Aug 1, 2016, 1:42 pm
Last edit by: littlevoices
Since this thread started in 2016, along with the last wiki update in 2018, many airlines have significantly reduced their true first class routes, or just given up and rebranded a few seats as Business Suites or similar.
Of the oneworld airlines (now and future announcements), the following offer true first class flights
American Airlines (AA); British Airways (BA); Cathay Pacific (CX); Japan Airlines (JL); Qantas (QF); Qatar (QR)
This means the following oneworld airlines do NOT offer a first class product:
Alaska Airlines (AS); Fiji Airlines* (FJ); Finnair (AY); Iberia (IB); Malaysia Airlines (MH)#; Oman Airlines (OM)*#; Royal Air Maroc (AT); Royal Jordanian (RJ); Sri Lankan Airlines (UL)
*Future member
# Offers a business elite /studio seat
The below is as of 20 January 2025, and the number of flights is typically from around 19 Feb, so winter season
American Airlines/AA
AA offers two types of true first class. An increasingly diminishing Trans-Continental routes using specially designed aircraft, and International First (Flagship First). This explicitly excludes any domestic first class flights that typically offer 2x2 seating. Note AA executives have made statements about removing First, so this list will likely gradually decrease over time.
Routes Transcontinental on custom A321T planes, type code 32B (1-1 layout)
British Airways/BA
BA offers first class on a variety of B777s and the A380. It remains perceived as a the best business class in the sky, excluding Qatar product. But it does go everywhere. The newer generation of planes has fewer seats, but the typical layout has 14 first class seats, so it is hardly private or exclusive.
Between London Heathrow and
North America
Middle East & Africa
Cathay Pacific/CX
Very limited services have resumed after COVID. Many of the First class planes are now on routes and sold as business class with a nice seat for Diamond (top tier) status members. Cathay does have First class planned on their upcoming B777X deliveries, but with delays these may not be available for many years. Offers a 1-1-1 layout
Between Hong Kong, using a B777-300ER and
Offered on two aircraft, an older 777-300 (1-2-1 layout), and the new A350-1000 (generally thought of as the best first class in oneworld at the moment with 1-1-1 layout).
Between Tokyo Haneda and
Only offered on the A380, but with Project Sunrise they are planning a new improved first class on ultra long range A350-1000s. Offers 14 seats but they are enormous as set out in a 1-1-1 layout.
Between Sydney and
Offered on two planes a number of A380s (1-2-1) and ex-Cathay B777-300ER (1-1-1) planes (still using the same CX seats). The prior CEO wanted to end First Class, but the new CEO intends to improve and offer a limited First class service. This explicitly excludes any domestic Middle Eastern first class flights that typically offer business class seating and service to locations such as Dubai, Cairo and the wider Middle East.
Between Doha and
==> Finally, and just for completeness, noting the business elite products (still book into A/F class), so not true first class, but would earn you the miles!:
Malaysian Airlines/MH
Between Kaula Lumpur and
Retired all of their A330 flights which reduced their network further
Between Muscat (MCT) and
Of the oneworld airlines (now and future announcements), the following offer true first class flights
American Airlines (AA); British Airways (BA); Cathay Pacific (CX); Japan Airlines (JL); Qantas (QF); Qatar (QR)
This means the following oneworld airlines do NOT offer a first class product:
Alaska Airlines (AS); Fiji Airlines* (FJ); Finnair (AY); Iberia (IB); Malaysia Airlines (MH)#; Oman Airlines (OM)*#; Royal Air Maroc (AT); Royal Jordanian (RJ); Sri Lankan Airlines (UL)
*Future member
# Offers a business elite /studio seat
The below is as of 20 January 2025, and the number of flights is typically from around 19 Feb, so winter season
American Airlines/AA
AA offers two types of true first class. An increasingly diminishing Trans-Continental routes using specially designed aircraft, and International First (Flagship First). This explicitly excludes any domestic first class flights that typically offer 2x2 seating. Note AA executives have made statements about removing First, so this list will likely gradually decrease over time.
Routes Transcontinental on custom A321T planes, type code 32B (1-1 layout)
- Los Angeles (LAX) New York (JFK) -> Multiple times daily (9)
- San Francisco (SFO) JFK -> Multiple times daily (3-4)
- JFK Orange County (SNA) -> One flight a day
- LAX Boston (BOS) -> One flight a day
- LAX Miami (MIA) -> Appears to have switched to a none transcontinental but is still listed on the website, so now only offers normal domestic first
- Charlotte International Airport (CLT) London's Heathrow Airport (LHR) -> 1x daily
- Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) London's Heathrow Airport (LHR) -> 2 x daily
- New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) London's Heathrow Airport (LHR) -> 1x daily
- New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) Buenos Aires' Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) -> 1x daily
- Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) London's Heathrow Airport (LHR) -> 1x daily
- Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) Sydney Airport (SYD) -> 1x daily
- Miami International Airport (MIA) London's Heathrow Airport (LHR) -> 2 x daily
- Miami International Airport (MIA) Sao Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport (GRU) -> 1x daily
- Miami International Airport (MIA) Buenos Aires' Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) -> 1x daily
British Airways/BA
BA offers first class on a variety of B777s and the A380. It remains perceived as a the best business class in the sky, excluding Qatar product. But it does go everywhere. The newer generation of planes has fewer seats, but the typical layout has 14 first class seats, so it is hardly private or exclusive.
