American Airlines and United Airlines are both competing for dominance in the international business-class market. Both airlines are offering upgraded business-class suites with sliding doors and other luxurious features, such as wireless charging pads and “trinket trays”. United Airlines is even introducing a new option called “Polaris Studio” which includes an ottoman for visitors and a 27-inch 4K screen.

This trend of offering even higher tiers of seats within top-tier classes is becoming increasingly popular amongst airlines. Virgin Atlantic has its “Retreat Suite” and Lufthansa has a two-person suite that can be converted into a double bed. Etihad even offers a three-room option called “The Residence” for a hefty price. Delta Air Lines, the most profitable U. S. carrier, already offers suites with sliding doors in their Delta One cabin.

The push for more luxurious cabins is driven by the fact that business-class tickets are costly and bring in a lot of revenue for airlines. Delta, United, and American all have similar business-class offerings, but American Airlines is getting rid of its first class and focusing on providing a high-end business-class experience instead. This is because many corporations will not permit the purchase of first class tickets, but they will allow business class.

Despite signs of a possible economic downturn, airline executives remain confident in their investment in luxurious cabins. American Airlines plans to increase their lie-flat seats and premium economy seating by 50% by the end of the decade, and United Airlines is also expanding their premium cabin offerings with their 787-9 Dreamliners.

In addition to the physical upgrades, airlines are also focusing on enhancing the “soft product” such as bedding and amenities. American Airlines recently announced that they will allow their Flagship travelers to keep their Bang & Olufsen headphones until landing, and United Airlines is upgrading their food and beverage offerings with fresh linens and additional condiments like red pepper flakes.

While American and United are offering high-tech and high-touch services in their top-tier business class, they are not quite on par with international airlines like Emirates, which offers showers on board and unlimited caviar service in their first class.

In the end, good service is what matters most to passengers, whether they are sitting in first class or economy. As Robert Mann, president of aviation consulting firm R. W. Mann & Co, puts it, “I could be sitting up front or I can be sitting in the back but if the plane’s late, the plane’s late.