Im an airline product geek, and I like to keep an updated list of some of the best products out there, ranging from the best first class lounges, to the best business class airlines, to the best business class lounges, to the best business class seats. In this post I wanted to share my updated…
Continue reading: The World’s Best First Class Airlines
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
There is a large gap between 6 and 7 onwards. To me JAL is better than EK, AF is probably the 6th, where EY and SQ are on par for 3rd and 4th. ANA is the 5th.
Thanks for great review! You can complete the list by adding BA, Saudia, Air India, Air China, China Eastern, XiamenAir and TAAG Angola - then you cover all existing FC in service which you experienced. I also look forward to reading your review on Starlux and Kuwait Airlines.
I bet TAAG would be the bottom of your list - as China Southern retired their FC.
Ben is perhaps the single best blogger to offer such a review. Yes, it is subjective and someone might sort the list differently. But, so are movie reviews. No negative comments please.
This is a great list. On a recent trip I was able to experience both Etihad's 787 first class as well as Air France La Premiere. ON past trips I've flown in Etihad's A380 First. Honestly, I think the Etihad 787 First is every bit as good as the A380, maybe better. The seat doesnt have the awkward design that the seat on the 380 has. It's very comfortable, private, and service tends to be every bit as good.
While I realize that this list was based on past experiences it seems having Oman on here is teasing a product that sadly won't even exist in a matter of days.
I love the fact that all your flights are paid for by yourself as I struggle to understand how someone can be objective when being 'gifted' the flight by the airline.
However, I struggle to believe that on the overwhelming majority of your EK flights that the crew were unaware of your presence as a blogger who would be reviewing the flight. This is as you have previously disclosed a close personal relationship with a senior EK crew member.
I would completely expect crew working in First Class to be that extra bit more attentive and professional when they know they are serving someone that will be reviewing their flight.
I'd say that while it is subjective, the reviews are thorough to the point where you are able rearrange the list to fit your own preferences and pick the carrier that offers the best amenities to your taste. Probably the best ranking list available on the web.
I am not sure about TAAG Angola, but Air India? Since when did they offer the first class?
Ben, while not the cheapest fare ever, Kuwait Airways has a ~$2100 one-way fare from Kuwait City to Manila most days (allowing for a visit to whatever First Class lounge is in KWI). Seems reasonable enough to tick off that experience if you so desire!
Ben, out of interest if you were to include the Emirates A380 and Singapore 777 first class products as distinct offerings in this list, roughly where do you think you would rank them? (Love the list by the way, slowly ticking some of them off!)
@ Paul -- That's a toughie! I'd say that Emirates' A380 first class would be in the top five, thanks to the shower and bar, and overall fun experience. Singapore's 777 first class is a bit trickier. I'd say it would probably be somewhere in position five to eight. The hard product isn't cutting edge at all, while the soft product is great. And thanks for the kind words! 🙂
@ Willem -- That's SUPER helpful, thank you! Maybe it's time to finally book Kuwait Airways then. Not to put you to work too much, but have you by any chance seen an attractive fare that incorporates KU A338 J and KU 77W F? :p Putting this near the top of my list of things to book!
@ Duck Ling -- Thanks for the feedback, and I see where you're coming from. Yes, I have a good friend is a former Emirates crew member (I met him on a flight, because of the great service he provided!), though he wasn't tipping off any other crew members. I mean, just look at my linked IAD-DXB review in Emirates' new first class, where I actually had pretty lousy service.
Service on Emirates is a mixed bag, and I've had some great experiences and some not-so-great experiences. I feel like I could tell if I was getting any sort of special service, and I just haven't ever gotten that feeling on Emirates (well, other than when I flew with my friend, which I also always disclosed).
@ Antwerp -- It is funny to think that Oman Air and Garuda Indonesia have a combined three planes with first class.
@ Jason -- Interesting take! Yeah, the Etihad A380 first class seat definitely doesn't utilize space well, but there is something about the cabin layout that can't help but have a "wow" factor every time for me.
