Air travel continues to get safer, according to flight data newly analyzed by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It also continues to get more design-forward as top airlines around the world innovate, coming up with new ways to arrange seats, dim cabin lights, and wow travelers in the airport lounges before they even board.
New and notable airline design upgrades in 2024 include Japan Airlines’ A350-1000 aircraft with premium economy calf rests that automatically lift to a horizontal level and business class seats with built-in headrest speakers as well as Hawaiian Airlines Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner interior that features sunrise and sunset-inspired lighting.
At New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, a gorgeous Art Deco-inspired Delta One Lounge showcases the airline’s luxury partnership with Italian fashion house Missoni through a collection of coffee table books and the iconic zigzag patterns on accent pillows and vases.
So, how do airlines distinguish themselves and create these types of luxury experiences—the kinds that beckon travelers to enjoy the journey as much as the destination?
One design practice is to use cabin lighting to evoke a sense of relaxation and connect travelers with the places they’re vacationing or visiting, explains Daniel Levine, an expert on tourism trends and the director of the Avant-Guide Institute.
“Icelandair was among the first airlines that pioneered this trend with its Hekla Aurora aircraft: The Boeing 757’s livery is wrapped in a majestic Icelandic winter scene with midnight blue and neon green. Inside, the airline creates aurora borealis mood lighting so there’s a 100% chance of catching the Northern Lights while on board,” Levine explains.
In 2024, having the comforts of home is also a top priority for luxury travelers, whether its electronics or materials and textures, says Autumn Elizabeth Duntz, who has more than a decade of experience in interior design and the aviation refurbishment process.
“Recently, many clients have been leaning into comfortable, warm, cozy hues and rich textures like chunky weaves or rich linens,” Duntz says.
One of her favorite designs is the Qatar Executive’s Gulfstream Cabin, which has a classy and timeless design.
“The colors are very calming and relaxing, and they’ve incorporated fabrics into areas like the window line panel, which creates a nice softness in the cabin,” she says.
Ahead, five more luxury airlines that should be on every traveler’s “must-fly” list.
Hawaiian Airlines
Hawaiian Airlines has been the hometown carrier for the islands since 1929. The airline recently debuted a new interior for its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner interior, and the design helps tell the story of Polynesian navigators who looked to the stars, wind, and waves during their voyages on the Pacific.
Guests in the premium Leihōkū Suites can lean back and gaze at the twinkling star compass on the ceiling which is inspired by the constellations the Polynesian voyagers used as a compass. Throughout the aircraft, the “cabin sky” will simulate sunrises and sunsets.
Beyond the lighting, the 787 also has acoustic-treated engine inlets to keep the cabin quiet, ergonomic backrests, and more space for shoulders and hips.
Cathay Pacific
Flying first class on Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific is a bucket list trip for many luxury travelers. The on-board cellar is stocked with cuvees and first-class flyers can enjoy champagne paired with caviar while 35,000 feet in the air.
Long-haul travelers can catch ZZZs on plush lie-flat beds that come with comfy mattresses topped with 600-thread count sheets and a selection of pillows spritzed with an aromatherapy mist. Wake up to dim-sum breakfast and wellness teas.
Really, though, there’s no bad seat on Cathay Pacific flights: Skytrax World Airline Awards in 2024 recognized the airline as the world’s best economy class airline and the world’s cleanest airline.
Singapore Airlines
The first-class experience on Singapore Airlines’ A380 makes travelers feel as though they have their own private apartment in the sky, complete with blinds, an ensuite wardrobe closet, and a wireless tablet that can be used to dim lights or call for service.
Suites are outfitted with reclinable seats that can swivel and they’re upholstered in full grain leather by Poltrona Frau, a luxury Italian furniture company. Couples can even book adjoining suites.
Before the plane touches down, freshen up at a sit-down vanity counter stocked with toiletries, facial mists, and lotions.
Singapore Airlines ranked No. 1 on the Skytrax ranking of best first-class airlines in 2024.
SWISS
Luxury airline design starts in the lounge, and one that impresses travelers far and wide is the SWISS First Class Lounge at Zurich Airport, which was recognized as the best first-class lounge in the world by the 2024 Skytrax World Airline Awards.
The handsome lounge is outfitted with a sleek wine humidor stocked with 1,000 bottles of wines from around the world and a sprawling terrace for plane spotters. For those with long layovers, the lounge has hotel rooms that show off views of the Swiss Alps.
While the lounge in particular earned accolades, the luxuriously design carries through to the cabin, where first-class passengers on the Boeing 777-300ER and the Airbus A340-300 can enjoy views from three windows and watch movies on a 32-inch video screen, which is much larger than most on-flight screens.
Emirates
Emirates bills its first class experience on the A380 as close as you can get to a private jet experience.
Design features that elevate Emirates include a shower spa with Bvlgari amenity kits and a lounge bar. British sound experts Bowers & Wilkins designed exclusive headphones for Emirates travelers so that the noise-blocking technology tunes out any cabin sounds.
When it’s time to get some rest, the crew will make up a bed and passengers can get cozy in “Hydra Active” pajamas that are made with a special material that releases natural moisturizers.
David Ryckman
David Martin
