Which Airline has the best First Class in 2022 and What does the future First Class look like?
I am going to rank the top 5 First Class products by breaking down a First Class flight into the following category:
- Airport experience – True First Class experience should start before the flight and continue till you arrive at the airport.
- Seat – Functionality and Privacy
- Food & Beverage
- Products (Amenities, IFE, Wi-Fi)
- WOW Factor (unique features such as double suite, shower, or extra amenities)
Video of Top 5 First Class Flight
No 5. ANA
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:
How to fly ANA First Class for Less?
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.
- Flying ANA First Class from Tokyo to LA would cost 90,000 Lifemiles, which cost $1,238 (90k * 0.01375 cost per mile)
- Flying ANA Businesss Class from Tokyo to LA would cost 64,000 Lifemiles, which cost $880 (64k * 0.01375 cost per mile)
No 4. SWISS International Airlines
SWISS First Class scores 76% overall. SWISS has a great lounge in Zurich and offer a limo transfer service. It scores well in most categories but the product does lack of a bit of WOW factor when compared to what other competitors have 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.
How to fly SWISS First Class for Less?
Only Miles & More Senator elite members and above can redeem First Class on SWISS which makes it more difficult 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 to purchase 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 at least 45 days. For example, I paid $3,000 from Athens to Hong Kong via Zurich roundtrip on SWISS First Class.
No 3. Singapore Airlines
Singapore First Class scores 88% overall. It has the biggest suite with a separate seat and bed that can even convert into a double suite on their A380. The B777-300/ER features an older First Class product.
Singapore Airlines First Class scores high in every category except the airport experience which I think can be enhanced by adding a limo transfer and personal escort. Singapore Airlines have just opened the new renovated First Class Lounge and the Private Room in Changi Airport.
How to fly Singapore Airlines First Class for Less?
Singapore Airlines restrict most Star Alliance partners to redeem on its First Class. So the best way is to use KrisFlyer Miles of Singapore Airlines to redeem on First Class flights. There are many mileage transfer partners from credit cards and hotel programs to convert miles into Krisflyer miles. First Class availability is limited.
No 1. Emirates
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 factors 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 an 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 is supposed to be special but you may have to deal 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 the intimacy of other first class lounges.
How to fly Emirates First Class for Less?
You can use either Emirates or Qantas miles to redeem on First Class. These miles can be transferred from many credit cards and hotel programs.
Emirates is also offering upgrade during online check-in. You may able to find some reasonable offers.
No 1. Air France La Premiere
Air France La Premiere has been my favourite product for a long time. It doesn’t have the bling bling or shower or double suite. It is a very subtle luxury that only those who have 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 their first class passengers at formality, baggage delivery right up until 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!
How to fly Air France La Premiere for Less?
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.
Video of Top 5 First Class Flight
What’s your favourite First Class flight? Pls share with me in the comment below
It’s no wonder Emirates has top-of-the-line first class on their A380 and B777. I’ve been poking around the Emirates website and taking a look at both of their first-class experiences. While I have never flown first-class in my life, I think it is worth the high price. The other airlines sound like good experiences, but I must try flying Emirates, first class, at some point in my life.
Hi Sam, follow up:
If I’m flying from IAD to DXB on Aug 25, 2022 and then have a connecting journey from DXB to BRU on Aug 27, 2022. I’m wondering, how early would I be able to arrive at the airport and goto the Emirates first class lounge before my flight to BRU? Thanks.
You can go as early as you like.
So essentially I can stay pretty much 2 days at the lounge before my next flight? Wow, thanks in advance.
I am not sure but I think max 24 hrs.
I agree the Emirates Fully Enclosed First Class 777 Suite is a unique hard product. It is just a shame that it isn’t flown on ultra long haul routes by Emirates, where it would really shine given the ultra long haul routes enjoy better catering.
