The Ultimate Qatar Airways Business Class Seat Guide

Qatar Airways Business Class has a fantastic reputation, largely thanks to its famous Qsuite.

The national carrier of Qatar also offers extensive connectivity through its hub in Doha, to destinations across Oceania, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and North America. Australians can embark on their journeys from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth, with convenient connections to the world via Doha.

The Qatar Airways Business Class experience includes a proper dine-on-demand meal service on longer flights, allowing you to eat when it suits you. You can even get caviar service on selected routes, and don’t forget a glass of the airline’s signature lemon and mint juice!

Qatar Airways really distinguishes its Business Class experience with the award-winning Qsuite, available on select aircraft. However, Business Class seating varies across the fleet, with different configurations depending on the aircraft type.

Regardless of the seat type, you can expect high-quality service on board regardless of the length of the flight. For longer flights, you’ll get pyjamas and mattress pads, as well as a plethora of pillows and amenities to help you relax.

In this guide, we’ll explore the various Business Class seats offered by Qatar Airways:

Qatar Airways Airbus A320/Boeing 737 recliner Business Class seats

Qatar Airways uses a recliner-style Business Class on its short-haul A320s and Boeing 737MAX8s in a 2-2 configuration. These are comfortable, wide seats for short flights, with plenty of legroom.

Qatar Airways does market the Business Class cabin as First Class on shorter flights within the Middle East, which these aircraft often operate. A First Class ticket would also give you access to the superior Al Safwa First Class lounge, rather than the Al Mourjan Business lounge.

Each seat does come with entertainment, either via seatback entertainment or iPads.

Qatar Airways Airbus A320 lie-flat Business Class seats

Qatar also operates a lie-flat Business Class on some A320s, in a 2-2 configuration. These seats do lack storage space, but are comfortable for medium-haul routes including between Doha and eastern Europe. Wi-Fi and in-flight entertainment are both available on these A320s in Business Class.

Note that the bulkhead seats in row 1 have extra space in the footwell compared to other seats.

Qatar Airways Airbus A330 Business Class seats

Qatar Airways operates the Airbus A330 on medium-haul routes, mainly to Africa. The Business Class onboard is fully lie-flat, arranged in a 2-2-2 configuration. If you’re flying solo, a middle seat would give you direct aisle access, while couples may enjoy the window pair.

Each seat comes with AC power, entertainment screens and Wi-Fi. Once again, the footwells in row 1 are larger.

Oman Air Airbus A330 Business Class seats (leased by Qatar)

Qatar Airways also operates A330s leased from Oman Air, which will join Oneworld in 2025. Business Class is in a 2-2-2 configuration, but each seat has direct aisle access thanks to the Apex Suites design (the same as Japan Airlines). The most private seats are the true window seats ‘A’ and ‘K’, although some may feel claustrophobic.

These narrow seats provide limited storage at the seat. Entertainment screens, power outlets and Wi-Fi are all available onboard.

Qatar Airways Boeing 787-8 Business Class seats

Qatar Airways Boeing 787-8 Business Class is in a 1-2-1 configuration, with every seat having direct aisle access. Collins Aerospace designed these Super Diamond seats, which various airlines, including Garuda Indonesia and American Airlines, also use.

The seats are lie-flat in a reverse herringbone configuration, turning into a comfortable two-metre bed. Each seat comes with entertainment options, power outlets and Wi-Fi.

Row 6 is a unique option on Qatar Airways’ Boeing 787-8, as there are only two seats in this ‘mini cabin’ between the second set of doors and the Economy Class cabin. While known as ‘honeymoon seats’, it’s worth noting that there are toilets on both window sides of these two seats.

Qatar Airways Boeing 787-9 Business Class seats

Qatar Airways uses the Adient Ascent Business Class suite on its Boeing 787-9s. This seat is lie flat in a 1-2-1 configuration and features doors at every seat. The window seats are true reverse herringbone seats (they face the windows), while the centre seats face towards the aisle, rather than inwards.

The seats at 1A and 1K have extra space due to the bulkhead.

These are some of the most modern seats in the Qatar Airways fleet, with wireless charging, Bluetooth audio and Wi-Fi available.

Qatar Airways Boeing 777 Business Class seats

Qatar Airways operates Boeing 777s with four different Business Class seats. All Qatar Airways Boeing 777s feature in seat power, entertainment and Wi-Fi.

