I’m planning on traveling to Thailand in the near future. Or perhaps more accurately, I need to position to Thailand, in order to pick up another ticket originating in Bangkok (more on that soon, but feel free to guess). As I try to think of the most interesting ways to get to Bangkok, Thai Airways’ new first class comes to mind.
In this post I wanted to take an updated look at Thai Airways first class, given that a lot has changed since the start of the pandemic. The airline has gotten rid of all of its planes that had first class pre-pandemic, but has taken delivery of a few new jets with first class.
In this post:
Which Thai Airways planes have first class?
Nowadays Thai Airways exclusively has first class on three newly delivered Boeing 777-300ERs. The airline took delivery of all of these planes in 2022, and they’re the carrier’s only jets with first class. For what it’s worth, these planes have the registration codes HS-TTA, HS-TTB, and HS-TTC, should you want to track them.
Below you can get a sense of what the cabins are like on these planes. First class consists of eight seats in a 1-2-1 configuration. It’s a solid hard product, but also nothing out of the ordinary.
In the past, Thai Airways had first class on its Boeing 747s and Airbus A380s, but those have all been retired. Going back even earlier than that, Thai Airways used to have first class on some Airbus A340s and Boeing 777s, but those have all been retired or reconfigured.
So nowadays the airline literally just has first class on three 777s, which is quite a small fleet to have first class. There are no plans to install first class on more aircraft.
On which routes is Thai Airways first class available?
Thai Airways currently offers first class on just three routes. Specifically, you can find first class on flights between Bangkok (BKK) and:
- London, United Kingdom (LHR)
- Osaka, Japan (KIX)
- Tokyo Narita, Japan (NRT)
Only select frequencies to those destinations are operated by 777s have the first class product, so make sure you check the details for the flight you’re looking at. Also, these routes are subject to change.
Does Thai Airways still have a first class lounge & spa?
Back in the day, arguably the best part of Thai Airways first class was the ground experience, including the excellent first class lounge and spa. Not only were you escorted every step of the way on the ground, but you could get an hour-long full body massage, and even had a semi-private living room in the lounge.
Unfortunately both the first class lounge and spa have never reopened, and it seems like the plan is for this to stay shut permanently. Instead, first class passengers get access to a partitioned off area of the business class lounge, which features less crowding, more attentive service, and a la carte dining.
So the first class ground experience is still better than the business class ground experience, but not as good as the old setup.
Is there ever Thai Airways first class award space?
If you want to redeem miles for travel in Thai Airways first class, is that realistic? The bad news is that it’s much tougher than in the past. Back in the day, Thai Airways was consistently generous with releasing award space, especially at the last minute when there were unsold seats.
Nowadays Thai Airways seems to make at most one first class award seat available per flight to partner programs. Let me emphasize that this is the absolute most, and in some cases the airline doesn’t even make one seat available. Furthermore, it doesn’t matter how many unsold seats there are as the departure date approaches, as more seats won’t be made available.
So while it’s not impossible to find Thai Airways first class award space, it is really difficult, especially if you’re not planning far in advance.
The one thing I’m curious about is if Thai Airways’ own Royal Orchid Plus offers access to more availability? The program is a Citi ThankYou transfer partner, so it is pretty easy to earn those miles. It seems that one-way first class pricing would be 67,500 miles between Thailand and Japan, and 125,000 miles between Thailand and the United Kingdom.
Unfortunately you can’t search Thai Airways availability through Royal Orchid Plus unless you have a mileage balance, so if anyone has any insights, I’d appreciate it!
Bottom line
Thai Airways currently only offers first class on three Boeing 777s, which fly from Bangkok to London, Osaka, and Tokyo Narita. Pre-pandemic, the airline had first class on a lot more jets, but those are all not flying anymore. Unfortunately because of this small fleet, Thai Airways also no longer has its impressive first class lounge.
What do you make of Thai Airways first class? Has anyone seen any first class award availability lately?
I have some mileage in TG ROP so this is based on my take.
Thai consistently releases 1-2 seats of First Class to the TG ROP Member on each flight offering first class. Recently, if there are seats leftover closer to departure date, those seats are likely release to TG ROP member as well but these are manual release basis rather than automatic. Recently, I saw some LHR availability up to 2 seats closer...
I have some mileage in TG ROP so this is based on my take.
Thai consistently releases 1-2 seats of First Class to the TG ROP Member on each flight offering first class. Recently, if there are seats leftover closer to departure date, those seats are likely release to TG ROP member as well but these are manual release basis rather than automatic. Recently, I saw some LHR availability up to 2 seats closer to departure date (like 1 week away). It is suck that expertflyer no longer works with TG award availability though.
Lucky, I have a few thousand miles in the Royal Orchid program and am able to search for flights & see availability for flights beyond my points, although I didn't find any first class availability after a short search.
Might be worth a small transfer to make searches...
Saw 2 F award seats available last minute (2-3 days ahead of departure) - but only on Miles&More.
Did the BkK-LHR in F last month (booked via Aeroplan). Solid product, very long and comfy bed - food was quiet good as well (pre-ordered lobster thermidor) - nothing to complain but not outstanding as it was in the past (especially the ground experience in BKK is lacking)
Tmr, 13th 2 F available BKK-LHR with M&M. Unfortunately Air Canada shows "0" availability
Flew TG F exactly 2 weeks ago from LHR. Overall a good flight. The seat is a bit narrower than most F seats on 777s and nothing special but made a good bed. Service was attentive and good but not amazing. Food was actually very impressive.
I got it on points about 10 days in advance and they opened it up after looking for around a week so contrary to this article they do open up additional availability… however it does appear to be fairly rare.
