I’m 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 ranking of the world’s best first class airlines, reflecting the status of things in 2024.
First, I wanted to talk briefly about my method for ranking first class airlines, and then I’ll get into my rankings, with an explanation of each.
In this post:
Why you should trust OMAAT flight reviews
Hopefully, I don’t have to explain this to regular OMAAT readers, but I feel like this is worth mentioning for those who aren’t regular readers…
All the time I see mainstream media outlets ranking different first class airlines, though almost without exception they’re just going off stock media images and how airlines describe their first class products, rather than actual firsthand experience.
Why should you trust OMAAT flight reviews?
- I pay for all of my own flight tickets, either with cash or miles
- I’ve flown every single first class airline that I rank, and for that matter have flown almost every single first class product in the world (the only exceptions are Kuwait Airways and Starlux Airlines first class)
- I don’t have any sort of financial relationship with any airline
- This is my passion, I’ve been reviewing airlines for 16+ years, I’ve written hundreds of flight reviews, and have logged millions of miles
There aren’t many sites that can say all of the above, and in the case of some other rating agencies (like Skytrax), I certainly wish we’d see a bit more transparency regarding the financial relationship they have with the airlines they rank.
My method for ranking first class airlines
Let me note upfront that my reviews are subjective, and that’s by design.
Some might say “well you should make this as objective as possible and use a scorecard to rank them.” I certainly could, but I don’t think that does justice to the special touches that some airlines offer, and also the variability in the experience from flight-to-flight.
A lot of what makes a first class experience great isn’t something you can rank on a scorecard, but rather is this intangible feeling you get when flying an airline, where you feel “wow, they really get it.” As far as I’m concerned, airlines also deserve bonus points for consistency across various flights, because it’s nice to know exactly what you’ll get.
The other issue is that the top first class products are all really exceptional. On a 100 points scale, I suspect all of these airlines would score a 90+ from me.
To give an example of the issue with a scorecard approach, inflight Wi-Fi is something I personally value, but not all of the airlines offer it in first class. If I said Wi-Fi was worth 10 points on a 100 point scale, that would automatically put any airline without it in last place, and that doesn’t seem right, since it’s something that many people don’t care about.
Again, I’m admitting my rankings are subjective, and what I rank #1 may be #10 for you, and vice versa. And that’s totally fine — I don’t think that makes anyone wrong.
I’ve taken flights on every single one of the airlines on the below list and said “that’s one of the best flights I’ve ever taken.” If anything, I recommend the takeaway from this being the airlines that I put in the top 12, rather than the very specific ranking of them.
The world’s 12 best first class airlines
With the above explanation out of the way, below are what I consider to be the 12 best first class airlines, starting with the best. Let me emphasize that the post is specific to the onboard experience, and I rank first class lounges separately. You can click on each headline to read a review of that product.
1. Emirates first class (Boeing 777-300ER)
Emirates introduced its new first class on select Boeing 777-300ERs several years ago, and the product is spectacular. Emirates is the first airline to introduce truly fully enclosed suites in first class.
The suites don’t just have doors that add privacy, but rather are enclosed floor-to-ceiling (Air France has curtains that go floor-to-ceiling, but I consider that to be different). As someone who values privacy, I love that.
The seat is also thoughtfully designed, with impeccable attention to detail. The suite is spacious, the TV screen huge, the bed extremely comfortable, and you can control the lighting and temperature in the suite.
The soft product is also hard to beat, from free-flowing Dom Perignon, to a dine on-demand menu with all kinds of great options (including unlimited caviar).
While Emirates A380s don’t have seats that are as impressive, they have the advantage of having onboard showers and an onboard bar, so that’s a treat as well.
The only issue is how few Emirates 777s have these suites. Emirates only has these first class suites on nine of its planes, and there are no plans to retrofit existing planes with these seats. Upcoming Boeing 777Xs should feature these seats, but those won’t join Emirates’ fleet until late 2025 at the earliest.
2. Japan Airlines first class (Airbus A350-1000)
Japan Airlines just recently introduced its Airbus A350-1000s, which are the carrier’s new flagship aircraft. These planes have all-new cabins, including a brand new first class, which is spectacular. The first class cabin consists of just six seats, in a 1-1-1 configuration, and this really takes usable first class space to a whole new level.
The first class suite is massive, wide enough to seat two people on a couch, plus one person on an ottoman. Not only is the suite huge, but the design is so thoughtful, with incredible tech, including a massive 43″ 4K television, bluetooth audio, headrest speakers, a tail camera, complimentary Wi-Fi, and more. The bed is also super comfortable, and you even have your choice of a firm of soft mattress pad.
On top of that, since this is a Japanese airline, you can expect impeccable service, and delicious food and drinks.
Look, I have to be honest, I’m really struggling whether to rank Emirates or Japan Airlines as the top first class product, because I think both are exceptional, and I can’t really decide. On Emirates, I prefer how the suites are fully enclosed, how there are individual air nozzles, the entertainment, and how the dining and drinks offered are more consistent. On Japan Airlines, I far prefer the tech, flying the A350 (which is quiet and has a tail camera), the amount of personal space, and the consistently perfect Japanese service.