@ Maxi -- Has anyone seen at least a halfway decent first class fare on Starlux? :p
You should include them anyway, even if it means some other airlines will get knocked off your Top 12 List (like LH...ah, how far they have fallen if they can't even crack the Top 10 when you leave other airline products out).
Hey Lucky, thanks for the reply 🙂
I do value your honesty in your reviews and this clears up that one little 'hmmm I wonder if...' that I had.
Here is a review of Air India first class by Ben but it is already 8 years old… I think Ben will review Air India’s new first class which will be deployed from 2024.
https://onemileatatime.com/air-india-first-class-review/
https://onemileatatime.com/news/new-air-india-first-business-class/
I have flown first more than one in LH, LX, Thai, Ethiad, Emirates, AF, BA and Signapore, and i have to say that LH continues to impress me most. Their hard product might not be as private and posh as others, but the absence of privacy creates, together with the staff's relaxed but personal - service oriented attitude an atmosphere that you don"t see on others. Not over the top "special" but of a "natural, genuine" friendlyness that feels really pleasant. Note - i'm not German, but i do speak German fluently and am very familiar with German cultural habits, that might contribute to my experience... Compared to others - LX is "friendly but distant (in french as well as in German) z", Thai, Emarates, Signapore artificial, BA not "artifically friendly" and AF has an "attitude", too proud of themselves (note - my French language and knowledge of French culture and habits is similar to what i told about German). S
Starlux deploys a359 to TPE-SIN and one way FC from TPE to SIN costs around 69000TWD = 2150 USD in cash. SIN to TPE costs a little bit higher.
You require positioning flight to TPE or SIN, and their service would be somewhat limited due to short duration, so this fare does not necessarily fit your purpose, but for your information.
Where would BA rate on your list - they have a large number of F seats in the air compared to say Etihad and Oman Air where the routes are severely limited so no use for heading from UK say to Australia/USA where the benefits of F would make sense?
Wow... ANA first class have gone down a lot compared to the last time you've updated it. I didn't hear a lot about the decline of their service element or whatsoever, so I assume that it's other airlines' product got better, which is good to know.
By the way... it's been a (somewhat) long time since you've last reviewed some of the first class products listed here, like Cathay Pacific, Garuda Indonesia, Korean Air and Oman Air. I wanted to ask you whether are you planning to fly on any of those again, I guess most of them are hard to get a reward seat.
While those aren't here, are you planning to fly on Etihad The Residence or Thai Airways first class again?
I’d love to see a review on Thai first clsss. And a refresher on which routes it exists on and how to book.
Haven’t seen one that incorporates both unfortunately, but check the usual suspects of ex-Cairo, ex-Istanbul, etc…
Not sure where KU flies the A338-neo that’s consistent but an hour’s research (or Flyertalk) should do the trick there!
What's all this hype about "privacy"? I wouldn't want to sit in an enclosed cave for 12 hours. I like the open floor plan of Lufthansa and Swiss as it always provides an opportunity for a chat with the crew members and excellent service. And that is the most important part for me in First Class.
After all: I can eat excellent food in the First Class Lounges and I can sleep just as well on a flat bed in Business Class.
First Class: it's all in the service.
This is easily doable. Amman - Manila (KU 562 and KU 417). The fare is consistently around JOD 1600 (USD 2250) for Royal class (eg., 2 May 2024).
I know Oman Air has stopped flying all their A330s, but there hasn't been an announcement that they are dropping first class altogether, i.e., even from their two 789s with a first class cabin, has there? I really hope not. I do wonder how long WY F will remain available. I hope at least until we find out if WY will join oneworld or not.
I also wonder how long Garuda Indonesia will continue to offer first class on that single 77W. In Marxh 2023, I got to fly on it in first class on an intra-Indonesia short hop, and I really enjoyed all the aspects Ben highlighted in his review of his long-haul experience.
