Wondering what it's like to fly Qatar Airways? This post reviews my recent experience flying Qatar Airways business class on the Airbus 350-1000. This plane features the infamous Qatar QSuites. I'll take you from pre-takeoff to landing and everything in between!
While some links in this post may be affiliate links, this review is entirely my opinion. I paid for my flight (with points). I received no discount or compensation for writing this post. The purpose of writing this is to share my experience with you!
I’ve been ruined for life. That was my final thought after experiencing Qatar Airways business class QSuites. Wow. Just wow. Everything on this flight shines and outperforms anything I’ve experienced in any other business class.
I often find that business class disappoints when you consider how much more it costs. You essentially leave the plane feeling like you paid up for a lie-flat seat and that’s about it. Service, food, and amenities are often marginally better than economy and premium economy.
Not so with Qatar. Let’s just say my 15.5-hour flight was not long enough and I would have happily done a second round.
Let’s take a look at the details and each part of the journey.
Which Qatar Airways flights have the Qsuites?
Before we begin with the review, you're probably wondering which Qatar flights feature the QSuites.
All the Airbus A350-1000 planes have the QSuites.
Some of the Airbus A350-900, Boeing 777-200, and Boeing 777-300 feature the QSuites. You MUST check the seat configuration to be sure.
If the seat layout is 1-2-1, with rows facing alternate directions (row 1 facing backward, row 2 facing forward), then it's QSuites.
Qatar Airways Business Class - Lounge to Takeoff
There is no Qatar Airways lounge at DFW airport. Instead, you are granted access to American Airlines Flagship Lounge. Honestly, and I’m not the only one who thinks this, I don’t love this lounge.
My personal preference for the best premium lounges at DFW airport are (in order) the Capital One Lounge, AMEX Centurion Lounge, and THEN the American Flagship Lounge.
Jake and I hit up the American Flagship Lounge first. We were pretty disappointed with the food selection and the overall vibe. It feels very sterile compared to the Capital One Lounge.
We spent about 10 minutes here before deciding to move next door to the Capital One Lounge. Venture X credit card holders get free access for themselves and a guest. I highly recommend this card. It’s one of my few mainstays.
I love the vibe at this lounge. It offers more personality, the seating layout is more comfortable, and the food is considerably better (including the to-go section).
Time to board
Upon boarding, I immediately fell in love with the color scheme. Dark grays and maroons. Very moody and cozy.
We were offered pre-takeoff drinks. I opted for an Aperol spritz and Jake tried the alcohol-free champagne. The flight attendant assigned to our section introduced herself as did the head purser.
Both were professional and friendly. You could tell this service would go above and beyond typical flight service.
I'll give one example of something that is so small but says so much about the service. Jake and I were taking a selfie and our flight attendant came over and offered to take a photo for us, took several, and then made sure we liked them. It’s the little things.
We got settled into our seats and took a look at our amenities.
Qatar Airways Business Class - Amenities
Before takeoff, we changed into the provided loungewear and slippers by The White Company. While very large and baggy for me, they were quite comfortable.
The blanket was large and made of luxurious thick velvet. By far the best blanket a plane has provided.
There were two pillows for the flight; a larger one for sleeping and a smaller one for sitting.
The amenity kit was by Diptyque, a luxury French brand. It included hand lotion, face cream, a scented spray that smelled divine, an eye mask, socks, and ear plugs. The only odd thing was that this was presented in a box, not an amenity bag that you could reuse.
The bathrooms had a supply of toothbrushes and toothpaste, Diptyque facial spray, and lotion.
Qatar Airways Business Class Review - Qsuite Meal Service
Before takeoff, we were asked when we wanted our main meal served. Because we were taking off at 11:00 pm, some people chose to eat right away and some wanted to go to bed and have the main meal later.
We opted to have our main meal after take off.
The food was excellent. We already knew our options because you could select your main dish prior to takeoff. Options included salmon, steak, vegetarian pasta, etc.
Our table was made complete with a (fake) candle. I started with the shrimp appetizer (Jake chose the Arabic mezze). This was served with a warm bread basket, butter, and olive oil. A choice of dipping oils like spicy tomato or lemon was offered. I opted for plain olive oil.