Between London Heathrow and
North America
- Atlanta (ATL)
- Boston (BOS)
- Chicago (ORD)
- Dallas (DFW)
- Houston (IAH)
- Los Angeles (LAX)
- Miami (MIA)
- New York (JFK, EWR)
- San Francisco (SFO)
- Seattle (SEA)
- Washington DC (IAD)
- Bermuda (BDA)
- Barbados (BGI)
- Mexico City (MEX)
- Santiago (SCL)
Middle East & Africa
- Abu Dhabi (AUH)
- Abuja (ABV)
- Bahrain (BAH)
- Cape Town (CPT)
- Doha (DOH)
- Dubai (DXB)
- Jeddah (JED)
- Johannesburg (JNB)
- Kuwait (KWI)
- Lagos (LOS)
- Riyadh (RUH)
- Male (MLE)
- Hong Kong (HKG)
- Kuala Lumpur (KUL)
- Shanghai (PVG)
- Singapore (SIN)
- Sydney (SYD)
- Tokyo (HND)
Cathay Pacific/CX
Very limited services have resumed after COVID. Many of the First class planes are now on routes and sold as business class with a nice seat for Diamond (top tier) status members. Cathay does have First class planned on their upcoming B777X deliveries, but with delays these may not be available for many years. Offers a 1-1-1 layout
Between Hong Kong, using a B777-300ER and
- London Heathrow (LHR) -> 1x daily
- Tokyo Haneda (HND) -> 1x daily
- Beijing (PEK) -> 1x daily
- New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) -> 1x daily
- Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) -> 1x daily
- Paris Charles De Gaulle (CDG) -> Suspended for in late 2024
Offered on two aircraft, an older 777-300 (1-2-1 layout), and the new A350-1000 (generally thought of as the best first class in oneworld at the moment with 1-1-1 layout).
Between Tokyo Haneda and
- New York (JFK) > New A350-1000, 1x daily
- Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) > New A350-1000, 1x daily
- London's Heathrow Airport (LHR) > New A350-1000, 2x daily
- Bangkok (BKK) > B773, 1x daily
- Singapore (SIN) > B773, 1x daily
- Sydney (SYD) -> B773, 1x daily [suspended for the northern summer season after 1 May 2025]
- Helsinki (HEL) -> B773, 1 xdaily [allegedly according to this article, but not yet showing in ExpertFlyer, summer season 22 April to 29 September 2025]
Only offered on the A380, but with Project Sunrise they are planning a new improved first class on ultra long range A350-1000s. Offers 14 seats but they are enormous as set out in a 1-1-1 layout.
Between Sydney and
- London Heathrow (LHR) -> 1x daily (via Singapore) -> 1x daily
- Singapore (SIN) -> 1x daily (travels on to London Heathrow) -> 1x daily
- Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) -> 1x daily
- Johannesburg, South Africa, O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB) -1x daily
- London Heathrow (LHR) -> 1x daily
- Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) -> twice weekly?
Offered on two planes a number of A380s (1-2-1) and ex-Cathay B777-300ER (1-1-1) planes (still using the same CX seats). The prior CEO wanted to end First Class, but the new CEO intends to improve and offer a limited First class service. This explicitly excludes any domestic Middle Eastern first class flights that typically offer business class seating and service to locations such as Dubai, Cairo and the wider Middle East.
Between Doha and
- Hong Kong (HKG) -> 1-2x daily using B77W planes
- Bangkok (BKK) -> 1-2x daily using A388
- Maldives (MLE) -> 1-2x daily using B77W
- Sydney (SYD) -> 1x daily using A388
- Perth (PER) -> 1x daily using A388
- Istanbul (IST) -> 0 to 1x daily using B77W [irregular, not every day]
- Paris Charles De Gaulle (CDG) -> 0 to 1x daily using A388 [irregular, not every day]
- London Heathrow (LHR) -> 2x daily using A388
==> Finally, and just for completeness, noting the business elite products (still book into A/F class), so not true first class, but would earn you the miles!:
Malaysian Airlines/MH
Between Kaula Lumpur and
- London Heathrow (LHR) -> 2x daily using A359
- Tokyo (NRT) -> 2x daily using A359
- Doha (DOH) -> 1x daily using A359
- Paris Charles De Gaulle (CDG) -> 1x daily using A359 [in the summer]
Retired all of their A330 flights which reduced their network further
Between Muscat (MCT) and
- London Heathrow (LHR) -> 1x daily using B789
- Bangkok (BKK) -> 1x daily using B789
OW first class routes thread
Jan 9, 2015 | 8:08 am
#153
Join Date: Apr 2000
Posts: 2,898
I know that it has been a while since an update to the original list, but it does need cleaning up.
