Qatar Airways is consistently ranked as one of the best airlines in the world and after this flight, I can definitely see why. Their Q-Suites hard product is nearly perfect and their soft product, from their service and catering to the amenities provided on the ground and in the air, are top-notch. I thoroughly enjoyed this Qatar Airways A350-1000 “Q-Suites” business class flight from Doha to Los Angeles and I can’t wait to fly with them again.
On this trip, I was flying from the Maldives to Los Angeles, with a one-day layover in Doha. I stayed at the Hyatt Regency Doha Airport for the night and made my way back to the airport the next day. Traveler tip: Uber works in Qatar but it is no longer allowed to pick up from Doha International Airport. You can still use Uber to get around town and to get to the airport but from the airport, you will have to take a taxi (or use public transportation).
Qatar Airways Business Class Ground Services
On the morning of my flight, I arrived at the airport at approximately 5:00 AM for my 8:05 AM flight. The business class check-in desk was completely empty and I had my boarding pass within a few minutes of arriving. For business/first-class passengers, Qatar Airways provides a dedicated check-in area and a separate security and immigration queue for expedited service.
At Doha International Airport, Qatar Airways operates two different lounges for their business class passengers to use. There’s the Al Mourjan Lounge South, which is the main lounge, and the Al Mourjan Garden Lounge, which is the new lounge located in the north expansion area. Both lounges are amazing and beautiful works of art and you will be fine visiting either lounge. The Al Mourjan South is the larger of the two but the Al Mourjan Garden Lounge has spa services and views of the new Orchard Garden.
Keep in mind that if you are departing on a flight bound for the United States, there will be a secondary security screening at your gate. This is one of my biggest complaints about coming home and Qatar doesn’t really facilitate this process very well. You will have to put all your bags through a security screener and you won’t be allowed to carry any liquids or water bottles over three ounces through to your gate. You will then be kept in a sterile waiting area with no bathrooms or water fountains until your flight.
My recommendation is that you use the bathroom and hydrate first before going through the secondary screening process. It might take economy class passengers about 15 minutes to get through but for business/first class passengers, there’s a dedicated lane to expedite you through. I made it through in under five minutes and then waited for boarding to be called. Boarding was delayed about 30 minutes and started with business class passengers and passengers needing special assistance, followed by zone 1 (oneworld and Privilege Club elite members).
Qatar Airways A350-1000 Business Class
Flight: QR 739
Aircraft: Airbus A350-1000
Doha (DOH) to Los Angeles (LAX)
Depart: 8:05 AM on Thursday (8:32 AM actual)
Arrive: 1:15 PM same day (1:11 PM actual)
Duration: 15hrs 39mns
Seat: 9K Q-Suites Business Class
This flight was operated with a 4-year-old Airbus A350-1000 (registration A7-ANI). On this aircraft, there are two business class cabins with 46 Q-Suites business class seats, alternating between forward-facing and rear-facing seats. The seats are configured in a 1-2-1 layout with 36 seats in the forward class cabin and eight seats in the rear business class cabin.
The cabin is beautiful and the seats are spacious and comfortable. On paper, the seats only provide 21.5’’ of width but due to the open space next to the seats, they actually provide unrestricted shoulder room for both sitting and sleeping. When reclined, the seats turn into a fully flat bed that is 79’’ long.
These Q-Suites business class seats are equipped with 21.5’’ HD television monitors, USB and universal electrical outlets, personal reading lamps, air vents, and plenty of storage spaces. These seats also feature privacy doors and a partition height of 48.5 inches. When you’re seated in your suite with the doors closed, you won’t really notice anything going on outside your seat.
Storage-wise, these seats offer plenty of storage spaces. The primary storage compartment will be located next to your seat. This compartment also acts as your armrest and can be raised or lowered, depending if you’re seated or sleeping.
In front of you, there is a large side table to place your items, and below the side table is a cutout to store additional items such as laptops, iPads, or headphones.
And down below the console is a little cutout for your shoes.
Entertainment-wise, Qatar offers one of the best collections of entertainment in the sky. They have a huge catalog of movies, TV shows, music, and games and you won’t have a hard time finding a few movies to help pass the time. WiFi was also provided on this flight and it was very affordable. An hour of free internet was provided for all Privilege Club members and a full-flight pass only cost $10.
