Last week, I posed the question of whether I should spend an absolute fortune to fly Air Côte d’Ivoire for a day. As I explained, on my current review trip, I had a couple of extra days in Europe, and one option was to fly the fascinating Air Côte d’Ivoire Airbus A330-900neo between Paris (CDG) and Abidjan (ABJ), one direction in first class, and one direction in business class.
It would’ve been really expensive, but this is an airline that interests me, and in particular, I’m intrigued by the airline having a first class product, since I make it a goal to fly every first class product in the world. Well, I want to provide an explanation for my decision, because you guys provided an absolutely incredible amount of feedback.
In this post:
The four reasons I decided against flying to Côte d’Ivoire
I just shared some initial thoughts on two Paris hotels — SAX Paris, Hilton LXR, and Hotel du Louvre, Hyatt Unbound Collection. As you may have guessed, that means I chose to spend two nights in Paris, rather than taking this trip on Air Côte d’Ivoire.
The question of whether to fly Air Côte d’Ivoire wasn’t just engagement bait, or whatever you’d like to call it. Instead, the feedback is the reason I ultimately decided against that side trip. Specifically, the following points were what swayed me:
- If I’m going to spend a fortune to fly Air Côte d’Ivoire, it would be nice to actually visit the country, and spend a couple of days on the ground in Côte d’Ivoire; based on the rest of my flight schedule, it would’ve been a direct turn this time around, which seems like a shame
- Given the Air Côte d’Ivoire and YouTuber drama, plus my drama with said YouTuber (well, he never released the “OMAAT files,” so maybe former drama?), I felt like this wasn’t the right time to give the airline a fair shake; specifically, I’m expecting that Air Côte d’Ivoire first class will disappoint, and I didn’t want to add fuel to the fire, to said YouTuber’s unrelated “scam” drama
- The Côte d’Ivoire visa processing time would’ve gotten iffy; while the government website says it typically takes two business days, I wondered if it’s typically quite a bit faster, but most feedback I received suggested it does usually take that long
- While Air Côte d’Ivoire is almost certainly a government vanity project, one has to assume that the airline will lower its first class pricing eventually, given how expensive it is in relation to business class, while also being more of a “business class plus” hard product, so maybe it’s worth waiting for some movement there
My Air Côte d’Ivoire and Starlux first class mission remains!
While it won’t happen in 2025, my goal in the first part of 2026 is to fly first class on both Air Côte d’Ivoire and Starlux Airlines. Of all the airlines in the world that offer first class, those are the only two I haven’t flown.
Funny enough, these are both “business class plus” hard products with very steep pricing, no curtains between cabins, no practical way to redeem points, and no way to position creatively to get a good fare. I’d love to see some positive movement there in terms of pricing or redemption opportunities, but I’m not counting on it, unfortunately.
I really struggle with Starlux, because I have two options:
- Starlux sells first class tickets within Asia, which are around $2,500 one-way; it’s the cheapest way to fly the airline in first class, but you also don’t get the full experience
- Starlux first class on transpacific flights costs $8,000+ one-way, and I’ve never paid that much for a ticket, and would certainly prefer not to spend that much, especially on an airline where the hard product just doesn’t impress
But as someone who “gets me” recently pointed out in a message, I’m a bit of a “completist,” so at some point I just have to look at it as an overall investment in completing the goal of having tried every first class product. But still, ugh…
Bottom line
I appreciate all the feedback the OMAAT community provided on my plan to fly Air Côte d’Ivoire first and business class. I absolutely still want to fly with the airline, but this just wasn’t the right time, based on a variety of factors.
It’s funny how Air Côte d’Ivoire and Starlux have so many similarities with their first class products, and they’re also the only two in the world I haven’t flown. I absolutely plan to change that in 2026…
I think there's another international first class product you haven't yet flown: Air Algérie, on a subset of their A330s. They sell separate F, J and Y products on the Paris flights operated by A330s (not the 737 flights of course). This is NOT the layout on AeroLOPA - the seat map in a dummy booking shows a different layout (and different layouts in 2-2-2 F vs 2-3-2 J, so it's a different hard product)....
I think there's another international first class product you haven't yet flown: Air Algérie, on a subset of their A330s. They sell separate F, J and Y products on the Paris flights operated by A330s (not the 737 flights of course). This is NOT the layout on AeroLOPA - the seat map in a dummy booking shows a different layout (and different layouts in 2-2-2 F vs 2-3-2 J, so it's a different hard product). Planespotters .net also shows that a subfleet is F12C40Y211 as opposed to C18W14Y219. Their website includes few details about either product, and most online photos I found were of the newer C18W14Y219 configuration.