I checked some of CX and AA routes, and there is no F on CX to Jakarta, Jo'berg, Singapore, & Tokyo (NRT). The F flights to Bangkok, Seoul, Osaka are very irregular. I believe that AA is dropping all of the seasonal F service from DFW/MIA to MAD and using the revamped 77D configuration. And now that all of the TCON A321 are in service, all of the JFK-SFO flights have F. AA dropped the JFK-TYO flight as well.
One can also remove all of the TAM info since they dropped 1st class. There may be other changes.
I checked some of CX and AA routes, and there is no F on CX to Jakarta, Jo'berg, Singapore, & Tokyo (NRT). The F flights to Bangkok, Seoul, Osaka are very irregular. I believe that AA is dropping all of the seasonal F service from DFW/MIA to MAD and using the revamped 77D configuration. And now that all of the TCON A321 are in service, all of the JFK-SFO flights have F. AA dropped the JFK-TYO flight as well.
One can also remove all of the TAM info since they dropped 1st class. There may be other changes.
Mar 18, 2015 | 4:42 pm
#155
Join Date: May 2013
Location: GVA, BSL, ZRH
Programs: A3*, HH, club carlson: all gold and bonvoy plat
Posts: 467
Mar 25, 2015 | 8:07 am
#156
Moderator, All Nippon Airways and Japan
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: TYO
Programs: NH SFC (*G), JL JGC (OWS), AS MVP, WOH E, IHG SE
Posts: 3,920
There are plenty of F seats available on HND-CTS -- just not on every flight. Try searching on JL's website for the dates you're interested in.
Jun 11, 2015 | 9:22 am
#159
Join Date: Jan 1999
Location: USA
Posts: 224
Actually, Cathay flies First Class on a limited set of flights from HKG-BKK and HKG-SIN. Look for the 77W and 744. If you book it in advance you'll want to keep an eye on the aircraft as I've seen it change many times in the past.
Jun 11, 2015 | 1:21 pm
#160
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Global
Posts: 6,449
But, I believe you are right.... there is one flight a day with Prem. Economy, which I am guessing is the 77W.
Jun 11, 2015 | 11:18 pm
#161
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Japan
Programs: NH Diamond, JL JGC Diamond, BA Gold Guest List(Gold for life), CX Diamond
Posts: 1,580
77W/77D doesn't have first class (3 classes with PY)
333/33G C,PY,Y
Don't expect too much
Jun 14, 2015 | 12:59 am
#163
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 7,934
Yea, CX does fly first occ to BKK and SIN. I was looking using avios. The whole weekend there was one flight to SIN with first. Don't know why there are so many to TPE when it is so short, and junky business seats to SIN (not lie-flat)
Jun 14, 2015 | 4:12 am
#164
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: BOS/UTH
Programs: AA LT PLT; QRPC PLT/OW EMD; Bonvoy LT Titanium
Posts: 14,571
Unlikely to see any 744s on this route any more, of course. Also, even with 773 aircraft with F cabins, often they are not sold on this route. DMs can often sit in the F cabin, though, but it's J food and service.
Last edited by Dr. HFH; Jun 14, 2015 at 4:23 am
Jun 15, 2015 | 1:18 pm
#165
Join Date: Jan 1999
Location: USA
Posts: 224
Please update your OneWorld First Routes post to include the
Please update the AA language "Only 3-class flights (777 and 767-200 aircraft) are listed below." as they no longer fly the 767-200 with First. It can just read:
- AA DFW-SCL
- AA DFW-PVG
- AA DFW-MAD (summer seasonal)
- AA MIA-MAD
- AA MIA-SCL (winter seasonal)
- AA LAX-GRU
- AA LAX-EZE
- QR DOH-BKK
Please update the AA language "Only 3-class flights (777 and 767-200 aircraft) are listed below." as they no longer fly the 767-200 with First. It can just read:
Only International Flagship First Class is only offered on the 777-200 and 777-300ER aircraft. Note: The "777-200 Retrofit" does not have First Class.
Also, Malaysia Airlines can be updated to "none" since they just sold off their entire A380s which was the only routes with widebody first class.