The only one of the three with a proper bar on board: the Onboard Lounge at the back of every A380 upper deck, for first and business class only. The A380's 76 business seats take the whole upper deck in a 1-2-1 layout, each with a flat bed and a minibar, and at Heathrow Terminal 3 you board straight from the lounge. Eligible fares include a chauffeur to and from the airport.
- Long nights
- Dubai and beyond
- A drink at the bar
Photos: Emirates A380 Business Class cabin, looking forward from the centre pair. © Emirates; Emirates A380 onboard lounge, Business Class passengers at the bar. © Emirates; Emirates A380 Business Class, a pair of centre suites made up with pillows and blankets. © Emirates; Andy Mitchell, CC BY-SA 2.0; Emirates Business Class Lounge, Dubai, the champagne bar. © Emirates.
A door, and your Avios
British Airways
Club Suite
BA's Club Suite has a door that slides shut, a 79-inch fully flat bed and an 18.5-inch screen on from gate to gate, in a 1-2-1 layout where every seat has its own aisle. And you can earn and spend Avios on it.
- Privacy
- Avios
- Sleeping well
Photos: British Airways.
Virgin's strength starts before you board: the Clubhouse at Heathrow, with a long bar, a dining room, a spa and a cinema. On board, the newest A330neos have a suite with a door that closes fully, and from 5 November 2026 new ones arrive with 48 seats including six larger Retreat Suites. Most A350s have The Loft, a social space with a big screen.
- The lounge
- New York and the US
- Something social
Photos: Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse, London Heathrow, main space. Photo: Virgin Atlantic; Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse, London Heathrow, The Gallery. Photo: Virgin Atlantic; Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse, Royal Box. Photo: Virgin Atlantic; Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse, London Heathrow, Secret Spa. Photo: Virgin Atlantic; Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse, London Heathrow, cinema. Photo: Virgin Atlantic.
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Qatar Airways' Qsuite and Singapore Airlines join this comparison when we have their own photos. We only show a cabin as it really is.
How to choose between business class airlines
On paper every long-haul business class from London now has a flat bed and an aisle for every seat. What separates them is the plane you end up on, what you can do when you are not asleep, and where the trip starts. Four questions settle it.
Which plane is on your flight?
This matters more than the airline. BA's Club Suite is on every A350-1000, 787-10 and refitted 777, but some 787s still carry the older Club World seat. Virgin's best seat, the suite with a door, is on the A330neo; its 787-9s keep the older seat until new ones start arriving in 2028. Emirates' A380 and refitted 777s are 1-2-1, while its older 777s are 2-3-2, where some seats have no aisle of their own. Check the seat map before you pay.
Do you want a door?
A door makes a flat bed feel like a small room. BA's Club Suite door slides shut, and Virgin's A330neo suite closes fully. Emirates' A380 seats and Virgin's A350 seats are open. If you sleep lightly or travel alone, the door is worth choosing a flight around.
What will you do when you are awake?
On a long day flight, being able to get up and stand somewhere helps. Every Emirates A380 has the Onboard Lounge, a bar at the back of the upper deck for first and business class. Most Virgin A350s have The Loft, a social space with a big screen. BA has no bar, so the seat is the whole experience.
Where does the trip start?
Virgin's Clubhouse at Heathrow has a dining room, a spa and a cinema. Emirates lets you board the A380 straight from its lounge at Terminal 3, and eligible fares include a car to the airport. BA flies from Terminal 5, with its Galleries lounges. And if you collect Avios, BA is where you can spend them on this cabin; our Avios guide shows how.
Business class airlines: questions people ask
Which airline has the best business class from the UK?
It depends on what you want. Emirates is the only one of the three with a bar on board, on every A380. British Airways' Club Suite has a door that slides shut, and you can use Avios. Virgin Atlantic has the Clubhouse at Heathrow, with a dining room, a spa and a cinema, and its newest A330neos have a suite with a door too.
Which business class seats have a door?
British Airways' Club Suite, on every A350-1000, 787-10 and refitted 777, and Virgin Atlantic's A330neo Upper Class suite. Emirates' A380 business seats and Virgin's A350 seats have no door.
Does Emirates business class have a bar?
Yes. Every Emirates A380 has the Onboard Lounge at the back of the upper deck, for first and business class only. The A350 and older 777s have no bar.
How do I make sure I get the good seat?
Check the plane before you book. On BA, look for four seats a row on the seat map, which means the Club Suite. On Virgin, the A330neo has the suite with a door. On Emirates, pick the A380 or a refitted 777, not an older 777 laid out 2-3-2.
Have you flown all three?
Not yet. This comparison is built on research, with every fact linked to its source. Any flight we take will be marked Flown and verified, and any hosted flight disclosed.
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