BeOnd All-business-class Airline Review

Before the days of cramped cabins, chaotic boarding zones, and the ever-diminishing legroom, air travel promised a sense of exclusivity. For those who still crave that feeling, but don’t have a private-jet budget, BeOnd—a boutique, all-business-class airline—is pitching itself as the next best thing.

Launched in late 2023, the airline connects the Maldives with Dubai, Zurich, Munich, Milan, and Riyadh. And Jeddah, Abu Dhabi, and Bangkok already on its radar amid plans for 25 aircraft and 49 destinations by 2028.

With round-trip fares starting at $3,000, BeOnd sits below first-class pricing, but above standard business class. For comparison, the Dubai-Malé round-trip ticket in Emirates’ business class can range from $2,000 to $3,500, while first-class starts at $6,000.

But does BeOnd’s intimate, club-class model live up to the hype? And more importantly, is it worth the premium? I traveled on the Dubai-to-Malé route to find out.

Checking In

I arrived at Dubai’s Al Maktoum International Airport a couple of hours ahead of BeOnd’s scheduled 7:25 a.m. takeoff time. A massive $35-billion expansion is set to convert the tiny terminal into the world’s largest airport by the end of this decade, but for now, it handles just 150 flights in an average week (compared to 1,200 per day at Dubai International Airport in the city’s north).

Inside, it was eerily quiet. So much so that I accidentally overshot BeOnd’s queue-free check-in counter and planted myself in line for Copenhagen—the only other early-morning flight scheduled before the 10 o’clock to Tehran. The Danish passengers, wrapped in layers of cozy Scandinavian knitwear, eyed my Hawaiian shirt-and-shorts combo with suspicion, and I quickly slinked back to the right desk where two cheerily efficient staff checked me in (and let me know the flight was delayed by two hours).

I was traveling light, but for those who aren’t, BeOnd’s Bliss fare includes a generous 40 kg. of checked luggage and 10 kg. for carry-on bags. Passengers booking the top-tier Opulence fare—at a premium of roughly $300 per leg—get amped-up allowances of 60 kg. for checked bags and 15 kg. for carry-ons.

Security and immigration were a breeze, with the e-gates and near-empty X-ray lanes spitting me out in less than five minutes. Beyond duty-free, terminal distractions were scarce, so I picked up a pistachio-packed Dubai viral chocolate dupe—the city’s souvenir du jour—and made a beeline for the lounge to ride out the delay.

The Lounge

BeOnd doesn’t yet have a dedicated space at Al Maktoum International, so passengers were lumped into a shared facility, called Marhaba (meaning “welcome” in Arabic), with business-class fliers from other airlines, credit card status holders, and the cash-paying public.

Luckily, with just one other flight on the departure board at this early hour, there was no shortage of space to stretch out. The lounge had a small selection of magazines to pass the time, and the free Wi-Fi was decent enough to download a high-definition movie in about three minutes.

The seating options, fluctuating between beige-brown and flashes of fire-engine red, are strictly functional: boxy armchairs clustered around low tables or standard four-tops by the hot breakfast buffet.

Soft drinks, beer, liquor and house wines are complimentary, with a small selection of top-shelf spirits and Champagne at a premium. A glass of Grey Goose vodka or Glenlivet 12-year single malt will set you back about $7, which is a relative steal in Dubai, where the average city pint price runs roughly $12.

The lounge is clean, well-maintained, and reasonably comfortable, but falls short of the polished experience BeOnd promises to offer. After my flight, I brought this up with BeOnd’s CEO Tero Taskila.

He tells me the company is “exploring opportunities” to introduce its own lounge in Dubai in the future, plus a “bespoke, private” space in the Maldives’ new air terminal, which is set to open later this year. “We recognize the lounge experience is an essential part of the premium journey,” he added.

The Plane

BeOnd’s A319 has had a serious glow-up from its days running short hops for British budget carrier EasyJet. The bright orange has been replaced with a custom-painted black shell, and interiors are by Italian design house Poltrona Frau, complete with creamy stitched leather, soft caramel tones, and bronze accents.

By the time I boarded in Dubai, the plane was already half full, having picked up passengers from Munich. Given the earlier delay, the stop felt a little rushed—there’s no formal induction on the seat features or amenities, meaning some things, like how to use the iPad entertainment system, aren’t immediately obvious.

Yet the cabin itself is impressively sleek, with the lack of central overhead storage making it feel more akin to a private jet than a traditional commercial flight.

The Seat

BeOnd’s business-class cabin is set up in a 2-2 layout, with each of the 44 seats offering a 20-inch width and a 50-inch pitch. The electric button-operated recliners are thoughtfully designed, with stitched cream leather upholstery, warm burnt-orange blankets, and cozy pillows.

Rows one and five are the clear winners. These ottoman-style seats are different from the rest, featuring a large footrest rather than the standard small, triangular ledge, although preselecting one comes with a $100 price tag.

One thing to note: Storage is limited. There’s no real spot for shoes, and personal items must be tucked into narrow compartments. I wedged my Birkenstocks against the cabin shell, which worked out well, but bulkier footwear might be more of a struggle.

Each seat comes with power sockets and USB charging ports, and while the airline doesn’t offer traditional in-flight entertainment screens, a pop-up arm provides a stable perch for a tablet (more on that below).

If you’re flying solo, the open, low-slung cabin configuration can, at times, feel a little close for comfort. A slim divider provides some semblance of separation, but if your neighbor is the fidgety type, expect the occasional nudge.

