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Inside the First Airbus A350-1000, With Qatar's Qsuite Business Class

Feb. 20, 2018
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3 min read
Qatar A350-1000 Tour
Inside the First Airbus A350-1000, With Qatar's Qsuite Business Class
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On Tuesday in Toulouse, France, Qatar Airways took delivery of the world's first Airbus A350-1000, the extended-length version of the airline's popular wide-body jet. Following the delivery press conference, attendees had an opportunity to tour the new plane. While there wasn't much time onboard, I did have a few moments to film a brief flight attendant tour, which you'll find just below.

This particular variant offers 44 additional seats over its smaller sibling, but it's also the first Airbus plane to sport Qatar's fantastic Qsuite business-class product, complete with a sliding door at every suite.

I had a chance to review Qsuite on the Boeing 777-300ER, and given how impressed I was following that flight, I was especially excited to see the suite on an A350.

Inside, Qatar's A350-1000 has an entirely different feel to the -900, which JT Genter reviewed last year.

As soon as you board, you'll notice that it's missing the slick lobby/bar area between the two business-class cabins (above) — there's a galley on the -1000, instead.

The seats are far different as well — below is the current version of the A350-900, for example:

And here's the new Qsuite cabin on the A350-1000:

The -1000's two Qsuite cabins offer a total of six "Quads" — groupings of four seats, with two facing backwards and two directed forwards. Dividers slide open to connect each Quad, making it possible for four passengers to work, dine and relax together.

Or you can slide out the center and row dividers, to create four separate suites when seated among strangers.

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Every suite has a sliding door, for added privacy.

And loads of high-tech features, including an even more advanced handheld remote.

My favorite suites are in the mini-cabin just behind the center galley — if you're traveling in a group of eight, you can book this area and experience the closest thing you'll find to a private jet while still flying commercial.

The economy cabin is largely unchanged, though the seats and entertainment systems have been updated a bit.

While we don't know exactly which US cities will be first to get the new A350 jet, Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker confirmed that the -1000 would begin flying to the East Coast of the United States soon, following its launch on the Doha (DOH)-London (LHR) route this Saturday. The airline's about to take delivery of its first A350-900 to sport the new interior, too, which will eventually roll out to the airline's existing fleet, less the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners, which will receive a different suite-like product.

TPG and I will have an opportunity to fly Airbus' latest jet ahead of its inaugural this weekend, though, when we join the delivery to Doha tomorrow. Catch our live reports on social media as we make our way from Toulouse (TLS) early Wednesday morning — you can follow along with @thepointsguy on Instagram and Twitter, along with my own Instagram and Twitter accounts for the latest from Qatar's first A350-1000 passenger flight.

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Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees
Best for dining at restaurants

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  • Intro Offer

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

  • Annual Fee

    $325

  • Recommended Credit

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Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

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 $6,000 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 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.