Air Europa Business Class review

Air Europa’s Boeing 787-9 Business Class cabin is configured in a reverse herringbone 1-2-1 layout, ensuring every passenger enjoys direct aisle access. The cabin features 32 seats, each offering 56 inches of pitch, 23 inches of width, and the ability to convert into a fully flat bed.

At first glance, the cabin makes a strong impression. The seats are smartly dressed in grey leather with subtle blue accents, while dark wood-effect finishes and glossy black panels add a touch of sophistication to the space.

That said, while the product remains comfortable and functional, it is beginning to show its age against the latest generation of business class seats. The absence of privacy doors, now increasingly common among leading airlines, means the seat can feel more open and exposed than some of its newer competitors. It’s still a solid long-haul product, but one that no longer feels quite as cutting-edge as it once did.

We also noted that the seat could do with a deep clean, as crumbs and debris were found in some crevices within the seat.

The seat offers a range of positions, from fully upright for take-off and landing to a relaxed recline and a fully flat bed for sleeping. There’s also adjustable mood lighting and a handy do-not-disturb function for when you want to minimise interruptions.

The tray table folds out from the side console and can be used at either half or full size. It feels solid, slides easily into position, and provides plenty of flexibility whether you're enjoying a meal or getting some work done.

A nice touch is the armrest, which lowers when the seat is converted into a bed, creating a little extra sleeping space and making the bed feel less restrictive.

Where the seat falls slightly short is comfort. While the leather upholstery looks smart and is undoubtedly durable, it lacks the cushioning found on some competing products. After an hour or so, the firmness becomes quite noticeable, particularly when sitting upright.

Power options are well covered, with two USB-A ports and a universal power outlet within easy reach. A personal reading light is also provided, which is useful without disturbing neighbouring passengers.

Storage is one area that could use improvement. There’s a small compartment beside the seat, a shelf beneath the IFE screen, and space under the ottoman, but secure storage for smaller personal items is limited. It’s all too easy for a phone, AirPods case or passport to slip out of sight.

From the moment passengers step onboard, the crew sets a positive tone. They are friendly, welcoming and, most importantly, genuinely engaging. Interactions feel natural rather than rehearsed, with warm smiles and a level of enthusiasm that suggests the crew truly enjoys looking after passengers.

Throughout the flight, the cabin crew maintains a strong presence without ever feeling intrusive. They regularly walk through the cabin, proactively check on passengers and respond quickly whenever assistance is needed. Nothing ever seems like too much trouble.

Menus are waiting at each seat during and while the selection isn't extensive, the choices feel carefully curated and showcase a strong Spanish influence.

The meal service begins with a choice of appetisers including gazpacho, zucchini cream soup with toasted pine nuts, or a green sprouts salad with mango and fennel. A cheese course featuring Mahón and Río Deva cheeses served with walnuts and quince is also available.

For the main course, passengers can choose from options such as piglet confit with apple cream and port sauce, grilled sea bass with sautéed spinach and cherry tomatoes, or asparagus tortelli with Béarnaise sauce.

On this flight, the grilled sea bass was selected and proved to be an excellent choice. It was attractively presented, cooked well and packed with flavour.

The quality of the food is generally strong, although the service presentation occasionally detracts from the premium experience. Meals are delivered from a galley cart, which is perfectly functional but lacks some of the refinement found on leading business class products. The gazpacho was also poured directly from a carton into a bowl at the seat, a small detail that felt somewhat at odds with the otherwise polished meal service.

Warm bread accompanied the meal and arrived soft and fresh, although only a single roll was offered and no refills were made available.

Dessert was a tiramisu cake that was a real highlight of the service. Rich without being overly heavy, it paired particularly well with a post-meal coffee.

The drinks menu places a welcome emphasis on Spanish wines, featuring selections from regions including Rueda, Ribera del Duero and Rioja, alongside Codorníu Ars Collecta Blanc de Blancs cava. A solid range of spirits is also available, including Bombay Sapphire gin, Bacardi rum, Smirnoff vodka, Dewar’s whisky and Torres brandy. Coffee is prepared using Nespresso machines, with several varieties offered throughout the flight.

Before arrival, passengers are served breakfast with a choice of scrambled eggs or a sweet option. The scrambled eggs were presented in a small crock-style dish and accompanied by a warm bread roll, croissant, yoghurt and fresh fruit. It was a simple but enjoyable meal and a satisfying way to start the day before landing.

Air Europa provides complimentary inflight entertainment and headphones, which are fairly basic in noise cancellation. The system is simply designed and easy to navigate, and the screens are 18.5 inches, providing HD playback.

The content selection is solid, though not especially extensive. Movies are organised by genre, including Spanish cinema, recent releases, action, drama, romance, thrillers, sci-fi, and award-winning titles. At the time of the flight, newer additions included films such as Weapons, Zootopia 2, Superman, and F1: The Movie.

Television options are fairly decent, with a mix of international series, including HBO Max titles such as Big Little Lies. Find the airline’s full inflight entertainment library here.

Beyond films and TV, the system also offers music libraries, games, children’s entertainment, and a wellness section designed to help passengers relax or sleep during the flight. There are also a number of practical features, including a moving flight map, destination weather information, duty-free browsing, airline history content, and the ability to bookmark content to return to later.

Air Europa provides a good seat mattress and a thick duvet for sleeping. We experienced a good comfort level on our night flight, coupled with a good pillow. Interestingly, the crew offers to make up the bed before departure. While the service is appreciated, it feels like an unusual time to do it on a long-haul flight, when most passengers aren't yet thinking about sleep.

Washrooms are well-kept and clean throughout the flight, with crew members making regular cleaning checks. Offerings are slightly elevated compared to economy, with a hand soap, moisturiser, face cream, and body spray available.

Air Europa provides amenity kits on the seat from boarding, an offering some hybrid carriers are doing away with in favour of cost saving. The airline’s kit is better than some major full-service airlines and includes earplugs, a dental kit, a comb, an eye mask, a shoe bag, socks, body lotion, hand moisturiser and lip balm. The contents are provided in a smart, branded bag.

We really like Air Europa and what it offers in its business class cabin. For a hybrid carrier, the onboard experience, service, and catering feels almost like a full-service carrier. The airline’s crew is exceptional and attentive, providing an excellent service rarely seen with a European carrier.

Cost-wise, Air Europa offers more attractive prices than its full-service competitor, Iberia. For a 10-day trip in September, Air Europa has return tickets starting at €3,800 compared to Iberia’s €4,606.

While there are some shortfalls in terms of food being served from the galley cart and the seat starting to show its age through cleanliness and wear and tear, Air Europa offers a solid, well-rounded experience we would use again.