Looking forward to your reviews of Starlux and Kuwait Airways first class, Ben!
So far Air France La Premiere. Wednesday flying Emirates JFK-MXP so will compare. My flights are almost always LAX/JFK to Italy/France so the first class options are limited. Singapore - never again. I was in Europe when my partner passed away. Our shared AmEx Platinum card on the same account was cancelled. They demanded to see the card on the return trip when they had all the money, and, as a result would not allow me to fly,.. They still owe me $1000's. A disgraceful airline.
If you want to brag that you fly international first class then the worst is Delta then American then ........
Man, check out that seat belt wrapped around the bed of the Korean Air suite. What the heck is that thing supposed to do for you if the plane crashes into the ground while you’re asleep?
I should admit that there is many criteria for each of us to say xhat is the best First Class airline. I particularly appreciate the fact you are took in charge by airline staff from peer to peer. Air France is for that the perfect company.
From the hotel to the exit of the airport there is always someone who takes care of you. You don't have to find where is the Check-in, where is the TSA control, where is the lounge or the door for the boarding. And this is for me one of the most important. I know that the hard is not the best, but relation with the crew and the staff is very important to be received as a friend.
I am very surprised that Air New Zealand have not (by your standards) rated at all. Whereas on most occasions ANZ has been No 1 at least on most occasions been in the top 2 airlines. How do you rate, since Top contenders ALWAYS pride in keeping in that top ranking!
Love this list, and your work in general. I appreciate how candid you are about what matters to you. I don't value privacy as much as you for example, so the more open configurations appeal to me, but since you make clear what matters to you I can adjust for that. When you update it next, would you consider adding a few words about which destinations the various airlines serve with the aircraft you prefer? Or the best search tool you recommend for readers to research that ourselves? Thanks!
I believe the first airline to introduce an enclosed flat-bed seat was the Imperial Russian Air Service in 1913 with the Sikorsky Ilya Muromets, although it was not in service for long.
Air France only provides on pillow in LP. There need to be at least two, and AF should fix that.
In the meantime, if you want an extra pillow (especially for their longest flight, the HND-CDG segment), there are only two extras on each flight, so be sure to ask early if you want one of them, because when the two are taken, you'll need to hope that there are unused pillows in business that the FA can snag for you.
well ive only done 4,5, and 6 so clearly I'm slacking and need to hit 1,2,3.
Also absolutely hilarious that Emirates did 9 planes with their flagship first class product in 9 years, meanwhile air france has already updated more planes to the new LP in the past 1.5 years. EK is a joke
"Also absolutely hilarious that Emirates did 9 planes with their flagship first class product in 9 years, meanwhile air france has already updated more planes to the new LP in the past 1.5 years."
I went to heart this comment, but the "Helpful" feature isn't working.
100% agree. I'm not sure I'd call Emirates a "joke" but at the very least, they're pretty misleading (cynical?) in using photos of a "new" product that's on <10% of their 777 aircraft to sell first class.
I totally disagree with JAL A350 "Impeccable Service" JAL first class has been the worst service I have ever had on a first class cabin ,and I'm not the only one indicating this .
@ ginob -- Worst service ever in first class? On a Japanese airline? Wow! My I ask what went wrong?
@Ben, although it is not purpose-built, how would you rate QR's F on board the ex-CX 777s? Would it be #10 too? Is CX's soft product better than QR's?
Side notes: Can't wait to try #10 later this year and #6 in 2027 for the first time! My only F experience so far was the old LH F (RIP award availability through *A).
@ hbilbao -- I'd say Cathay Pacific's first class soft product is better than Qatar Airways', so I'd still rank it higher. I'd say the ex-Cathay Pacific 777 and the Qatar Airways A380 first class hard products are roughly comparable, but I'm trying to stick to "native," purpose built products, rather than inherited planes that are temporarily being flown by an airline.
