The national airline of Kuwait is a niche carrier that serves its home country well, and despite being one of the older airlines in the region, it has a hard time competing with the global Middle Eastern carriers in the neighborhood. There are several drawbacks to flying with Kuwait Airways, but for many, it is the perfect way to get to, from and through Kuwait.
Small, but growing fleet
Kuwait Airways operates a modest fleet, which limits its route network mainly to the Middle East, Europe and Asia. Its New York JFK and Washington D.C. flights are the airline’s longest and are considered to be its flagship routes.
Its newest plane is the Airbus A330-900neo, with the A330-800neo also being one of the more modern aircraft in its fleet, which it uses on some of its longer flights to Europe and other cities. I find these planes to be modern and appealing in its network, but they don’t have a first class cabin. Only the Boeing 777s have a true first class cabin, which the airline calls Royal Class.
The other A330s in the fleet don’t have a first class cabin and are used on regional flights. The remaining A320neos just have business and economy class with recliner-style seats in the premium cabin.
A promising crystal ball for the airline is that it plans to nearly double its fleet to 50 planes, which will help it grow its route network and frequencies. The plan is to have a 50-50 split between widebody and narrowbody planes opening up plenty of new destinations.
This is a big priority for the airline as it faces growing competition from low-cost carriers flooding the region with cheaper fares. I travel a lot for business, and the valuable thing for me when choosing a flight is having options (whether that’s flight times, aircraft types, or loyalty programs).
A pleasant, yet uncompetitive, onboard experience
Kuwait Airways is still a full-service airline despite the no-alcohol policy, and the meals across all cabins are comparable to what you’ll find on other carriers. That said, I’ve noticed the crew can vary from quite friendly to indifferent so temper your expectations on the service front.
Perhaps the biggest letdown is that its business and first class cabins aren’t quite up to par with other airlines in the region. First class seats have sliding doors for privacy, tons of legroom, and lie-flat seats with good storage. The food is tasty, but it’s missing those extra touches.
The inflight bedding and food quality are average, and the non-alcoholic drink menu is pretty basic. I’d love to see them add a few mocktails or creative juice concoctions for some extra flair. There is a little twinge of excitement, though, when they bring around Arabic coffee, dates, and local sweets, which is my favorite part.
Business class seats lie fully-flat on the Boeing 777-300ER and Airbus A330-800neo, but the A330-200 has angled-flat seats and the A320neos used on regional routes only have cradled seats. These are a bit more comfortable than what you’d find in domestic first class in the U.S.
None of its business class seats have sliding doors for privacy, which is becoming more common on carriers like British Airways, Delta Air Lines, and Qatar Airways.
First class is in a 1-2-1 layout, but most of its business class cabins require stepping over someone to reach the aisle from the window seat. Helpful tip: look for business class flights on the A330-800neo, which has a 1-2-1 layout. These planes have updated seats and the latest inflight tech.
Kuwait Airways charges for some preferred economy seats, but several rows are free. Premium cabin passengers can reserve any seat without charge.
Word of advice: assign yourself a seat as soon as you can to avoid being randomly given one at check-in if the free seats are full. You could luck out, like I did, and score a better seat at the front of the plane, but you could also end up in the middle.
A dry airline
One of the first things I think of when chatting about Kuwait Airways with fellow travelers is that the carrier does not serve alcohol on its flights. This is in line with national regulations as a dry country. You cannot even check alcohol in luggage, which is an important thing to note for travelers connecting through Kuwait City in case you purchased alcohol duty-free from another international airport.
Upgrades at a discount
A more affordable way to get some extra comfort is the Just Upgrade program from the airline. Some key takeaways are that this is only available to its Oasis Club loyalty program members (I joined for free just to take advantage of the upgrade system) and that not all flights are eligible. Travelers can make a bid up to 12 hours before takeoff, and if approved, the upgraded seat is yours. It’s a win-win for everyone: the airline fills empty premium seats and curious travelers like me can travel more comfortably at a discount.
Some nice extras
Passengers willing to pay an extra fee can book meet and greet services to be whisked through security and immigration formalities to and from the aircraft door. Once onboard, all cabins have entertainment screens with a decent range of international movies and sitcoms. A good chunk of these are Arabic and Bollywood films. I think the airline could do a better job of providing more choices, and it is wise to download a few favorites on your own devices just in case.
The airline offers Wi-Fi with fair pricing for full-flight access, and everyone can connect for free to message via phone or social apps.
Passengers paying most business and first class fares can request a complimentary limousine service to pick them up from home and take them to the airport in Kuwait. Royal Class passengers can also book home check-in to have their bags taken straight to the plane, though this isn’t available for U.S. flights.
Loyalty program
Oasis Club is the airline’s frequent flier program, and it has various tiers of elite status with the perks growing the higher your membership tier. This is a great program for Kuwaitis or those who use the airline regularly. However, I would not recommend the program for Americans looking for out-sized value. Kuwait Airways does not belong to any global airline alliance and has virtually no partners on which to earn or redeem miles.
Airport experience for connecting passengers
If you’re connecting through Kuwait City, the airport experience is even more important. Luckily, the main terminals at the airport are modern with a good selection of restaurants and shops although I never delight in spending more than a few hours there. The airport primarily operates from Terminal 1 (used by most airlines), Terminal 4 (dedicated to Kuwait Airways), and Terminal 5 (dedicated to Jazeera Airways).
Several lounges throughout the terminals offer respite from the crowds (and believe me, there are a lot of people when flights converge at once). They serve hot and cold buffets and non-alcoholic drinks. Unfortunately, the bathrooms in all terminals aren’t up to international standards, giving lounge access holders yet another reason to be pleased.
You can access lounges with a Priority Pass card, associated credit card, or premium cabin boarding pass. When not busy, many lounges offer day passes for a fee.
My favorite venue is the Pearl Lounge in Terminal 5 because it is modern, bright and has a decent menu. Terminals 4 and 5 are the newest at the airport for now. The former is home to national carrier Kuwait Airways while the latter is used by low-cost carrier Jazeera Airways.
Most other airlines use Terminal 1, where there are many lounge choices (including another from Kuwait Airways for passengers departing from that terminal or using Priority Pass). If you do not have any form of lounge access, ask at reception if they are selling a day pass.
Value for money
When comparing prices between Kuwait Airways and other regional airlines, it is common to see the airline undercutting the competition, especially in premium cabins. With so many airlines in the Middle East offering more luxurious business and first class products, Kuwait Airways can be a great value if you keep your expectations in check (especially for teetotalers).
This KAYAK-commissioned article is presented as-is, for general informational purposes only, and may not be up-to-date. The opinions contained in the article are original to the author and reflect their authentic experience, which may vary significantly from the experience of others. Find more perspectives in our user reviews below.