On this flight, I was seated in seat 9K, a rear-facing, window seat in the forward business class cabin. Waiting at our seats were two pillows, a very plush duvet, and a Diptique branded amenity kit. Qatar-branded noise-canceling headphones and a water bottle were also provided in the storage compartment.
The Diptique branded amenity kits are super cute and are stocked with quality Diptique products. In addition to in-flight socks, eye masks, and ear plugs, there are small bottles of body lotion, face cream, lip balm, and a body spray. These are quality products that smell good and I can definitely see myself reusing this bag to keep cords, medication, or other travel necessities.
As we got settled in our seats, the cabin manager came by to introduce herself and the other flight attendants came by with pre-departure beverages, menus, and pajamas.
My pre-departure beverage (signature mint and lime juice) was presented with a Diptique wet towel. The pajamas, provided by the White Company, were soft and comfortable.
With boarding completed and bags finally loaded, we then pushed back from the gate and taxied to the runway for our nearly 16-hour flight to Los Angeles.
About 20 minutes into the flight, the seatbelt signs were turned off and the flight attendant came around for food and beverage orders. Keep in mind that Qatar has dine-on-demand so you can order anything from the menu at any time you want. For my flight, I decided to have my breakfast first and save my dinner for later on in the flight.
My breakfast started with a glass of champagne and a ramekin of warm nuts.
For breakfast, I went with the raspberry and hazelnut scroll and it was delicious. I had a real breakfast earlier in the lounge so this was a nice treat to enjoy. It was served with a small bread basket and a fruit smoothie.
After I was done eating, my table was immediately cleared and I went into the lavatory to change out of my street clothes. There are three lavatories for business class passengers to use. Two are located in the front of the plane and one is located in between the two business class cabins. The lavatories were stocked with Diptique bottles of lotion, hydrating facial spray and dental/shave kits.
I then went back to my seat and settled in for a couple of movies and some work on my laptop. About six hours into the flight, I rang the call bell and asked for a mid-flight snack. I went with the chicken tiki masala, a fruit plate, and a glass of champagne. The tiki masala was delicious and I wished it was offered in a bigger portion.
After my snack, the flight attendant asked if I wanted my bed to be made. I wasn’t all that tired yet but I decided I could just watch a movie in bed. The turndown service included a mattress pad and a different pillow. He exchanged my back pillow for a proper bed pillow. This level of detail is what sets Qatar Airways apart from the competition. Naturally, the bed was spacious and comfortable and I was able to snooze for a bit.
I have to give Qatar Airways credit here. Their service and catering on this flight were stellar. Everything I ate was delicious and I wished I could have had more. And their service was friendly, personable, and attentive. The flight attendant taking care of my aisle was on top of his game. He walked the cabin frequently and proactively asked if I needed anything.
About two hours before landing, the cabin lights slowly came on and my dinner was served. Dinner started with a salmon sashimi starter and a bread basket.
For my main dish, I went with the salmon with lemon sauce and mashed potatoes. I did ask for the soup but they were all out it by the time I asked. I guess that’s the one downside of dine-on-demand. Because anyone can eat anything they want at any time, they may be out of what you want by the time you want it. But in the overall scheme of things, there is so much food and you won’t go hungry.
Qatar Airways A350-1000 Business Class Bottom Line
This was my first long-haul, Q-Suites flight with Qatar Airways and I can honestly say I was very impressed. The hard product was amazing and the service and catering on this flight were top-notch. The food was delicious, the service was personable and the seat was great in both seat and bed modes. I think Qatar Airways offers a stellar business-class product and I wouldn’t hesitate to fly with them again in the future.
What are your thoughts? Have you flown with Qatar Airlines recently? If so, please share your thoughts with us in the comments section below. Thanks for reading!
The other posts in this series include:
- American Express Centurion Lounge LAX
- Qatar Airways A350-1000 Economy Class, Los Angeles to Doha
- Al Maha Lounge Doha, a Priority Pass Lounge
- Sleep N’ Fly Sleep Lounge Doha, a Priority Pass Lounge
- Qatar Airways Boeing 777-300ER Economy Class, Doha to Male
- Fairmont Maldives Overwater Villa
- Fairmont Maldives Grounds, Amenities and Dining
- Leeli Lounge Male
- Qatar Airways Boeing 777-300ER Business Class, Male to Doha
- Qatar Airways Arrivals Lounge Doha
- Qatar Airways A350-1000 Business Class, Doha to Los Angeles