Enjoy your ANA and Qatar Airways flights! If you've only done old Lufthansa first class, then I think you're in for quite the treat! 🙂
Sorry, but La Première cannot reasonably be described as "perfection". Firstly, the new seats are ultra-buggy (especially the tablet that consistently malfunctions), and secondly and more egregiously, the wine list is utterly mediocre compared to competing F products, which is particularly insulting for the flag carrier of France of all countries.
I realise that this may sound like first-world problems, but a product that costs 15-20k USD per leg really does need to be perfect, and La Première simply isn't.
@ VladG -- There's no denying that Air France's wine selection isn't as impressive as Emirates', for example, you're absolutely right. As I said, I'm not factoring in value in this equation, given how variable pricing is (though Air France is consistently the highest priced).
So yes, maybe "perfection" is overstated, you're right. On balance, though, I think the cutting edge tech (including Starlink Wi-Fi) makes up for that, on balance. At this point Emirates' "new" first class is a decade old, and it's kind of embarrassing that it's still only installed on nine planes.
glad I did Japan and Singapore last year 🙂 .. next goal is Emirate and Ana
Honourable mention: Singapore First on 777
While this isn’t enclosed, same exceptional service as the A380 Suites, but with just 4 seats you essentially have a private cabin. Have had entire cabin to myself previously, and also had entire cabin to myself + traveling companions. PJ anyone
@ SSS -- I do also love Singapore's 777 first class, even though it's not that "flashy." I'm always amazed by how big that walkway is behind the single row of seats.
Too many mentions of fatty fat fat baleine de blanc. Any airline should be disqualified if they use that waddling flatulent diabolical beast.
Only done a few of these, definitely been a lot tougher since 2024/2025 to redeem points for F class on many of these
girl food .
Qantas and BA on the 380's and their respective lounges in Sydney and London plus engaging crews with personality deserve an honorable mention at least.
Lounges are not included in this comparison. Ben ranked Qantas SYD lounge #5.
Personally, my wife and I even loved the Melbourne lounge, but while I thoroughly enjoyed the A380 F, my wife was relatively unimpressed (it was very good but not great, in her mind).
Let’s not forget the delicious and super expensive Salon Champagne that JL offers in F Class
@ Jason -- Which is definitely awesome, but with only one bottle catered per flight (or have they upped it to two now?), it's a bit of a gimmick. Definitely not on Emirates' level, where they seemingly never run out of anything.
Only 1 unfortunately. I agree- a total gimmick. Last time out of ORD I received 2/3 of a glass as my side of the plane had a slower FA.
When it comes to long haul premium travel, people care about different things and weigh different categories immensely. For instance, I’d happily make sacrifices on lounge and soft product for a superior hard product, especially if sleep is desired. @Lucky can you go category by category? Hard product vs. on-board soft vs. ground?
@ Sel_D -- All good points! I'm rating ground product separately, with a post about the best first class lounges, and that incorporates the overall ground experience.
I think the issue is that even with hard product, it's so variable based on what you're looking to do on a flight. Do you value having a suite with a separate bed and seat? Do you just care about having the most comfortable bed? Are you traveling alone or with someone?
I do think the first three on the list are absolutely the best hard products in terms of balancing bed comfort and overall features.
Was surprised the Ethiad bed was so hard and narrow. A real drag on what was otherwise a great product.
On the flip side the qantas (not mentioned) bed is great even if the food is so so. I’d take the westbound flight down under above pretty much everything for the >10 hours of great uninterrupted rest!
@ michbob -- You're right, Qantas' beds are super comfortable. But with 15+ hour flights and the A380s still not consistently having Wi-Fi, I have a hard time giving the airline a top rating, at least for now.
Ben, I note the absence of Starlux First Class? Despite the fact that there's no bulkhead between First and Business, it certainly is a "proper" First in all other respects.
I don't think Ben has flown Starlux F yet. I remember some old posts where he mentioned the lack of reasonable points redemption options and absurd cash fares.
