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Traveling solo can be a tremendously relaxing experience. And whenever you do find yourself traveling alone, you’ll generally want to have your own space so you don’t have to worry about bumping shoulders with strangers.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through the best business class seats for those traveling by themselves. First, we’ll talk about what makes a great business class seat for solo travelers, and then we’ll rank our favorite seats.
Let’s dive in!
First and foremost, any good long-haul business class seat should recline all the way into a lie-flat bed in the sky.
Sure, the inflight entertainment, storage space, and the number of USB ports are all important factors, but what’s absolutely essential is the seat being isolated from everybody else.
This is typically achieved through a thoughtful shell design, raised partitions, sliding suite doors, and other “hardware” features. The physical aspects of a seat are generally referred to as the “hard product.”
However, not every airline has a proprietary hard product, and some offer very similar or even identical seats to their business class customers. In this situation, the differentiator between 2 business class products is the “soft product,” which includes food-and-beverage offerings, amenities, service, and lounge access.
Hot Tip: If your plans include a travel partner, check out our guides to the world’s best business class and first class seats for couples.
Many of the top business class seats for solo travelers are found on airlines that are widely regarded as some of the best in the world. This shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, simply because the world’s best airlines usually invest millions of dollars in optimizing the experiences of all travelers, especially those sitting in premium cabins.
So, without further ado, let’s get into our favorite business class seats for solo travelers!
Qatar Airways’ Qsuite is the best business class product in the world overall. This isn’t a shock, considering the airline’s commitment to delivering a world-beating experience for premium passengers.
This product was originally introduced in 2017 and remains the top pick for solo travelers. All Qsuites have sliding doors that enclose your suite, high partitions for enhanced privacy, and luxurious finishes. Plus, at select seats, the side table is positioned between you and the aisle, creating an extra bit of privacy.
The seat itself is a bit narrow at 21.5 inches wide, but it’s plenty spacious with over 79 inches of lie-flat bed length. You’ll also find top-shelf amenities by The White Company and BRIC, delightful inflight food and beverage programs, lavish bedding, terrific service all-around, and easily accessible award availability to round out this superb product.
Hot Tip: Interested in booking a Qsuite? Read up on our complete guide on how to book Qatar Airways Qsuites with points and miles. You can also check out our full review of the Qsuite product.
ANA’s brand-new flagship business class product is called The Room. This is certainly an appropriate name for the product because it’s one of the more spacious business class suites in the world.
To start, there are sliding doors that close you off from the rest of the cabin. This means all 35 inches of seat width, 53 inches of seat pitch, and 72 inches of bed length are yours and yours alone.
This business class product is so generous — particularly in the shoulder-width department — that it even rivals Cathay Pacific’s first class (which is 36 inches wide). However, taller people may find the bed to be a bit of a squeeze since it’s on the shorter side.
Nevertheless, The Room allows you to relax in a spacious pod, complete with refined Japanese dining, wonderful service, and a comfortable array of amenities. Of course, every seat has direct aisle access, but we’d definitely recommend a window seat for solo travelers.
British Airways is in the process of making gigantic improvements to its business class product. The old product has been widely panned for being too cramped with a layout as dense as 2-4-2 on some planes.
Not to worry, though. The brand-new Club Suite product is making its way through BA’s fleet — and it’s highly impressive. These are modified reverse herringbone seats with sliding doors. All of them feature direct aisle access and recline fully flat to become beds.
Beyond that, though, the new upholstery is sleek and plush. If you’re a solo traveler, definitely reserve a window seat so you’re closed off to the cabin on 1 side and have breathtaking views on the other.
In addition to a massively improved seat, you can expect a decent dining experience, a good lounge experience on the ground, and abundant award availability.
JetBlue has a superb business class product that ranks at the very top of the list for U.S. airlines. Although technically classified as a low-cost carrier, the New York-based airline offers a phenomenal business class product known as Mint that features a unique cabin arrangement that well-versed solo travelers can benefit from.
JetBlue’s seat map alternates between rows with a 2-2 configuration and a 1-1 configuration, creating a few “throne seats” in each cabin. These throne seats are business class suites that occupy the same amount of real estate as 2 “normal” seats. They feature individual sliding doors, direct aisle access, and they all lie completely flat.
Each throne seat is 22 inches wide, offers 60 inches of pitch, and is 80 inches long when in bed mode.
Other special aspects of this experience include an elevated tapas-style food and beverage program, amenities from Hayward, and competitive prices if you can be flexible with your travel dates.
Unfortunately, JetBlue doesn’t offer any lounge access on the ground, though service on board is always excellent!
Malaysia Airlines initially offered a distinct first class product on its new Airbus A350 aircraft. However, the airline has since rebranded those seats and now refers to them as “Business Suites.”
