When you cover airlines, new routes, and brand-new business and first class cabins as closely as we do, you inevitably wind up daydreaming about would-be trips … oh, and of course, how to help our readers and subscribers book it for themselves, too.
This year, there’s an especially good crop of new routes and business class seats coming to the skies that have many of us drooling lately. So I urged my coworkers to get it out of their systems and get a little selfish. I asked them: “What new flights or seats are you most excited for in 2025?” – and they came back with a true treasure trove of nominations that I think you’ll agree look spectacular.
From our team’s first forays into Starlux Business Class, Japan Airlines’ new A350 business class, and Iberia’s new A321neo business class, to a new route rumored to land in our backyard, we compiled a heck of a list that will hopefully let you daydream for a few minutes this week, too.
Here are the flights and seats we’re most excited about in 2025 and how you can book them for yourself.
Jon: Starlux Business Class
Starlux has been flying between the U.S. and its hub in Taipei (TPE) for a few years now. But thanks to a recent crop of award availability we found for Thrifty Traveler Premium members, one of our own will finally set foot in Starlux business class on one of the airline’s Airbus A350s and test it out for himself.
Later this spring, our flight deal guru, Jon, is going to be flying these ultra-luxurious seats through Taiwan en route to Japan in what should be an epic adventure. And he keeps finding out more that makes him excited.
Did you know, for instance, that Starlux’s lounge in Taipei is called the Galactic Lounge? Everything about this seat and this lounge looks space-aged, incredibly modern, and … well … lux.
How he booked it: The only way to book Starlux business class using miles is via Alaska Mileage Plan, which charges 75,000 miles and about $20 each way. Earning those miles is the easy part.
Unfortunately, award availability is generally slim to none to actually book these lie-flat seats. But fortunately, that changed briefly last month when we found tons of award space throughout 2025 departing from Los Angeles (LAX), San Francisco (SFO), or Seattle (SEA).
Nick: Minneapolis to Istanbul on Turkish Airlines
Rumors have been percolating for months and months about Turkish Airlines’ expansion to Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP), where Thrifty Traveler is based. Our co-founder Nick is thrilled.
We’re all big fans of Turkish Airlines, what with its beautiful business class seats – well, the new ones on Airbus A350s and Boeing 787s, anyway – and its incredible route network through its Istanbul (IST) hub. Plus, who doesn’t want to go to Istanbul?
Honestly, the possibility that Turkish will land here in our backyards later this year has all of us excited.
In the last few years, Turkish has added cities like Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) and Denver (DEN) to its already long roster of U.S. departure cities. A major (yet overlooked) city like Minneapolis would make sense … and when Turkish Chairman Ahmet Bolat hinted for a second time at an expansion into Minnesota this year, we got excited all over again.
Could this route being in 2025? Or will Nick have to wait until summer 2026 to get this new player into a gate at MSP. That we don’t know. It took Turkish almost three years to start flying to Denver after announcing the route in 2021, so maybe it’s best we not hold our breath…
But that won’t stop us from being excited anyway!
How we’d book this: If and when this flight ever comes to Minneapolis, we’ll book it like any other Turkish Airlines business class flight: using one of the many Star Alliance airline programs with easy-to-earn miles via transferring credit card points.
You can book a nonstop one-way to Istanbul in business class for 65,000 Turkish Miles & Smiles (by transferring points from Capital One, Bilt, or Citi), 70,000 Air Canada Aeroplan points (which you can transfer from Chase, Amex, Capital One, and Bilt), 88,000 United miles each way (United is a Chase transfer partner), or 69,000 Avianca LifeMiles by transferring points from Capital One, Amex, Citi, or even Wells Fargo.
Jackson: Cathay Pacific Aria Suites
When we were putting together this list, Jackson wasted no time calling “dibs” on Cathay Pacific’s beautiful new Aria Suites.
I think we tend to overstate when things on airplanes are “beautiful.” It’s still a seat in a metal tube. But these Aria Suites are not just comfortable-looking and private – they look more like a piece of art.
Hong Kong’s famous airline is outfitting these snazzy new business class suites on some of its 777-300ER … but only on a select few routes so far. Having flown Cathay’s comfortable (but dated) older business class seats, I fully support my co-worker’s dream of flying its latest-and-greatest seats instead.
As of publication, you can only find Aria Suites flying from Hong Kong (HKG) to London-Heathrow (LHR) and back, but it’s probably only a matter of time before they make it to some U.S. routes. We’ll be watching closely.
How we’d book this: To book Cathay Pacific business class, your best bet is to turn to Cathay Pacific Asia Miles.
Booking business class using miles has gotten much harder in recent years, and Cathay is a prime example. The airline typically reserves what little precious award availability it offers to its own members using Asia Miles – and that means you’ll need more of them.
Using Asia Miles between the U.S. and Canada, you’ll generally see Cathay business for 110,000 points each way – or as low as 84,000 miles each way on some routes from Vancouver (YVR), San Francisco (SFO), and Los Angeles (LAX).
Occasionally, though, we do find some award availability bookable for even fewer miles through some of Cathay’s partner airlines. Your best bet is using 85,000 Finnair Avios each way – maybe even fewer points if you can take advantage of an Avios transfer bonus from one of the big banks.
Kyle: Japan Airlines New A350 Business Class
This has been at the top of our editor Kyle’s wish list from the moment Japan Airlines unveiled its newly designed business and first class cabins on the Airbus A350-1000. Years later, it’s still there.
These new business class suites seem incredibly spacious and private, with tons of bells and whistles you won’t find on many (if any) other airlines. Bluetooth connectivity and headphones built into the headrest, too!
Kyle has flown many of the world’s best airplane seats, so he’s anxious to compare it to fellow Japanese carrier ANA and its outrageous new “The Room” business class suites as well as Qatar Qsuites. Given Japan Airlines’ stellar service and excellent in-flight dining, we’d be shocked if it wasn’t in the running for best business class in the world – if not the outright winner.
He’s already got something on the books for 2025 … but no way to get home. Not to get too greedy, but he’d love to fly the airline’s new first class cabin on the Airbus A350, which simply seems to be in another league, too.
How we’d book it: Book these business class suites for just 60,000 American Airlines miles each way when availability pops up! You can find these seats flying to and from Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) and New York City (JFK) in 2025.
Gunnar: Iberia Business Class on the A321
I’m lucky enough to have already crossed out the flight I was most excited about for this year just a few days ago: Flying Iberia business class on the new A321neo.
Read Next: Our Full Review of the New Iberia A321neo Business Class
These brand new single-aisle planes have been long-awaited for a few reasons. For one, the seats are well-designed and spacious – similar to the JetBlue Mint Suites on its flights across the Atlantic.
It was just as comfortable a ride as I had hoped. The fact that there are only 14 business class seats on the plane meant the service was quick and personal, too.
How we booked this: It’s one of the best deals in the world of points and miles.
You can book these business class seats for just 34,000 British Airways Avios … or less, if you time it right with a transfer bonus. During peak summer, it’ll cost you a little more. But for my February trip, just 34,000 points did the trick!
As of publciation, you can only find these new seats on the airline’s nonstop route from Madrid (MAD) to Boston (BOS) and back.
Bottom Line
The new (and even some not-so-new) airplane seats and upcoming routes in 2025 are getting us excited here at Thrifty Traveler.
What are you most looking forward to for 2025?
