Premium airline products have come a long way, and they just keep getting better. Over the years, we’ve seen business class seats transform from being recliners, to being angled flat, to being fully flat, to having direct aisle access, to having doors. Some of today’s business class suites are better than first class was a couple of decades ago.
What’s exciting for consumers is that airlines continue to try to outdo one another, so every time we think business class can’t get any better, an airline surprises us. While I keep a list of the world’s best business class airlines, in this post I thought it would be fun to take a look at the new business class products that are due to be introduced (I wrote a similar post about new first class products).
Let me share the ones that I’m aware of below, and I’ll do so in chronological order, of when they’re expected to be introduced (roughly, because these timelines are always subject to change). As you’ll see, in some cases these are products where we know the exact details, while in other cases little has been revealed.
New Emirates business class (A350 & 777)
While Emirates is known for being a world class airline, the carrier has historically lagged with its Boeing 777 business class, which on most jets is in a 2-3-2 configuration, with angled seats. Fortunately this is expected to change soon. The airline has started retrofitting its 777s with a new business class, and the first plane should enter service in August 2024. On top of that, in November 2024, we’ll see Emirates start flights with Airbus A350s, and those should feature a new product as well.
What should we expect from Emirates’ new business class? The carrier has been tight-lipped, but we do know that the seats are being produced by Safran. Unfortunately it’s sounding increasingly like the new product will just be an updated version of the carrier’s A380 business class. That’s a perfectly fine product, but hardly cutting edge, especially when you consider that it’s just newly being introduced.
New Cathay Pacific Aria Suites business class (777)
Cathay Pacific will soon be introducing its new Aria Suites business class on existing Boeing 777-300ERs, and the first jet is expected to enter service in the coming months. The plan is for 777-300ERs to be reconfigured with this product, and then for newly delivered 777-9s to feature this in the future.
The seats appear to be the AIRTEK product from JPA Design, so Cathay Pacific will be the launch customer for this seat. This is a reverse herringbone product with doors, and with greatly improved tech. It should represent a nice improvement for Cathay Pacific’s tired 777s.
New Malaysia Airlines business class (A330 & A350)
In the next several weeks, Malaysia Airlines will be taking delivery of its first A330-900neo, which is also where Malaysia Airlines’ new business class will debut. This will also be installed on existing A350s as of 2026, at least based on current plans.
Malaysia Airlines will be installing reverse herringbone seats with doors, in the form of the Collins Aerospace Elevation product. This is similar to what you’ll find in British Airways’ Club Suites, as well as in Etihad’s A350 business class.
New Iberia business class (A321XLR)
Iberia is the global launch customer for the Airbus A321XLR, which is an exciting new long range, narrow body aircraft. As you’d expect, many airlines will be introducing new business class seats on these new narrow body planes, in comparison to existing wide body planes.
Iberia plans to introduce herringbone seats on these aircraft, similar to JetBlue Mint Suites, and comparable to what American also has planned for these jets.
New American Flagship Suites business class (787 & A321XLR)
In the coming months, American will be taking delivery of its next batch of Boeing 787s, which will be in an ultra-premium layout, with just 244 seats. These planes will also sport American’s new Flagship Suites business class, along with a new front-row Flagship Suite Preferred seat. American selected a customized version of the Adient Aerospace Ascent seat, featuring direct aisle access and doors.
This should be a great upgrade to the passenger experience, especially when you consider how big the business class cabin will be. American will also eventually retrofit 777-300ERs with this new product.
Separately, American is working on a new Airbus A321XLR business class product, which will be used primarily for transcon and transatlantic flights. This will be very similar to JetBlue Mint Suites, and will likely debut in 2026.
New Turkish Airlines Crystal business class (777 & A350)
Turkish Airlines has a really inconsistent long haul business class hard product, and on many aircraft it’s quite lackluster. Fortunately that will be changing soon, as the airline intends to introduce its new Crystal business class product.
This new product features direct aisle access from all seats, privacy doors, much improved technology, and more. We can expect existing Boeing 777s to be reconfigured with this product, and then we can also expect newly delivered Airbus A350s as of 2026 to get this product.
