If you're going to fly to China, you might as well fly in style. After all, the 15-18 hour flight (depending on flight path and departure city) can seem like an eternity in a 777.

Having just completed a round-trip flight to Australia I was mentally prepared for the long flight across the Pacific. I've learned that if you're going to make the journey, you want to be comfortable, thus, my first trip to China started in Business Class on Cathay Pacific. I stepped into pod 27A, and prepped for the 16-hour flight from New York's JFK airport to Hong Kong: eye mask, noise-cancelling headphones, cashmere wrap, lip balm, iPod, computer - check. What I didn't expect was an amenity kit, courtesy of Cathay, filled with face wash, lotion, more lip balm, another eye mask and eye cream.

Cathay's business class seats feature an amenities sections - everything fits neatly into compartments around your pod or under your foot rest so you don't have to go far to get your in-flight necessities. The flight attendants, who are all impeccably dressed, continuously make their way through the cabins offering bottled water and champagne cocktails and within minutes you forget you're 35,000-feet up in air.

The in-flight entertainment options offer dozens of movies, TV shows, radio stations and CDs to keep you occupied. I watched two movies, ordered a few snacks, indulged in some quiet time (otherwise known as "sleeping" for those who can sleep on planes), and thanks to the size of the pods, was able to comfortably stretch without invading anyone else's space.

Filed under: Airlines, Luxury Travel