Business class is having a moment. As new fuel-efficient jets fly longer routes, airlines are competing hard on suites with sliding doors, taller privacy walls and beds you can actually sleep on. Here are the cabins worth booking — or waiting for — in 2026.

United Airlines is about to take delivery of its first Boeing 787-9 with the new Elevated interior, the second generation of its Polaris product. Each cabin has 32 suites with sliding doors and high walls, a 27-inch OLED screen (the largest seatback display in the US sky), free WiFi, wireless charging and a caviar service with wine pairings. The front row gets four oversized Polaris Studios with companion seats, and middle suites can be paired or angled — handy whether you're flying solo or with someone. Routes from San Francisco to London and Singapore are already running, with 30 new 787s expected by 2027.

Qantas is going even longer. Its A350-1000ULR, built for Project Sunrise, will fly nonstop from Sydney and Melbourne to London (from 2027) and New York (from 2028) — trips of 20 hours or more. The 52 Safran Unity suites have 47-inch-high walls with sliding doors, a seat that converts into an 80-inch bed, Bluetooth audio, wireless charging and a touchscreen mood light. There's even a wellbeing zone mid-cabin with a hydration station and guided stretching for the truly long haul.

Saudi start-up Riyadh Air is entering with 28 Safran Unity suites on its 787s, including four Business Elite suites with companion benches and 32-inch 4K screens, plus paired centre suites that convert into a double bed. Directional headrest speakers mean you can watch without bothering your neighbour. The airline aims to reach more than 100 destinations by 2030.

Air Canada's A321XLR proves you don't need a widebody for a proper suite. Fourteen Collins Aurora 'mini suites' sit in a 1-1 herringbone layout, with high-speed WiFi, Bluetooth entertainment and exterior cameras. This cabin sets the design standard for Air Canada's future fleet, including an upgraded 787-10.

The boldest call comes from ANA. Its The Room FX, launching on the 787 in August 2026, swaps the recliner for a pre-reclined sofa seat with an adjustable leg rest that creates a 76.5-inch sleeping surface — the widest in its class at 41.5 inches. Rows alternate forwards and backwards, a layout that works surprisingly well for privacy.

Further out, Cathay Pacific is teasing a new A330 business class influenced by its Aria Suite, Singapore Airlines plans a refreshed A350 product mid-year ahead of the long-delayed 777X, and Turkish Airlines will fit its Crystal Suites to A350-1000s flying nonstop from Istanbul to Sydney and Melbourne from next year.

If you're booking premium long-haul in the next couple of years, it's worth checking the aircraft type as carefully as the price — the gap between old recliner seats and these new suites is enormous, and route announcements from United, Qantas and Turkish could reshape which carriers make sense for big trips. — Simple Flying