New Air New Zealand business class (787)
At some point in 2025, Air New Zealand will be taking delivery of new Boeing 787s, featuring the carrier’s all-new business class product. I’ve gotta say, at least based on the renderings, this is the most disappointing new business class product that’s in the process of being introduced.
This is a herringbone product (meaning window seats face toward the aisle), and the seats don’t have doors. It’s definitely an improvement over the carrier’s current lackluster product, but that’s about it.
New Air India business class (A350 & 777)
Air India is in the process of reinventing itself, and as part of that, the airline is introducing a new first and business class product. This is expected to be installed on newly delivered Airbus A350s, and also reconfigured on existing Boeing 777s. The exact timeline remains to be seen, but at this point it seems most likely that the first jet with new interiors will enter service at some point in 2025.
Air India’s new business class represents a massive improvement, as the airline will be installing the Safran Unity product, a staggered configuration with direct aisle access and doors. This will be in a completely different league than what the airline is currently offering.
New SWISS Senses business class (A350, 777 & A330)
SWISS is introducing its own version of Lufthansa Allegris, which will be known as SWISS Senses. This includes a new first and business class product, which will be the same as Lufthansa’s, except with different finishes.
We should first see this product on newly delivered Airbus A350s as of 2025, though existing Airbus A330s and Boeing 777s are also expected to be reconfigured with these cabins.
New Qatar Airways Qsuite Next Gen business class (777-9)
Qatar Airways is known for its amazing Qsuites business class. While definitely more evolutionary rather than revolutionary, Qatar Airways plans to introduce Qsuite Next Gen on its upcoming Boeing 777-9 deliveries. The new product is more spacious, features better technology, and has more customization options, especially for pairs and families traveling together.
The challenge is that the 777-9 has been delayed significantly in terms of entry into service. At this point the plane will enter service in late 2025 at the earliest, but more likely than not, in 2026.
New Qantas business class (A350)
In early 2026, Qantas plans to launch Project Sunrise flights, whereby the airline will fly nonstop from Sydney and Melbourne to New York and London, which will be the world’s longest flights. The airline will be introducing a new passenger experience on these aircraft, which will include a new business class cabin.
Qantas has selected the Safran Unity product for business class, which is a staggered 1-2-1 configuration, with direct aisle access from every seat, as well as doors. This should be a very comfortable ride for the long flights these planes will operate.
New LOT Polish Airlines business class (787)
While we’ll have to be patient, LOT Polish Airlines plans to refresh its Boeing 787 business class. Between late 2026 and 2030, the Dreamliner fleet is getting a full update, with business class seating being Recaro’s CL6720 product.
This is a fairly new product that recently debuted on both Air China and Iberia, and it’s a very competitive seat. Expect greatly updated tech on these jets, as well as Wi-Fi. This represents a massive improvement over the current business class experience.
New United Polaris business class (787 & A321XLR)
There are few firm details as of now, but we know that United plans to introduce two new Polaris business class products. For one, United is expected to introduce a new wide body business class with doors at every seat, though we don’t know much about the timeline.
The more concrete plans are that we know United will introduce a new business class on its Airbus A321XLRs, which will be used primarily for transatlantic flights. Much like American’s version of these jets, we can expect herringbone seats with direct aisle access and doors.
New Singapore Airlines business class (777-9)
Singapore Airlines is expected to introduce a new passenger experience on its Boeing 777-9s, of which the airline has 31 on order. These planes were initially supposed to be delivered in 2020, but have now been delayed until at least late 2025.
We know nothing about the new business class that Singapore Airlines will introduce on this plane, though I expect that it’s going to be really impressive. It should be way better than the current 777 business class. With what a world class airline Singapore Airlines is, I’m kind of surprised the airline hasn’t introduced a new business class prior to this (very delayed) aircraft.
Bottom line
There are quite a few new business class products on the horizon, with a large number expected to be introduced in the coming year. Some of these have been teased for years, while others we know very little about. It’s especially exciting to see airlines with uncompetitive products suddenly become really competitive.
Which new business class product are you most excited about?
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