Name: American Express® Gold Card
Brand: American Express

Lie-flat seats. Direct aisle access. Suites with privacy doors. Entire onboard "apartments." It's safe to say business and first class have gone through an evolution.

Sure, an entire cabin with seats that convert to lie-flat beds was revolutionary when British Airways debuted it in 2000. Now, that’s often the bare minimum travelers expect when flying up front.

And airlines keep pushing the envelope, from sliding doors like you'll find in JetBlue's Mint cabin (and on a growing number of other airlines, too) to fully closed-off private rooms like the stunning new first-class seats on Japan Airlines' new Airbus A350-1000.

Allow us to look 15 or 20 years into the future, though. What trendy new seat will be the ultimate redemption for your frequent flyer miles?

A recent trip to Europe offered some clues.

A new type of business-class seat

Inside a huge expo hall late last month in Hamburg, Germany, I watched as two companies unveiled what they see as the business-class suite of the future.

Housed in a dimly lit room with the authentic hum of jet engine white noise in the background, this futuristic pod named "Maya" certainly had the basics you’d expect today from any top-notch accommodations: a privacy door, a state-of-the-art lie-flat seat and plenty of storage.

But this pod also offers a lot more.

There’s a curved 45-inch screen the companies say makes for a better movie-watching experience than the theater. And the whole entertainment system syncs to your phone.

Sensors adjust the seat based on your body temperature and pressure — a la the features you hear about in a commercial for a high-end mattress.

Not unlike the setup on Japan Airlines' new Airbus A350s, headrest speakers will allow you to listen to a movie or music without headphones. (But Maya is also equipped with Bluetooth.)

You can multitask with the ultra-wide screen, watching a 5K movie while you simultaneously plug in information about how much you want to sleep, eat and drink so the system can tailor the timing of your meal courses to your specific liking.

Sound like a seat you’d want to score for that next big redemption? Don’t start transferring your points just yet.

An idea in the works

Right now, Maya is simply a prototype — a concept born of a collaboration between Panasonic and Collins Aerospace.

Importantly, though, it's where these prominent aviation companies think business class is headed over the coming years.

“This is really focused on the millennials, the Gen Zers — the people who are driving Teslas,” said Christophe Blanc, vice president and general manager for Collins’ seat business.

Will Maya find its way onto a commercial plane a few years from now? It's up to airlines, which could just as easily say, "No thanks" — or make tweaks to it.

But seeing the ingenuity that produced this pod is the whole reason I traveled to Germany: to get a taste of the future aircraft cabin offered each year at Aircraft Interiors Expo, the aviation geek's version of the Willy Wonka factory — one full of airplane seats, inflight screens, bells, whistles and far more imagination than anything found at that infamous flub of a Wonka attraction this past winter in Scotland.

And some of it might even be on a flight you'll someday take.

Fill-it-yourself water bottle station

Twenty steps after leaving the Maya business-class pod, I ran into another concept sure to be appreciated by travelers who love their Stanley or Yeti water bottle.

You know those airport stations with filtered water where you can up fill up your reusable bottle? Well, what if you could do that on a flight?

Check out the setup below.

Forget asking the flight attendant for a cup of water. Engineers at aerospace manufacturer Safran showed off this prototype, which promises a tastier (and perhaps cleaner) hydration bet than the potable water options you'll find on today's commercial planes.

Double-decker seats

Walking a bit further, I encountered the latest take on a polarizing airplane cabin concept you may have heard about previously.

Ever read about the double-decker, bunk bed-esque seats idea?

Showed off last year, the concept is meant to pack more passengers into a plane by making use of the whole cabin — floor to ceiling.

Now, the inventor behind it is back with his take on a premium cabin.

Chaise Longue is now showcasing a new “elevated” class, which features "first-class" accommodations up top, and lie-flat "business" seats on the bottom.

There’s plenty of storage, and space for screens and relaxing.

Whether this ever makes it onto a real aircraft will be driven by the interest it gets from airlines — not to mention major manufacturers like Boeing and Airbus.

Are any takers on the horizon? I wanted to ask the company's founder, but he had to cut our conversation short. A representative from one of the aforementioned plane-makers was waiting for a tour.