When fully reclined, though, the seat becomes its own little cocoon—private enough for a nap, even if you’re still aware of the person beside you.

The Amenities

BeOnd provides a small but functional amenity kit. Inside, you’ll find an eye mask, earplugs, a dental kit, pillow mist, face mist, hand sanitizer, and body lotion—all useful, if a little underwhelming for a luxury airline.

However, BeOnd has hinted at plans to introduce a “choose-your-own” amenity kit experience, allowing passengers to customize their in-flight essentials before boarding.

The Food

Breakfast arrives about 30 minutes after takeoff, and is served on proper plates with metal cutlery. The menu leans toward fresh, light, and well-balanced flavors, steering clear of the heavy, carb-laden breakfasts found on some business-class flights.

To start, there’s a bread basket of warm, flaky pastries, paired with a selection of cold cuts, smoked salmon with herb cream cheese, or a watermelon and za’atar halloumi salad. I opted for the halloumi, and it was surprisingly good—grilled just enough to keep its delicate chew, while the watermelon added a cooling contrast. Airline halloumi can be hit or miss, but this one was pleasantly edible.

The main course selection includes a mix of Western and Middle Eastern breakfast staples. The grilled beef sausage and parsley omelette, paired with chopped peppers and tomato, is a classic European breakfast plate, while the banana berry pancakes with strawberry and vanilla sauce cater to those wanting something sweeter. The most intriguing dish, though, is the North African mesfouf—a cinnamon-spiced couscous with baked eggplant and poached peas.

Drinks follow and include a selection of cold-pressed juices, including Mango-Tango (a blend of mango and orange juice), Banana-Date Energizer (with milk and yogurt), and Power Green Crush (a sharp mix of green apple, celery, and spinach). I went for Calming Detox, a rich beetroot, carrot, and ginger concoction that’s earthy and slightly fiery—enough to jolt me awake after the early-morning departure.

Then, there’s the alcohol selection, which takes things up a notch. Piper-Heidsieck Cuvée Brut Champagne is on hand for those looking to kick off their trip with a celebratory fizz, while the white wines include a crisp Pala Soprasole Vermentino from Sardinia and a Domaine Vacheron Sancerre from the Loire Valley. A single beer option—San Miguel—rounds out the beverage choices.

Spirits cover Tanqueray No. Ten gin, Rémy Martin VSOP cognac, Flor de Caña four-year white rum, Johnnie Walker Black Label scotch, cnd Cîroc vodka. For those in the mood for something a bit more dressed up, there’s a small cocktail list featuring classics like a bloody mary and Kir Royale.

Tea and coffee service follows the meal, with a premium selection of loose-leaf teas alongside freshly brewed coffee.

The Entertainment

In theory, BeOnd provides Wi-Fi, but in practice, it’s a closed-loop system that only powers the airline-issued iPads rather than offering actual internet access. Taskila acknowledged connectivity is an “important aspect of modern air travel” and has hinted at future improvements. For now, there’s no option to browse the web or send messages from 35,000 feet.

For some, this enforced digital detox might be a welcome reprieve—a chance to fully switch off and ease into holiday mode. For others (myself included), it’s a mild frustration, especially given BeOnd is positioning itself as a boutique airline with premium service.

That said, the in-flight entertainment selection is solid, and the provided wireless Bose noise-canceling headphones connected seamlessly to my iPhone, impressively blocking out the hum of the engines.

The airline-issued Apple iPad Pros serve as the in-flight entertainment system, loaded with a curated selection of movies, TV shows, documentaries, and music. The interface is slick and easy to navigate, with options laid out in large, high-resolution tiles—a step up from the often-clunky screens found on traditional in-seat systems. In addition to movies, TV shows, and music, the iPads offer a small selection of games, plus a moving map for real-time updates on the flight’s progress.

The Service

This is where BeOnd shines. The crew is polished and proactive, offering to rearrange seating when possible to maximize space. There’s a clear effort to create a more personalized, intimate experience—no small feat in a cabin that, on my flight, was mostly full.

I struck up a conversation with my seatmate, who was flying with his wife and teenage daughter for their annual Maldives trip.

Usually, they fly Emirates, but his travel agent suggested BeOnd as a nonstop alternative with just a quick refueling stop in Dubai. Their initial attempt wasn’t smooth—the airline first rescheduled their Munich flight to Zurich due to apparently low bookings, then canceled it altogether due to an engine issue. BeOnd rebooked them on the Swiss airline Edelweiss. But despite this setback, they decided to give BeOnd another shot on the way home—and were quickly converted. “It feels like a private jet,” my seatmate told me. “It’s small, very intimate, and the service is not anonymous.”

While he acknowledged it’s still a young airline with teething issues, he appreciated the bespoke feel and didn’t mind the lack of Wi-Fi. “For me, it’s a cocoon,” he said.

The Verdict

BeOnd is carving out an intriguing niche, offering a semi-private jet experience at a price point that competes with business class on legacy carriers.

There are some early wobbles—Wi-Fi limitations, minor service inconsistencies, and the occasional seating quirk—but for those who value a more exclusive, boutique feel, it’s a compelling alternative.

With just two jets in its fleet for now, BeOnd is still very much a work in progress—full of promise, but with room to refine. Yet for travelers who are willing to take a chance on a new player, the intimacy, service, and exclusivity outweigh the teething issues. “Give them time,” my seatmate said. “They’re onto something special.”