks, an eye mask, and earplugs. There is a wide selection of entertainment options available, such as Hollywood and Arabic films and television shows, as well as games, magazines, and newspapers.

The airline received a score of 7/10 for its airport experience, cabin/seat, cuisine, and service. Crew members are found to be very polite, friendly, and welcoming, while also remaining professional. There are three options available for main meals on board and although these are said to be tasty and of a good size, passengers believe the presentation could be improved.

The best business-class airports

1.  Heathrow Airport, United Kingdom - 7.60 business class score
Taking the top spot again is Heathrow Airport, but this time earning a slightly higher score of 7.60/10 (compared to 7.10 last year). The airport has been open since 1946 and is located in London in the United Kingdom. The most popular airline at Heathrow by far is British Airways, with approximately 311 departures per day.

Over 1,100 flights are taking off and landing at Heathrow Airport every day, with 17% of these being delayed on average. Passengers can fly to over 220 destinations including Dublin, Vienna, and even Sydney.

Over 40 lounges are available at the airport, with most of them being located in Terminal 3. This includes the Club Aspire Lounge, The Centurion Lounge, and the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse. Heathrow Airport receives an overall score of 4/5 on Skytrax, with points being deducted for the long walking distances and transfer times between terminals.

2.  Hamad International Airport, Qatar - 7.09 business class score
In second place is Hamad International Airport, which received a business class score of 7.09/10. The airport has been open for less than 10 years and is located in Doha, Qatar. The most popular airline at Hamad by far is, of course, Qatar Airways, with around 277 departures per day.

There are approximately 640 flights departing and arriving at Hamad International Airport each day, with 15% of these being delayed on average. Passengers can fly to almost 180 destinations including Abu Dhabi, Kathmandu, and Kuwait City.

17 lounges are available at the airport including the Al Maha, Oryx, and Sleep n’ Fly lounges.  Hamad International Airport receives an overall score of 5/5 on Skytrax, scoring highly in areas such as security screening, signage, and terminal comfort. It was also ranked the Best Airport in the World in 2021 by travelers.

3.  Munich Airport, Germany - 6.99 business class score
Coming in third is Munich Airport, earning a business class score of 6.99/10. The airport has been open for less than 30 years and is located in Bavaria, Germany. The most popular airline at the airport by far is Lufthansa, with over 250 departures per day.

Almost 670 flights are taking off and landing at Munich Airport each day, with 21% of these being delayed on average. Passengers can fly to 215 destinations including Hamburg, Amsterdam, and Paris.

There are 18 lounges available at the airport, with the majority of them belonging to Lufthansa. Munich Airport receives an overall score of 5/5 on Skytrax, making it Europe’s only 5-star airport. It has been commended for its broad range of shopping, dining, leisure, and entertainment facilities.

The worst business-class airports

1.  Jeju International Airport, South Korea - 0.66 business class score
At the bottom of the list is Jeju International Airport, earning a disappointing business class score of just 0.66/10. The airport has been open for over 55 years and is located in Jeju City in South Korea. The most popular airline at the airport is, of course, Korean Airlines, with approximately 40 departures per day.

There are over 400 flights departing and arriving at Jeju International Airport each day, with almost a quarter of these being delayed on average. However, passengers can only fly to just over 25 destinations including Seoul, Busan, and Hong Kong.

There are just two lounges available at Jeju International Airport: Asiana Lounge and Korean Air KAL Lounge. The airport receives an overall score of 3/5 on Skytrax, with points being deducted for its congestion, outdated style, and lack of dining and vending machines. However, Jeju International Airport is commended for its efficiency and cleanliness.

2.  Antalya Airport, Turkey - 1.13 business class score
In second place is Antalya Airport, which received a business class score of just 1.13/10. The airport has been open for over 60 years and is located in Antalya, Turkey. The most popular airline at the airport is SunExpress, with around 54 departures per day.

Almost 200 flights are taking off and landing at Antalya Airport each day, with 30% of these being delayed on average. Passengers can fly to almost 130 destinations, including Dusseldorf, Cologne, and Istanbul.

Five lounges are available at Antalya Airport, including three CIP lounges. The airport receives an overall score of 3/5 on Skytrax, with points being deducted for the high levels of delays and crowding during peak holiday times due to it being a seasonal airport. There have also been complaints about the level of cleanliness in washrooms during these busy periods.

3.  Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport, Turkey - 1.43 business class score
Coming in third and making the second appearance for Turkey is Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport, earning a business class score of just 1.43/10. The airport has only been open since 2001 and is located in Istanbul, Turkey. The most popular airline at the airport by far is Pegasus, with an average of 180 departures per day.

There are over 500 flights departing and arriving at the airport each day, with a huge 41% of these being delayed on average. Passengers can fly to 125 destinations, including  Budapest, Manchester, and Tel Aviv.

There are eight lounges available at the airport, including the Kepler Club and multiple Plaza Premium lounges. It also receives an overall score of 3/5 on Skytrax, with points being deducted for the lack of free Wi-Fi. Comments have also been made by passengers about the lack of facilities and amenities compared to other large airports.

Methodology:

For each airline, we looked at reviews from BusinessClass.com, which gives each airline a score out of 10 on the following factors, taking an average of all seven scores for each airline:
●     Airport experience

●     Cabin and seat

●     Cuisine

●     Beverages

●     Service

●     Entertainment

●     Amenities and facilities

We looked at the 50 biggest airports around the world by passenger volume, analyzing them on the following factors:

●     The number of lounges listed on LoungeBuddy

●     The number of destinations that the airport serves, according to FlightsFrom.com

●     The percentage of delayed flights per day on average, according to Flightera

●     The airport’s rating out of 5, according to Skytrax

Each airport was given a score out of 10 for each factor before an average was taken across each of the scores.