@ GM -- Yeah, I still desperately want to fly Starlux first class, and as I noted in the post, it's one of the two first class products in the world I haven't flown. I've still yet to find any sort of a deal on a Starlux first class long haul flight (as soon as I do, I'll try it!).
I certainly could be wrong, but I have a hard time imagining the product would make the list, when there's not even a curtain between first and business class. I say that not from an "exclusivity" standpoint, but in terms of noise, lights, etc.
So, you paid for all of your own flights, except the one ranked #1? That's a credibility problem.
Hi. You're new here.
Stay a spell, and get a lay of the land. Understand the history of Ben's flights, and get a sense of his disclosures (many), experience (much), and relationships (unparalleled in the blog world).
Then leave comments that don't cause you to embarrass yourself.
Ben clearly disclosed that AF's inaugural flight was not even available to the general public. Nobody could possibly buy a ticket, it was all by invitation only.
To be fair, Ben did disclose his flight on new la première was paid for Air France, but he also claims to have flown the product on his own dime since :" and it’s a product I’ve flown since and have paid for," however Ben did not review this one flight that he paid for, nor did he not disclose how much he paid for it, if indeed he did, considering his reluctance to pay for difficult to redeem first classes like Starlux. So I think the comment is actually justified and some clarifications are warranted.
One could too easily understand that in the difficult miles and point world, with a close collaborator having left for Air France, that there would be more ties that meet the eye between OMAAT and Air France that would justify or amplify the amount of raving.
To be fair, Ben did disclose his flight on new la première was paid for Air France, but he also claims to have flown the product on his own dime since :" and it’s a product I’ve flown since and have paid for," however Ben did not review this one flight that he paid for, nor did he not disclose how much he paid for it, if indeed he did, considering his reluctance to pay for difficult to redeem first classes like Starlux. So I think the comment is actually justified and some clarifications are warranted.
One could too easily understand that in the difficult miles and point world, with a close collaborator having left for Air France, that there would be more ties that meet the eye between OMAAT and Air France that would justify or amplify the amount of raving.
@ Barbarella -- I have Flying Blue Platinum status, so I can redeem for La Premiere. The awards are super expensive, but I take advantage of transfer bonuses, which helps a little bit with the value.
Tiffany's decision to work for Air France-KLM had nothing to do with me, and while I value her a lot as a person and friend, that certainly doesn't sway my objectivity on any product, and I don't think I've changed my tune on anything related to the airline.
Thanks for the clarification!
I was surprised to see you mentioned you flew the new product since the inaugural flight as I did not see you mention it elsewhere (I might have missed it) and I thought it would be valuable to your readership to learn how different or similar the product is when it's not the curated inaugural experience. It would also provide some return over investment to you considering the redemption cost.
Now, obviously your whole travel life is not on this blog and, for example, you don't share every burger you eat on a plane (wait actually you do ^^)
Oh, Willy… Gene’s been around since forever. Maybe he’s more of a feature at VFTW and LALF, but he’s an O.G.
@ Gene -- As I explained, it's a product I've also flown since, but I wanted to be very upfront in terms of what I disclose.
Let me perhaps explain it this way. Back in 2024 (when I last published my rankings), Air France's old first class was number three on my list, and that was when there wasn't even consistently Wi-Fi on the planes, and the tech was super outdated. When you add a new hard product with greatly updated tech and Starlink Wi-Fi, I think it's not too hard to figure out how one could come to the conclusion that it tops the list.
I have not flown AF First Class products. But all seats looks so misaligned to the facing ottoman/companion seat. Plus i like the pods with a door. Curtains just don't cut it for me. So listing it number one just doesn't cut it for me.
@ BBT -- And of course you're entitled to that take! I'm curious, what do you prefer about doors vs. curtains? I think the latter are actually much more functional in terms of their flexibility, and they also afford more privacy.
People knock on doors. How do you knock on curtains. If someone trips over the curtain your privacy is gone.
Again, I'm a pleb. So have not done much of first class traveling. But based on pictures and videos I would much rather prefer the lufthansa Allegris side seats to this.
