Review: Qatar Airways 787-9 Business Class Barcelona to Doha

Qatar Airways has earned a stellar reputation for its exceptional business class offerings, and recently introduced a new generation of Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners equipped with a brand-new “Business Suite”. This new business class product took to the skies back in June 2021, marking a new chapter in Qatar Airways’s already impressive business class lineup.

The Business Suite is engineered to deliver the same level of comfort and sophistication as the award-winning Qsuites; however, some modifications have been made to fit the 787-9 plane’s narrower frame.

With many prior trips with Qatar Airways under my belt and a keen interest in the latest innovations in air travel, I was curious to see how the Qatar Airways Business Suite stacked up to the airline’s other products.

Qatar Airways 787-9 Business Class – Booking

Qatar Airways currently operates 11 wide-body 787-9 planes in its fleet, which have the capacity to fly to a wide range of long-haul destinations; however, the airline has largely chosen to deploy these planes on medium-haul routes for the time being. As a result, the Business Suites available on these planes can most often be found on flights between Doha and various European cities.

For award bookings, Qatar Airways Privilege Club offers highly competitive rates with minimal surcharges. In this case, I booked a one-way flight from Barcelona to Doha for 45,000 Qatar Airways Avios plus €90 ($130 CAD) in taxes and fees.

While redeeming Avios may incur higher costs compared to AAdvantage miles, it’s important to note that especially for Canadian travellers, earning Avios is often more accessible and convenient than accumulating AAdvantage miles. Therefore, it may be worthwhile to conserve your AAdvantage miles and instead opt to redeem Avios.

Qatar Airways 787-9 Business Class – Ground Experience

Qatar Airways’s business class passengers departing from Barcelona typically receive access to the Joan Miro Lounge in the non-Schengen departures area.

This third-party lounge offers a pretty solid pre-flight experience with sleek and modern décor and a range of amenities, including a buffet spread, varied seating, workstations, and showers.

For those departing from Doha, you’ll have access to the flagship Al Mourjan Business Class Lounge, which represents a much more impressive option that’s in line with the lofty standards of Qatar Airways’s business…