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
Dec 7, 2018 | 11:03 pm
#245
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 22,910
From MH to axe First Class, rebrand and reposition as Business Suites
But still to be fare bucket A, F & P. From austbt.com.au
From Dec 12, A380 and A350 first class will be rebranded as Business Suites and positioned as an up-sell from Business Class as well as (in theory) a way for corporate high flyers to book first class even if their travel management policy specifies business class.
More at https://www.ausbt.com.au/malaysia-ai...usiness-suites
More at https://www.ausbt.com.au/malaysia-ai...usiness-suites
From a points perspective, Business Suites passengers will still be booked in to the same fare categories as first class (under codes A, F and P) and earn the same number of Enrich Miles as they would in first class, although how Oneworld partner airlines classify Business Suites earning rates under their own frequent flyer schemes remains to be seen.
Dec 8, 2018 | 4:26 am
#246
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SO will still be the F cabin, still books into A, F or P, but called Business Class? I don't see that getting by many corporate travel managers. As soon as they see the "F," I think that it will be denied. Just a guess, though.
Dec 8, 2018 | 4:30 am
#247
Join Date: Oct 2017
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Posts: 831
And when that happens, MH can say, well, we tried, but there just isn't the demand for this. Time to rip it out entirely.
Dec 8, 2018 | 3:21 pm
#248
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Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 22,910
At big corporate's where I have worked the approving muppets would not know what a fare booking class is. Only the text first, business & economy
Dec 10, 2018 | 3:54 pm
#249
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Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: London
Posts: 17,013
Dec 10, 2018 | 6:00 pm
#250
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Montreal
Posts: 657
[Apologies for the x-post but I need to pull the trigger soon on this.]
I'm going to be burning some miles on a first-class ticket to Asia, Baltimore to Shanghai, in May. I'm trying to decide between itineraries on Cathay and JAL. I wonder if anyone has any thoughts.
Option 1: BWI-JFK (Y) -- 3 hr layover -- JFK-HKG (F) -- 2h20 layover -- HKG-PVG (Y). There is currently no J availability on the last leg although perhaps it tends to open as the departure gets closer. I do however get access to the F lounges for the layover in HKG as I understand it.
Option 2: BWI-ORD (F) -- 3 hr layover -- ORD-NRT (F) -- 4 hr layover -- NRT-PVG (J).
Total flight times are pretty much the same. The second is 30 minutes longer. I leave a bit earlier but arrive a bit earlier too. I wonder if the JL food out of ORD (as opposed to NRT) is as good. Most reviews dealt with flights ex-NRT and the Japanese meals look pretty amazing.
Any thoughts on which experience (flights and lounges) would be more fun?
Thanks!!
I'm going to be burning some miles on a first-class ticket to Asia, Baltimore to Shanghai, in May. I'm trying to decide between itineraries on Cathay and JAL. I wonder if anyone has any thoughts.
Option 1: BWI-JFK (Y) -- 3 hr layover -- JFK-HKG (F) -- 2h20 layover -- HKG-PVG (Y). There is currently no J availability on the last leg although perhaps it tends to open as the departure gets closer. I do however get access to the F lounges for the layover in HKG as I understand it.
Option 2: BWI-ORD (F) -- 3 hr layover -- ORD-NRT (F) -- 4 hr layover -- NRT-PVG (J).
Total flight times are pretty much the same. The second is 30 minutes longer. I leave a bit earlier but arrive a bit earlier too. I wonder if the JL food out of ORD (as opposed to NRT) is as good. Most reviews dealt with flights ex-NRT and the Japanese meals look pretty amazing.
Any thoughts on which experience (flights and lounges) would be more fun?
Thanks!!
Dec 11, 2018 | 8:18 pm
#251
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 22,910
[Apologies for the x-post but I need to pull the trigger soon on this.]
I'm going to be burning some miles on a first-class ticket to Asia, Baltimore to Shanghai, in May. I'm trying to decide between itineraries on Cathay and JAL. I wonder if anyone has any thoughts.
