In the mid 2010s, premium economy was the class cabin of concern – these were the seats that airlines were pouring their investment into. It looked as though first class might face extinction, making business class seats the most sought-after seats on the plane. But then, something switched, as elite travelers went in search of one-of-a-kind, ever more luxurious experiences, and consequently many airlines have had a first class glow-up in recent years, with the gap between business and first class appearing to widen. We’re exploring the upper echelons of air travel below, just in case you’ve ever wondered: first class vs business class – what exactly is the difference?

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1. What is the highest class in a plane?

First class is the highest category of ticket you can buy. But between airlines, first class varies enormously and numerous airlines have added even more premium and unique options to the repertoire, such as Etihad’s The Residence. One airline’s business or first class offering can also vary massively between routes.

2. Which seat is better: first class or business class?

Business class seats tend to be the most luxurious version of what you get in economy and premium economy cabins, in that they are still actual seats, whereas first class seats tend to be within larger suite-like spaces, with full beds and privacy curtains or doors. Business class seats still have privacy, usually as a result of clever seat configuration, and they always have plenty of space, usually enough for lie flat seats.

3. Which food and drink is better: first class or business class?

There is a clear shift in the dinner service between these classes. In business class, you will usually enjoy restaurant-style plating with cloth napkins, ceramics, glassware and cutlery and you may be able to pre-select your meals or dine on demand, depending on your airline. In first class, things go up a notch; airlines are aiming to give you an actual gourmet experience, with elevated fine dining presentation, rare vintage wines, more choice and exclusive menus designed by Michelin star chefs.

4. What are the other key differences in amenities?

Essentially, first class is looking to provide a luxury hotel experience in the air, whereas business class is looking to make your flight as smooth and comfortable as possible. So, in business class, you’ll have more control over your personal space than in economy or premium economy (temperature, lighting), and you’ll have bedding to transform your seat into a bed. Business travelers will have easy access to plug sockets and WiFi and everything they need to get on with their work or take a break from it.

In first class you’ll have this, plus perhaps a personal minibar, access to a shower, a flat screen TV and space for another passenger to come and dine with you. There are luxurious amenities in both classes – Emirates works with Bulgari on their amenity kits, and Turkish Airlines works with Ferragamo, for instance. As a first class vs business class case study, Air France’s La Premiere passengers get embossed boxes in Air France red or pearl grey, with hand cream, eye contour balm, serum and moisturizer by Sisley, whereas the equivalent business class bag includes two Clarins moisturizers.

5. What’s the difference on the ground?

Like everything in the world of luxury travel, no two airport lounges are created equal. Generally, business class and first class passengers will have access to airport lounges, with extra special first class lounges available in some circumstances, for the most elite first class fliers. For instance, at Singapore Changi airport, Singapore Airlines has gold and silver lounges, as well as The Private Room, with a maximum capacity of just 78. As well as lounge access, first class passengers often receive additional perks like chauffeur-driven cars to and from the airport and dedicated jet bridges so they don’t have to board the plane with everyone else.

6. Is there an industry standard for airline classes?

Broadly speaking, business class is an enhanced experience, designed for your comfort, with wider seats and more amenities than economy or premium economy and first class is the highest level of luxury and service. But the reality is more complex; airlines have different priorities and different seat configurations on different routes, and they’re making updates to their fleets all the time.

7. Is it worth upgrading from business to first class?

You are never going to be uncomfortable on a business class flight, so this question comes down to what you are prepared to pay for. In the battle of first class vs business class, there is much to consider. How long is the flight you’re taking? For domestic flights, the difference in service will feel small, and you won’t have much time to make use of the amenities. Will you feel the benefit? Have you checked specifically which seats are available on your route and your airline? Not to mention, it’s often quadruple the price to travel in first class. We found an Emirates business class ticket from NYC to Dubai for $5,537 while the equivalent first class ticket cost $21,967.

If the range of journeys offered by Luxury Gold doesn’t go quite far enough for you and you’re more concerned with seeing things beyond this planet, perhaps a stargazing vacation is in your future. Forget white sand beaches and Michelin stars – you want stars and planets, meteor showers and the Milky Way. Before we dig into some of the world’s best places for stargazing, let’s run through some basics.

What is stargazing?

Stargazing is the simple act of observing the night sky for enjoyment. It is – in fact – about so much more than stars. Other objects visible in the clearest night skies include comets (large objects made of dust and ice that orbit the sun), meteors (space rocks that have entered the earth’s atmosphere), asteroids (sometimes called minor planets – rocky, airless remnants left from the formation of our solar system, 4.6 billion years ago), planets (celestial bodies that orbit the sun) and even entire galaxies (huge collections of gas, dust, and billions of stars and their solar systems, all held together by gravity).

How do I stargaze?

To stargaze, you must go somewhere far from skyglow of the city lights and watch the sky. Your eyes will take some time to adapt to the darkness, but then you’ll be able to spot things with the help of apps and charts (and expert tour guides). A red flashlight can help you see in the dark without spoiling night vision.