A land of seats, screens and innovation

Tour the expo, and you’ll find just about everything: Robotlike devices. Seat coverings displayed like paint swatches at Home Depot. The screens that'll soon be on the Air Canada fleet's seatbacks.

And seats. So many seats — coach, premium economy, business, you name it.

Want to know how the Airbus A321XLR — a narrow-body plane that'll be able to fly from parts of the U.S. to Europe — will look on the inside?

Here's the general aesthetic.

A mock-up of an A321XLR cabin on display at Aircraft Interiors Expo 2024 in Hamburg, Germany. SEAN CUDAHY/THE POINTS GUY

Of course, airlines can (and will) customize the interior to their brand and liking. American Airlines, for one, showed off how it plans to do just that with the soon-to-be-delivered jet, featuring the carrier's new Flagship Business suites. The aircraft, American shared in Hamburg, will start by taking over transcontinental routes currently operated by its swanky, four-cabin A321T.

Worried about how comfortable Southwest Airlines' new seats will be? Early mock-ups sparked some controversy.

They're a lot more comfortable than the 3D renderings looked, I found, sitting in them at an unveiling in Hamburg. They'll be on new jets starting in 2025.

Testing the new Southwest Airlines seats in May 2024 in Hamburg, Germany. SEAN CUDAHY/THE POINTS GUY

I was fairly impressed by the seats' lumbar support, which was a big focus, the seat-maker's CEO told me in a sit-down interview.

“It’s not just a flat backrest. It’s really with the S-curve of your spine,” said Recaro CEO Mark Hiller. “Southwest put a lot of effort into really a soft layer. I think that the feedback will be very positive.”

Some of the concepts found in Hamburg may sound a bit quirky, at least at first. Texas-based Starr Aircraft's idea for a seat cushion was remarkably soothing to stand on after tens of thousands of steps over three days.

Someday, you may end up sitting on the spongy material which, I learned, is actually medical-grade foam similar to that found on Crocs.

“We hope to see this on an airline soon,” a company representative told me.

Walking around, though, there were plenty of innovations that were anything but eccentric.

Airbus unveils new A330neo cabin

Airbus, for instance, unveiled the new cabin design for its future Airbus A330neo wide-body jets.

The mock-up of its "Airspace" cabin — like what's on its forthcoming A321XLR shown above — boasted calming mood lighting and spacious overhead bins, contributing to what the Toulouse, France-based plane-maker calls a "unique ambience" airlines can use as a jumping-off point for customizing their cabins.

Airbus saw 42 A330neo orders in 2023 with 32 jets delivered, noted Ingo Wuggetzer, vice president of carbon marketing.

This new design will be lighter weight, he said — that's key for fuel efficiency.

Plus, Wuggetzer added, there's "a lot more comfort, a lot more premium experience in the future."

Among the new features: larger, shadeless windows with dimmable tinting similar to what you'll find on some other aircraft — including Boeing's 787 Dreamliner.

Boeing's place to stretch your legs in flight

Speaking of the Dreamliner, Boeing offered up its own vision for innovating on board the wide-body jet — an idea meant for the economy cabin, no less.

Dubbed the Perch, this onboard space designed for the 787 is a spot where customers could lean up against a padded wall, getting some steps in midflight. There’s a large screen, and space to grab a snack or a drink.

Boeing's offering it, but will airlines go for it? Removing seats from the cabin is often a nonstarter, but most of us would love a place to stretch our legs during a long flight — especially as flights of 14 hours or more become increasingly common.

Looking ahead

Make no mistake, though: A lot of the buzz in the industry today focuses on how to make the newest and most exciting seats in business and first class, particularly as airlines continue to see robust demand for their high-end seats.

“There is a lot of investment really going into the premium products,” said Hiller, the Recaro CEO, noting the emphasis airlines are placing on doors in business class, and seat wings, or flaps, in premium economy — like the seats his company showed off.

“It’s about privacy,” Hiller added.

Bottom line

After some 45,000 steps in three days, my takeaways on what a future flight will look like? Expect personalized spaces you can control and customize from your phone. You'll likely see airlines double down on private suites and push the envelope with stand-out, ultraluxurious front-row accommodations.

Screens aren't going away; quite the opposite. They're getting thinner, wider and better.

You'll see more elaborate mood lighting, like this dynamic lighting capability Boeing showed off for the Dreamliner and its forthcoming 777X aircraft. This particular setting is meant to mimic the Northern Lights.