@ BBT -- I hear you, but there's not generally much "knocking" going on with aircraft doors, as there's not really a practical way to do that, and the loud engine noise would make that hard to hear.
When you're in first class, you typically tell the crew if you'd like to be woken at a certain point for a meal, and then they'll wake up, regardless of whether there's a door or curtain.
I'd also say that a curtain provides more flexibility. For example, while you're having the meal, maybe you only want to use one of the two curtains, so that you don't feel too enclosed. With Emirates' A380 first class doors, for example, they have to move at the same time, and the electric movement can be quite slow.
And I've never heard of anyone tripping over a curtain, given the lack of foot traffic plus that they don't drag on the ground.
At least that's my experience. 🙂 I know curtains may not "seem" as good as doors, but I really think they're sort of genius, and are more functional all around.
Fair points, Ben. You've actually flown these products and I haven't, so I'll certainly defer to your experience on how well the curtains work in practice.
For me, I think it's less about whether curtains objectively provide more privacy and more about the psychological feeling of having a solid door. A door makes the space feel like an actual private suite, whereas a curtain, even a very effective one, still feels like a curtain to me.
That said, based purely on the photos and videos, I'd still take the enclosed feeling of the Allegris First Class side suites over Air France. Maybe actually flying La Première would change my mind. But still it take out of this world service for me to convince that's a number one for class product in the world.
Can AF be number one when it’s not excellent from every departure city? Ever flown LP from JFK?
@ NSS -- I have flown La Premiere from JFK. I'm curious, what was your issue with the experience? They escort you all the way from check-in to the gate (via the lounge), there's a dedicated first class lounge area with solid dining and elevated drinks, etc.
Let’s start with VIP One. Not a smooth, elevated experience, right? Waiting on the side of the line, hoping TSA notices you and lets you in. Then the escort put me through but he went to the back of the line with my carry-on, so I stood there waiting for him to emerge. Took about 10 minutes.
The lounge. So small. Are there even outlets? Sure, there was an attendant there. She brought me some food and a drink, and then spent the rest of the time attending to four other people, with lots of Hermes bags. She basically ingored me once they showed up. I dunno, maybe they were VIPs, but I still paid a lot for that ticket.
Escorted to the plane. Yes, in theory. The gentleman who brought me to the lounge from security asked if I wanted to board first or last, and then told me what time he’d pick me up. At 15 minutes past the time he said he’d get me, I left and walked to the gate. Now this is funny. When they saw my boarding card at the gate, they flipped out that I wasn’t with the escort and wouldn’t let me board until he arrived. To walk me down the teeny jetway and onto the plane.
FA? Great. Food? Good. Cayenne to the arrivals lounge? Excellent.
But from arriving at T1 until I was in my seat on the plane? Not good.
@ NSS -- I hear you, obviously the JFK ground experience isn't as good as at CDG. However, there's not an airline in the world that tries to elevate the outstation ground experience as much AF does, even if it's not always perfect. Virtually every other airline puts almost no effort into the first class ground experience.
Have you tried flying EK or JL out of JFK? They do nothing for first class passengers. I of course agree that Terminal 1 at JFK sucks, but that's hardly something that can directly be blamed on AF.
JAL first class on the A350 is the best not Air FranceS
@Jacob, maybe JAL First class would be best out of Tokyo only? Seats, service, and drinks are excellent but the food is questionable. I flew JAL first class in 777 out of ORD in 2019 and in A350 out of JFK in September of last year. I got the Western meal out of Chicago and it was excellent but later I ordered Japanese delicacies from the A La Carte menu and it was terrible. On my flight out of JFK I ordered the Japanese meal and it was terrible. And I love Japanese food! However, I ordered the Japanese meal in Business out of Tokyo in 2019 and it was excellent. My meal out of Tokyo in First last year was also excellent. Other people have also commented on the quality (or lack thereof) of the Japanese meals out of USA stations.