What is the best time for stargazing?

You want velvety, black darkness, which is usually (but not always) achieved in cold weather on cloudless nights. Light pollution makes it difficult to see the breadth of what the sky has to offer, so avoid bright moonlight by stargazing just after a new moon. When looking for dark skies, you’ll hear references to the Bortle scale, where 1 is the darkest sky available on Earth and 9 is an inner-city sky.

You may also enjoy reading: Five best National Parks in the world you can discover with Luxury Gold

10 Best Places for Stargazing in the World:

1. Jasper National Park, Canada

Located just above Banff National Park, spectacular Jasper is a UNESCO World Heritage site and 97% of it is a designated wilderness area, free of light pollution, so life-affirming night skies are all but guaranteed. On our Majesty of the Rockies journey, we spend three nights at the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, where the restored heritage cabins make a cosy base to return to after a long evening letting your mind wander along the Milky Way.

2. Iriomote-Ishigaki National Park, Japan

In Okinawa, Japan’s southernmost park is a subtropical archipelago of evergreen forests, mangroves and coral reefs, with flashes of white sand. After a day drifting through a maze of mangroves in a canoe, the sky opens to you. Just as the park provides refuge for threatened plant and animal species, its residents, tour operators and government agencies also work hard to boost conditions for stargazing. Explore the possibilities of a Luxury Gold journey to Majestic Japan.

You may also like to read: The Most Beautiful National Parks in Western Canada

3. Pic du Midi, France

This is a mountain in the French Pyrenees which is crowned with an iconic observatory. It’s not only one of the best places for stargazing in the world, it’s the oldest high mountain astronomy observatory in the world, and it’s where the moon’s map was drawn up for NASA in 1969. It’s one of the best stargazing sites in the world both practically and culturally. All year round guests can take a cable car to the peak for an otherworldly high-altitude experience – a must for amateur astronomers.

Bookmark for later: The 30 Most Beautiful Places in the World You Need to Visit

4. Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve, New Zealand

This is the largest reserve in the Southern Hemisphere with pristine dark skies. It’s comprised of Aoraki, Mount Cook National Park and the Mackenzie Basin, Lake Pukaki and Lake Tekapo. The dramatic, Lord of the Rings landscape features enormous glacial lakes and golden tussock grasslands flanked by snow-capped mountains. It’s the ideal setting for a little cosmos-watching and celestial magical.

5. Kiruna, Sweden

At the top of Sweden, in the province of Lapland, Kiruna is an arctic city surrounded by forests, marshes, lakes, rivers and mountains. It’s a popular stop for those chasing the Northern Lights or seeking the Midnight Sun, so naturally it’s one of the best places for stargazing, too – essentially a one-stop-shop for all your worldly wonders. Come for the polar night which lasts for 28 days between December and January – it’s completely dark every day save for a few hours of bluish twilight.

6. The Atacama Desert, Chile

This cool, arid plateau glows with fiery oranges and reds, particularly as the sun sets. And once the sun’s done its thing, the landscape transforms into an amateur astrologist’s playground, with its high altitude, minimal light pollution and dark skies offering mesmerising sights wherever you turn. At the San Pedro de Atacama Celestial Explorations (SPACE) open-air observatory, a large selection of telescopes are set up at different angles.

7. New Mexico Dark Skies Trail, USA

Stargazing opportunities abound in and around the colorfully named Pie Town in New Mexico. It’s been called the dark skies trail since 2017, but the skies have been darker for much longer than that. The best places for stargazing include the Cosmic Campground which has an epic, starry spot that is designated by DarkSky International (IDS) as a Dark Sky Sanctuary. It often hosts public star parties and invite serious stargazers to bring their telescopes.

8. Kruger National Park, South Africa

South Africa’s Kruger National Park is one of the world’s greatest wildlife-spotting destinations by day and one of the best places for stargazing by night. In the dry winter months, the sky is festooned with stars, blanketing the horizon. The hazy, remarkable band of light that may make itself known to your eyes as early as dinnertime is the Milky Way. Our Spectacular South Africa journey includes a three-day safari in Kruger National Park.

9. Zselic National Landscape Protection Area, Hungary

Established in 1976 to protect the natural assets of the North Zselic region, this park encompasses over 9,000 hectares. The Triangulum Galaxy can be seen without telescopes on the clearest nights, and the zodiacal light – a glow of diffuse sunlight scattered by interplanetary dust – is visible in spring and autumn.

10. NamibRand Nature Reserve, Namibia

This one is a private nature reserve established to help protect and conserve the unique ecology and wildlife of the south-west Namib Desert. It has been designated a Gold Tier International Dark Sky Reserve by the International Dark Sky Association. There is minimal tourism on the reserve but at Kwessie Dunes Lodge each bedroom has a special space for stargazing, which is completely open to the sky.

