One of the best facets of Qatar Airways is that it appeals to travelers regardless of whether they’re flying solo, as a couple, or with a family.
I had high expectations as I stepped onto my first-ever Qsuites flight. And my time in the air made me dream about when I’ll be back to savor it again.
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Qatar Airways (QR) 740
Abu Dhabi (AUH) – Washington D.C. (IAD)
Sunday, Dec 19
Depart: 3:05 p.m.
Arrive: 5:45 p.m. the next day
Duration: 15 hr 40 min
Aircraft: Airbus A350-1000
Suite: 9E and 9F (double bed seats)
Miles Used: 70,000 American Airlines AAdvantage miles per person (LAX-DOH-MLE)
Taxes & Fees Paid: $20.40 per person
Typical Retail Cost: $6,074 per person
Typical Economy Cost: ~$698-$1,293 per person
Booking Qatar Airways Qsuites Business Class
The impetus for booking this business class ticket was our stay at the Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi, which we believe to be the new flagship resort in the entire country (which is chock full with 5-star resorts).
To get to the Maldives, we booked Qatar Airways Qsuites around 9 months before departure.
We ended up redeeming 70,000 American Airlines AAdvantage miles per person with an out-of-pocket cost of $20.40 per person. That’s a savings of 99.7%! This netted us a redemption value of 8.65 cents per mile, which is incredible for a business class flight.
We would’ve otherwise redeemed nearly 400,000 Amex points per person if we simply booked through American Express Travel.
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Check-In Experience
Check-in was uneventful — we proceeded to the dedicated business class queue. Check-in took approximately 10 minutes.
At LAX International Airport, Qatar Airways Qsuites offers access to the oneworld International Business Lounge; unfortunately, this lounge was closed at the time of our trip.
So, we decided to pass the time by strolling through Tom Bradley International Terminal until our flight was slated to start boarding.
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Flight
Boarding
Our flight was slightly delayed due to operational issues and maintenance, but when boarding commenced, we walked onto the plane without issue.
Seat
Qatar Airways Qsuites cabin
Our particular aircraft was the Airbus A350-1000, and this is just one of the planes on which Qsuites are offered.
The cabin contains 46 Qsuite seats spread out across 12 rows in a 1-2-1 configuration. Rows alternate between forward-facing and rear-facing, and we were immediately taken aback by the cabin design.
Qatar Airways Qsuites cabin
Some of the middle seats are double bed seats, and these are best for couples. In particular, any pair of seats labeled as E and F are double bed seats. The double bed seats are rear-facing.
Qatar Airways Qsuites cabin
The other middle seats have tables between both seats. These forward-facing seats are the D and G seats.
Qatar Airways Qsuites cabin
Each of the seats measures 21 inches wide and 80 inches long when reclined fully flat to bed mode.
The center partition at the middle seats can also be lowered easily.
Qatar Airways Qsuites cabin
If you’re a solo traveler, you’ll be astonished by the amount of privacy you are afforded when choosing any of the A and K seats, which are window seats.
Qatar Airways Qsuites window seat
Qatar Airways Qsuites window seat
The footwell was spacious enough for me but may feel cramped for larger travelers.
Qatar Airways Qsuites footwell
There was a huge tray table that measured up to 25 inches wide.
Qatar Airways Qsuites tray table
The high-tech seat controls were easy to use, and you could also utilize the power and USB ports, as well as the touchscreen in-flight remote.
Qatar Airways Qsuites seat controls and outlets
The crisp, ultra-HD in-flight entertainment monitor measure 21.5 inches large and can be controlled via touch, the in-flight remote, or even a Wi-Fi remote on your phone!
Qatar Airways Qsuites in-flight entertainment screen
Amenities
As soon as we were at our seats, we were showered with amenities. To start, we were offered a glass of Rosé.
Qatar Airways Qsuites in-flight monitor and amenities
Already at our seats were:
- A hygiene kit
- Noise cancellation headphones
- A pillow
- A velvet comforter
- A BRIC’S amenity kit with Castello di Monte Vibiano facial mist, lip balm, moisturizer, an eye mask, earplugs, and socks
Qatar Airways Qsuites hygiene kit
Qatar Airways Qsuites headphones
Qatar Airways Qsuites amenity kit contents
Qatar Airways Qsuites Castello di Monte Vibiano amenities
We were provided with pajamas and slippers by The White Company shortly thereafter.
