I recently flew on an all-business-class airline I had never heard of, and it was one of the best travel experiences I've ever had

I recently returned from a five-day trip to London with my family. Before booking our flights in March, we asked my uncle's travel agent to help us find the best airline deals. 

Normally we'd just go for the economy tickets since they're the most affordable. But since we were taking a red-eye to London, we felt pretty strongly about having seats that turned into beds, which you can only get in business or first class. Also, this was the only big trip most of us would be taking this year, so we were willing to splurge a bit. 

The next day, he sent over a few options. We could fly economy from New York to Heathrow for about $800 per person, premium economy for $1,500, or business class on a big-name airline for about $3,500 each. We didn't even inquire about first class — we knew it would be too pricey.

But there was a fourth option: Fly on a newer, boutique all-business-class airline called La Compagnie for $1,490 per person, which beat the premium economy and business class prices on all other airlines.

I'll admit, I had never heard of La Compagnie before, and I was a bit hesitant to book a flight on a newer airline I knew nothing about. But I did some research, talked to the rest of the group, and decided it was worth a try. 

Before I left, I told some friends and colleagues about the airline. None of them had ever heard of it either, so I decided to document the return trip. Keep scrolling for a glimpse at what it was like to fly La Compagnie from London to Newark. 

SEE ALSO: The 10 most popular summer travel destinations, according to TripAdvisor

I learned that La Compagnie is a small, independent company that has been around since 2013. The airline only flies to and from London, Paris, and Newark, New Jersey. The catch? It doesn't fly in or out of Heathrow, London's big airport. Instead, it goes in and out of Luton, a smaller airport just north of London.

It turns out that this is actually a pro, not a con! Luton was only about an hour from our hotel in the heart of London, and Heathrow would have been 45 minutes ... so, not much of a difference there. Plus, we learned that checking in, going through security, and navigating the airport with a group of seven people and a baby is much easier at a smaller airport than it is at a big, busy one.

The process of checking-in and going through security in both airports (Newark and Luton) were better than most airport experiences I've had. Because La Compagnie is a boutique airline with only a few flights per day, very few people are actually checking in at any given time. That meant there was no wait on either end.

The ticketing agents were extremely friendly and efficient. They explained where the lounges were (which we had complimentary access to) and that La Compagnie had its own security line (which was also empty!). We flew through the check-in and security process, and had enough time to enjoy the airport lounges.

At Newark, La Compagnie passengers are granted access to the "Art & Lounge" space. It's quiet and comfortable with a nice food and drink selection. At Luton, passengers have access to an executive lounge called "Aspire", which is modern and sleek, and also offers a large selection of food, snacks, and drinks. Below are some photos of the Aspire lounge at Luton airport.

Drinks, snacks, and food are complimentary. At the Aspire lounge, however, you have to pay for certain fancy alcoholic beverages. The lounge also offers free Wi-Fi and spa services.