From luxury-linen double beds to Michelin-starred menus – the long-haul flight just got a lot more pleasant .

The arrival of the Boeing 747 jumbo jet in the 1970s heralded the arrival of business class, but not quite in the way we think of it now. Originally sold as a full-fare economy ticket, it guaranteed a journey free of screaming children (they were banned), a distinctive boarding pass and baggage tags, hot towels, free newspapers, pillows, smoking and non-smoking areas, and meals served first (although the food was the same as in economy). The seats themselves were also the same as in coach, and it wasn’t until the end of the decade, when Qantas, Air France and Pan Am began selling more expensive business-class tickets, that a cabin truly distinct from economy began to take flight. (Before that, it was sort of like economy plus.)

Today it is a very different skyscape. Business class has become so advanced that many carriers, including Turkish Airlines, Delta Air Lines and Air New Zealand, have got rid of their first-class cabins altogether, introducing premium economy to bridge the growing divide between business and economy. The best business-class cabins have seats laid out in a one-two-one formation, with one by each window and a pair between the two aisles. This means all passengers get direct aisle access. With tickets averaging £3,000 to £5,000 return, the cabin is also the airlines’ most profitable (effectively subsidising economy), which is another reason airlines are investing so much in them.

British Airways won’t be bringing out its new Club World business class until 2019, but the carrier has been taking steps to upgrade its offering. As part of a £400m investment, it has started rolling out The White Company bedding and amenity packs onto its long-haul flights (beginning with London Heathrow–New York JFK), as well as a new catering system whereby passengers choose from plated starters and desserts that are delivered on trolleys. From this month, American Airlines will be introducing new mattress pads, duvets, pillows, blankets, pyjamas and slippers from Casper to long-haul international and transcontinental services. In the meantime, we have rounded up some of the best new upgrades to business class cabins.

The Hong Kong-based airline launched its new A350 aircraft last year, complete with improved business-class seats designed by Studio FA Porsche, the offshoot of the German carmaker, in suave cream and grey. As with every good long-haul business-class cabin these days, seats recline into fully flat beds, but in this case they are 6.2ft long. Passengers will find more storage for their belongings built into the unit surrounding the seat, including an ottoman with a lid, which is ideal for stowing your brogues, and a cabinet at shoulder height that has a mirror inside the door and space for your Bose headphones, iPhone and Jaeger LeCoultre watch and any other valuables.

For the first time, Cathay Pacific passengers will be able to use the 18.5in entertainment screens to place wake-up and meal requests. There is also a smaller 4.3in remote with a video display that allows you to view the progress of your flight, for example, without you having to pause your film. If you actually want to do business, Wi-Fi is available for £9.65 to £14.90, depending on the length of your flight. Cathay Pacific’s A350s fly routes including Hong Kong to Manila, Taipei, San Francisco, Vancouver, Auckland, Melbourne and London Gatwick.

Called The Business, the Aussie carrier introduced its new cabin last summer, and it is now available across its long-haul fleet of five Boeing 777s. The look is elegant and contemporary, with lilac mood lighting and charcoal-grey and white (no beige!) racing car-style seating. When reclined fully flat to a generous length of 6.6ft, beds are made extra comfy with proper squishy mattresses and white cotton covers and pillows. Personal screens measure 18in.

The airline has partnered with several brands for its in-flight amenities, presenting sleepwear from Juli Grbac, washbags from Mandarina Duck and skincare products from Ren Skincare. As with Virgin Atlantic, one of the highlights for business-class passengers is having access to the bar, which has space for up to 10 people to socialise over a glass of champagne or an aged single-malt whisky. There’s even a banquette where you can sit with a laptop or eat breakfast. Travellers can experience this on Sydney and Brisbane to Los Angeles routes.

Named after the North Star, United’s new Polaris business-class concept is leading the way in many regards, especially with its luxury brand collaborations. Before British Airways and American Airlines announced their tie-ups with The White Company and Casper, United had forged a deal with Saks Fifth Avenue, to produce bespoke bedding, and Soho House for its Cowshed lotions, sleep mist and balms. Beds measure 6.6ft long and feature cooling-gel memory-foam pillows. On ultra-long-haul routes, passengers receive white slippers and 100 per cent cotton pyjamas.

