After flying business class with 6 different airlines, I have 2 clear favorites — and some honorable mentions

For most of my life, I sat in the back of the plane and never really knew what I was missing. Maybe things were better that way because once I got a taste of business class, it’s been hard to go back to economy.

In more recent years, I’ve gotten a chance to take long-haul flights in lie-flat seats in business class on six different carriers around the world — thanks to a combination of work travel, airline loyalty, and credit-card points.

Though it’s always better than coach, not every business-class experience is created equal. Here are my top picks so far based on my personal experience in the skies.

Delta is by far my favorite US carrier — and its business-class product is excellent.

If you ask me, there’s no superior US airline to Delta, and the competition doesn’t even come close.

Delta One is technically the carrier’s business-class product, though it feels like a true first-class experience. I’ve been fortunate to fly in this cabin twice.

It feels especially elevated because it features privacy doors that close completely, turning the seat into a suite. The lie-flat seats (generally over 20 inches wide) are comfortable and intuitive to operate.

Delta also recently began offering complimentary WiFi on many of its flights.

The airline also offers some excellent special touches.

I found the food I’ve had while flying with Delta One to be extremely tasty.

The airline also has standout culinary touches on select flights. I got to enjoy a build-your-own sundae cart with ice cream and toppings and afternoon tea service, which I experienced while flying out of London.

Delta One made me feel like such a VIP that I’m now pretty loyal to the airline.

At one point, I even got a tarmac transfer by way of a dedicated Porsche (not guaranteed, but sometimes provided to VIP flyers and those with short connections).

All in all, I’ve loved my Delta One experiences so much that they convinced me to get the brand’s AmEx credit card and put all my loyalty eggs in the Delta basket.

So far, Fiji Airways is my favorite international carrier.

When I headed west across the Pacific, Fiji Airways’ A350 business class between Los Angeles to Nadi far exceeded my expectations for comfort and style.

The business-class cabin, arranged in a one-two-one layout, featured stylish seats just over 20 inches wide with Fijian-patterned pillows.

Flight attendants were attentive from the start, offering pre-flight drinks and warm towels, and there was even complimentary WiFi, a rare perk.

The food and small details made my flight a hit.

After a well-presented dinner of salad, soup, and flavorful vegan pumpkin curry, I requested that the flight attendants make up my bed.

The plush mattress pad and duvet ensured nearly seven hours of restful sleep. The seat, with direct aisle access, a 17-inch screen, ample storage, and lie-flat recline, was super comfortable.

I also appreciated that I could watch external cameras showing the plane’s landing gear in action from the screen on my seatback.

This round-trip flight, about 11 hours each way, was my only experience with the carrier; however, I’d happily fly with Fiji Airways again.

Though it didn’t crack my top two, I was also impressed by my experience with British Airways’ business class.

I flew in British Airways’ business class during a transatlantic trip. My experience was smooth and luxurious.

The one-two-one cabin layout provided direct aisle access, and my spacious seat (about 20 inches wide) featured ample storage, a sliding door for privacy, and a lie-flat bed with a mattress pad. I slept comfortably.

The meal service was exceptional. My vegetarian options, from artichoke-Parmesan soup to ricotta mezzaluna, were flavorful and creative.

The wine selection was well-curated, and I opted for a glass of delicious port with my cheese plate. I also felt the in-flight entertainment options were excellent and varied. And WiFi, while a bit inconsistent to use, felt fairly priced at £20.

With friendly service, comfortable seating, and an elevated dining experience, this 11-hour flight was one of the most enjoyable parts of my trip.

Virgin Atlantic also gets an honorable mention.

Overall, I’ve really enjoyed my experiences flying in Virgin Atlantic’s upper class on the 787-9 Dreamliner between London and Los Angeles.

The airline’s answer to business class felt stylish and cool, just like the rest of the Virgin brand. My cabin has a sleek design complete with pink and purple lights and a social bar area — a great feature for groups.

I also found in-flight WiFi was affordable (about $30 USD) and reliable. However, a few small things have kept me from labeling its business class as my favorite.

Lunch included a delicious vegetarian meal of roasted red-pepper soup, a banh mi rice salad with teriyaki tofu, and rhubarb upside-down cake.

Later, I had vegetable gyozas and scones to snack on. The food was good, but a bit less plentiful than I might have liked for a flight of about 10 hours. I’d expected a second full meal on my long trip.

My least-favorite part of the experience was the seat itself. The 22-inch seat was reasonably comfortable but felt narrow, perhaps because of the design of its surrounding “walls.”

Plus, reclining it fully required standing up and using a manual effort to flip it into a lie-flat bed — far less convenient than and not as comfortable as other business-class seats I’ve had.

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