I spent 26 hours in Qatar Airways' business class. Not all seats are created equally, but I get why it's so beloved.

We flew from London Gatwick Airport rather than Heathrow because the flights were about $1,000 cheaper.

Arriving at Gatwick, it was a luxury to have a dedicated check-in counter with barely any queue and then fast-track through security too.

After that, though, I wasn’t super blown away.

Qatar Airways doesn’t have a dedicated lounge at Gatwick, so its business-class travelers can use the Plaza Premium Lounge, which anyone can pay to use. I found it to be quite busy and a bit underwhelming, with a rather uninspiring view.

However, it has a separate area for Qatar Airways customers where we could order from a small à la carte menu. I got a burger, and my husband had a goat-cheese sandwich — it was nice to have complimentary food.

We were also given “premium” drinks vouchers for certain beverages, such as prosecco, though Champagne would’ve cost extra.