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Our Favorite In-Flight Amenities in 2019

By The Editors on October 01, 2019

The 2019 Legend Awards

© David Copeman Photography/Courtesy Emirates

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The friendly skies have become increasingly luxurious. In fact, some of the amenities at 30,000 feet are starting to rival terra firma hotel comforts. While, of course, a lie-flat flight bed will always have trouble comparing to a five-star hotel bed, the food and beverage selection and chic products now offered in-flight are truly incredible.

Airlines have gone to great lengths to create a sense of luxury and comfort while airborne. On first and business-class flights of these Legend Award honorees, you’ll find meal programming from award-winning chefs and delicacies sourced from your destination. These honorees also go a step further to provide wellness options that make the flight experience more relaxing.

This year in elevated air travel, these Legend Award honorees are offering the best in-flight amenities:

 
Courtesy Qantas

Qantas

Qantas business class gets exceptionally comfortable—with extra soft cotton pajamas. Sure, complimentary access to the business class lounges is a nice perk with your ticket. But it doesn’t hold a candle to the signature unisex Qantas pajamas that help you sleep in your lie-flat bed.

Courtesy Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines and Canyon Ranch teamed up to bring in-flight wellness options to the world’s longest flight. Flying from NYC to Singapore on the 19-hour A350 flight means wellness strategies that encourage a restful sleep and much-needed circulation improvements. There’s guided in-seat stretching exercises, a curated menu that focuses on hydration and health, and “ambient light settings” meant to reduce jet lag.

Courtesy Virgin Atlantic

Virgin Atlantic Airways

Mile High Tea is a Virgin Atlantic Airways amenity with a following—it’s available on all daytime flights departing from the U.K. and in the London Heathrow and JFK Clubhouses. Virgin Atlantic Airways partnered with master pâtissier Eric Lanlard to produce a beautiful line of pastries for a chic London-style tea experience in the air. The tea, which has been available to all cabins since late 2018, includes handmade sandwiches, scones, and an assortment of macarons.

Courtesy AirFrance

Air France

Air France amenities go well beyond their products partnership with Clarins—though their “comfort and well-being” kit in business class has a truly excellent array of toiletries and skin care. Nonetheless, their business class pods transition well into a spacious workspace. Designed for the traveler who needs to work through their flight, the pods are outfitted with noise-cancelling headphones and ample storage space for laptops and work. Air France also offers a full selection of French and international news and one of the best in-flight apps, Air France Play App for tablets, which allows passengers complimentary newspaper and magazine downloads.

Courtesy Turkish Airlines

Turkish Airlines

Business Class on Turkish Airlines—the airline that offers a complimentary Istanbul stopover and flies to more countries than any other airline in the world—has exclusively designed Versace amenity kits for men and women. Socks, earplugs, sleep masks, Versace lip balm, hand lotion, facial mist, and hairpins (in women's sets only) are all placed within the sets to better serve passengers on a long flight.

David Copeman Photography/Courtesy Emirates

Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley, Australia

It does not get more luxurious than Emirates in-flight bar on their A380s—open only to first and business-class passengers. A cocktail shaken at 40,000 feet is fairly unprecedented, and the bar is stocked with high-end spirits and champagne. A Kir Royale with Moet or a classic martini to fit in perfectly with the old-school atmosphere.

Courtesy ANA

All Nippon Airways

All Nippon Airways is now offering first-class suites on their route to Tokyo, making it arguably the most luxurious ride to Japan. Over the last year, the remodeled aircrafts have been flying London to Tokyo, but they’ll expand to serve New York to Tokyo next year. The newly outfitted Boeing 777s top-tier amenities in their first-class suites include a self-service bar and 43-inch screens with 4K definition—ANA is the first commercial airline to offer 4K definition in the sky.

Courtesy Brittish Airways

British Airways

As of March 2019, British Airways first-class service became more high fashion, with loungewear offerings from Temperley London. The amenity kits are also designed by Temperley and include Elemis products. British Airways also rolled out new 400-thread-count bedding and a foam “mattress” topper for a cozier night’s sleep on board.

Courtesy La Compagnie

La Compagnie

Boutique airline La Compagnie—which operates between Newark and Orly—launched seasonal service from Newark to Cote d’Azur this year. The personal tablets on this business-class-only airline are great, but it's the Caudalie skincare products in the amenity kits and the Maison Kayser croissants that truly stand out.


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