Expect lighter materials that help planes fly more efficiently, consuming less fuel — key for sustainability. We should see more Wi-Fi that's faster and more reliable — and, increasingly, cheaper to use (though maybe not the latter on American Airlines).

Plus, new and innovative ways for every passenger — regardless of their level of mobility — to be able to travel.

TPG featured card

American Express® Gold Card

TPG editor's rating

Apply now at American Express's secure site.
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.

Rewards rate

Rewards rate
Rate	Category
4X	Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
4X	Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
5X	Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™.
3X	Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App™, or purchased directly from airlines.
2X	Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™ and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
1X	Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.

Intro offer

As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.

Pros + cons

Pros

Valuable dining and food-related credits
Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
Multiple travel and purchase protections
No foreign transaction fees
Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)

Cons

Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits

More details

You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™.
Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App™, or purchased directly from airlines.
Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™ and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
$120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
$100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
$84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
$120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
Enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
Book two nights or more with The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™ and receive a $100* credit towards eligible charges at over 1,400 upscale hotels worldwide. *Eligible charges vary by property.
Book your travel through the Amex Travel App™ with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
No Foreign Transaction Fees.
Annual Fee is $325.
Terms Apply.

Pros

Valuable dining and food-related credits
Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
Multiple travel and purchase protections
No foreign transaction fees
Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)

Cons

Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits

You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™.
Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App™, or purchased directly from airlines.
Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™ and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
$120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
$100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
$84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
$120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
Enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
Book two nights or more with The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™ and receive a $100* credit towards eligible charges at over 1,400 upscale hotels worldwide. *Eligible charges vary by property.
Book your travel through the Amex Travel App™ with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
No Foreign Transaction Fees.
Annual Fee is $325.
Terms Apply.

Lie-flat seats. Direct aisle access. Suites with privacy doors. Entire onboard "apartments." It's safe to say business and first class have gone through an evolution.

Sure, an entire cabin with seats that convert to lie-flat beds was revolutionary when British Airways debuted it in 2000. Now, that’s often the bare minimum travelers expect when flying up front.

Allow us to look 15 or 20 years into the future, though. What trendy new seat will be the ultimate redemption for your frequent flyer miles?

A recent trip to Europe offered some clues.

A new type of business-class seat

Inside a huge expo hall late last month in Hamburg, Germany, I watched as two companies unveiled what they see as the business-class suite of the future.

But this pod also offers a lot more.

There’s a curved 45-inch screen the companies say makes for a better movie-watching experience than the theater. And the whole entertainment system syncs to your phone.

Sensors adjust the seat based on your body temperature and pressure — a la the features you hear about in a commercial for a high-end mattress.

Not unlike the setup on Japan Airlines' new Airbus A350s, headrest speakers will allow you to listen to a movie or music without headphones. (But Maya is also equipped with Bluetooth.)

Sound like a seat you’d want to score for that next big redemption? Don’t start transferring your points just yet.

An idea in the works

Right now, Maya is simply a prototype — a concept born of a collaboration between Panasonic and Collins Aerospace.

Importantly, though, it's where these prominent aviation companies think business class is headed over the coming years.

“This is really focused on the millennials, the Gen Zers — the people who are driving Teslas,” said Christophe Blanc, vice president and general manager for Collins’ seat business.

Will Maya find its way onto a commercial plane a few years from now? It's up to airlines, which could just as easily say, "No thanks" — or make tweaks to it.

And some of it might even be on a flight you'll someday take.

Fill-it-yourself water bottle station

Twenty steps after leaving the Maya business-class pod, I ran into another concept sure to be appreciated by travelers who love their Stanley or Yeti water bottle.

You know those airport stations with filtered water where you can up fill up your reusable bottle? Well, what if you could do that on a flight?

Check out the setup below.

Double-decker seats

Walking a bit further, I encountered the latest take on a polarizing airplane cabin concept you may have heard about previously.

Ever read about the double-decker, bunk bed-esque seats idea?

Showed off last year, the concept is meant to pack more passengers into a plane by making use of the whole cabin — floor to ceiling.

Now, the inventor behind it is back with his take on a premium cabin.

Chaise Longue is now showcasing a new “elevated” class, which features "first-class" accommodations up top, and lie-flat "business" seats on the bottom.