You can find these flights by searching Paris - ALG (select any class), then after running the search select "Modify Search" and change class to "Generic." Then you'll see flights offering 3-class F/J/Y. Unlikely to be the world's best, but the hard product is at least as differentiated between J and F as Air Côte d'Ivoire or Starlux.
If you try starlux you should try the full experience including checking in a luggage and taking the flight from LAX. Heard they use a private terminal at LAX and Taipei? And the luggages are put into crates so it doesn't touches the belt. And the ground service includes some kind of porter to handle your luggage. Would be interesting to read about the full experience as you often leave out luggage handling in your reviews
I'm biased, but I do hope you'll be able to make this trip work in the future.
Agree that the Côte d'Ivoire flight would be of little value to your readers; the vanity project also serves to provide exclusive service to the government elite, so the list price for outsiders is likely to remain high.
Isn't Starlux First class very similar to BA First class on their 787s ?
No airline ticket in any class is worth $8,000 IMO.
I flew JAL F in September using AA points. You have raved about it, but it is not worth the cash value in my book and I would never pay for it at the price points JAL asks. Invest that $8K in Netflix stocks instead.
A Starlux review would be useful and interesting. So would an Ivory Coast city trip review. The airline, however, would just be a weird review that is of entertainment value but no useful value.
Let's face it, this review wouldn't have much value (except the entertainment aspect of it!) for most of us. You did the right thing, and yes their price point will get down or this product will be terminated.
Starlux unfortunately doesn’t seem to be on track to reduce First Class fares, they seem perfectly happy to fly the cabin empty (for now)
If they were to announce a rebranding of it to business plus would that force your hand to fly them before the switch happens?
Ha that’s actually a very funny thought. It’s first class now but in 2026 it’s going to be rebranded as business plus. Should Ben fly it prior
Ben, you might want to refrain from dissing the airline ("will disappoint") and the government ("vanity project") before visiting, as you don't need another Egypt-type situation.
@ Jack -- I hear you, though with the number of parties often angry at my for expressing my opinions, at some point there's not a whole lot I can say anymore!
I said I'm "expecting" it "will disappoint," and I think that's not an unreasonable expectation. I mean, there's not even a curtain between first and business class, and it's just a bulkhead business class seat, essentially, like the Virgin Atlantic Retreat Suite. It...
@ Jack -- I hear you, though with the number of parties often angry at my for expressing my opinions, at some point there's not a whole lot I can say anymore!
I said I'm "expecting" it "will disappoint," and I think that's not an unreasonable expectation. I mean, there's not even a curtain between first and business class, and it's just a bulkhead business class seat, essentially, like the Virgin Atlantic Retreat Suite. It seems better to go in with those low expectations, rather than to expect something amazing.
Regarding vanity projects, Air Côte d’Ivoire is following the Air Senegal and Air Tanzania model, and that has not been a success, to put it mildly. Here we see the airline operating in a market that's well served by Air France, an airline that has great recognition in the country. It's hard to make sense of what else it could be. Surely the airline doesn't expect to turn a profit?
I find that when you expect it to disappoint it usually surprises and vice versa.
@Ben I'll have to disagree with you on this one.
Air Côte d'Ivoire has had a different path than Air Senegal and is fairly successful in the region with 52percent of the market in it's areas of operation.
The airline patiently spent a decade building a respectable network in west and central africa before thinking about expanding to intercontinental routes. Much unlike Air Senegal who rushed to Paris and New york shortly after...
@Ben I'll have to disagree with you on this one.
Air Côte d'Ivoire has had a different path than Air Senegal and is fairly successful in the region with 52percent of the market in it's areas of operation.
The airline patiently spent a decade building a respectable network in west and central africa before thinking about expanding to intercontinental routes. Much unlike Air Senegal who rushed to Paris and New york shortly after debuting operations.
The difference in strategies between the two airlines shows as Air Senegal is currently in financial turmoil, risking a repossession of it's widebodies for debt to the lessors while Air Côte d'Ivoire is breaking even after having recovered from the pandemic.
I do agree with you and most people on the fact that The F product is overpriced and an Airline this young should look for profitability over prestige but I very much believe is Air Côte d'Ivoire's ability to become a profitable and successful airline, even if it might take them recategorizing of walking back their "First Class" offering.
Honestly I love reading your blog (have done for a decade) but it pains me to think about you spending all that money for business class products (completeness or not). That’s all they are! They’re like flying the front row on Qantas and getting th bigger bulkhead. Even paying $2500 for an intra Asia flight seems crazy.
