With round-trip fares starting at $3,000, BeOnd sits below first-class pricing, but above standard business class.
But does BeOnds intimate, club-class model live up to the hype?
And more importantly, is it worth the premium?
Exterior of a beOnd plane.Credit:Courtesy of beOnd
I traveled on the Dubai-to-Male route to find out.
Inside, it was eerily quiet.
I was traveling light, but for those who arent, BeOnds Bliss fare includes a generous 40 kg.
Check-in counters for beOnd.Scott Campbell/Travel + Leisure
of checked luggage and 10 kg.
Passengers booking the top-tier Opulence fareat a premium of roughly $300 per legget amped-up allowances of 60 kg.
for checked bags and 15 kg.
the beOnd airport lounge.Scott Campbell/Travel + Leisure
After my flight, I brought this up with BeOnds CEO Tero Taskila.
We recognize the lounge experience is an essential part of the premium journey, he added.
Rows one and five are the clear winners.
Close up of a beOnd plane.Courtesy of beOnd
One thing to note: Storage is limited.
Theres no real spot for shoes, and personal items must be tucked into narrow compartments.
The Amenities
BeOnd provides a small but functional amenity kit.
A set of beOnd airplane seats.Courtesy of beOnd
Airline halloumi can be hit or miss, but this one was pleasantly edible.
The main course selection includes a mix of Western and Middle Eastern breakfast staples.
The most intriguing dish, though, is the North Africanmesfoufa cinnamon-spiced couscous with baked eggplant and poached peas.
A beOnd plane seat reclined with an amenity kit and sheets.Courtesy of beOnd
Then, theres the alcohol selection, which takes things up a notch.
A single beer optionSan Miguelrounds out the beverage choices.
Spirits cover Tanqueray No.
Food provided by beOnd.Scott Campbell/Travel + Leisure
Tea and coffee service follows the meal, with a premium selection of loose-leaf teas alongside freshly brewed coffee.
Taskila acknowledged connectivity is an “important aspect of modern air travel” and has hinted at future improvements.
For now, theres no option to browse the web or send messages from 35,000 feet.
Entertainment screen on beOnd flight.Scott Campbell/Travel + Leisure
The Service
This is where BeOnd shines.
The crew is polished and proactive, offering to rearrange seating when possible to maximize space.
BeOnd rebooked them on the Swiss airline Edelweiss.
A beOnd flight attendant.Courtesy of beOnd
But despite this setback, they decided to give BeOnd another shot on the way homeand were quickly converted.
It feels like aprivate jet, my seatmate told me.
Its small, very intimate, and the service is not anonymous.
Cabin in a beOnd plane.Courtesy of beOnd
For me, its a cocoon, he said.
Give them time, my seatmate said.
Theyre onto something special.