There’s plenty of storage, and space for screens and relaxing.

Whether this ever makes it onto a real aircraft will be driven by the interest it gets from airlines — not to mention major manufacturers like Boeing and Airbus.

Are any takers on the horizon? I wanted to ask the company's founder, but he had to cut our conversation short. A representative from one of the aforementioned plane-makers was waiting for a tour.

A land of seats, screens and innovation

Tour the expo, and you’ll find just about everything: Robotlike devices. Seat coverings displayed like paint swatches at Home Depot. The screens that'll soon be on the Air Canada fleet's seatbacks.

And seats. So many seats — coach, premium economy, business, you name it.

Want to know how the Airbus A321XLR — a narrow-body plane that'll be able to fly from parts of the U.S. to Europe — will look on the inside?

Here's the general aesthetic.

Worried about how comfortable Southwest Airlines' new seats will be? Early mock-ups sparked some controversy.

They're a lot more comfortable than the 3D renderings looked, I found, sitting in them at an unveiling in Hamburg. They'll be on new jets starting in 2025.

I was fairly impressed by the seats' lumbar support, which was a big focus, the seat-maker's CEO told me in a sit-down interview.

Someday, you may end up sitting on the spongy material which, I learned, is actually medical-grade foam similar to that found on Crocs.

“We hope to see this on an airline soon,” a company representative told me.

Walking around, though, there were plenty of innovations that were anything but eccentric.

Airbus unveils new A330neo cabin

Airbus, for instance, unveiled the new cabin design for its future Airbus A330neo wide-body jets.

Airbus saw 42 A330neo orders in 2023 with 32 jets delivered, noted Ingo Wuggetzer, vice president of carbon marketing.

This new design will be lighter weight, he said — that's key for fuel efficiency.

Plus, Wuggetzer added, there's "a lot more comfort, a lot more premium experience in the future."

Among the new features: larger, shadeless windows with dimmable tinting similar to what you'll find on some other aircraft — including Boeing's 787 Dreamliner.

Boeing's place to stretch your legs in flight

Speaking of the Dreamliner, Boeing offered up its own vision for innovating on board the wide-body jet — an idea meant for the economy cabin, no less.

Looking ahead

“It’s about privacy,” Hiller added.

Bottom line

Screens aren't going away; quite the opposite. They're getting thinner, wider and better.

Plus, new and innovative ways for every passenger — regardless of their level of mobility — to be able to travel.

A new type of business-class seat

An idea in the works

Fill-it-yourself water bottle station

Double-decker seats

A land of seats, screens and innovation

Airbus unveils new A330neo cabin

Boeing's place to stretch your legs in flight

Looking ahead

Bottom line

Comments

Comments

Related stories

This is now American Airlines' most premium plane: Here's what it's like on board

The best business-class winners from the 2026 TPG Awards — and new seats we're excited about

Is it worth buying up to American Airlines' new business-class Flagship Suite Preferred?

I just tried Southwest's new extra-legroom seats. Are they worth it?

TPG featured card

TPG featured card

American Express® Gold Card

Rewards rate

Intro offer

Pros + cons

Pros

Cons

More details

Pros

Cons

A new type of business-class seat

An idea in the works

Fill-it-yourself water bottle station

Double-decker seats

A land of seats, screens and innovation

Airbus unveils new A330neo cabin

Boeing's place to stretch your legs in flight

Looking ahead

Bottom line

Comments

This is now American Airlines' most premium plane: Here's what it's like on board

The best business-class winners from the 2026 TPG Awards — and new seats we're excited about

Is it worth buying up to American Airlines' new business-class Flagship Suite Preferred?

I just tried Southwest's new extra-legroom seats. Are they worth it?

TPG featured card

American Express® Gold Card

Rewards rate

Intro offer

Pros + cons

Pros

Cons

More details

Pros

Cons

American Express® Gold Card

Rewards rate

Intro offer

Pros + cons

Pros

Cons

More details

Pros

Cons

American Express® Gold Card

Rewards rate

Intro offer

Pros + cons

Pros

Cons

More details

Pros

Cons

American Express® Gold Card

Rewards rate

Intro offer

Pros + cons

Pros

Cons

More details

Pros

Cons

American Express® Gold Card

Rewards rate