DIANA BANCALE
Founder and author, travel blogger since 2014.
Every time I find myself flying long-haul routes in economy class, I always think: “Next time I won’t spare any expense and I’ll upgrade to business class.”
Then I see the price difference, get discouraged, and end up flying economy again.
This year, however, on the occasion of my solo trip to Thailand, I decided I deserved a proper gift. I’ve seen so many places that I no longer have that one specific dream trip to give myself. The difference now lies in how I travel and in the overall quality of the experience.
One of my long-standing obsessions (which I’ve also put on my vision board and even as my computer wallpaper) was flying business class with Qatar Airways: one of the most outstanding airlines and the one offering the best business class in the world, according to Skytrax’s “World’s Top 100 Airlines 2025”.
After several second thoughts, one evening at dinner with friends I finally decided to do it. I opened the Qatar Airways app, clicked “upgrade to business class,” and moved from economy to the magical world of business class travelers. After all, I work, I’m almost 43, and I’m a good person, so I deserved it.
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Flying from Bangkok to Doha in Qsuite
Because the price is significant, I upgraded to business class only for the return leg, from Bangkok to Milan Malpensa with a stopover in Doha.
On the first 7-hour flight from Bangkok to Doha, completely unexpectedly, I was lucky enough to fly in Qsuite: a real private cabin with a closing door, offering total privacy and comfort.
On the Doha–Malpensa leg, Qsuite was not available, but I still had a very comfortable seat. This depends on the aircraft, as not all planes are equipped with Qsuite. In any case, the experience was excellent on both flights.
How to upgrade to business class
Normally, unless you’re extremely lucky and get a free upgrade due to overbooking, the only way is… by paying.
You can either buy a business class ticket directly or purchase an economy ticket and, when available, request an upgrade via the Qatar Airways app or website by logging into your account. Both the app and the website have a dedicated upgrade section.
Prices vary from day to day, so I kept an eye on it for several days and bought it when it was cheaper (in my case, about 20 days before departure).
Cost: how much does it cost?
It depends. For one leg I paid €1,300, on top of the €660 I had already spent on the economy ticket. Prices vary by flight, availability, and demand.
Business class check-in
The first advantage of flying business class is having a dedicated check-in line, which is usually much less crowded and faster.
If you’re not checking luggage and your flight allows it, you can check in online and go straight to security. Otherwise, you’ll use the business class desk, where they’ll hand you the much-coveted boarding pass with silver edges that says “Business Class” I won’t deny it, I walked around the entire airport holding it in plain sight.
Baggage allowance with Qatar Airways business class
When flying business class with Qatar Airways, you can bring:
-up to 15 kg of hand luggage (maximum two pieces) plus one personal item
–40 kg of checked baggage
Qatar Airways airport lounges
A Qatar Airways business class ticket includes access to the airline’s airport lounges.
For me, lounge access is already routine thanks to American Express, which grants entry to selected lounges worldwide.
However, Qatar lounges are reserved exclusively for Qatar business and first class passengers. I visited the lounges in Bangkok and Doha, and the service was impeccable. Staff welcomed guests and even offered luggage storage if needed.
Both lounges had buffet areas and à la carte restaurants, comfortable seating areas, and showers, which I used during the second leg.
In the enormous Doha lounge, complete with a huge fountain, I had a long layover and a night flight, so I even managed to sleep for about three hours on the loungers in the relaxation area.
Food and drinks, needless to say, were of the highest quality, with a dream-like dessert selection.
Boarding in business class
Boarding usually happens by groups. On the first flight, business class boarded first, with priority lanes and direct access. On the second flight, economy boarded first, followed by business class, which was taken to the aircraft by a special bus with much more comfortable seats.
At the aircraft entrance, business class passengers are welcomed by a personal flight attendant who escorts you to your seat, explains the features of your space (Qsuite in my first flight), and presents the à la carte menu, allowing you to order food and drinks whenever you want, at any time.
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Qsuite
The first business class flight from Bangkok was a dream. I had a Qsuite window seat with no one next to me, complete with a sliding door.
The space includes a fully reclining seat (with a mattress topper provided when it’s time to sleep), two pillows, a blanket, storage compartments, a TV screen with remote control, a dining table, a side table, a vanity compartment with mirror, noise-canceling headphones, a bottle of water, and a beauty kit with Diptyque products.
The space is incredibly comfortable, you practically have room to stand up and stretch. I liked it so much that I didn’t want to sleep, just to enjoy every minute of the journey. I worked on my laptop using Wi-Fi (one hour is free, then it costs $10 for the full flight), watched a movie, ate, and relaxed with the seat fully reclined while listening to music.
Standard business class
On the second leg, the seat was a standard fully reclining business class seat without a door. The service was the same, and since it was a night flight, I slept like a queen for most of the journey, asking to be woken up only for breakfast.
They also provided pajamas and slippers, and the flight was unbelievably comfortable. I slept better than in my own bed.
Menu and drinks onboard
When you board, you’ll find two à la carte menus at your seat: one for drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic, including champagne) and one for food.
The best part is that you can order whatever you want, whenever you want, and as many times as you want.
I had already eaten in the lounge, so I wasn’t very hungry, but I still enjoyed lunch, breakfast, several glasses of champagne, and non-alcoholic cocktails.
For lunch I ordered:
-a selection of hummus and dips with pita bread
– fish with rice
-a cheese selection
I skipped dessert.
For breakfast, I had:
-yogurt with fruit
-an omelette with cheese
-an avocado smoothie
-an espresso coffee that tasted just like at a café (not the watery economy-class coffee).
Snacks and sweets are also always available and can be taken directly from the counter.
Honest review of flying business class with Qatar Airways
In conclusion, as you may have guessed, this business class upgrade was a wonderful experience that was worth every cent.
I didn’t arrive “fresh”, since I spent almost two full days traveling but I was well rested, without the muscle pain you get from sleeping in awkward positions in economy, and extremely satisfied.
What I appreciated the most:
– Bathrooms were always spotless and cleaned after every use
-The Diptyque kit included high-quality and very useful travel products (face cream, body lotion, lip balm), plus socks, earplugs, and an extremely comfortable and soft eye mask
– Large TV screen
– High-quality noise-canceling headphones
– Total privacy in the Qsuite
– Freedom to eat when you’re hungry, not on a fixed schedule, and to choose whatever you want
– Friendly, impeccable cabin crew, attentive to every detail and incredibly kind
The only downside: the Wi-Fi didn’t work well. Even though I paid $10 to extend it for the whole flight, it stopped working after the first free hour.
All in all, it’s an experience absolutely worth having and a completely different way of traveling.
The only real problem will be going back to flying economy class afterwards.
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