Last year Qatar Airways introduced their new Qsuites product, which is their revolutionary new business class with doors at every seat. I just had the chance to fly this for the first time between New York and Doha, and sat in a different type of seat in each direction. In this post I wanted to share my thoughts on the best Qsuites seats there are.
General 777 Qsuites cabin layout
Qatar Airways’ 777s with Qsuites feature a total of 42 business class seats. Seats are in a 1-2-1 configuration, with each seat featuring direct aisle access.
The forward cabin — between the first and second set of doors — has a total of 24 seats, as it consists of a full six rows (rows 1-6).
Meanwhile the rear cabin — behind the second set of doors — has a total of 18 seats, as it consists of 4.5 rows (rows 7-11).
Forward vs. rear Qsuites cabin
I don’t think there’s a strong advantage to being in the forward cabin vs. the rear cabin. The way I see it, the main advantage of being in the forward cabin is that you have less foot traffic during boarding, since most economy passengers board through the second set of doors.
The main advantage of being in the rear cabin is that there’s less foot traffic during the flight. That’s because there’s a galley and bathrooms at the very front of the plane, then another galley and more bathrooms inbetween the two cabins. That means if you’re in rows 10-11, for example, you have virtually no foot traffic the entire flight.
Personally my preference is to sit towards the very back of the rear cabin, but that’s a general preference I have for my flights. The only potential downside is that sometimes babies in bassinets are in the first row of economy, though that’s not something I usually have an issue with.
Best Qsuites seat for solo travelers
If you’re traveling alone then you absolutely want one of the single seats by the window. These are the seats with the letters A, B, J, or K.
Seats with the letters A & K are the true window seats, as these seats are right by the windows. Then closer to the aisle is the console and storage area, and then the door is past that. If possible you definitely want one of these seats, since they feel the most private, and also the least claustrophobic due to their distance from the door. Furthermore, you can easily look out the window. Do note that all of these seats are rear facing — that’s something I like, though if you suffer from motion sickness, maybe these seats aren’t right for you.
Seats with the letters B & J are still good, though will feel a bit more claustrophobic. For these seats the console and storage are closer to the window, while the seats are closer to the aisle. These are still great seats, though they may feel slightly claustrophobic, since you’re seated right by the door. These are forward facing seats.
Of the window seats, which do I most recommend?
- First choice: 3A, 3K, 5A, 5K, 10A, 10K (these are true window seats, and are the furthest from the galleys and bathrooms)
- Second choice: 1A, 1K, 8A, 8K (these are true window seats, though are closer to the galleys and bathrooms)
- Third choice: 2B, 2J, 4B, 4J, 9B, 9J, 11B, 11J (these are window seats closer to the aisle, and are the furthest from the galleys and bathrooms)
- Fourth choice: 6B, 6J (these are window seats closer to the aisle, and are closer to the galleys and bathrooms)
All of those are fantastic seats, but I’m just trying to provide as detailed of a ranking as possible.
Best Qsuites seats for couples
If you’re traveling with someone then you may appreciate the varied Qsuites seating configuration, as you can create a double bed, or potentially even a “suite” with four seats.
Seats with the letters E & F are the double beds, as they’re right next to one another in the center of the plane.
Don’t worry, if you’re traveling with a stranger you won’t be forced to cuddle with them, as there’s a wall that can be raised. However, if you are traveling with someone these are great since you can have your beds right next to one another.
Don’t get too excited, though. This isn’t a continuous sleeping surface, so while you’ll be close together, you’ll struggle to spoon comfortably. The pairs of E & F seats are all rear facing.
Then seats with letters D & G are in the center section but are further from one another. They’re forward facing, and in general these aren’t ideal if you’re traveling with someone.
However, the cool thing is that you can potentially create a four person suite, as all four of the center suites open up to one another. This works with the following sets of seats:
- 1E, 1F, 2D, 2G
- 3E, 3F, 4D, 4G
- 5E, 5F, 6D, 6G
- 7E, 7F, 8D, 8G
- 9E, 9F, 10D, 10G
Don’t worry, if you end up in those sets of seats and aren’t traveling with people can keep all partitions up for full privacy.
So, what are the best seats for couples traveling with one another who want to sit together?
- First choice: 3E & 3F, 5E & 5F, 9E & 9F, 11E & 11F (these are the “double beds” furthest from the galley and bathrooms)
- Second choice: 1E & 1F, 7E & 7F (these are the “double beds” furthest from the galley and bathrooms)
This advice might surprise some people, but I’m not sure I’d love these seats if traveling with someone. I can’t say for sure since I’ve only flown in the cabin alone, but I feel like if I were traveling with someone I’d still get both of us “true” window seats, as they’re more spacious and have great views. Also, when I travel with Ford we’re often not on the same schedule anyway, and sometimes I want to be up while he sleeps, or vice versa.
However, I know lots of people want to be with their travel companion all the time, in which case the center suites are a great concept.
If you’re traveling with someone and can’t snag the true center seats (E & F), then there’s not much advantage to getting the other center seats (D & G) since you’re on opposite sides of the aisle. At that point you’re better off just getting window seats, in my opinion.
Bottom line
Qatar Airways’ new Qsuites concept is spectacular. I think this is the world’s best business class, and you’ll be happy no matter where you sit. To maximize your enjoyment I’d do everything I could to snag a true window seat, which would be seats A or K in any row.
Personally my happy place is 10A or 10K — they have limited foot traffic, an amazing view of the engine (since the seats are rear facing), and are far from the galleys and lavatories.
If you’ve flown Qsuites, what seat do you like the most?
