Qatar Airways Economy Class vs Etihad Airways Economy Class

Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways offer world-leading economy class products. While both airlines offer similar space and comfort, what sets them apart is service and quality.

Qatar Airways Economy Class

Spacious seats and award-winning service is offered on Qatar Airways’ Economy Class. Complimentary inflight meals are designed by award-winning chefs and boast international flavours and fresh ingredients. Special meals can be requested in advance. With the Oryx Kids Club, young travellers get a personal lunch box and activity packs.

Seating in Qatar Airways’ Economy Class cabins offer generous space. Generally, seat pitch ranges between 31 and 33 inches depending on the aircraft. Seat widths vary from 16.9 to 18 inches, also depending on the aircraft. Wide-screen personal entertainment screens are offered on all seats. Qatar Airways’ inflight entertainment system Oryx One features over 4,000 options, from movies and series to games and music. Wi-Fi is available on all Airbus A380 and A319 aircraft as well as Boeing 787s. Select Airbus A350, A330, A320 and A321 and Boeing 777 aircraft also have Wi-Fi connectivity.

Qatar Airways’ Economy Class is an industry leader. It has been recognised with numerous awards, including being nominated for best economy class at the 2020 World Travel Awards. Qatar was recognised as the Best Economy Class by the 2020 Business Traveller Awards. It was also awarded Best Airline and Best Inflight Food and Beverage and placed second for Best Cabin Staff and Best Inflight Entertainment. For the 2019 World Airline Awards by Skytrax, Qatar Airways placed third for the World’s Best Economy Class. It was also honoured with the World’s Best Airline.

Etihad Airways Economy Class

Economy Class with Etihad Airways offers lots of comfort and space, similar to what travellers can expect with Qatar Airways. Travellers enjoy perks like full-sized blankets and pillows. Plus, there is extra legroom with Economy Space. Passengers can also book an entire row with the airline’s Economy Neighbour-Free option.

Etihad’s long-haul flights feature Economy Smart Seats with a comfortable headrest, power connections, and adjustable back support. On short-haul flights, seats feature USB charging points and device holders. Seats in Economy have pitches ranging from 31 to 33 inches, depending on the aircraft. Seat widths are between 17.1 and 17.5 inches, which also depends on the plane.

Complimentary meals and beverages are served in Economy. Menus feature a choice of dishes created with fresh and seasonal ingredients, including a vegetarian option. Special meals and children’s meals are also available on request. Etihad’s inflight entertainment system, E-Box, features hundreds of hours of on-demand movies and series plus music and live television. On Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft, travellers can stream programming on their personal devices using onboard Wi-Fi access.

When compared to Qatar Airways, Etihad’s Economy Class has received fewer honours. Still, the product is considered a leader in the industry. For the 2019 World Airline Awards, Etihad Airways finished 20th in the ranking of World’s Best Economy Class. The airline was also nominated for the best economy class honour for the 2020 World Travel Awards.

Etihad versuis Qatar Economy Class – The verdict

While Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways offer excellent experiences for economy class travellers, Qatar is a clear industry leader. The airline’s Economy Class is often ranked as one of the world’s best. Qatar Airways is also one of the world’s best airlines, offering a consistently high standard of service.