These Luxury Air Travel Options Take First Class to a Whole New Level
Take to the Skies in the Lap of Luxury
If you travel by air frequently, you know all too well how uncomfortable those economy flights can be. With ever-shrinking leg room and few — if any — amenities to go along with it, flights have become something people dread instead of look forward to, or even feel ambivalent about.
While there are many tips for flying that will alleviate some of the discomfort and dread associated with air travel, there’s one guaranteed way to make your experience infinitely better: fly first-class. If you’ve got the extra cash, luxury air travel is undoubtedly the way to go.
First-class options have been rebounding in recent years, with airlines launching new and ever more luxurious first-class cabins — some of which feel more like an apartment home than a space on an airplane. There’s no doubt that the following make the list of best airlines in the world — can you go wrong with a personal butler and personal flat screen TV?
A 3-Room Suite with Etihad Airways
Etihad is the only airline to date to offer a three-room suite. The luxury “penthouse in the sky,” known as The Residence, comes with its own butler and chef. It has a living room, a bedroom and a shower room.
It’s only available on the airline’s Airbus A380-800 aircraft. This large, nearly 500-passenger, plane is used on the New York to Abud Dhabi route — a journey that takes anywhere from 19 to 21 hours, and was just added in December 2016.
The living room has a 32-inch flat screen TV, a leather sofa and fold-away dining tables, where a Savoy-trained butler serves gourmet meals prepared by the on-board chef. The bedroom has a double bed with designer Italian linens and another flat screen TV that’s mounted on the wall.
Before landing, you can freshen up with a shower. And, if you have kids, you’ll even get to take advantage of the “flying nanny.” The experience also includes chauffeured transport to and from the airport, and a number of other perks.
Of course, it won’t come cheap. In fact, a one-way ticket will set you back the equivalent of the average one year salary: about $40,000.
A Porsche with Lufthansa
Lufthansa found a way to make a layover a great thing, at least for those who have a layover in Frankfurt or Munich, Germany. The airline offers the opportunity to go for a spin in a Porsche.
This luxury option isn’t just for the extremely wealthy. In fact, the cost is less than what you’d pay to rent a Porsche 911 in the United States. Lufthansa has been charging only a little over $100, including fuel, insurance, and all taxes and other fees, whereas if you wanted to rent one from Hertz, it would run you nearly $500 a day.
As an added benefit, Avis worked with Porsche to create route suggestions with precise timings so you can plan your ideal route and transit time back to the airport.
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Luxurious Bathrooms with Emirates Airlines
Emirates Airlines offers first-class passengers access to a bathroom that’s probably a lot more lavish than the one you have at home. It includes a shower, allowing you to soap up at 40,000 feet and arrive refreshed and presentable so you’ll be ready to explore your destination, or look great for an important meeting, as soon as you arrive.
Each first-class passenger can shower once per flight by booking a reservation with one of the shower attendants. And, if you’re on your honeymoon or enjoying any type of special romantic holiday, note the shower suite sign that reads: “Max. two occupants in shower.”