Option 1: BWI-JFK (Y) -- 3 hr layover -- JFK-HKG (F) -- 2h20 layover -- HKG-PVG (Y). There is currently no J availability on the last leg although perhaps it tends to open as the departure gets closer. I do however get access to the F lounges for the layover in HKG as I understand it.
Option 2: BWI-ORD (F) -- 3 hr layover -- ORD-NRT (F) -- 4 hr layover -- NRT-PVG (J).
Total flight times are pretty much the same. The second is 30 minutes longer. I leave a bit earlier but arrive a bit earlier too. I wonder if the JL food out of ORD (as opposed to NRT) is as good. Most reviews dealt with flights ex-NRT and the Japanese meals look pretty amazing.
Any thoughts on which experience (flights and lounges) would be more fun?
I'm going to be burning some miles on a first-class ticket to Asia, Baltimore to Shanghai, in May. I'm trying to decide between itineraries on Cathay and JAL. I wonder if anyone has any thoughts.
Option 1: BWI-JFK (Y) -- 3 hr layover -- JFK-HKG (F) -- 2h20 layover -- HKG-PVG (Y). There is currently no J availability on the last leg although perhaps it tends to open as the departure gets closer. I do however get access to the F lounges for the layover in HKG as I understand it.
Option 2: BWI-ORD (F) -- 3 hr layover -- ORD-NRT (F) -- 4 hr layover -- NRT-PVG (J).
Total flight times are pretty much the same. The second is 30 minutes longer. I leave a bit earlier but arrive a bit earlier too. I wonder if the JL food out of ORD (as opposed to NRT) is as good. Most reviews dealt with flights ex-NRT and the Japanese meals look pretty amazing.
Any thoughts on which experience (flights and lounges) would be more fun?
Jan 22, 2025 | 11:33 am
#252
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: HKG
Programs: Marriott Ambassador (Titanium Lifetime), BA GfL, EK Gold, HH Diamond, Ex-BD*G
Posts: 3,733
This thread needed a full refresh, as someone who has been trying to treat myself to a few AONE tickets, Ive taken the time to (as at January 2025) put together my current understanding of the remaining First class routes.
It is surprisingly hard to find these routes as, except for BA and their low fare finder, and generally it seems that the knowledge is hidden amongst various websites (prince of travel is particularly helpful), news articles and so forth. I tried to use ExpertFlyer to validate any potential routes that were listed - but would welcome any new ones. As a result of this work I am going to try and layer in a KUL-Tokyo flight to end my next AONE3 as JL seems to refuse releasing any first class seats anymore.
It is surprisingly hard to find these routes as, except for BA and their low fare finder, and generally it seems that the knowledge is hidden amongst various websites (prince of travel is particularly helpful), news articles and so forth. I tried to use ExpertFlyer to validate any potential routes that were listed - but would welcome any new ones. As a result of this work I am going to try and layer in a KUL-Tokyo flight to end my next AONE3 as JL seems to refuse releasing any first class seats anymore.
Jan 22, 2025 | 7:47 pm
#253
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Just out of curiosoty, what airline are you using for your TATL F flight?
Jan 23, 2025 | 1:12 am
#254
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: HKG
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I don't think there is any other option on oneworld except AA and BA to cross the Atlantic now - Qatar who does lots of US flights only offers business to the US and JAL finishes at LHR and JFK respectively (and won't let you book anyway...)?
(My cross ocean legs are LHR-JFK-LAX-HKG on BA-AA TransContinental-Cathay - intention is to maximise Tier Points with very limited time hence no random trips to ANC or SJU)
Jan 23, 2025 | 4:16 am
#255
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: KUO
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Posts: 463
JAL to put 777-300ER to its Helsinki route including first class. First class available from 22 April onwards. 787 return to the route on 30 Sept.
https://www.lentoposti.fi/uutiset/ja...mm_inen_luokka
https://www.lentoposti.fi/uutiset/ja...mm_inen_luokka