3. Air France first class (Boeing 777-300ER)
There are great first class products, and then there’s the perfection that is Air France first class. Air France’s Boeing 777-300ER first class cabin consists of a single row of seats, in a 1-2-1 configuration. The cabin is so elegant, and rather than offering suites with doors, the airline instead has curtains you can pull around your suite.
What really sets apart Air France is the first class soft product. The food is among the best you’ll find on any airline, the service is flawless and oh-so-French, and every part of the experience is thought out.
When it’s time to sleep, Air France has some of the most comfortable bedding in the sky, and I love being able to draw a curtain around my seat for privacy.
The way I see it, Air France first class is the world’s most well-rounded first class product. While I do think Emirates and Japan Airlines win in terms of the onboard experience, Air France still offers the world’s most well-rounded first class experience, given that the airline offers the world’s best first class lounge experience at its Paris Charles de Gaulle hub.
Perhaps most exciting is that Air France has plans to introduce a new first class product, which should start to be installed on select Boeing 777s in the next year or so. I can’t wait to learn more details about this, as I wouldn’t be surprised if this puts Air France in the number one spot.
4. Singapore Airlines Suites (Airbus A380)
Singapore Airlines is known for being one of the best airlines in the world, and the carrier is particularly known for its Airbus A380 Suites. Singapore Airlines’ A380s have just six first class seats, spread across three rows on the upper deck, in a 1-1 layout. The airline dedicates more square footage to each first class passenger than any other airline.
Each Suite has both a seat and a separate bed, which is a mighty nice feature.
What’s even more special is that if you’re traveling with someone, you can actually create a double suite, so that you have an extra large bed. This is by far the world’s best first class product for those traveling with a companion. What’s not to love here?!
On a good day, Singapore’s Suites might be the best first class soft product in the world. On a lunch or dinner flight departing Singapore the catering is typically excellent, and there’s usually caviar, satay, etc. You can even “book the cook” in advance, and order from a huge menu that’s not otherwise available onboard.
Singapore Airlines also has an amazing champagne selection, with the choice of three options.
Service on Singapore Airlines is typically excellent as well, among the best in the world.
Based on the above, you might wonder why I’m not ranking this as the world’s best first class product. While this is an exceptionally good product, there are some things I don’t love about it. For example, each passenger is allocated such a huge space, though I wish that Singapore Airlines actually made the bed larger and more comfortable, as it’s not particularly big.
This is still a world class product, all things considered. However, despite the amount of space Singapore Airlines invested in the Suites, I can’t help but feel disappointed in the fact that the space wasn’t used in a more creative way, to create the world’s most comfortable bed on a plane. The airline certainly had the space to do so.
5. Etihad Airways first class (Airbus A380)
Etihad was the first airline to have a single-aisle configuration in first class on its Airbus A380s.
The First Class “Apartments,” as they’re called, will take your breath away. I remember being speechless the first time I boarded an Etihad A380.
Etihad has a dine on demand menu with some customization options, an onboard shower, and the second most square footage dedicated to each first class passenger.
However, there are some areas where Etihad is style over substance, in my opinion. While the suite is huge, it isn’t actually that practically designed, as the seat doesn’t recline that far back, and the bed isn’t that large. This is the same issue I have with Singapore’s new Suites.
Etihad unfortunately just has a very small Airbus A380 fleet. The planes fly exclusively on select frequencies to London (LHR) and New York (JFK). Note that Etihad’s A380 first class hard product is much better than what you’ll find on the Boeing 787s with first class.
6. All Nippon Airways first class (Boeing 777-300ER)
All Nippon Airways has an excellent first class product on a portion of its Boeing 777-300ER fleet. The seats are perfectly comfortable and competitive, with privacy doors, huge televisions, and functional design.
However, it’s the soft product that really delights, from excellent amenities, to complimentary Wi-Fi, to unbelievably good food, service, and drinks (including Krug champagne). Japan is such a special country, and you really feel that on ANA.
7. Cathay Pacific first class (Boeing 777-300ER)
Cathay Pacific exclusively has first class on Boeing 777-300ERs. First class has just six seats, in a 1-1-1 configuration. While the seats aren’t fully enclosed, they’re angled away from the aisle and sufficiently spacious so that there’s no need for them to be. It makes the product feel less claustrophobic, which I appreciate.
Cathay Pacific has one of the most comfortable beds in the sky — the bed is wide, and the bedding is some of the best out there.
I also love the ability to dine face-to-face with a companion. Caviar and good champagne at 37,000 feet is a heck of a date night. I also appreciate that Cathay Pacific offers a full meal service even on departures in the middle of the night.
Cathay Pacific crews are also consistent and attentive. They’re always there during the meals, and when you need something during the flight, they appear in just a couple of seconds after pushing the call button.
Unfortunately the only catch is that Cathay Pacific’s first class is only available on few routes. So while Cathay Pacific first class used to be easy to book with miles back in the day, that’s no longer the case. Cathay Pacific is expected to introduce an all-new first class on its upcoming Boeing 777Xs, and I can’t wait to learn the details.
