Two things: closed-door suites and lie-flat seats.
Courtesy of Qatar Airways
Business-class air travel has come a long way over a short period.
It was initially conceived as an intermediate-level product somewhere in between economy and first-class.
Credit:Courtesy of Qatar Airways
A lukewarm towel, perhaps?
British Airways elevated things to new heights in March 2000 with the introduction of the first-ever convertible lie-flat seat.
Business-class travelers could now enjoy a bed in the sky.
Courtesy of Qatar airways
And throughout the 21st century, the product has spread its wings further still.
Most major airlines haverepositioned the service as its premium offering, doing away with first-class tickets altogether.
Cutting-edge technology and design have led to a space race, of sorts, amongst these legacy carriers.
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A lie-flat is now the bare minimum.
I have observed this evolution with a great deal of personal appreciation.
I was fortunate enough to enjoy business-class upgrades on a few dozen journeys during that time.
Courtesy of Singapore Airways
And I can tell you that they most certainly are not all created equal.
The business-class configuration on its wide-body A350 goes a long way in substantiating that reputation.
The food service is well-curated and paired alongside high-end wines and Champagnes, including reserve vintages fromCharles Heidsieck.
Courtesy of Delta
It is comprised of suites designed by legendary Japanese architect Kengo Kuma.
His minimalist design leverages wood surfaces to evokekanso,or “simplicity.”
The seats are well-padded and super wide at 38-inches across.
Courtesy of JetBlue
Dining options are decidedly more lavish than on most American carriers.
Thankfully for Singapore Airlines' business-class passengers, its also one of the most comfortable.
In between lengthy bouts of slumber, you might arise for bespoke meal service at your desired times.
Courtesy of Emirates
Since then, it has slowly rolled out the product across its growing fleet of A350s.
Amazingly, it still feels cutting-edge six years later.
Food and wine options are robust and vary depending on the season and specific route.
As far as American-based commercial flying experiences are concerned, this is pretty much as good as it gets.
An adjoining bench allows you to invite a guest from another pod to socialize with while you fly.
Food and drink options are assembled by trendy New York City bars and restaurants.
Emirates A380 Business Class
Courtesy of Emirates
Emirates is pretty synonymous with luxury aviation.
And for good reason the airline pulls out all the bells and whistles for its premium products.
There are plenty of perks from the lie-flat position, too.
Side consoles alongside the window can be used as minibars, providing soft drinks and water at the ready.
Just confirm to book an odd-numbered seat, so you could enjoy added privacy closer to a window.