Then came the main. We both ordered the Qatari-style chicken mashkool. Fantastic! For dessert, we both ordered fresh strawberries with rose honey.
Throughout the flight, we ordered iced americanos, rooibos tea, and alcohol-free champagne.
An “any time” menu of mini burgers, afternoon tea, superfood salad, and more was available upon request.
After snoozing for a good 8 hours, I ordered the superfood salad and Jake had the afternoon tea. I was very impressed with his setup complete with mini sandwiches, warm scones, clotted cream, and jam. We both ordered cheese plates that came with fruit and artisan crackers.
After watching a few movies and working, it was time for breakfast. I had the traditional Arabic breakfast which consisted of flatbread and stewed lentil-type beans (very flavorful). Jake had the chia seed pudding and rolled omelet.
We basically ate and drank our lives away on the plane and everything exceeded expectations. By far the best meal I've experienced in business class.
Qatar Airways QSuite Seat Setup
The QSuites are particularly nice for couples or families. If you book the quad section and select the two seats next to each other, you can make those two seats into a full-size bed. The partition between the seats lowers all the way.
When it’s time for your flight attendant to make your bed, yes they make the bed for you, a connector is inserted between the two seats/beds to make a true double bed. It was SO comfortable. I slept for 8 hours straight with no problem.
The walls around your seat are high. So when you’re lying down you have almost complete privacy. It felt like an extremely cozy and intimate pod.
A few quick videos showing the Qatar Airways Airbus A350-1000 with the infamous QSuites. I was not originally planning on writing or publishing anything about this flight...so please excuse the lack of quality.
Qatar Airways Business Class Review - Overall Service
Unlike many airlines, where asking for a mere water earns you a look of utter annoyance, nothing was too much trouble with Qatar Airways. Everything was done with professionalism and a smile.
Flight attendants were constantly walking by, seeing if you needed anything. Again, unlike many airlines where the flight attendants hide in the galley.
I was also shocked that they tried their best to clean the bathrooms between each use. It didn’t happen every time, but more often than not. This included putting down a seat covering on the toilet. Above and beyond right?
All too soon our descent began. The flight experience was so comfortable and enjoyable, I could have easily gone another 15.5 hours. I’m not even joking.
Qatar Airways Business Class in Doha
Time for showers and lounge time.
We immediately went to Al Mourjan Business Lounge - South and headed straight for the showers. We were told that a wait can form if you save this for later.
After being shown to our private shower room, I was pleased to see the Diptyque theme continued with the amenities.
As Jake and I were raving about how awesome the lounge was, the shower attendant informed us we weren’t even at the best business lounge and pointed us to the Al Mourjan Business Lounge - The Garden.
We grabbed our bags and headed to the next lounge. It did not disappoint. After taking a quick peek at the spacious workout room complete with Technogym equipment, we browsed the seating areas and food selections.
We started with a few sushi rolls (which you order at your table or the sushi bar). You could also custom order salads and sandwiches.
There was also a wonderfully fragrant Middle Eastern buffet section filled with hummus, Baba ghanoush, chicken tiki, and pita bread. All delicious.
Better yet was the coffee, tea, and dessert section. The packaged dates were the best dates I have ever eaten. No exaggeration. We tried a selection of mini sweets like baklava and passion fruit cheesecake.
We took seats that overlooked the garden. They had a full-out DJ playing and it felt like a club…but not too loud since we were far enough away. Jake and I joked that this is what “clubbing” looks like in your late 30s.
After getting some work done, it was time to board our second business-class flight with Qatar Airways. This was not a plane with QSuites, and while extremely nice and far better than most US Airlines, it didn’t hold up to what we experienced with the Qsuites.
You can read about the business class experience on Qatar Airways A350-900 here.
Final Thoughts on Qatar Airways Business Class QSuites
We enjoyed the QSuites on Qatar Airways business class so much that I will go out of my way to travel with Qatar Airways in the future. Even if it means adding hours to my travel time. With Qatar Airways, the flying experience, even at 15.5 hours, was enjoyable.
Simply put, the next time I fly Qatar Airways business class (with the QSuites), I will look forward to the long flight. With much anticipation actually. I’ve never felt that way with any other airline for a 10+ hour flight.
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