The 8 Best Business-Class Seats in the World—and How to Book Them With Points and Miles

Airlines are always updating their services, especially in the renewed competition to have the best business-class seats and amenities. While many airlines are cutting first class cabins in favor of business class, the good news is that fliers are seeing more premium perks than ever before. From suite-style seats with closing doors and designer bedding, to menus created by celebrity chefs and chic amenity kits stuffed with beauty products, flying in business class is a delight.

Of course, all that luxury comes at a cost. Many international business-class tickets price upwards of $5,000 round-trip from the U.S., and top $10,000 in some cases. But if you have airline miles, or credit card points that transfer to frequent-flier programs, you can experience all this high-altitude extravagance without paying sky-high fares.

Here are eight of the best business-class seats currently available, and how you can use points and miles to fly them for (nearly) free. We picked these not only for the seating options and amenities, but also based on award availability and the number of routes on which they are in service.

1. Qatar Airways Qsuites

Since the introduction of its much-lauded Qsuite, Qatar Airways has endeavored to put them on many of its long-haul routes, including flights from Doha to the U.S., Europe, and Asia. As for the Qsuites themselves, each one has its own closing door for privacy in flight. Qatar Airways also designed certain center seats to be combinable into two- and four-person blocs (and double beds in some cases), so that families or colleagues traveling together can enjoy spaces for socializing and co-working.

Where to find it: Currently, you can find Qsuites aboard the airline’s Airbus A350-1000s, and some of its Boeing 777-300ERs, 777-200LRs, and Airbus A350-900s. Its Airbus A380s and Boeing 787 planes do not have Qsuites, however. The good news is Qatar Airways is flying Qsuites from Doha to most U.S. destinations including Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, Los Angeles, New York (JFK), San Francisco, and Washington, D.C., among other cities. You’ll also find them on routes beyond the U.S. including Bangkok, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney, Tokyo, Frankfurt, London, and Paris, among others.

How to book it with points and miles: Because Qatar Airways is in the Oneworld airline alliance, fliers can redeem American Airlines AAdvantage or Alaska Mileage Plan miles for award tickets. You can now search and book Qatar Airways awards directly on each airline’s website, which makes the process quick and simple. Just enter the city you’re departing from, your destination, and your dates, and the search will bring up both economy and business-class award options. For example, using American miles for a one-way ticket will cost you 70,000 miles between Doha and the U.S., 42,500 miles between Doha and Europe, or 40,000 miles between Doha and Asia.

Qatar Airways has switched to the Avios program, which is also used by airlines like British Airways and Iberia. This means you can redeem Avios points to fly in Qatar’s Qsuites. Short on Avios points or don’t have an account at all? You can transfer American Express Membership Rewards or Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Avios. Avios uses a distance-based award chart making it a good deal on shorter flights, but quite pricey on longer ones. A flight from Doha to the U.S. could cost as much as 103,000 points each way, but a flight between Doha and many cities in Europe would only cost 38,750 points each way.

2. Delta One Suites

Delta was actually the first U.S. airline to unveil designs for an all-suites business-class cabin, and those suites are now flying on many routes. The most innovative feature of Delta One Suites is the closing doors. Although they just reach the top of the seat, the doors still provide a tangible sense of seclusion during the flight, shielding passengers from activity in the aisle. Like Delta’s older business-class seats, Delta One Suites are laid out in a staggered, front-facing 1–2–1 pattern so that every passenger has direct aisle access. The seats have memory-foam cushions for a comfortable ride, are 21 inches wide, and up to 81 inches long in lie-flat mode. They also feature fun touches like customizable lighting and Do Not Disturb indicators.