The implications of this are mostly focused on the hard product. The suite is noticeably more luxurious than the “normal” business class product, though the soft product is very similar.
There’s just 1 row of lie-flat Business Suites, making it a very intimate cabin. The Business Suites are arranged in a 1-2-1 layout, which means all the seats have direct aisle access, while “regular” business class has 35 seats in an alternating 1-2-1 and 1-2-2 configuration. All seats recline to a fully flat position.
The exclusive Business Suites have side tables, sliding doors, and more intricate stitching. They measure 23 inches wide and 83 inches long when reclined fully flat. In addition, you’ll have slightly enhanced bedding, high-end Champagne, caviar service, and cooked-to-order food.
Korean Air has quite a variety of aircraft in its fleet — and a confusing array of business class products. The best the airline has to offer is known as Prestige Suites, which uses the well-regarded Apex Suites seat type as its skeleton.
Each of these suites is 21 inches wide and 80 inches long when fully reclined. And, importantly, window suites have a partition that can be lowered to fully isolate yourself from your neighbor.
There’s direct aisle access and plenty of legroom thanks to the oversized ottoman. You’ll also notice a large entertainment screen with solid content options, flavorful Korean and Western dining options, and good service.
The main drawbacks of this product are the less-than-impressive lounges and difficulty in snagging any sweet spot redemptions from frequent flyer partners, but not to worry! Learn more about the best ways to book Korean Air business class using points in our step-by-step guide.
Another example of the terrific Apex Suites is found in Japan Airlines’ business class. Depending on what aircraft you’re flying, you’ll either have a 2-2-2 or a 2-3-2 configuration.
Don’t let the high seat density discourage you from booking this product because you’ll have plenty of privacy and a great experience overall, especially if you’re looking for a large and spacious seat.
Each of the suites has direct aisle access, 25.5 inches of seat width, and around 74 inches of pitch and bed length.
The window seats are superb because they’re almost completely isolated from the rest of the cabin, as they’re basically nestled behind the aisle suite.
You’ll have plenty of legroom to stretch your legs, as well as a fantastic dining program consisting of Japanese and Western options, plus solid amenities, and signature Japanese hospitality.
Best of all, Japan Airlines business class is easy to book using points!
Oman Air, one of the smaller airlines in the Middle East, has an appealing fleet of aircraft equipped with luxurious seats. On select flagship routes, you’ll find a business class cabin outfitted with high-tech Apex Suites.
To start off, these eye-catching suites have diamond stitching and high-end upholstery, making you feel like you’re in a luxury sports car instead of a plane.
Beyond that, though, these Apex Suites are organized in a 2-2-2 arrangement and feature 23 inches of seat width, as well as 80 inches of length when reclined.
Overall, the best seats are “A” and “K” seats, which are the window seats with additional privacy. With the privacy partition in place, it’ll feel like you’re cocooned away from the aisle and foot traffic in your own private suite.
Not to worry, there’s direct aisle access and the ability to recline fully lie-flat with aisle seats, too. No matter where you sit, you’ll enjoy a posh set of amenities, delightful Mediterranean dining, and excellent service.
The main drawback of Oman Air business class is that there just aren’t that many long-haul routes offering this product.
Bahrain-based Gulf Air is another underrated airline offering an incredible business class product on its new Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft.
If you have the pleasure of flying Gulf Air business class, you’ll find elegantly-designed Apex Suites in a 2-2-2 arrangement with direct aisle access and lie-flat seats.
Aboard the 787-9, Falcon Gold business class seats are a whopping 36 inches wide and 83 inches long in bed mode.
Similar to Oman Air, the best seats are “A” and “K” seats, where you’ll be secluded away from the aisles and next to the windows.
The rest of the experience checks off all the boxes, though the airline has traditionally focused less on Middle Eastern catering and more on Western-style catering. Beyond that, there are high-quality amenities, an Arabic coffee and date tradition, and great service.
Delta’s flagship business class product, known as Delta One Suites, gets a lot of love. With a spacious 1-2-1 layout, lie-flat seats, sliding doors, direct aisle access at every seat, and a familiar brand name, there are plenty of reasons why you’d want to fly in this cabin.
Delta One Suites are basically modified Thompson Vantage XL seats, which are all forward-facing and have an arm table at each seat.
Already very private thanks to sliding doors, side tables between the aisle and some window seats add even more of a buffer between you and anyone passing through the aisle.
Each seat is 24 inches wide and 78 long when in lie-flat mode. The seat width is noteworthy in particular because it contributes to a sense of spaciousness. Also, you’ll find Delta One to have decent amenities, generally tasty food (especially on flights between the U.S. and Asia), and pleasant crews.