Each cubicle comes with its own cupboard (as on Cathay Pacific), noise-reducing headphones, 16in monitors, Wi-Fi (for a fee) and universal power sockets. On afternoon and evening flights, you can partake in wine tasting with the three-glass wine flights. So far, 80 per cent of United’s long-haul planes feature Polaris cabins, which were unveiled earlier this year with the Boeing 777-300ER. United’s 767-300ERs and 777-200ERs are to be completed over the next year or so. Polaris routes so far include San Francisco to Beijing, Hong Kong and Frankfurt, and New York Newark to Tel Aviv and Tokyo. The London route upgrade comes in the new year.

Singapore Airlines’ aptly named New Business Class is both private and ergonomic, with diamond-stitched, handcrafted Scottish leather seats, a cushioned headboard and plenty of stowage space. Between upright and fully flat, the seats have two further settings – the Lazy Z, “a cradling position that ensures your weight is centred and balanced”, and the Sundeck, “a lounging position whereby you can rest your legs on an ottoman”. They’re a generous 28in wide and there’s a giant-friendly 6.5ft for you to stretch out on when sleeping.

High-definition screens measure 18in and come with noise-cancelling headphones. You’ll also be able to connect to Wi-Fi (for a price). This seat is only on the airline’s A350s and retrofitted Boeing 777-300ERs, which fly from Singapore to destinations such as San Francisco, Mumbai and Munich. An even newer business-class seat, created by the UK’s JPA Design and upholstered by Poltrona Frau, will be coming to the A380 and A350ULR from December 2017.

In November, Emirates announced that it had given its Boeing 777 interiors a facelift, with new seats across every cabin class, including business. One of the standout features of the seats, which come in cream leather and are inspired by the interior of a sports car, are the personal minibars installed in each pod. Fully flat beds are 6.5ft long. The downside for lone flyers is that there are three middle seats rather than two, which means the person in the centre doesn’t have direct aisle access and they have to step over the legs of the person next to them.

If you are travelling as a family, however, this wouldn’t be an issue. There are also pairs of seats by the windows (the layout is two-three-two). The Ice entertainment systems have 2,500 channels of movies, TV shows and games that you can watch on huge 23in high-definition screens. There are also Wi-Fi and amenity kits by Bulgari. The first flights to feature the new cabins will be from Dubai to Brussels and Geneva this month.

This Middle Eastern airline has set a new benchmark for business class with the unveiling of its Qsuite, upholstered in hand-stitched Italian leather with a satin rose-gold finish. Ideal for solo flyers, window seats come with their own sliding door to create a “suite” with complete privacy. But what is really innovative is the central pair, which can be converted into fully flat double beds 6.5ft in length. (Window seats turn into single beds.)

A couple of airlines already offer double beds in first class (Etihad has The Residence, for example, while Singapore Airlines’ new first- and business-class concept will also sport them), but this was the first time couples in business class could sleep together (joining the Mile High Club just got a bit easier).

Just like in a luxury hotel, the crew offers a turndown service, making beds up with pillows, quilted mattress toppers and duvets. All passengers receive Bric’s amenity pouches filled with Castello Monte Vibiano skincare products, while on long-haul night flights, The White Company pyjamas and slippers are also handed out. To ensure you are not woken up too early, there are “Do Not Disturb” indicators on the doors of each suite.

The central seat pairs have an additional quirk in that some of them can swivel around to create quads, whereby four passengers can share a meal together facing each other, or even have a meeting. Laptops can be plugged into the large in-flight entertainment screens via a media panel so you can work on presentations or binge watch The Crown. (There are USB and HDMI ports, as well as NFC capability.) Food is on demand so you can eat precisely when you are hungry. The Qsuite made its debut on London–Doha Boeing 777 services in June. It then became available on Paris–Doha in September. New York JFK–Doha flights will feature it from this month, (we hope) followed by a wider roll-out across the fleet.

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