Qatar Airways is one of the largest airlines in the Middle East, with a fleet exceeding 250 aircraft. It offers three different classes of travel, with its business class product, QSuite, being among the best in the market. Here’s a look at what the airline has to offer in each cabin.
Like many airlines, Qatar Airways offers different seating products on its regional and long-haul flights. Economy class, though, is a similar offering on most of its aircraft. Meals and service will, of course, be better on long-haul flights.
Photo: Qatar Airways
The standard seat width in economy class varies between 17.5 inches and 18.5 inches (highest on the Airbus A380), and the standard seat pitch is 31 inches for all aircraft.
What does the world’s second-best economy class have to offer?
If you want a bit of extra space, you will find fellow Middle Eastern airline Emirates offers more than this, with at least 32 inches on its widebody aircraft. You will get about the same with European airlines, albeit less in regional configurations. Unlike other airlines, however, Qatar Airways has seatback screens even on its Airbus narrowbodies.
Qatar Airways excels in business class, with a good and consistent offering on long-haul flights. There are three main types of business class products, depending on the route and aircraft:
Regional business class: is offered on Qatar’s narrowbody Airbus fleet for short and medium-haul flights, usually within the Middle East. This is arranged in a 2-2 configuration, compared with 3-3 in economy class, with each seat offering a 45-inch pitch (compared to 31 inches in economy).
Medium-haul business class: As Qatar Airways expands its reach globally, it has fitted select narrowbody aircraft with lie-flat seats. You’ll find 12 seats in a 2-2 configuration with 79″ of space as a bed, providing more than enough room to sleep on longer flights. Currently available on nine A320-200s across the fleet, this plane is extensively deployed to destinations in South Asia and Africa.
‘Traditional’ long-haul business class: This is offered on all Airbus and Boeing widebody aircraft that do not feature the carrier’s famed QSuites. Business class is offered in a 1-2-1 configuration with non-enclosed seats, all with direct aisle access, and the seat pitch/bed length is 80 inches. This cabin is found on Qatar’s Airbus A380s, A330s, and older Boeing 777s and 787s.
QSuite business class. In 2017, Qatar Airways launched an entirely new business class product. Known as QSuite, this is one of the best business class products in the sky today. Each seat offers aisle access, a fixed table, and, as ‘suite’ suggests, a privacy door. Excitingly, the center suites can be opened up to make groups of two or four suites, perfect for families or business meetings.
The airline offers quad-suites for work or socialization among travel groups.
QSuites are currently offered on all Qatar Airways A350-1000s and select A350-900s, Boeing 777-200LRs, and 777-300ERs. Aircraft and routes offering it continue to grow, and you can check aircraft types and seat maps when booking flights. Simple Flying reporters have taken trips on the A350 in QSuite between San Francisco and Doha and between Los Angeles and Doha.
Boeing 787-9 Business Class Suite: With the Dreamliner, Qatar Airways was unable to fit the original QSuite in a 1-2-1 layout. To tackle this, it created a modified business class suite, not as decked-out as QSuite but still featuring a door and much of the decor. With 30 seats across eight rows, you can find the cabin on any of Qatar’s 14 (and growing) fleet of 787-9s.
Qatar Airways only offers first class on the Airbus A380. When this stopped flying during the pandemic, it was unclear whether the airline would ever offer it again. However, with the A380 back in service, first class is, of course, available once more.
Is the airline’s first class better than its famed Qsuite?
First class on the A380 offers eight private suites in a separate cabin at the front of the upper deck. Each suite has a width of 23 inches and a bed length of 83 inches. It should be noted that, while Qatar sells ‘first class’ tickets within the Middle East, these are just the usual A320 business class recliners, although you do get access to the popular Al Safwa First Class Lounge in Doha as well.
Photo: M101Studio | Shutterstock
However, Qatar Airways has confirmed that its future long-haul fleet will not be equipped with first class seats, with former CEO Al Baker saying the carrier’s premium future lies with the QSuite. Qatar will be a future operator of the Boeing 777X, having placed a firm order for 50 777-9s, but it won’t be flying the type until 2025 at the earliest.
There is a lot of discussion about the reduction of first class in the industry. As just one significant example, American Airlines was the last US airline to offer a separate long-haul first class cabin, and it confirmed the withdrawal of this in late 2022. Several airlines have removed the cabin entirely in recent years, and others have reduced its availability.
Despite this cabin being the subject of a growing trend, Qatar Airways does not offer premium economy, and looks unlikely to do so any time soon. The fourth cabin is increasingly popular, with many airlines in Europe, Asia, and the Americas introducing it on long-haul routes.
It is also popular in Asia on shorter routes, where full-service business class is not necessary (although it may be offered). Even Emirates bit the bullet right before COVID and announced its premium economy cabin, which it eventually put on sale in a full-scale manner in 2022.
Despite the changing winds in the industry toward more premium travel, the carrier isn’t looking to budge from its stance. Speaking to Simple Flying in 2021, former Qatar Airways Chief Executive Akbar Al Baker, said:
“I’m not going for premium economy. Qatar Airways provides passage at reasonable prices to my passengers, giving them equal, or even higher comfort than the premium economy.”
Have you flown with Qatar Airways recently, or are you planning a trip? What do you think of its seat products and service offerings? Feel free to discuss and compare with other airlines in the comments.
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