The biggest complaints, generally, about Delta One Suites are that the wine selection is disappointing, award availability can be hard to find at a reasonable price, and the noise cancellation headphones are lackluster.
Believe it or not, Aeroflot has not 1, but 2 brand-new flagship business class products. Although we’d wholeheartedly recommend either of the 2 products, it’s important to note that they are different.
On Aeroflot’s new Airbus A350 aircraft, you’ll find a suites product that resembles Qatar Airways’ Qsuite (minus the ability to create “quad pods” for groups of 4). And on its new Boeing 777 aircraft, you’ll find reverse herringbone seats, with doors, that resemble British Airways’ new Club Suite.
On either aircraft, you’ll enjoy a sliding door and plenty of privacy, though reverse herringbone seats are generally thought to be more private than the forward-facing suites, thanks to the way the seats are angled away from the aisle.
Each seat is lie-flat, has direct aisle access, and comes with the same solid Aeroflot soft product. Generally, award availability is hard to find, but connecting business class fares are generally pretty affordable if paying out of pocket.
United Airlines is yet another familiar name for U.S. travelers. United has branded its flagship business product as Polaris.
Offered on an array of long-haul aircraft, Polaris seats don’t have sliding doors, but they do have a striking design that offers plenty of privacy.
If you opt to reserve a window seat, you’ll also have a side table separating you from the aisle. The window seats are also sunken into the very back of the surrounding “shell” for maximum privacy.
The large, crisp inflight entertainment system will keep you occupied throughout the flight, while the Saks Fifth Avenue bedding and Sunday Riley amenities will keep you comfortable.
A drawback of the Polaris experience has traditionally been the catering, which is generally in line with most U.S. airlines. In addition, the service can be hit or miss.
EVA Air’s Royal Laurel business class product is an incredible experience overall.
The Taiwan-based airline has reverse herringbone seats arranged in a 1-2-1 set-up. These seats don’t have sliding doors, but they are angled away from the aisle for extra privacy. Every business class seat is 26 inches wide (that’s about 4 inches wider than comparable reverse herringbone seats) and 78 inches long in bed mode.
What makes EVA Air business class truly special is the fact that the service, food, beverage, and amenities are akin to first, not business, class. You’ll get pajamas, high-end Champagne, catering by Din Tai Fung, and fantastic service on each flight.
Oh, and don’t forget to keep those Rimowa and Salvatore Ferragamo amenity kits as souvenirs! Finally, award availability is excellent and it’s super easy to book with points.
Air Canada’s business class is called Signature Class. The bright and airy cabin oozes mid-century modern luxury and comes complete with lie-flat, reverse herringbone seats with direct aisle access.
The airline consistently delivers a solid business class product. To start off, the seat is 21 inches wide and around 75 to 80 inches long in bed mode, depending on which aircraft you’re on.
Seats are in a 1-2-1 configuration, meaning the window seats are superior for solo travelers. But if you sit in the middle next to someone else, there’s a motorized partition you can raise for extra privacy.
Air Canada offers consistently good service, crisp inflight entertainment monitors, bedding (including a mattress pad), and good award availability on long-haul flights (particularly to/from Montréal).
China Airlines — which is based in Taiwan and not Mainland China — has a superb business class product. The carrier has a cross-town rivalry with EVA Air, which also offers 1 of the best business class products in the world.
Currently, China Airlines’ fleet of long-haul aircraft mostly uses reverse herringbone seats in a 1-2-1 setup with direct aisle access and lie-flat capabilities. It also boasts great food and beverages, solid amenity kits from The North Face, and wonderful service from the cabin crew.
Air France’s business class on most of its planes is excellent. Reverse herringbone seats, a 1-2-1 layout, French cuisine, and plentiful award availability make it a product worth trying.
Each of the padded business class eats has direct aisle access and can recline fully lie-flat. If you are flying solo, be sure to choose the window seats as they’re very private.
The food and beverage offerings are among the best in Europe, and the amenities are quite nice, too.
Best of all, it’s quite easy to book with points!
Turkish Airlines’ newest business class seats, offered exclusively on its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, are uniquely designed.
Essentially, they’re modified Stelia Aerospace business class seats, which is the same seat type used by Singapore Airlines on its new Boeing 787-10 aircraft.
This is a huge upgrade over its legacy business class product, which has forward-facing seats in a 2-3-2 or 2-2-2 configuration.
There are no doors here, but there is direct aisle access at every seat (which is already more than what its older products can offer), plus 20 inches of width, 44 inches of pitch, and 76 inches of bed length.
The even-numbered “A” and “K” seats are the most private, being situated flush to the window away from the aisle. Even if you can’t snag any of those seats, the design of the shell makes for a private experience.
