Saudia 787-9 Business Class: World-Class

I’m live-blogging my SAS EuroBonus SkyTeam Milion Mile challenge this week. Click here for background and route information.

Hello from Kuala Lumpur. Saudia seriously impressed onboard the 787-9 in business class…we enjoyed a lovely 8.5-hour flight from Jeddah to KL.

Saudia 787-9 Business Class – My First Impressions

After a very unproductive layover in Jeddah, I was happy to board our flight to Malaysia and go to sleep…little did I know how much I would soon be spoiled onboard.

This wasn’t my first time on a Saudia 787-9…I flew on this aircraft in business class eight years ago (same seat) and it was a decent flight, though nothing all that special. This flight, though, was special. Saudia has come a long way.

Even the cabin lighting and bedding have improved, such that you feel like you are stepping into a very posh cabin.

Service was excellent onboard and I slept very well during the flight. The seat is comfortable and the flight was very smooth.

But the highlight of the flight was the meals…two delicious meals. Saudia has a 100% on-demand dining service, which really rivals Qatar Airways and exceeds Emirates.

I had shakshuka after takeoff and it was beautifully presented and tasted fresh…precisely because it was freshly made onboard, including cooking the eggs. Saudia does not use trays in business class and the table was nicely set in a way that felt more first class than business class.

After a great rest, I enjoyed a heartier meal before landing of Arabic mezze followed by a mixed grill. The appetizers and the meat were perfect…there was nothing to improve on.

I also enjoyed another great cup of coffee (Sumatra single origin) from the extensive non-alcoholic beverage menu as well as a berry smoothie and fresh orange juice.

Saudia has improved greatly over the years and I’d put it in the top-tier now in terms of in-flight premium cabin service if you can deal without alochol. I was so happy I splurged for business class on our journey from Tunis to Kuala Lumpur.

Augustine, meanwhile, slept through the flight and missed all the great service and food. I guess he needed the rest…

We pulled up next to the KLM 787-9 that would shortly take us to Jakarta.