The World’s Best Business Class

 

It’s been more than a decade since the first time I flew “proper”—lie-flat bed; chef-catered meals; real champagne—international business class, which was on an ANA 787-8 from Seattle to Tokyo. At the time, I told people that I hadn’t found the experience very impressive.

Of course, you should always judge someone by their deeds, not their words. The amount of time I’ve spent in the pointy end of the plane since then, to be sure, more than speaks for itself.

I’m definitely qualified to help you decide which is the best business class for your hard-earned money (or points). I’ll also help you decide the most cost-effective way to book your fancy trip!

My Rule of Thumb for Flying Business Class

Whether I’m flying in the best business class cabin or one of the worst, chances are that a flight meets a few criteria if I’m willing to book it in biz:

• Length: Unless I get an incredibly good deal, I’ll probably only splurge on business class for flights longer than 12 hours. In other words, flights from the US to Asia, Australia and the Middle East, but not to Europe.
• Price: If I can get what In consider a good deal (more on that in a second), whether I pay miles or points, I’ll fly almost any route in business class.
• Product: I’m very unlikely to pay a single cent or point to fly business class that doesn’t feature direct aisle access (looking at you, Lufthansa) or on a narrow-body plane without flat beds.
• Direction of travel: Business class is more important when I’m on my way somewhere than it is when I’m on my way home, and will be able to convalesce in my own bed.

Next up, I’ll share with you some of my top strategies for flying in business class without breaking the bank. #2 is especially a game changer!

How to Get Good Prices on Business Class Flights

Collect miles and points

It should go without saying, but miles and points programs are the best way to fly business class for economy prices. Well, economy-ish: Most major frequently flyer programs have undergone some kind of devaluation, or are in the process of one. These price increases range from severe (Delta can charge half a million “SkyPesos” for a one-way business class flight to Asia) to incremental, such as United awards on Air Canada going from 75,000 Aeroplan points to 100,000.

(And diversify)

A second pillar of flying in the best business class for less, then, is to diversify. This not only means not to give your loyalty to a single airline (or alliance), but to accumulate transferrable points “currencies.” Available when you spend on premium travel cards from the likes of American Express, Chase, Citi and Capital One, these points can often be transferred to a dozen or more airline partners, often instantly.

Use a tool like Seats.aero

Have points, but don’t know where to spend them? I highly recommend the Seats.aero tool, which hasn’t paid me for this endorsement (though I hope they eventually will!). It’s especially valuable if you have a premium membership, which allows you to search up to a year out, and to specify not only which program’s points you want to redeem, but also things like operating carrier, maximum cost and whether or not flights are direct.

Find cheaper cash fares when you originate outside the US

Flying the best business class cabins when paying for them outright doesn’t have to bankrupt you. As a general rule, flying from Asia or Europe to the US (as opposed to flying from the US to these regions) can save you between 30-50 per cent, depending on the route and airline. If you travel to a certain region often, you might want to start booking round-trips from there, rather than to there.

(Or by “positioning” yourself in one of a few key cities)

Secondarily to this, certain cities around the world seem to be consistently reliable for cheap fares in business class. These include (but are not limited to) Cairo (CAI), Colombo (CMB) and Jakarta (CGK). While fares tend to be cheaper on non-premium airlines (think Egyptair or Philippine Airlines), I’ve seen round-trips for under $3,000 (and, in some cases, under $2,000) on Qatar Airways and ANA as well.

My Business Class Reviews

Want to decide which is the best business class for yourself? Read through my growing list of business class reviews below!
 

Other FAQ About Flying the Best Business Class Cabins in the World

Which airline has the best value business class?

If you’re paying cash, I’ve found that lower-end airlines like Philippine Airlines and Middle Eastern airlines like Turkish Airlines can offer the best value business class fares. When booking with points, it depends less on the airline, and more on the program you use. As of 2025, programs like American AAdvantage and Alaska MileagePlan offer some of the most reliably affordable business class redemptions.

Which business class airline is the best?

My favorite business class airlines include Japanese carriers JAL and ANA, Taiwanese carriers EVA Air, Starlux and China Airlines, as well as Singapore Airlines and Qatar Airways. I generally find that US and European carriers miss the mark on business class, and will only fly them if the price is right.

What is a good price for international business class?

If you’re paying cash, prices of under $2,000 round-trip to Europe or $3,000 round-trip to Asia are considered good business class fares from the US. Keep in mind that since prices are lower if you originate abroad, you’ll need to get a better price for it to be considered good. When paying points, the least you can expect to pay for long haul business class is about 40,000-60,000 one-way, depending upon your origin and destination.

The Bottom Line

The best business class is subjective—and ever-changing. A decade ago, I might’ve said it was Singapore Airlines or Qatar Airways; these days, the latest business class cabins from ANA and JAL put those to shame. Likewise, whether or not you get a good deal can influence your perception of the experience. Paying thousands of dollars in cash for Delta One (which is hard to book with miles) can be inherently less satisfying than, say, flying Starlux business class from Japan to Taiwan for 15,000 Alaska MileagePlan miles. Need help putting together your next global adventure, whether with booking business class flights or on-the-ground itineraries? Consider hiring me as your Travel Coach!