Business Class

For a recent work trip I flew Business Class for the very first time. One leg was via Qatar Airways and the other via Emirates.

General Thoughts (relevant for both)

• The biggest benefit is the ability to make the seat flat. A flat bed to sleep on a 8+ hour flight really reduces the fatigue from long air travel.
• Food and Service is better than regular economy flights however Service is not so extraordinary that one remembers.
• Priority Lanes for check-in, immigration are faster and less crowded but not a significant benefit.
• Lounge Access helps if you don't have a credit card that gets you access. Business Class lounges are somewhat better than regular lounges.
• Wifi Access is nice to have

Qatar Airways -

• The Qsuite is super comfortable. Lot of space, privacy. I found the seating to be better than Emirates.
• Wifi worked better than Emirates
• Food Service was better - On-Demand dining, tasty food & fine dining. Emirates meals were on a certain schedule, and it did not have the elegance of Qatar
• The bathrooms were bigger

Emirates

• They have an on-board Bar which is spacious but I really didn't feel its worth it unless you're a drinker
• The goodies like Toiletry kits, Pajamas were better quality than Qatar
• More recent content available on Emirates
• The chauffeur service that involves pick and drop to the airport really stands out because you get a great car and free ride.
• Since I had a 7 hour + layover at Dubai they also provided me a free 5-star hotel stay in a prime location in Dubai which also included a free meal.

Overall, Its hard to pick one. The in-flight experience felt better in Qatar but the complimentary services of Emirates stands out on its own.

Is it worth the 3x price? Probably not. Unless you really hate travel and its discomfort, the price paid may not be worth it. For Emirates, you do get a lot of value out of it such as the complimentary chauffeur service, free 5 star stay, multiple free meals.

Regardless, I feel one should experience such luxury once in a lifetime at least.