Qatar Airways Boeing 777 Minipods Business Class

The Minipod Business Class is on select Boeing 777-300ERs and Boeing 777-200LRs. These seats are in a 2-2-2 configuration – solo travellers who want aisle access should choose one of the centre seats.

The seats are quite old, with outdated entertainment and limited storage. However, they are still fully lie-flat seats.

Cathay Pacific Boeing 777 Business Class

Cathay Pacific have leased some Boeing 777s to Qatar Airways, which retain Cathay’s interiors.

You’ll find Cathay Pacific’s solid Business Class seat onboard, with lie-flat reverse-herringbone seats in a 1-2-1 configuration.

You can check if you have a Cathay Pacific 777 by looking for the “mini cabin” of just two rows at the front.

Virgin Australia Boeing 777 Business Class

Qatar Airways have also taken over the lease of some of Virgin Australia’s former Boeing 777s. Again, these are in their original configuration, with similar Super Diamond seats to those found on Qatar’s Boeing 787-8 and some Airbus A350-900s.

These seats are lie-flat and sleek, with direct aisle access in a 1-2-1 configuration.

You can tell if you’re on an ex-Virgin Australia plane by the number of seats on the right side. There are only eight Business Class seats on the right side of the cabin.

Qatar Airways Boeing 777 Qsuites Business Class

Qatar Airways configures most of its Boeing 777s with Qsuites in Business Class, offering either 24 or 42 seats in the Business Class cabin.

These suites are modern and private, with doors at every seat. Uniquely, the seats alternate between facing forwards and backwards. There’s plenty of storage at each seat, and overall space – unlike other enclosed seats, you feel less claustrophobic in Qsuites.

In the middle seats, you can have the option to make up a double bed (or to put up the privacy screen). You can also open up two rows of seats, to form a “Quad” – great if you’re travelling as a group.

If you’re travelling solo, the best seats available are backwards-facing window seats, as these are less exposed to the aisle than the forward-facing window seats. For couples, the double bed-capable seats are also the backwards-facing seats in the centre section.

Qatar Airways Airbus A380 Business Class seats

Qatar uses the same Super Diamond Business Class seats as the Boeing 787-8 on its A380s. The only material difference is the addition of a storage bin for the window seats.

However, onboard the Airbus A380, Business passengers can enjoy the bar towards the back of the upper deck (in front of the small Economy section).

This is available to both Business and First Class passengers, and is a great way to stretch out on a long flight.

Qatar Airways Airbus A350 Business Class seats

On some versions of the Airbus A350-900, you’ll see the same reverse-herringbone seats as the A380 and 787-8. The airline removed the center storage bins on the A350-900, creating the impression of a much more open cabin.

On some A350-900s and all Airbus A350-1000s, Qatar Airways have installed the Qsuite. This is very similar to the seat found on the Boeing 777, although you’ll also benefit from the more modern experience of the A350.

Lounge access for Qatar Airways Business Class passengers

Regardless what type of plane you’re on, Business Class passengers flying with Qatar Airways enjoy access to one of the airline’s renowned Al Mourjan Business Lounge at Hamad International Airport in Doha. This provides a luxurious pre-flight experience.

Qatar Airways also operates a network of their own “Premium Lounges” in certain outstations such as Singapore. These, like the Al Mourjan lounges in Doha, are only available to Business Class passengers. Status with Qatar Airways, or its partner airlines including Oneworld partners and Virgin Australia, can’t get you in!

Note that you might not get lounge access if you’ve booked a Business Lite ticket or upgraded to Business using Avios within 14 days of departure.

How to book Qatar Airways Business Class

While you can technically use Qantas points to book Qatar Airways Business Class, they only release Business Class seats to Qantas three days prior to departure.

As such, using Velocity points or Qatar Privilege Club Avios is a more reliable method to find award seats.

Of course, you can also simply use money to book a Qatar Airways ticket. They often have particularly good Business Class deals from Asia. So positioning to Asia for flights to Europe, for example, can be much cheaper than buying a ticket from Australia.

Wilson McTaggart

Wilson's love of travel started from a young age, but his love for points developed after figuring out ways to travel on a gap year for less - leading naturally towards Australian Frequent Flyer! Wilson's hobbies include skiing, cricket and planning trips, both with and without points.

Wilson posts on the AFF forum as @WilsonM.