Which Airline has the best First Class in 2022 and What’s the future First Class looks like?
I am going to rank the top 5 First Class products by breaking down a First Class flight into the following category:
ANA First Class scores 72% overall.
I think ANA has great food, great products with good privacy in their First Class. I’d say the weakest part is the airport experience. There’s no limo transfer and the lounge can be crowded.
I flew the ANA A380 “Flying Honu” in First Class from Honolulu to Tokyo. The A380 and new delivered B777-300/ER feature the latest ANA First Class. Here is a dedicated trip report:
I use LifeMiles to redeem on flights with ANA Premium Class.
You can buy LifeMiles and it is significantly cheaper than most other mileage programs. It often sells miles with bonuses and has great award redemption rates.
Cost of buying miles and redeeming on tickets is at least 50-80% significantly cheaper than a one-way normal fare! You just need to make sure that the seat is available for redemption.
Here are some examples of the cost of using LifeMiles to fly in Premium Class using the current LifeMiles promotion. With this, you could purchase miles for as little as 1.375 cents each.
SWISS First Class scores 76% overall. SWISS has a great lounge in Zurich and offer limo transfer service. It scores well in most category but the product just lack of a bit of WOW factor as other competitor has in First Class.
Currently SWISS offer First Class on B777-300/ER, A340 and A330 long haul aircraft. Take a look at my First Class trip between Zurich and Hong Kong.
Only Miles & More Senator elite members and above can redeem First Class on SWISS which makes it more difficilt for non-elite flyers.
You can pay a fix price Upgrade from Business class at the airport. One way price from Chicago to Zurich is reported at around $900, and from Los Angeles to Zurich at $1800.
The cheapest way to enjoy SWISS First Class is purcahse an outright First Class ticket from Greece or other Eastern European destination for Asia (BKK/SIN/HKG/NRT), there are good discount fares if you buy In advance 45 days out. For example, I paid $3,000 from Athens to Hong Kong via Zurich roundtrip on SWISS First Class.
Singapore First Class scores 88% overall. It has the biggest suite with separate seat and bed that can even convert into a double suite on their A380. The B777-300/ER feautres older First Class product.
Singapore Airlines First Class scores high in every category except the airport experience which I think can be enhanced with additional limo transfer, and personal escort. Singapore Airlines have just opened the new renovated First Class Lounge and the Private Room in Changi Airport.
Singapore Airlines restrict most Star Alliance partner to redeem on its First Class. So best way is to use KrisFlyer Miles of Singapore Airlines to redeem for First Class flights. There are many mileage transfer partner from credit card and hotel program to convert miles into Krisflyer miles. First Class availability is limited.
Well, we have a double winner of Best First Class (so there is no Number 2.)
Emirates First Class scores 92% overall. It’s hard to beat the floor to ceiling fully enclosed Game Changer suite with motion window. There are so many wow factor in this particular product.
But be aware only 10 B777s out of 130+ Emirates B777 has these new Game Changer First Class Suites. The whole A380 and most of the B777 fleet features the older suite which is still amazing in its own ways. The A380 also features onboard shower and lounge.
I think the onboard experience on Emirates is ace but the airport experience for Emirates is the weakest link.
Flying First Class supposed to be special but you may have to do with long walks in Dubai. Lot of boarding are from remote bays and its not ideal in the summer months. Emirates First Class lounge is huge which occupies the whole floor of the Dubai airport concourse but they lack of intimacy of other first class lounge.
You can use either Emirates or Qantas miles to redeem for First Class. These miles can be transferred from many credit card and hotel programs.
Emirates is also offering upgrade during online check-in. You may able to find some reasonable offers.
Air France La Premiere has been my favourite product for long time. It doesn’t have the bling bling or shower or double suite. It is a very subtle luxury that only have you’ve flown it would agree with me.
The airport experience on Air France La Premiere is fabulous, you get personal chauffeur around airport at Paris (include transit flights). The airport experience is also consistent in outstations. You get escorted from check-in to the lounge and have the option to board first or last.
The experience of first class shouldn’t just end after the flight. La Premiere take care of first class passenger at formality, baggage devliery till they exit airport.
The cuisine rarely disappoints on La Premiere especially out of Paris. Equally impressive is the La Premiere Lounge in Paris CDG. Don’t go in there with a full stomach!
Air France certainly keep the entry level very high to their First Class La Premiere. Not only does it require a lot of miles to redeem La Premiere, but you also need to be Air France Flying Blue Elite.
The best way is to pay for an upgrade during online check-in, assuming that there are seats available. I did exactly this the day before I travelled and I was offered the upgrade for €1,019. This is significantly cheaper than paying the typical €2,000 plus in fare difference.
What’s your favourite First Class flight? Pls share with me in the comment below
Sam Chui is one of the world’s most established aviation and travel blogger, content creator and published author. He enjoys anything related to aviation and travel. His fascination with airplanes stemmed from visiting Kai Tak airport as a teenager. He has spent some of the happiest times of his life in the air.
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