Just my opinion but “first class” is not a slightly larger screen for an extra x grand....
Honestly I love reading your blog (have done for a decade) but it pains me to think about you spending all that money for business class products (completeness or not). That’s all they are! They’re like flying the front row on Qantas and getting th bigger bulkhead. Even paying $2500 for an intra Asia flight seems crazy.
Just my opinion but “first class” is not a slightly larger screen for an extra x grand.
And I love the normal differention for first class even for budget products like American and even Lufthansa.
Starlux and and air Côte d’Ivoire aren’t close to this level. Noting I’d love to read a review of the latter just like I’ve read th Angola review multiple times.
I’d love to read a plain business class review of air Côte d’Ivoire is what I meant. Airport, lounge etc. the first class addition isn’t exciting for me
@ Mick -- If it were possible to just book a reasonably priced one-way business class ticket on the airline, that's what I would've done. The issue is that the carrier has very high one-way fares, so I had to fly roundtrip to get the best price.
So in those situations, I think of the incremental value of an extra flight. A second flight in the carrier's business class gets me very little extra...
@ Mick -- If it were possible to just book a reasonably priced one-way business class ticket on the airline, that's what I would've done. The issue is that the carrier has very high one-way fares, so I had to fly roundtrip to get the best price.
So in those situations, I think of the incremental value of an extra flight. A second flight in the carrier's business class gets me very little extra content, so at that point, I figure first class is also worth giving a shot. But yeah, I agree, it does seem like a waste.
I'm not sure if you would call a one-way business class at 2k reasonable, but if so you can get that by buying a return ticket with business class out and economy back, and skip the return leg.
Ah yes that makes sense. Thanks for the reply. I’m not whinging. I love the blog and the reviews of the stranger airlines.
But you could've flown W out and J back, and it would've been of interest to more people than a mediocre F product basically designed for NGO/Ivorian govt dignitaries.
Granted the F product is poorly maintained, but don't spread misinformation. The Ivorian air force has several VIP transport planes for your dignitaries.
Why were you ok with flying Air Côte d’Ivoire round trip between CDG and ABJ to try their F/J product, but not willing to do the same w/ Starlux?
If you book a SE Asia originating connection RT to the US, Starlux falls to that $5k price point. I think this would be very valuable as you’d get to test both the short haul vs long haul F products, their F product at outstations in...
Why were you ok with flying Air Côte d’Ivoire round trip between CDG and ABJ to try their F/J product, but not willing to do the same w/ Starlux?
If you book a SE Asia originating connection RT to the US, Starlux falls to that $5k price point. I think this would be very valuable as you’d get to test both the short haul vs long haul F products, their F product at outstations in both the US and Asia.
Furthermore, since you seem to be so into Alaska Atmos these days, you can credit a lot of miles back to Atmos as well. Seems like a win-win to me. And Starlux will almost definitely be a vastly better product than Air Côte d’Ivoire. Seems really weird that you say you want to try Starlux F out, but don’t consider these options. $5k for SE Asia RT in Starlux F seems like a great deal to me imo.
@ yoloswag420 — I think we’ve had this discussion before? :-) Because it’s $10K for reviewing one product, vs. $5K for reviewing two products (and I didn’t even end up doing this). Furthermore, Starlux first class isn’t a mystery to me — I’ve flown the airline, I’ve seen the seat in person, and I have a sense of what the soft product is like. To me that makes it less intriguing. That being said, if...
@ yoloswag420 — I think we’ve had this discussion before? :-) Because it’s $10K for reviewing one product, vs. $5K for reviewing two products (and I didn’t even end up doing this). Furthermore, Starlux first class isn’t a mystery to me — I’ve flown the airline, I’ve seen the seat in person, and I have a sense of what the soft product is like. To me that makes it less intriguing. That being said, if I could book Starlux one-way for $5K I’d do it, but needing to book roundtrip is what’s the deal breaker for me.
When you do go to the Ivory Coast, you really should visit The Basilica of Our Lady of Peace in Yamoussoukro and stay at the weird Hotel President.
The former leader of the country decided to build a new capital city located on the site of his jungle village birthplace, built a huge basilica modeled after St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, and 5 star hotel. It's a bizarre capital and well worth seeing, it just takes a bit of effort as it's a few hours from Abidjan.
@ gavinmac — I’m intrigued!
Hi ben. You can test "ART Luxury bus" service from Abidjan to Yamoussoukro if you ever choose to visit Yamoussoukro. They are a Premium bus service in Côte d'Ivoire.
there's a sixty minutes segment on this..
maybe this frees up time for a little l'ambroisie dinner in paris? you'll love it