Travelling in Style: Luxury Airlines

More like 5 star hotels, these airlines provide the utmost comfort, endless amounts of champagne, showers and even complimentary designer toiletries to keep you feeling fresh for the long haul. You’d be hard pressed to find better service, better food or more comfortable settings than these first class cabins.

Emirates

Emirates is a luxurious force to be reckoned with. Now with their own private suites, shower spas and fine dining menu, you can see why it has previously held the title of airline of the year. From a humble beginning, which had only two planes to begin, Emirates has redefined the word “luxury” for air travel. Each cabin comes complete with ambient lighting, seats that convert into fully flat beds, a mirror, vanity table, personalised meals and the option of a visit to the Shower Spa, complete with Bvlgari toiletries and signature timeless spa products. Oh, and they’ll even throw in some complimentary pyjamas too! Emirates offer an exceptional journey from start to finish.

British Airways

British Airways luxurious first class cabins boast their own personal wardrobe, a fully reclining bed, along with a set of PJ’s, and complimentary personal care products from D.R Harris packed in an Anya Hindmarch bag. Not only that you also get a leather bound writing table to serve as a workspace, and the first ever electronic blinds onboard a commercial aircraft. They’ve also worked with some of the world’s top chefs to design the perfect menu to bring you a full restaurant experience. In operation since shortly after World War 1, British airways’ self-proclamation as “The World’s Favourite Airline” still holds true for many travellers.

Etihad

As the National Airline of the United Arab Emirates, Etihad Airways aims to provide the very best Arabian hospitality. Travelling from 68 destinations around the world, with Etihad you can enjoy your own personal suite, with an extra wide bed that lays perfectly flat, widescreen TV, personal mini-bar, massage chair and complete privacy. And there’s no worry of bland, congealed food served in plastic containers on this flight. Emirates in-flight chefs are recruited from some of the world’s best restaurants. And if that wasn’t enough, you can fly a whole new class above first class from London to Abu Dhabi and be one of the first to experience the luxury of their A380, The Residences. These luxury hotel-style three room suites comes complete with a double bedroom, with a custom made mattress, bedside unit, wardrobe and under-bed storage (not forgetting the Egyptian cotton sheets), a private bathroom, and even your own personal living room, with flat screen TV and seats designed with the same leather used in Ferraris. There’s also a touchscreen control unit to operate the lighting, window shading and in-seat massage functions. Oh and not forgetting your own personal butler (trained at the Savoy Butler Academy in London might we add). This goes beyond First Class, and then some. The only downside is there’s a long waiting list. And if you do fancy a stay in the penthouse in the sky, it will set you back around £12,500 for a one-way flight but I guess it’s the price you pay for a private jet experience on a commercial airliner.