Feeling inspired to see the world in all its glory? Take a look at our collection of small group luxury journeys.

You may not think of England as a viticultural hotspot, but the first thing any self-respecting English winemaker will tell you is that England and wine go back – way back. The Domesday Book recorded 42 vineyards across England and Wales in the 11th century (below a line from Ely to Gloucestershire). The manuscript also referenced “Nitimbreha”, from which one of the best English wines – Nyetimber – takes its name (more on that later).

The best English wine tends to be made with chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier grapes, but this is changing all the time. The modern English wine industry is really in its infancy, albeit growing rapidly. According to the “Rural Matters” report by Knight Frank in 2024, the area of the UK planted with vines has soared by 75% over the past five years to almost 10,000 acres. Today, there are over 950 vineyards across Great Britain, with more vines being planted every year.

To begin with, it was the sparkling wines that set the wine world alight – from the nineties onwards. In 2017, Pommery and Taittinger, two of France’s best-known champagne houses, planted vines in England. At the time, Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger told the Daily Mail: “We have been very impressed by the quality of English sparkling wine being produced, and we believe the combination of chalk soils, climate and topography of our site in Kent are ideal for producing quality sparkling wine. These attributes are perfect for grape growing, and are very similar to the terroir in Champagne, for us it was a natural step to do this”.

In recent years, a warming planet means England is also having success with still wines, mostly made from chardonnay and pinot noir grapes. Warmer summers and growing know-how means more complex and higher quality wines are emerging from England all the time. But who makes the very best English wine? Here are some names to know.

Read next: How to Taste Wine Like a Sommelier

1. Roebuck Estates

Across Sussex and Kent, named for the wild deer who roam the land, this is an award-winning producer of some of the best English sparkling wines. The winery in West Sussex runs various tours and tastings, plus Friday evening “sunset sippings”. Try the Rosé de Noirs 2018, a sparkling rosé with notes of cherries, strawberries, and toasted almonds.

 

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2. Gusbourne

In the short history of English sparkling wines, Gusbourne’s debut vintages – the Brut Reserve 2006 and the Blanc de Blancs 2006 – attracted international interest and acclaim when they were released in 2010. The producer now also makes a host of still wines, including the citrus-driven Chardonnay Guinevere (2022), one of their most awarded. There are tastings and tours at the estate near Rye in east Sussex, plus picnics in the vineyards from spring.

 

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3. Hambledon

In 1952, with a little help from renowned champagne house Pol Roger, Major-General Sir Guy Salisbury-Jones established Hambledon. The Classic Cuvée, a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, once famously beat Pol Roger, Veuve Clicquot and Taittinger in a blind tasting. Tours, tastings and afternoon teas are available at the vineyard in Hampshire.

4. Nyetimber

In 1988, Nyetimber’s first vines were planted, but it wasn’t until 2006, when Eric Heerema took over, appointing Cherie Spriggs as head winemaker, that Nyetimber (she of the Domesday book) became a global name. The Classic Cuvee is not just one of the best English sparkling wines, but one of the best sparkling wines in the world. Also try the Cuvee Chérie – a celebrated Demi-Sec sparkling wine, the first of its kind in England. The estate is only open to the public on select open days, Willy Wonka-style.

 

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5. Chapel Down

This is one of England’s biggest and best wine producers. You can’t go wrong with any of their sparkling and still offerings, but Kit’s Coty Coeur de Cuvée 2016 has been a big award winner of the last few years. At the Kent winery, there are guided tours, tutored tastings and three-course dinners with wine flights at The Swan Wine Kitchen. Plus, the vineyard partners with Sissinghurst Castle Farmhouse to offer overnight accommodation.

6. Tillingham

Tillingham Winery offers natural wine, seasonal food and stylish rooms near Rye in East Sussex. This is a good one to know if you want to extend your Luxury Gold journey to the UK and make a trip of it. Tillingham is not just a winery, it’s a mixed farm, dedicated to sustainability and restoring soils to the optimum level of organic matter.

 

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7. Ridgeview

This has been a family business since 1995, when it was started by Mike and Chris Roberts. Queen Elizabeth II served the Blanc de Blancs 2004 at her birthday banquet in 2006, and the Bloomsbury 2009 at her Diamond Jubilee. In 2018, Ridgeview (now under a new generation of Roberts) was awarded International Winemaker of the Year, a first for English wine. At the winery in east Sussex, there’s a restaurant, wine shop, tours and tastings.

 

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8. Vagabond Winery

It would be remiss not to mention that some of the best English wines are currently being made in ‘urban wineries’. In London, Vagabond is based on the River Thames next to Battersea Power Station. It describes itself as an “artisanal, hands-on winery due to the small space that forces us to work slowly and meticulously”. Vagabond’s Solena NV Ortega is a high achieving wine – a skin contact white. There are Vagabond wine bars in various London locations.

 

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