Turkish Airlines also gets a lot of praise for its lounges, inflight catering, and generous award availability.
Unfortunately, this seat in particular is on the narrow side, so larger travelers may have a relatively difficult time getting comfortable.
Hot Tip: Read our firsthand review of Turkish Airlines’ Boeing 787 business class, as well as our in-depth guide to booking Turkish Airlines business class with points.
Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific is a storied name in the commercial aviation industry. Currently, Cathay Pacific’s long-haul business class product consists only of reverse herringbone seats.
As expected, these seats recline fully flat and all offer direct aisle access, thanks to the 1-2-1 arrangement. Seats range from 20 to 21 inches wide and 75 to 81 inches long when in bed mode.
Cathay Pacific’s long-haul aircraft usually offer large business class cabins, making it easy to redeem points and miles for these flights, even for small families.
On the other hand, Cathay Pacific’s business class product has been criticized recently for being “cookie-cutter” and not as personalized as it once was. Still, though, the seat is comfortable, the amenities have improved, and the award availability is solid.
KLM’s new business class product is a significant step-up from a privacy perspective. In the past, it had forward-facing seats in a 2-2-2 arrangement (or 2-2 if you happened to be on the upper deck of its Boeing 747 aircraft). But the newest product you’ll find on select Boeing 787 Dreamliners is a reverse herringbone seat — a significant upgrade over its older planes.
These seats are around 20.5 inches wide and offer 42 inches of pitch and a bed length of 77 inches when fully flat. This seat is narrower than many competitors, but if you’re flying to or from Amsterdam, it might be your best option.
Unfortunately, award availability is hit-or-miss. Service, while it has improved in recent years, is still something to watch out for. The amenities are decent, and the food is solid. Be sure to get a souvenir Delft Blue house!
This guide honestly wouldn’t feel complete without mentioning Emirates, so here we are! The second-to-last product we’ll be discussing is Emirates’ newly refreshed A380 business class seat.
Exclusively on select A380 aircraft, these seats are forward-facing, staggered seats with personal side tables and direct aisle access at every seat. Of course, they recline to a fully flat position.
This over-the-top airline offers a personal minibar in business class, amenities by Bvlgari, and great food to boot!
We recommend that solo travelers book a window seat because aisle seats can feel less private in this arrangement.
Unfortunately, though, Emirates’ business class product is a far cry from its first class experience. It’s also very expensive when redeeming points, and there’s slow Wi-Fi on board.
American Airlines’ Flagship Business class is the last product we’ll be mentioning, but it shouldn’t be written off if you’re looking for a solid business class flight as a solo traveler.
American’s business class features reverse herringbone seats in a 1-2-1 arrangement. Depending on the aircraft you’re flying, the exact seat type may vary. But in general, you’ll have around 20 to 22 inches of seat width, as well as 60 inches of pitch and 78 inches of bed length when reclined fully flat.
Unfortunately, that’s where a lot of the highlights end because the service can be very inconsistent, the food is subpar, and it’s hard to find award availability.
As you can see, there are a ton of options to fly in business class as a solo traveler. With airlines competing vigorously for your wallet, now is the best time to be a customer.
We’ve thoroughly reviewed the best business class seats for solo travelers. We focused mostly on the seats that offer the most privacy, which ultimately comes down to the design and architecture of the seat itself. Of course, the seat isn’t everything when it comes to business class, so we took a look at the pros and cons of each of these airlines’ soft products as well.
Now, with all this information at your disposal, you should be set to book your next business class flight as a solo traveler!
In our rankings, we believe that Qatar Airways Qsuites, ANA’s The Room business class, EVA Air Royal Laurel business class, and Delta One Suites are the best business class products.
For solo travelers, we love Qatar Airways’ Qsuite, ANA’s The Room business class, British Airways’ new Club Suite, and JetBlue Mint’s exclusive throne suite. Read this guide for a complete list for solo travelers!
In this guide of the best business class seats for solo travelers, we rank British Airways’ new Club Suite higher than KLM business class.
But if you can’t fly on BA’s new Club Suite, KLM is probably better in business class for solo travelers, as BA’s older business class seats are very cramped.
Nowadays, you almost always get a bed in business class. All of the major airlines in the world, for the most part, offer lie-flat beds in business class. Some of the world’s best business class seats also have sliding doors, high-end amenities, and superb service.
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Stephen is an established voice in the credit card space, with over 70 to his name. His work has been in publications like The Washington Post, and his Au Points and Awards Consulting Services is used by hundreds of clients.
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2 comments
Will
May 27, 2022
So what’s best for people who have a companion?
Stephen Au
May 27, 2022
We have a separate guide for that! Check it out!
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