Oman Air was designated ‘Best Airline Staff in the Middle East’ at the Skytrax 2023 World Airline Awards. Apart from having excellent in-flight service, recently the Business Travel Index from Tipalti has analyzed factors such as service, a wide range of food and drink options, lounge facilities, seat comfort, and inflight entertainment, to reveal the best airlines to fly with when traveling in business class. It was no surprise to me to see Oman Air topping the list of best business-class airlines with an overall score of 8.39.

Oman Air scores 5/5 across the board when it comes to its aircraft’s business-class seats, making it the highest-scoring airline in this category. It also receives 4/5 in areas such as staff service (both inflight and in the lounge), inflight entertainment, and lounge catering. Following closely behind is Cathay Pacific Airways.

Oman Air, Qatar Airways, and Turkish Airlines are amongst the best business-class lounges. Oman Air also receives 4/5 in areas such as staff service (both inflight and in the lounge), inflight entertainment, and lounge catering.

The research used Skytrax to record the scores for each airline for the following lounge-related factors: lounge comfort, lounge catering, lounge washrooms and showers, lounge internet and Wi-Fi, and lounge staff service. The same process was repeated for the following seat-related factors: seat sleep comfort, seat sitting comfort, seat/bed width, seat/bed length, and seat privacy.

One can find the full research report here.

My Experience

For me, Oman Air remains one of the best airlines to experience their incredible business class on both international and domestic sectors. I recently flew from Mumbai to Frankfurt for IMEX and again chose business class.

Oman Air (WY) operates a fleet of around 50 aircraft, with long-haul flights featuring a mix of Airbus A330-200 and A330-300, as well as Boeing 787-8 and 787-9 aircraft. Most of them include the same Business Class seats—the APEX Suite, which has a denser 2-2-2 cabin configuration but is cleverly designed by staggering the seats along the sides of the cabin. This design provides a passageway from the window seats, ensuring all seats have direct aisle access. While all Oman Air Business Class seats are good, the window seats can be preferred as they feel almost like enclosed suites (thanks to adjustable privacy dividers), and they also benefit from extra legroom due to their positioning.

With a pitch of 80 inches and a bed length of 76 inches, the seat converts into a fully lie-flat bed. There’s a nice ottoman to place your feet, with storage underneath for a handbag. We were provided with quilted duvets and fluffy pillows, as well as cotton sleeper suits and slippers for this 7-hour-plus flight. Each seat features a 17-inch personal monitor and two USB ports. While there are many movie choices, including Indian films, I opted to watch the map for most of the flight.

Guests also enjoy a set of unisex Amouage kits (from the Omani luxury fragrance brand) that contain body lotion, facial moisturizer, lip balm, a dental kit, mouthwash, a shaving kit, silk eyeshades, a hairbrush, socks, and ear plugs.

The inflight dining

The ‘dine on demand’ service—allowing you to eat at your preferred time—is an advantage for those who had sufficient food in the lounge. We were offered pre-departure Omani coffee (‘Kahwa’) with Omani dates. Pre-departure beverages also included Champagne, water, or juice. After take-off, they provide an à la carte menu with varied dining options, accompanied by fine wines, and for vegetarians, meals can be booked in advance. During the meal, we were offered specialty coffees—Espresso, Cappuccino, Mocha, or even hot chocolate, which I prefer. By the way, Oman Air serves one of the best hot chocolates I have ever tasted.

The Lounge Experience

At Muscat International Airport, Oman Air’s First and Business Class lounges are located on the 5th floor of the terminal. Upon entering the lounge, the soft brown and gold hues create a soothing atmosphere, complemented by the marble floors.

The lounge features two self-serve buffets offering a variety of hot and cold food, along with a bar in between. For those looking for a quick nap, there are curtained nap pods, while longer rests can be enjoyed in four sleeping rooms, complete with private showers. A spa is also available, providing an assortment of treatments for a fee.

At Frankfurt and Munich airports, Oman Air partners with other airlines and third-party lounge providers.