Back in 2017 we cover Qatar Airways launches new Qsuite business class seats. But 2017 was a long time ago. How has Qatar’s flagship performed since then? The short answer is: it does a very good job. Qsuite remains a favorite among frequent flyers and has helped propel Qatar to the top of many global airline rankings.
But it's been almost eight years since Qsuite launched, an eternity in the competitive world of premium cabin air travel. How are things going today? To find out, we used the Qsuite as our family suite on a long-haul flight from New York to Doha.
Does Qatar's business class stand up to the hype? Our full story has our answers, plus plenty of common photos, videos and window seat views for you to enjoy along the way. Don’t miss out – keep reading!
Pre-Flight Fun @ JFK Airport
At New York's JFK Airport, Qatar Airways operates from Terminal 8, which is home to its oneworld alliance partner American Airlines. Qatar currently operates three daily flights from New York, with flights spaced throughout the day.
Qatar Airways doesn't have its own lounge at JFK, but that's okay because the US and UK jointly operate three lounges at JFK. Passengers flying in premium class on any of American's oneworld partners have access to the Greenwich Lounge, where we spent our pre-flight time.
It's a fresh looking space with lots of seating. One of its focal points is the large champagne and bar located in its centre. The lounge also has two unique corners: a bar serving beer and bar snacks (called the Tasting Room), and the Bridge Bar, which is more focused on cocktails.
These spaces are not open in the morning so we were not able to visit them this time. We didn’t mind as the view from the slopes made us happy.
We spotted the 777-300ER about to board the flight.
Get on board
The decor of the Qsuite cabin remains as stylish as ever, even eight years after it was first launched.
Not all Qatar 777s are equipped with Qsuite, so be sure to check the seat map when booking.
It's a well-designed chair with plenty of space, intuitive feature set and stylish finishes.
The best thing about this chair is right in its name: it’s a suite with doors.
Different seats vary greatly in layout, so be sure to choose carefully.
If you're flying solo, A/K seats may be your best option. They are the window seats closest to the windows, with two to three windows each.
Please note that these seats face the rear of the aircraft. But at least they're more comfortable than some *ahem* high quality Rear-facing seats we've seen in the early days:
Forward-facing Qsuite window seats (B/J) are closer to the aisle and may only have one window per seat. Although all things considered, they're still pretty good.
The E/F seats are great if you’re traveling as a couple, as they convert into a double suite. If you tire of your traveling companions, you can always pull up the dividers between seats.
One of the Qsuite’s most unique design features is “The Quad”, which allows each group of four seats in the central section to become one connected unit with the help of some sliding partitions.
Each seat has a huge entertainment screen.
The seats themselves aren't that wide, but there's plenty of shoulder room throughout the suite.
Next to each seat is a deep storage bin that can accommodate a small bag or laptop.
The console in front of each seat offers a variety of power/USB outlets and some additional storage space.
When you board the plane, there are towels and Diptyque amenity bags at each seat.
A flight attendant came over, introduced herself and got us settled.
Soon we were rolling. JFK International Airport always has amazing taxiway aircraft sightings.
As we took off from runway 31L and climbed out of Long Island, the view from the window seat was beautiful:
In-flight services start running
Qsuite’s dining service is entirely on-demand, meaning you are not restricted to pre-set meal times. Before take off, our flight attendant asked us what we would like to eat for our first meal and when. Although on-demand catering offers a lot of flexibility, most people don't actually eat their main meal until after takeoff.
Once we were on board the cruise we tried more of Qatar's fine wines.
This is the menu for that flight.
As an added feature, you can pre-order meal options before your flight.
Here is the drink list.
Then there’s the flight’s wine list. Wine lovers can click on the images in the gallery to expand the details:
Lunch started with some bread and a small appetizer.
The hors d'oeuvres looked great but tasted just fine. Maybe it would be better to take a flight from the Doha hub in Qatar.
As with every part of the meal, the main course looked beautiful, but unfortunately the poor lobster was overcooked.
Overall, it was still an impressive meal. We ended it all with a little dessert.
Qatar's ordering system is so labor intensive that sometimes our flight attendants are being pulled in ten directions at once. He handled these moments as well as anyone, but when the rush of that first meal service calmed down, I was happy for him.
In between meals, the crew placed snack trays near the galley.
The expectation seems to be that most passengers will order a main meal during the flight and then a lighter item before breakfast. We were hungry and the flight attendant was happy to serve us a second main meal eight hours into the flight, although he mentioned that additional main courses were subject to availability after everyone's initial selection.
We were grateful because this meal was even better than the first meal.
Be prepared for the long term
Qatar’s library of entertainment content is extensive.
One minor criticism from AvGeek: we'd like to see some external camera views, and the moving map feels too old-school. Hopefully, Qatar’s eventual 777X fleet will do better in both areas.
At least the noise canceling headphones are pretty good.
WiFi is available at a great price: $10 for the entire flight, or $8 if purchased in advance. Coverage is spotty, but Qatar is rolling out a Starlink-based system that will soon offer better reliability.
The collar remained in good condition throughout the flight.
Qatar has chosen to equip its 777 aircraft with independent air nozzles.
One of Qatar's strongest areas is bedding. Each passenger gets two sturdy pillows and a blanket. Qatar also provides pajamas to premium cabin passengers on long-haul flights.
Flight attendants provide turndown service and mattresses.
All these ingredients combine to create a perfect sleep experience.
wrap things up
After a good night's sleep, we woke up with less than an hour left until Doha.
The Qatari cabin crew distributed Läderach chocolates before the end of the flight.
It was a foggy Baidu Desert day in Doha. Still, the views are cool, especially while taxiing up Hamad International Airport's busy ramps.
We’ll save our adventures around the Hamad Center in Qatar for another story.
Judgment
After twelve hours of flying Qatar Airways business class, we found a lot to like:
- Qsuite's design lives up to the hype. This is a thoughtfully designed chair with all the features you could want, an ergonomic layout, ample storage space and tasteful finishes. Paired center seats for couples and seats for four for larger groups are the icing on the cake.
- Great cabin design can suffer from poor maintenance. But Qsuite cabins in Qatar have always maintained a sense of freshness.
- The ordering system is very passenger friendly. Overall, the quality of the food is great.
- With spacious bedding, turndown service, Diptyque amenity kits and pajamas, Qatar is likely to offer you a first-class sleep experience.
There are some potential disadvantages:
- Qatar's flight attendants are generally great, but even the best can get tired or miss requests under the heavy workload required by an a la carte service structure.
- The AvGeek in me missed the external camera views (note: Qatar's A350 sub-fleet has them). Also the moving map is lame.
And then there's more philosophical debate about suite-style seating. Suites are considered the pinnacle of business class seat design, but that doesn't mean they're universally popular. The privacy provided by the doors comes at a cost, namely less contact with flight attendants and a less spacious feel in the cabin.
By comparison, Qatar’s non-Qsuite A350 cabins we mentioned in an article separate story It feels completely opposite.
Qatar Airways recently regained top spot Skytrax's 2024 Best Airlines List. No ranking is 100% certain, but in Qsuite we can see why Qatar is such a strong contender. and comes with a Next generation Qsuite The airline's goal is obviously to continue to perform at its best.
Now it's time for us to hear from you. Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
Note: This trip was booked using miles. Qatar generally offers good award availability if you're able to book a year in advance when the awards calendar is open, although they have recently increased prices on some redemptions.