Qatar Airways Qsuites The White Company amenities
Qatar Airways Qsuites The White Company pajamas and slippers
Qatar Airways Qsuites amenities
Qatar Airways pampers you with luxuries from the moment you step on the plane, including pajamas, amenity kits, welcome drinks, blankets, pillows, and more.
Food and Beverage
Shortly after take-off, in-flight menus were distributed, and the options were impressive.
Qatar Airways Qsuites food menu
Qatar Airways Qsuites food menu
The wine menu featured Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve Champagne, Charles Heidsieck Rose Millesime 2005, 3 white wines, 3 red wines, 2 dessert wines, and various mixed cocktails.
Qatar Airways Qsuites wine list
Qatar Airways Qsuites wine list
Qatar Airways Qsuites wine list
Qatar Airways Qsuites wine list
Qatar Airways Qsuites wine list
Qatar Airways Qsuites wine list
At the start of the meal service, we were served warm nuts.
Qatar Airways Qsuites warm nuts
As the meal service commenced, we requested another glass of Champagne, as well as iced water.
Qatar Airways Qsuites warm nuts and Champagne
The first course was a seared tuna tataki with heirloom tomatoes and a bulgur salad, which was decent.
Qatar Airways Qsuites tuna tartare
The new dish was a superb squash soup, which was served with bread and butter.
Qatar Airways Qsuites soup
We opted to try the signature Arabic mezze, which was flavorful and refreshing.
Qatar Airways Qsuites Arabic mezze
For mains, I ordered the braised American short ribs with creamy polenta, and Vivian ordered the pan-seared cod with angel hair pasta. They were both excellent.
Qatar Airways Qsuites beef short rib
Qatar Airways Qsuites cod filet
We got 1 desert each:
- Buttermilk panna cotta with passionfruit
- Dark chocolate fondant with wild berries
Qatar Airways Qsuites buttermilk panna cotta with passionfruit
Qatar Airways Qsuites dark chocolate fondant
The last meal service was wrapped up with a box of 2 Godiva chocolates. A sumptuous meal, indeed!
Qatar Airways Qsuites chocolates
Although we decided to sleep through the breakfast service, we had a blast enjoying the afternoon tea, which was served with finger sandwiches, warm scones, and all of the traditional accompaniments.
Qatar Airways Qsuites afternoon tea
Right before landing, I ordered a macchiato, a fruit platter, and a warm croissant to enjoy.
Qatar Airways Qsuites fresh fruit and bread
Entertainment
Qatar’s in-flight entertainment system is called Oryx One, and you can rest assured that you’ll have plenty of options, including the latest blockbusters, classic TV shows, live news, Arabic favorites, audio playlists, and a long list of games.
Wi-Fi
Qatar Airways uses OnAir as its Wi-Fi vendor, though it offers a new service called Super Wi-Fi that generally has better speeds. During our flight, we found the in-flight Wi-Fi to be usable only for certain activities like sending texts or basic web surfing.
Lavatories
The lavatories were kept meticulously clean. They’re slightly larger than an ordinary lavatory and are appointed with amenities from Diptyque.
Qatar Airways Qsuites lavatory
Qatar Airways Qsuites lavatory amenities
Bed
When the meal service concluded, our flight attendants proactively offered to make our beds, which consisted of a mattress pad, 2 pillows (one is gel foam), a velvet comforter, and a center cushion for the double bed.
This, along with the sliding suite doors, make for an exclusive, private, and comfortable experience that rivals many first class products!
Qatar Airways Qsuites double bed
Being able to experience a double bed while flying is truly a treat. The fact that this was achievable in business class makes me long for more. The bed was extremely comfortable to boot!
Service
The service on this flight was impressive, especially considering how full our flight was and how many business class seats there are in the cabin. Although it’s so easy to fall into a robotic service cadence, the crew on this flight executed perfectly and made us feel welcome on their flight.
Wrapping Up
Qatar Airways Qsuites is one of the best business class products in the world. Full stop.
Being able to offer a double bed product in business class already sets apart Qatar Airways from the rest of the competition.
The other aspects of the experience, including the sliding suite doors, designer amenities, and high-end food and beverage offerings make this a phenomenal product to fly.
And since this flight is bookable using points at a reasonable price, I would not hesitate to fly Qsuites again.
However, its minor areas of improvement include offering faster Wi-Fi and adding personal air vents in middle seats (they’re available at window seats).
Overall, this is one of our best plane tickets anyone can book.