Etihad and Emirates lead ranking of lavish airline perks

A new ranking of the world's most extravagant airline experiences has placed Etihad Airways at the top and Emirates second. The list was compiled by AirAdvisor, an air passenger rights company, and it scores individual amenities rather than airlines as a whole.

Etihad came first with 98 points out of 100 for The Residence, a three-room private suite available on its Airbus A380. Emirates earned 91 points for the Shower Spa on its A380, good for second place, and also appeared in eighth for the Onboard Lounge on the same aircraft. Qatar Airways ranked ninth for the lounge it runs at Hamad International Airport in Doha.

Extravagance mattered most in the scoring, making up 35 per cent of each result. Rarity counted for 25 per cent, privacy and exclusivity 20 per cent, and the remaining 20 per cent was split between scarcity of access and what happens beyond the seat itself. AirAdvisor said it relied on publicly available information, limited to amenities that could be checked through official airline or airport sources.

What it means for travellers from India

• Many of these premium experiences are limited to one aircraft type or a handful of routes, so availability depends very much on the specific flight being booked.
• The cabin name alone does not show what you are actually getting, so check the aircraft and cabin configuration before paying for any upgrade.
• Some perks, such as an airport lounge with a spa, can be enjoyed before departure even without flying in the top cabin, depending on the airline's rules.