Introduction
Qatar Airways Business Class is one of the best business class experiences in terms of quality and luxury. Most of their planes are new and with beautiful interiors, excellent entertainment units, and comfortable seats. Recently, I flew their business class product on their A350 plane en route to Frankfurt from Doha. Qatar Airways is based out of Doha where all their flights connect to over 150 destinations.
Booking
Qatar Airways is member of the OneWorld alliance which means that Qatar Airways award flights can be booked using OneWorld partners such as British Airways or American Airlines. To search for award availability, you have to go to BritishAirways.com since American Airlines does not show award availability online for Qatar Airways.
In most cases, the redemption rates for Qatar Airways business class is less on American Airlines than on British Airways for longer distance flights. This is due to British Airways having a distance based award chart instead of a regional chart like American Airlines. However, keep in mind British Airways passes on more surcharges than American Airlines.
If you find award availability for Qatar Airways on BritishAirways.com, you can then proceed to call American Airlines and book the flight over the phone.
The amount of American Airlines miles required for this flight was 44,500 miles.
Flight
Qatar Airways 67 Doha (DOH) to Frankfurt (FRA) Cabin: Business Seat: 6E and 6F Aircraft: A350 Flight Time: 6h 50m
Plane Atmosphere (5/5)
The A350 is incredibly comfortable due to it having industry leading improvements to cabin pressure and humidity control. Additionally, the ceiling are very high which made the aircraft feel much less cramped.
Qatar also invested in the advanced lighting package which changes colors during takeoff, cruising, and landing operations. This helps passengers with jet lag as the lighting transitions from day to night time configurations.
SEAT COMFORT (5/5)
Seats were comfortable with many adjustable seating positions for eating, sleeping, and watching TV. The entertainment system had a large high resolution screen with much content. Additionally, a multitude of power outlets were available along with a small storage area.
The only negative was the small foot rest area that seemed cramped while in the sleeping position. Otherwise, the seat was perfectly fine for getting some sleep on long flights.
FOOD (5/5)
Food was delicious with plenty of options to choose from to ensure passengers were satisfied. For some dishes, the presentation was beautiful, on others, it looked like it was just thrown together. Compared to the average business class experience, Qatar Airways has one of the best business class food offerings available.
SERVICE(5/5)
Service was attentive, friendly, expedient, and professional. I’ve always been impressed by how well trained the staff is whenever I fly on Qatar Airways. They seem to care and go out of their way to ensure you’re happy.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, flying on Qatar Airways on business class is a no-brainer if you have available American Airlines miles. I can’t think of a better use of American Airlines miles. For shorter trips, it might make more sense to redeem British Airways miles for flights on Qatar Airways. If the A350 is available on a route you are looking at, even better. Finally, the excellent food, service, and newer planes make Qatar Airways one of the best options available for long haul trips.
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