Caviar, Bubbly, Fashion Go Sky-High in New Era of Airline Luxury

Privacy suites, double-wide beds, Christofle cutlery: Business-class cabins have been on a dizzying luxury ascent for years.

But the game is changing. With so many carriers having overhauled their aircraft interiors and premium seats, airlines are now upgrading some of the finer points of their front-cabin services, such as amenity kits and meals. (If you’re in the back of the plane, that’s still business as usual.)

“Generally speaking, leisure travelers want an experience,” says Brian Sumers, aviation expert and founder of the Airline Observer newsletter. “Airlines have realized that if they want to compete for premium travelers, ...