8. Garuda Indonesia first class (Boeing 777-300ER)
Garuda Indonesia offers an excellent first class product, though the catch is that it’s currently only available on a single Boeing 777-300ER, flying between Jakarta and Amsterdam. So first class products don’t get much more exclusive than this, in terms of the number of people who can try it.
Garuda Indonesia’s hard product is perfectly nice but nothing amazing, as it consists of suites with doors. It’s certainly not as remarkable as some of the other hard products on the list.
But everything about the soft product is perfection. I find Garuda Indonesia to have among the best flight attendants of any airline, and the airline even has an onboard chef in first class.
The airline offers tasty food, great wine pairings, exceptional presentation, free Wi-Fi for first class passengers, etc.
But really it’s the crews that make the experience. Many surveys rank Garuda Indonesia as having the best cabin crew, and I have to agree. The warmth of the Garuda Indonesia flight attendants I had on both of my first class flights was unrivaled.
The only area where Garuda Indonesia can improve is with its bedding. While it’s good, it’s not nearly as plush as what some other airlines offer.
Now, the catch is that Garuda Indonesia has been doing some cost cutting in recent years, so it’s my understanding that the experience isn’t quite as great as it was in the past. Between that and how rare this product is, I’m not ranking it quite as high as in the past.
9. SWISS first class (Boeing 777-300ER)
Among the Lufthansa Group airlines, SWISS definitely has the edge when it comes to its first class product. The carrier’s best first class can be found on the Boeing 777-300ER, which has eight first class seats, in a 1-2-1 configuration.
The food presentation and quality are definitely higher-end feeling than on Lufthansa, even though the airline doesn’t consistently have caviar.
I find service on SWISS to generally be quite good, in line with what you’d expect. SWISS’ first class bedding is plush and comfortable, so a great night of sleep on SWISS is a given.
10. Korean Air first class (Boeing 747-8)
Korean Air offers a consistent first class product. By far my favorite first class cabin offered by the airline is on the Boeing 747-8, where there are just six seats in the nose of the plane.
The seats are spacious, the amenities are excellent, and the food and drinks are very good as well.
The only thing I don’t love about Korean Air is their entertainment selection and lack of Wi-Fi.
The good news is that this product should still be around for a while, as Korean Air plans to keep 747-8s into the 2030s.
11. Lufthansa first class (Boeing 747-8)
Maybe I’m biased due to my German background, but I love Lufthansa first class for how consistent it is. No, Lufthansa doesn’t have the most private first class seats out there, but the cabins are elegant (in a German way), the service is among the best of any western airline, and the airline is remarkably consistent in terms of its offerings.
There’s just something about the pre-flight champagne, nuts, and roses that makes me feel like I’m at home in Lufthansa first class.
Lufthansa has great bedding in first class, and offers first class passengers free Wi-Fi, and it’s even quite fast. The airline offers first class on Boeing 747-8s, Airbus A340-600s, and Airbus A380s, and soon on select Airbus A350-900s, which will feature an all-new first class product.
12. Oman Air first class (Boeing 787-9)
Several years ago, Oman Air introduced a new first class product, which is primarily on Boeing 787-9s flying between Muscat and London. The cabin consists of eight seats in a 1-2-1 configuration. These aren’t the most spacious seats, but they’re very comfortable and have a sleek design.
What makes Oman Air so great is the soft product — Cristal champagne, an incredibly customized menu that you can order in advance, and some beautiful Omani touches.
Bottom line
There you have it. Those are what I consider to be the world’s 12 best first class airline products. I’d like to once again emphasize that I think anyone would be reasonable to think that the above products should be in a different order, but hopefully this is at least a useful list in terms of the 12 all around best first class products.
For anyone curious, I think I know what I’d rank as the next three first class products (13-15), roughly in order — Qatar, Qantas, and Thai.
What do you rank as the world’s best first class airlines?
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.
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...
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.
I could've sworn Etihad was not up so high in the last iteration. I vaguely remember ANA being 3rd or 4th, possibly above SQ as well.
I wonder if it's the recency bias of having compared JAL's new F which makes ANA seem that much more inferior in comparison.
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?
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,...
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
Should be named "The World’s Best First Class Airline Products".
The big question is how Starlux would rank on that list.
@ Maxi -- Has anyone seen at least a halfway decent first class fare on Starlux? :p
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.
And also for TPE-NRT. I believe you get the full FC ground experience regardless of long or short haul, which includes the Huan Yu VIP Terminal, which I don't think he's ever reviewed.
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! :-)
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).
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!
@ 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!
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!
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).
ex-Cairo has some A330 days as well for a similar fare!
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...
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.
@ 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...
@ 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).
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.
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.
@ Antwerp -- It is funny to think that Oman Air and Garuda Indonesia have a combined three planes with first class.
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...
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!
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.
@ 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.
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.
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.
@ Lee -- You're very kind, thank you!
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.
I am not sure about TAAG Angola, but Air India? Since when did they offer the first class?
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/
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.
We await your full report.