My experiences with domestic first class in mainland china has been better than that which I receive in the US.

Automatic lounge access along with first class security check (UA, AA, Delta all don't do this), and the previous poster is right just skip the line during boarding and hand them your first class boarding pass. Granted, the lounge might not be as fancy as LF's F int'l Departure terminal at FRA with massages, gourmet cuisine, and porsche chauffeur to the plane, but its still a nice place to relax, have a drink, and check your e-mail before the flight.

Plus, now with CA being a member of *A, along with Shanghai airlines, I can get all the *A privileges and miles credited to my account, which not too long ago no chinese airline was a member of ANY alliance.

And the seats are comparable to US domestic first class, but the service is better. Drinks are refilled with out asking, and I was explaining that I was hungry when asking for another roll, and the FA saw when I was done with the main dish, she brought another whole main course out for me!! Even on flights of 45 min or so they will still serve something like a fruit plate or something of the sort.

I also like, as a young man, that the FA's aren't 65 yr old women who I think are going to fall over when they bent over to pick up my glass (cough cough AA) but all these sweet cute chinese girls.

When purchasing I just look at the price on the Air China website, and just go to any travel agency office, even a few days before the flight i need to book departs (as fares don't fluctuate as they do in the states, and seats are almost NEVER sold out, in F or Y) and pay the same online price (its all gov't regulated in china anyways, so prices b/t different airlines are pretty uniform) plus like a 20-30 RMB (US$3-4) booking fee from the travel agency, and im on my way.

Overall, if you've managed to read to the bottom of my post, I find it just so much less of a hassle flying here in China than I do in the states. I flew in the states not too long ago and the people (airline staff & other pax) were just so rude, airports dilapidated, overpriced, being nickeled and dimed for anything and everything, and just left me with a foul taste in my mouth. and not from their horrid food.