FOR THOSE LUCKY enough to travel in a first-class cabin, a 20-hour flight is actually something to look forward to.
AirlineRatings.com, which rates airlines on the level of comfort and safety they provide to passengers, recently ranked the top 10 airlines with the best first class cabins.
From multi-room suites to double beds covered in plush linens, here’s a look inside the cushiest first-class cabins in the world.
All Nippon Airways offer first-class passengers a cabin with comfortable seating, a large adjustable dining table and an adjustable cocktail table. What sets this cabin apart is its storage. There’s a mini closet for your jacket and shoes, a space underneath the ottoman for baggage, and multiple compartments for smaller items.
Seats have two LED personal lights, international telephones with personal satellites to make calls in privacy, a “do not disturb” light, a USB port and a 23-inch LCD widescreen monitor.
Business-class cabins on Emirates have privacy doors, personal mini-bars and ambient lighting for maximum relaxation. Each seat converts to a fully flat mattress.
On longer flights, take advantage of the onboard shower spa stocked with Bulgari toiletries, or stretch your legs and grab a drink in the first- and business-class lounge.
On Etihad Airways, cabins feature Poltrona Frau leather seats, ambient lighting, personal wardrobes, and a chilled-drinks cabinet.
Guests looking for the ultimate experience in luxury can stay in The Residence — an upper-deck cabin on the A380 airbus that has a living room, separate double bedroom, ensuite shower room, personal butler, and chef.
Each wood-grain and leather cabin on Japan Airlines‘ 777 is designed with custom bedding, a retractable privacy partition and a 23-inch personal TV screen.
Meals are prepared by chefs like Seiji Yamamoto, known for his three-Michelin-star restaurant, RyuGin, in Tokyo.
Korean Air’s first-class cabins offer a variety of seating options. The Kosmo Suite 2.0 includes a sliding door that’s see-through on the inside, a 9.4-inch partition and a 79-inch seat. Kosmo Suite seats are 26.5 inches wide and have adjustable back support, a footrest and one-touch controls to change positions.
There’s also a Kosmo Sleeper with a 78-inch lie-flat bed and a Sleeper Ottoman with a 180-degree lie-flat bed on B777-300, A330-300, and A330-200 aircraft.
Seats come with personal LCD screens, individual reading lamps and free noise-cancelling headphones.
Lufthansa’s first-class suites include ergonomically-shaped seats, lie-flat beds with a mattress topper, pillow and duvet, and in-flight entertainment in up to eight languages.
The wine list is curated by sommelier Markus Del Monego and caviar is served.
International first-class suites on Australia’s Qantas airline are designed with lie-flat beds measuring 6.5 feet long. The mattress is made of plush sheepskin and the seat and leg rests are adjustable. There’s even an ottoman so you can have a guest in your cabin.
Dining options include an eight-course tasting menu or an à la carte menu designed by Chef Neil Perry, with selections from Quantas’ award-winning wine list.
The seats on Singapore Airlines are 35 inches wide, with a bed length of 82 inches and curved side panels for privacy. Passengers are treated to pyjamas and bedroom slippers as they relax in the ambient mood lighting.
Each seat has a vanity corner with a mirror so you can freshen up before you disembark.
Swiss International Airlines‘ first-class armchairs are available on long-haul flights and can be turned into a lounge armchair, a table for two, or a 6.5-foot bed with a mattress and privacy walls.
Passengers are given pyjamas by Zimmerli of Switzerland and toiletry bags that contain socks, eye masks, toothbrushes, toothpaste, earplugs and skincare products by La Prairie.
Guests flying Royal First Class on Thai Airways are greeted with chilled Champagne and caviar. The Airbus A380s and newly-remodelled Boeing 747s feature semi-private suites that are almost eight- feet-long. Seats are either 23 or 27 inches wide on the 747 and Airbus A380, respectively.
Chairs convert to 180-degree lie-flat beds, in-flight entertainment systems boast 23-inch flat screes with over 300 programs, and passengers can relax with a full-body massage at the Royal First Lounge of Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport before their flight.
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