Qatar has won the title from Skytrax nine times since 2014, setting the bar with the QSuite’s first-of-its-kind double bed and spacious quad seating.

Qatar has equipped all of its Airbus A350-1000s, some of its Airbus A350-900s, and most of its Boeing 777s with the QSuite.

Qatar’s original QSuite has sets of four seats that can face each other by dropping the wall, creating a large space for dining or chatting.

Qatar has added the option to its window seats. This means people traveling together can face each other and enjoy the view.

The 22-inch television can be used as a privacy divider to turn them into solo seats.

Qatar maintained its quad-seating and double bed design in its 2.0 version, but the bed is now four and a half inches wider and one inch longer.

The seats are two inches wider.

Turkish was recently named the world’s 10th-best airline for business class by Skytrax, thanks to its Boeing 787 and A350 cabins. But the airline’s dated Airbus A330 and Boeing 777 cabins are still behind the times. The former will be replaced with the new “Crystal” business class.

Meanwhile, Korean Air’s old long-haul “Apex Suite” is famous for its insanely spacious window seats, but privacy for the aisle was lacking. Its newly announced “Prestige Suites 2.0” will introduce modern upgrades.

Turkish’s existing Boeing 777s feature a 2 × 3 × 2 layout, meaning the middle and window seat passengers don’t have direct aisle access. Air India is one of the few airlines still sporting the dated design.

However, Turkish’s new seats are configured in the standard 1 × 2 × 1 layout.

Sliding doors have become the expectation rather than the exception in business class, with carriers including Lufthansa, Air India, British Airways, and American Airlines announcing new door-equipped seats in recent years.

Turkish’s new door-equipped seat will be installed on its 777 planes and its newly delivered A350-1000s, which are expected in 2026. It’s unclear if the new Crystal product will replace Turkish’s existing Boeing 787 or A350-900 business class.

A divider can divide or combine every other set of seats in the center section, meaning people traveling together can essentially sleep, dine, or watch television side-by-side.

It’s not quite as close as Qatar’s double bed, but it’s likely to attract customers.

Other perks include the 22-inch television, wireless charging, marble-style tables, and power ports.

The Apex Suite is Korean Air’s standard long-haul cabin. It is known for its unique 2 × 2 × 2 layout, which provides direct aisle access via a unique walkway and nearly endless space for the window seat.

BI found it almost like flying on a private jet if you were on the Boeing 747’s upper deck.

However, the configuration is not the most efficient, and the aisle seat didn’t get the same privacy or space as the window. The new cabin, which will debut on Korean Air’s upcoming Boeing 787-10s and eventually its Boeing 777-300ERs, appears more balanced with its 1 × 2 × 1 layout.

The announcement was quieter than Qatar and Turkish, the latter two bringing mockups to the airshow to show off to the media.

Korean Air opted for just a press release announcing its July launch, accompanied by a photo kit.

The airline has expectedly added doors that stand 52 inches high and designed its center section seats to be flexible for solo travelers, families, or couples.

Korean Air’s planes have historically featured pastel blue cushions, which complemented the same color scheme worn by flight attendants and painted across the fuselage.

However, the Prestige Suites 2.0 boasts browns, tans, and beiges, suggesting a move away from the airline’s traditional color patterns.

Airlines like Qatar, Virgin Atlantic Airways, JetBlue Airways, and Condor have contributed to the premium trend known as “business-class-plus.” This takes advantage of the extra space in the front row of the plane by adding a companion seat by the bulkhead.

This allows people traveling together to dine, chat, or meet in the same seat.

Most airlines offer it for a fee in addition to the regular business class fare, while others, like Singapore Airlines and Air France, reserve it as a loyalty perk.

Business class is among the biggest money-makers for airlines. The Motley Fool reported in December the lucrative cabin could represent 75% of a flight’s profits, though just 12% of an airline’s passengers book business class.

Further, post-pandemic business demand is continuing to rebound.

It’s no surprise these modern, min-hotel-like cabins are on the rise as airlines vie for a piece of the market — though Qatar’s fan-favorite QSuite will be hard to beat.