And while the Air France’s current La Premiere First Class Suite is unique with its full length curtains, it isn’t in the same class. Air France La Premiere provided a good experience at Singapore in terms of ground handing (buggy service and an escort that did feel token), its ground service at CDG was hit and miss. The La Premiere Salon is also over-rated in my view, but pretty. What disappointed me most with Air France La Premiere is the onboard catering isn’t as good as the marketing, even out of CDG.
And the loss of a toilet for First Class passengers so the crew can have one for their exclusive use is very French.
So while I like the novel solution of a curtain that provided a mostly private experience (albeit with holes passing crew and passengers can look through) it is not King of First Class in my view.
Thank you for your quick reply, Sam.
But “one-off experience?” … how about the million complaints about them on their Facebook page, and Gino, the person that replied to my original post, and agreed with me?!
Everyone does a hard product review, but what’s the use if you get treated like trash before boarding (if you ever get to or want to board)???
Thank you again!
At July 13. this year I flew Business Class with Qatar from Doha To Cebu, Philippines with a B 787.
I had booked a window place, but i could not have any look outside during the flight,
because they have darkened the windows with their central darkening equipment.
They opened the windows only at short Final. An individual opening of the window was impossible.
The B 787 is a very modern aircraft, but that was not a good idea. I was angry about that.
Hello Sam!
Could I get a reply from you on the below, which I already posted yesterday above?!
“Singapore Air is horrible!!!
They won’t let you redeem Kris Miles online, but cash and the miserable cash&miles works perfect.
Tried since March of this year JFK-FRA in business, and other destinations!
They never call back and reply to your emails 2 months later!
There are a million complaints about them on their Facebook page!!!
They used to be the best, but worse than the lowest budget airline, now!
They are 100% pure garbage, the way they treat their flyers!”
All airline reviewers like you Sam, say that SQ is the best, yet exactly the opposite is true!!
Thank you much, Sam!!
I don’t have anything else to add. My assessment of any airline is base on the product they provide. I remove any subjective element such as one off experience and focus on core product. You can certainly have your opinion base on your experience.
Really?!? What a surprise, your double number one is Emirates?! What a coincidence, the airline of Dubai, the city of your tax free residence and entrepreneur visa status is your number one, sorry double number one. What a surprise – try to be less at least a bit less obvious as the product hasn’t changed since it’s inception in 2007…
No surprises. Emirates First class and its features are unique in the industry and have been widely recognized by more travel blogs, industry experts and awards. I even include the negative aspect on Emirates First Class (airport experience) in my article to be fair.
Pls provide your full name and email next time to be more credible 🙂
Singapore Air is horrible!!!
They won’t let you redeem Kris Miles online, but cash and the miserable cash&miles works perfect.
Tried since March of this year JFK-FRA in business, and other destinations!
They never call back and reply to your emails 2 months later!
There are a million complaints about them on their Facebook page!!!
They used to be the best, but worse than the lowest budget airline, now!
They are 100% pure garbage, the way they treat their flyers!
totally agree !!! Especially on your comments on SQ ground experience !
Air France has absolutely the best first class experience concept from check in to baggage claim ! And that is how should be if you sell a first class
👍👍👍👍👍
Sam you have 2 no 1 spots Emirates n Air France. Both are great deserving of first spots. But not sure if it’s a typo
They both score 92% so they are both no.1
I don’t see the promotion on LifeMiles anymore. Have the offer expired already?
Lifemiles promotion will be back, almost on every month basis.
I have to admit, given you get a private “bedroom” with a double-bed basically in Zurich, how did Swiss not get 5 stars for the airport experience?!
Because the airport experience score also includes from outstations, not only from home base in ZRH. La Premiere is the only one with personal escort and priority in every station.
What airline is the cover photo?
It is a conceptual seat not in use by any airline.
I think it was an inspired SQ suite class which was speculation of the new suites until officially 2017 announced as per number 3 spot
Can you still pay for upgrade with cash if you have used award miles for the ticket? Thanks in advance.
Generally difficult. But I’ve seen during online check-in, some like Air France do offer award tickets an “upsell” opportunity. But I do not know they’d offer all the time.