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
Jun 13, 2008 | 1:03 am
#16
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Roses, Costa Brava, Spain
Programs: Seniors Bus Pass, lots of old plastic claiming to be precious metal
Posts: 512
It looks as if the one JL NRT-SIN (& v/v) in First on a 747 is being dropped from the summer season for 2009 (i.e. from March 29, 2009). Replacement is a 2-class 777.
This will mess up quite a few AONEx plans.
This will mess up quite a few AONEx plans.
Jun 14, 2008 | 2:10 am
#19
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,011
CX:
Add Auckland (seasonal, NH winter 08-09)
Amend Johannesburg: JNB now has year-round F service, with the 346 in NH summer and back to the 744 in NH winter (unsure what will happen in NH summer 09 when the 346's are returned)
Add rider to Rome FCO: Operates with a mix of 34C and 34D depending on day of the week - only 34C has First Class. FCO is 343 service year round now.
Add rider to Frankfurt: Extra daily flights (not CX288/9, the other one, I think CX282/5?) operate with two-class 34D's.
Add Auckland (seasonal, NH winter 08-09)
Amend Johannesburg: JNB now has year-round F service, with the 346 in NH summer and back to the 744 in NH winter (unsure what will happen in NH summer 09 when the 346's are returned)
Add rider to Rome FCO: Operates with a mix of 34C and 34D depending on day of the week - only 34C has First Class. FCO is 343 service year round now.
Add rider to Frankfurt: Extra daily flights (not CX288/9, the other one, I think CX282/5?) operate with two-class 34D's.
Jul 27, 2008 | 8:28 am
#21
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: CPT
Programs: BA BD SA
Posts: 4,467
That particular flight is one of the few in Asia that is >2000 miles which makes it very desirable for earning BA tier points. And as I start to plan the last part of my AONE5 I also find that some of CX's flights - HKG-SIN-HKG and BKK-SIN - are also becoming 2-class affairs next year.
Jul 27, 2008 | 10:22 pm
#25
Moderator: Asiana & Qantas Frequent Flyer
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: STR/SYD/SMF
Programs: QF LTG / P1 , LH LT SEN / HON, OZ LT Diamond +, Marriott LT PT, HH Diamond,
Posts: 15,149
Sep 11, 2008 | 2:40 pm
#28
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: London, UK
Programs: AA 2MM - PLT, BA GGL, SPG Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 6,221
Including mine! That particular flight is one of the few in Asia that is >2000 miles which makes it very desirable for earning BA tier points.
And as I start to plan the last part of my AONE5 I also find that some of CX's flights - HKG-SIN-HKG and BKK-SIN - are also becoming 2-class affairs next year.
That particular flight is one of the few in Asia that is >2000 miles which makes it very desirable for earning BA tier points. And as I start to plan the last part of my AONE5 I also find that some of CX's flights - HKG-SIN-HKG and BKK-SIN - are also becoming 2-class affairs next year.