Etihad and Emirates lead ranking of world’s most extravagant airline luxuries

Etihad Airways and Emirates have taken the top two spots in a new ranking of air travel's most extravagant luxuries.

Etihad’s The Residence, a three-room suite on its Airbus A380, leads the list by air passenger rights company AirAdvisor. Emirates follows for its A380 Shower Spa and makes a second appearance for its on board lounge, while Qatar Airways features for its Al Safwa First Lounge in Doha.

Show caption: Qatar Airways’ Al Safwa First Lounge in Doha features a spa …

The ranking assesses individual experiences rather than airlines as a whole, comparing amenities that extend beyond conventional first and business-class seats.

The top 10 airline luxuries

Show caption: Etihad Airways’ The Residence features a separate living roo…

1. Etihad Airways – The Residence: 98/100
2. Emirates – A380 Shower Spa: 91/100
3. Swiss – First Grand Suite: 88/100
4. Air France – La Première private airport suites: 85/100
5. Singapore Airlines – Suites: 82/100
6. Lufthansa – Allegris Suite Plus: 80/100
7. Japan Airlines – A350-1000 First Class: 78/100
8. Emirates – A380 Onboard Lounge: 76/100
9. Qatar Airways – Al Safwa First Lounge: 72/100
10. Virgin Atlantic – Retreat Suite: 68/100

Etihad’s three-room suite takes first place

The Residence tops the list with 98 points out of a possible 100. Available on Etihad’s A380, it accommodates up to two passengers and comprises a living room, a separate bedroom with a double bed and an en suite shower room.

The layout gives travellers distinct spaces for dining, relaxing and sleeping, with a private shower adding another feature rarely found on a commercial aircraft.

Emirates takes second place with 91 points for its A380 Shower Spa. Available to first-class passengers, the facilities include a vanity area, changing space and heated flooring.

The Dubai airline also ranks eighth, scoring 76 points for its A380 Onboard Lounge. Open to first and business-class passengers, the space has a dedicated bartender and seating where travellers can gather for drinks and light bites.

Show caption: Air France’s La Premiere private airport suites include a do…

“Premium air travel has become an arms race. A lie-flat seat is no longer enough to stand out: airlines are now competing with bedrooms, showers, private lounges and spaces designed for couples or groups,” said Anton Radchenko, founder and chief executive of AirAdvisor.

“What is striking is how scarce many of these experiences remain – often limited to one aircraft type or only a handful of routes.”

Airport suites and a pre-flight jacuzzi

Qatar Airways takes ninth place with 72 points for its Al Safwa First Lounge at Hamad International Airport. Its Qspa includes nine treatment rooms and a thermal jacuzzi, extending the luxury experience to also include the hours before departure.

It is one of two airport-based entries in the ranking. Air France places fourth for its optional La Premiere private suites at Paris Charles de Gaulle.

Show caption: Air France’s La Premiere private airport suites include a do…

Available for separate booking, the suites measure about 45 square metres and include a living and dining area, a bedroom with a double bed, a bathroom and an outdoor patio. Guests can also access the La Premiere lounge and Sisley spa.

More space for travelling together

Show caption: Swiss’s First Grand Suite combines two adjoining first-class…

Several other entries focus on creating room for couples or small groups.

Swiss ranks third for its First Grand Suite, which combines two adjoining first-class suites, including the aisle between them, into a secluded space for up to three travellers.

Singapore Airlines takes fifth place for its A380 Suites, which feature a separate chair and bed. In selected adjoining suites, the beds can be combined into a double.

Show caption: Singapore Airlines’ A380 Suites feature a separate chair and…

Lufthansa’s Allegris First Class Suite Plus places sixth, with two independently controlled seats that convert into a double bed inside a private suite.

Japan Airlines follows in seventh for its A350-1000 first-class product, which includes a personal minibar, a 43-inch screen and a bed measuring up to 123cm wide.

Virgin Atlantic rounds out the top 10 with its Retreat Suite. Its inclusion brings a business-class product into the ranking, with space for up to four passengers to dine, work or socialise together.

How the experiences were ranked

AirAdvisor says its research drew on publicly available information accessed in September 2026. It considered only experiences verifiable through official airline or airport sources, while excluding private aviation, discontinued amenities and concepts not yet available to paying passengers.

Extravagance carried the greatest weight, accounting for 35 per cent of each score, followed by rarity at 25 per cent and privacy and exclusivity at 20 per cent. Scarcity of access and the experience beyond the seat each accounted for 10 per cent.

Entries were capped at two per airline, while experiences restricted to particular aircraft or routes received higher marks for scarcity.

However, anyone considering an upgrade should check the aircraft and cabin configuration before booking.

“For travellers, the cabin name alone does not tell you what you are actually buying. The same airline can offer a dramatically different premium experience depending on the aircraft and route,” said Radchenko.