Interesting- and, soon the new satellite passenger concourse called SAT-1 will be opening at Suvarnabhumi airport
Looks like last minute availability pops up too, at least from BKK.
Just as a data point, I see TG->UA BKK-LHR-ORD on 11/13 with the first leg in TG First for 154k UA Miles.
Another option, much less exciting, but Ethiopian has award space to BKK. If you can find a destination served by their A350's or 777's it'll let you review two products and complement your review of their fleet last week.
For a guess on why you need to position to BKK: You finally got your EVA account and are booked out of their BKK hub, through TPE, on to ORD.
This lets you review:
- Their BKK lounge (their only one not in TPE),
- EVA regional service on their A330 (which you haven't reviewed, but not sure if it is used on this route), or the 787/777 which you have reviewed,...
For a guess on why you need to position to BKK: You finally got your EVA account and are booked out of their BKK hub, through TPE, on to ORD.
This lets you review:
- Their BKK lounge (their only one not in TPE),
- EVA regional service on their A330 (which you haven't reviewed, but not sure if it is used on this route), or the 787/777 which you have reviewed, but not recently
- EVA's TPE lounges
- EVA Hello Kitty 777 service to ORD [I flew it in July, it felt very pared back]
Hi Ben - currently only one of the two THAI services to LHR currently have first class. TG 910 and 911. TG 916 and 917 don’t have first class currently.
THAI AIRWAYS 1ST CLASS …I loved my whole experience even more than QSUITES …From check in to having your own security and passport control for first class only..Then the special transportation to the lounge where you got your own studio and then the concierge ask if you like to eat before or after your 1 hour message …..there was so much more but for 40,000 United miles from BKK to SYD ( business was 30,000j it was the best use of miles ……awww memories
This.
Almost all my UA miles went on this. Or in fact, HKG-BKK-SYD or SIN-BKK-SYD and vice versa. Nothing but great things to say about the TG F experience. Very different from other F experiences in many ways, but right up there.
Ben - currently THAI only have first class on one of the London services: TG 910 and 911. TG 917 and 916 currently don’t have first class.
Why would you compare QSuite with 1st Class? It would be ridiculous to compare business class and 1st class products from the beginning.
I guess it would be the Residence, now everyone goes to BKK for the Residence, I just concluded my Residence trip last month, hope you have a good time! =)
Everyone should have the experience at least once. It is the
next level.
I flew it in February from BKK to KIX. I had a really reasonable one way business class revenue ticket and at the airport I asked the cost of a paid upgrade to F...was around $500. I took it for the novelty and to see how it compared to the old days. Seats were very nice and service was exceptional - though it was a red-eye so I did not engage much with what was...
I flew it in February from BKK to KIX. I had a really reasonable one way business class revenue ticket and at the airport I asked the cost of a paid upgrade to F...was around $500. I took it for the novelty and to see how it compared to the old days. Seats were very nice and service was exceptional - though it was a red-eye so I did not engage much with what was offered. Just myself and another person seated in F. The lounge was a joke in that special area...really was nothing. I did get escorted though both to the lounge and to the aircraft.
TG first class exclusively still exists because TG is obliged to operate these three airplanes for trips taken by the king and queen, and all senior royals with ‘chao fah’ titles whenever it pleases them.
Ben, It's very sporadic, the award space (looking on united), and when you find it jump on it. It's not like others that release last minute I usually have found it in my 5 times flying it 1-2 months before departure. Very weird I know. You will love the product and in BKK they have a private private part of the first class lounge which is my fav. They have always been so nice to me Thai so I hold a soft spot especially in F. Good luck
Is there a minimum mileage balance needed to search? As in would a 1,000 point transfer suffice or is there a minimum like LH Miles&More?
@ jhwptp -- Would be super helpful if someone knew! Happy to transfer 1,000 points if that's enough to search...
Yes Ben, 1,000 point is enough to search for award availability. I had my first class to Narita not long ago. Was happy with my flight, can check out my review in instagram at @fly_with_miles.
If its only flown on three routes, and almost impossible to book, what's the point of a review? Why not find a product that is more available?
@ Chris W -- Fair question. First of all, I do like to review all first class products, even if they are rare, since it's fun to compare them side-by-side. But real talk -- what actually is readily available across the Pacific nowadays? Very, very little...
I flew F BKK-KIX last year and it was still a fantastic experience.
FYI, it seems lifemiles and aeroplan cannot see F awards. I had to redeem with SQ miles (United also saw the space).
Why does it seem like East Asia in general hasn't resumed normal service? No awards available on CX, barely any CX First planes flying, no First at all between Japan and Australia, China still closed basically, etc.
Thai Airways release only 1 First Class seat per flight and it is usually booked when the award were released which is 340 days in advance.
However, they are also starting to release last minute first class award from BKK to LHR, if first class is not fully booked yet.
A minor point, but actual reviews of the first class seat suggest there are no doors - contrary to the marketing video.
Yes and the seats were purple with wood tones, much like the old seats.
Booked Thai First Class award through SAS a few months ago. Found the ticket in United search randomly. Also checked Thais Royal Orchid where it was available. Seems to me they are releasing 1 seat on each flight.”, available to all SA programs. Booked around July for late December.
I miss both the First and Business Class Spas at BKK. It was a real Thai Airways treat to get a massage as part of a ticket.
It's not just Thai First Class that seems to be difficult to find for award space, I'm finding award space for their business class lacking as well (at least for the routes and dates I am looking at, if anyone else notices otherwise please let me know). But understandable given their financial state.
So depressing to think of all the work they put into having such a great F product back in the day on so many of their planes and now it's all been tossed aside.
What routes are you looking at? Singapore notoriously is very last minute and Manila never opens. CGK,DPS, some of Europe are quite open