Flying business class on a 14-hour international flight — and why, despite the cost, I’d do it again
Let’s get this out of the way first
Business class is not for the faint of heart. It is expensive. Uncomfortably expensive.
If you need to borrow money to fly business class, don’t do it.
If you need to stretch, beg, or rationalize your way into it, don’t do it.
If you’re selling long-term investments or tapping retirement accounts just to sit in a nicer seat on a plane — absolutely don’t do it.
In our case, we save a fixed amount every month specifically for travel and flights, and we stay (for the most part) within that budget. We don’t finance trips, and we don’t pretend this is normal spending.
This is not legal advice, financial advice, or travel advice — just practical experience.
Context matters: economy vs business on a true long-haul flight
I shared my initial impressions of flying business class from the airplane. I wanted to write this post after I had time to digest the trip.
This was a 14-hour international flight. We had flown Qatar Airways economy on the outbound leg and Qatar Airways business class (Qsuites) on the return. That contrast made the difference impossible to ignore.
In economy on a flight this long:
- The cabin feels cramped
- Meaningful sleep is nearly impossible
- Food options are acceptable but unremarkable
- Bathrooms are small, heavily used, and eventually smell
- You arrive quasi-functional, but depleted
In summary, it’s not a disaster — but it’s survival mode.
On the other hand, business class on the return was a spectacularly different monster.
The experience from the moment we boarded
From the start, everything felt calmer and more intentional.
We were welcomed immediately. Adult beverages for us, something appropriate for the kids. No scrambling. No overhead-bin anxiety. No feeling like we were in the way.
We received:
- Pajamas and slippers
- A well-designed toiletry kit
- Time and space to settle in without being rushed
That alone reset the tone of the flight.
The Qsuites setup
The four of us were essentially in our own shared pod, facing each other.
We were all on our own devices at times, but we could just as easily interact. We played cards. We played Uno. We did something we had never done before: four-person Uno at 35,000 feet.
That sounds small, but it changed the flight from something to endure into something we actually experienced together.
Food, drinks, and pacing that made sense
This was an early-morning departure, and the pacing mattered.
We had:
- A proper breakfast
- On-demand snacks whenever we wanted
- A full lunch later on
Nothing felt rushed or imposed. If we weren’t hungry, we waited. If we were, we ate. The quality — especially the bread — was genuinely impressive.
Compared to economy, where timing and options feel dictated rather than chosen, this alone was a meaningful upgrade.
Sleep (this is the real reason)
We all slept. Not dozed — slept.
Each of us got about three to four hours of real rest.
I’m just under six feet tall and could fully stretch out, change positions, and move without feeling boxed in. I could stand up easily. I could check on the kids without climbing over strangers.
I landed more rested than I’ve ever been after a long-haul flight.
On a 14-hour flight, that changes everything.
Bathrooms (yes, this matters)
There were roughly 20 people total in our cabin sharing two bathrooms.
They were easily twice the size of standard economy bathrooms, clean, and never overwhelmed. At one point, I remember using the bathroom while looking out a window over the sky — something that simply doesn’t exist in economy.
On flights this long, that difference matters more than people admit.
Entertainment and choice
There were plenty of movies and shows. The kids watched kid-friendly content. I watched two movies I had actually planned to finish — and did.
The point wasn’t quantity. It was choice without friction.
The intangible difference
This is the hardest part to quantify.
I wasn’t exhausted when we landed.
I wasn’t irritable.
I wasn’t counting minutes until I could lie down.
I felt… normal. Maybe even good.
That changed the entire first day after landing, which quietly shapes the whole trip.
The cost conversation (kept simple)
Business class cost several times more than economy. There’s no sugar-coating that. It was expensive enough that you feel it.
But afterward, I didn’t feel buyer’s remorse. I felt clarity.
If I can’t afford to fly business class without borrowing, then maybe I can’t afford to make that particular long-haul trip right now.
That doesn’t mean I’ll never fly economy again. But it does mean that basic economy and 14-hour flights are no longer compatible for me.
Final verdict
Yes — it was worth it.
Yes — it was expensive.
And yes — I would do it again, assuming financial freedom and flexibility.
Flying economy showed me what I was giving up.
Flying business class showed me what I was paying for.
On a 14-hour international flight, that difference is not subtle.
If business class fits your finances, it can fundamentally change how you experience long-haul travel.
If it doesn’t, that’s not a failure — it’s just a boundary.
For us, crossing that boundary once made the answer very clear.