My Top 10 Flights In 2018

As 2018 draws to a close, it is time for my annual “Top 10” series. Here, I’ll look back on my 10 favorite flights from 2018.

As a reminder, this is not a top-1o all-time list nor does it contain the 10 most luxurious flights I enjoyed this year. Rather, it represents my subjectively favorite flights. You’ll see the common thread among the list is the great service onboard. While it is difficult to quantify the value of great service, it certainly makes a flight memorable in a positive way.

10. British Airways A320 Business Class, BIO-LHR

a tray with food on it

This was an evening flight to London and I cautiously asked a flight attendant if there were any scones leftover from the inbound Heathrow to Bilbao afternoon tea service. Fearing a snarl and immediate rejection, I was instead met with a cheerful agreement to check. Lo and behold, three amazing scones appeared. She even warmed them for me!

9. Vietnam Airlines A350 Business Class, SGN-FRA

an airplane with rows of seats

While this flight really skimped on food, the FAs were very kind. I had a headache and one FA mothered me the entire flight. The new A350 business class is also beautiful.

8. Air France 777-300ER Business Class, CDG-DXB

a plane with seats and a person walking

This was my very first Air France flight and I enjoyed it tremendously. The food was superb and the staff very kind.

7. Qatar Airways A350 Business Class, DOH-JFK

a group of people sitting in an airplane

A la carte dining on 14.5 hour flight in a full cabin of 36 passengers is not easy to pull off. Nevertheless, I appreciated the comfortable seat, excellent service, and good meals on this flight.

6. Middle East Airlines A330 Business Class, BEY-FRA

Middle East Airlines A330 Business Class Review

Not only did I enjoy kanafeh, my favorite Middle Eastern dessert, on this flight, but the service was wonderful. If you’ll allow me to generalize, I just love Lebanese people: beautiful people with beautiful accents. Service shined onboard. I was thrilled to finally fly Middle East Airlines and hope to return to Beirut next year with my family.

5. Malaysia Airlines A350 First Class, KUL-NRT

Malaysia Airlines A350 First Class Review

Malaysia Airlines’ new A350 closed-door suites are so comfortable I slept like a baby on the overnight flight from Kuala Lumpur to Tokyo. Throw in warm service and good food and I could not have asked for more on the flight.

4. Qatar 777-300ER Qsuite Business Class, JFK-DOH

Business Class On-Demand Service

Easily world’s best business class product, flying Qsuites was a special treat. With Qsuites coming to the LAX-DOH route, you can bet any family travel to the Middle East will include Qatar Airways.

3. Lufthansa A380 First Class, MUC-LAX

a bed with a tv on it

This flight was not about the service, though it was great. Instead, this flight was about the amazing rest I had for the first 8.5 hours of the flight. In fact, my rest on this flight might even represent the best sleep I’ve had all year. The seven-course lunch prior to landing was also not bad…

2. Lufthansa A380 First Class, LAX-MUC

Lufthansa A380 First Class Munich Review

My best Lufthansa flight of the year for two reasons. First, the service was amazing onboard…so personable yet professional. Second, the steak + bison combo was one of the best meals I have ever had in Lufthansa First Class.

1. Air France 777-300ER First Class, LAX-CDG

Air France First Class Upgrade

I simply love the design and comfort of the Air France 777 first class suite. It’s the most beautiful first class product on the market as far as I am concerned. Throw in an amazing dinner and breakfast and exceptional service and it is no surprise why this was my favorite flight of the year.

> Read More: Air France First Class: Wow, Wow, Wow!

Tw0 honorable mentions that I could not justify on the top-1o list, but enjoyed immensely anyway.

Air Dolomiti E-195 Business Class, NCE-MUC

a row of seats in an airplane

Air Dolomiti offers a compelling product for intra-Europe travel including amenity kits and a nice meal in business class.

Helvetic Airways, F0kker 100, MUC-ZRH

Hevetic Airways Fokker 100 Review

What a great aircraft the Fokker 100 is! It was so much fun to fly on this vintage aircraft from Munich to Zurich.

CONCLUSION

Again, so many on the list above were less about luxury and more about service. Service always leaves the most memorable impression.

Unlike last year, I will not be doing a “10 Worst Flights of the Year” for 2018. Thankfully, I did not really have any bad flights this year. Sure, I ran into delays here and there, but never encountered any serious incidents onboard that made a flight truly horrible. Even the angry German on my British Airways flights wasn’t so bad…

What was your best flight in 2018? Any horrible flights?