Best Business Class Bedding: Which Airlines Care About Coziness?

I like to cover various aspects of the premium travel experience. For example, I’ve shared what I consider to be the world’s best business class airlines, the world’s best business class seats, and the world’s best business class lounges.

In this post, I want to take a look at a related but different topic — which airlines have the best bedding in business class? I actually covered this several weeks back, but based on some recent travels, I’d like to add a couple more airlines to the list…

Airlines underinvest in business class bedding

There are lots of features that contribute to a great business class experience. If you ask me, good bedding is an area where many airlines underinvest in premium cabins. It’s incredible to me how some airlines spend massive sums of money installing cutting edge business class seats, only to then skimp on bedding, which is really an important aspect of being able to get comfortable when you recline your seat.

It’s funny, because you’d think this would be one of the lower cost investments airlines could make. Yes, bedding has to be washed between flights, and there’s going to be some amount of theft. But still, the initial investment is quite small (compared to the cost of seats, for example), the ongoing costs are limited, and it’s something that I think many passengers really appreciate.

What makes for great bedding in business class?

Just about all airlines offer a pillow and blanket when traveling in business class on a long haul flight. However, the quality of those can vary greatly. For example, I think we can all agree that there’s a substantial difference between the bedding in MIAT Mongolian business class…

…and the bedding in United Polaris business class.

So, what makes for good bedding on a plane in business class?

• For one, it’s about the actual comfort of the standard pillow and blanket offered; ideally the pillow is quite substantial, and the blanket is cozy and soft, without being scratchy
• It’s great when airlines also offer mattress pads, to help make the sleeping surface a bit softer; for that matter, many people just find it more hygienic, or at least optically it appears that way
• Some airlines go above and beyond and offer a second pillow and/or blanket, which can really help with getting cozy
• I also love when airlines offer turndown service, but ultimately that’s secondary to the above
• Some airlines also offer pajamas in business class, though for the purposes of these posts, I’m not considering that

Let me also acknowledge that bedding preferences differ around the world, especially when it comes to how firm or soft we like various sleeping surfaces, pillows, etc.

Which airlines have the best business class bedding?

With the above out of the way, which airlines have the best bedding in business class? If you ask me, there are some airlines that really stand out. I’m not doing a ranked list, and this is by no means comprehensive, since this is so dependent on personal preferences. However, the below are the airlines that immediately come to mind when I think of good bedding.

As I hinted at above, United Polaris business class is in a league of its own when it comes to bedding. United literally has the best business class bedding in the world (it’s the only metric by which I’d consider United business class to be the best in the world), in partnership with Saks Fifth Avenue. Bedding includes a thick pillow for sleeping, a cooling gel pillow, a duvet, a day blanket, and a mattress pad on demand. There’s simply not another airline that offers both the quantity and quality of bedding that you’ll find on United.

Among the Gulf carriers, Qatar Airways business class probably offers the best bedding. It includes two pillows (one large, one small), a very cozy and stylish blanket, and a mattress pad. When turndown service is offered, the larger pillow is even placed in a pillowcase, which is a cute touch.

While not quite to the same level as Qatar, Etihad business class deserves a shoutout for the bedding, offered in partnership with Armani / Casa. It’s not about the quantity of bedding, but rather the quality, as I really like both the pillow and blanket. On flights of over nine hours, a memory foam mattress pad is also offered.

Among Far East carriers, three airlines stand out to me. Japan Airlines business class has excellent bedding, with a pillow, blanket, and mattress pad. They’re cozy without being overly warm, which is good, since the airline doesn’t have individual air nozzles on many of its aircraft.

EVA Air business class also excels when it comes to bedding. The airline offers what I’d consider to be the single most bed-like duvet you’ll find on any airline.

Cathay Pacific business class offers incredible bedding nowadays, as I learned during a recent flight. This is offered in partnership with Bamford, and includes a substantial pillow, a mattress pad, and even a 400-thread count cotton duvet.

Virgin Atlantic business class also offers a good night of sleep, thanks to a pillow, a mattress pad, and a substantial duvet.

LATAM business class is another product that has a very impressive bedding setup, with a large mattress pad, a thick pillow, and a duvet-like blanket.

Lastly, let me give a shoutout to the most unexpectedly delightful airline when it comes to business class bedding. Boliviana de Aviacion business class has surprisingly fabulous bedding, with a great duvet, plus two thick pillows. Typically I find that the smaller government owned airlines out there don’t invest in bedding, so this is a very pleasant surprise.

Bottom line

There’s such variability when it comes to the quality of business class bedding across airlines. If you ask me, it’s one of the less costly investments airlines can make, yet the impact is huge. It’s pretty impressive that United has been in a league of its own when it comes to business class bedding for many years now, though there are some other airlines that deserve a shoutout as well.

What are your favorite airlines when it comes to business class bedding?