MareLuce

What are the differences that you value or especially notice on British Airways when you upgrade from Business class (Club World?) to First class ?

I realize the factual differences are detailed online.
https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb...es/first/first
https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb...ess/club-world

My question is: Which differences did you especially notice or value ?

Context:
- I'll be traveling Austin to Heathrow round trip, paying with my Chase Sapphire Reserve card, not cash.
- In Austin I don't know what BA includes for business or first class
- Unique to Heathrow T5, there is The First Wing
https://www.britishairways.com/en-us...the-first-wing
- Cost difference = $2,813 for business or $3,513 for first.

TheFlyingCyclist

Ldnn1

I think the majority view on here is if you want to 'make the most' of First on a US trip, you're better off doing so on the UK-US leg. CW - especially if 747 UD - will do just fine for the US-UK leg.

That said, you do have more room to sleep in F than CW so if cost difference is reasonable, it can be good for eastbound too.

Have you looked at the cost of doing J out F back?

Will100

IAMORGAN

HighwayToHEL

Much better seating layout with more space. I did F yesterday LHR to ATL, and it's akin to the A350 EDI to DOH that I do on QR in Business.....

I like the CCR, which I got both through flying F and also GGL, however I won't make the 5000 TP and will lose CCR and actually won't miss it, Galleries is fine. I do like the dining options in CCR though.

Magic01273

Honestly, after my last First experience, there are a couple of things I would value over business... but not by much.

The CCR is nice - but not life changing
The dine-anytime concept is good on a long TATL flight
The marginally better wines on board and in the CCR

Thats pretty much it for me. I've come to the conclusion that I wouldn't pay for First over CW again unless the price difference was a couple of hundred Łs tops (maybe Ł3-400 on a US west-bound west coast) per segment over CW. And only on a day flight - never again on a night flight east bound TATL where i find I can sleep perfectly well in CW.

Honestly I have loved the F experience and I'm lucky enough to have done a few in my time. But I'm good now...don't feel a desperate need to do it again and in future I plan to be a lot less "rose-tinted-glasses" about it. Its very nice yes....but objectively, not worth the financial premium for me. With Avios and a 2-4-1 perhaps - but not on my own coin. I guess as I get older and my eventual retirement looms ever-nearer in my mind I'm probably becoming a little more frugal about everything and those occasional First class splurges are the first to go now, as I focus on over-paying my mortgage. In fact, I'm taking my first ever WTP flight on BA at Christmas LGW-MCO just to sample a day flight in non-business...something I don't think I have done in long haul in nearly 15 years. If that goes OK then it may see the end of F all together for me and I'll take WTP to east coast (CW on the way back) or CW both ways when going West coast from now on.

DominicB

My take is different to the earlier posts, and I value F fairly highly over J. Going to the UK (I live in the USA), I am keen to get the most sleep I can on the seven hours or so journey from Chicago. I find I sleep far far better in First. It is smaller and quieter, and the bed/PJ experience is better. So the first blessing for me is that I really do much better on sleep and am thus ready for a full day of business on landing.

Coming to the USA, I find I can genuinely work really well with notes/files and my laptop on the F table. In CW, I barely can use my laptop. The tray table is wobbly, and there is less space. So, again, F makes me more productive. And I do think dining on demand adds into this - especially as my pattern flying to the USA is almost always to eat later than food would be served if it were down to the crew to choose the time.

And I do think the wine is noticeably better in F - and I do enjoy that!

1Aturnleft

If on a cash ticket more tier points and Avios to the account.

Also if you don't hold silver/gold or equivalent oneworld status then the ability to pre-assign seats at time of booking without an additional charge.

36902BRF

I think most folks have covered the major differences. A couple more I'd add:

Free advance seat selection for non-elites in F vs J.
I like the the first class dining on the ground at IAD lounge.

TravelManBiz

LTN Phobia

My main ones:

Space
No screen going up and down
Dine whenever I want
Not needing to step over anyone's legs

Jimmie76

Yes the best flight (including flying private) I've ever had was in F on BA. The service was exceptional attentive without being pushy and a world away from the CW service earlier in the year.

+1 to most of that and when the awful new seats come in to CW the gulf will be increased. #footcoffins

wanderingjock

3000TPs for renewal, not 5000?

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