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 30, 2009 | 6:42 am
#47
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: SFO/OAK/CCR
Programs: AA LT PLT
Posts: 995
other AA equipment downgrades (--)/upgrades (++) this winter:
Buenos Aires-Montevideo (763++>772) 19NOV09
Chicago-Brussels (772-->763) 26AUG09
JFK-Buenos Aires (763++>772) 19NOV09
JFK-Sao Paulo-Rio de Janeiro (772-->763) 19NOV09
Miami-Santiago (763++>772) 19NOV09
Raleigh-Heathrow (772-->763) already happened
Boston-Heathrow (772-->763) already happened??
Buenos Aires-Montevideo (763++>772) 19NOV09
Chicago-Brussels (772-->763) 26AUG09
JFK-Buenos Aires (763++>772) 19NOV09
JFK-Sao Paulo-Rio de Janeiro (772-->763) 19NOV09
Miami-Santiago (763++>772) 19NOV09
Raleigh-Heathrow (772-->763) already happened
Boston-Heathrow (772-->763) already happened??
Aug 7, 2009 | 8:34 pm
#49
Join Date: May 2008
Location: MEL
Programs: QF OWE, HH D, HGP D, Starriott Plat, AA/LM/SQ/VA/QF/AS/BA
Posts: 252
That's a real shame. Does that mean that if I book my AONEX now while that route still offers First, does JL then have to honour First class even at their expense? (ie. NRT-HKG-SIN). Or would they simply say stiff sh8T, you now fly biz.
Aug 8, 2009 | 1:59 pm
#50
Original Poster
Moderator, Hilton Honors
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: on a short leash
Programs: some
Posts: 71,445
If there was a reasonable alternative you should be offered that, however there may not be any in which case you fly business and *should* be given some compensation for the invol downgrade.
Aug 8, 2009 | 4:05 pm
#51
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: NL
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 192
That is only the case if you already have a flight booked in first after Oct 25. If you book a ticket now, you cannot book the flight in first, so you fly in biz.
A workaround might be to use the QF codeshare of the JL NRT-SIN flight, as that still seems bookable in first.
A workaround might be to use the QF codeshare of the JL NRT-SIN flight, as that still seems bookable in first.
Sep 7, 2009 | 7:15 pm
#52
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: People's Republic of HotTubistan
Posts: 1,408
The QF website and OAG now show First restored to QF73/74 between SYD and SFO effective 1 Feb 2010. The website will accept a booking, and it says it's in First (with price to match) but I haven't independently verified that the "temporary" suspension of First is actually ending.
Haven't checked the other suspension routes either.
Anyone else have any news about the QF plans?
Haven't checked the other suspension routes either.
Anyone else have any news about the QF plans?
Sep 7, 2009 | 8:04 pm
#53
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Melbourne
Programs: ►QFWP/LTG►VA WP►HyattDisc.►HiltonGold►ALL Plat.
Posts: 22,326
F is currently showing on all three route from February 1st.
Last edited by serfty; Sep 7, 2009 at 8:12 pm
Sep 8, 2009 | 10:47 am
#54
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: Rio de Janeiro, BRAZIL
Programs: AA 4MM EXP; Starwood Lifetime Plt
Posts: 2,498
Sep 9, 2009 | 2:57 am
#56
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: None any more
Posts: 11,017
But I find it very hard to justify AONEn tickets now that CX has clearly demonstrated than it has no commitment whatsoever to regional F.
Dec 5, 2009 | 7:45 am
#57
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Valencia, Spain
Posts: 816
New CX route HKG-MXP with F
CX is starting HKG-MXP from March 2010 with 777-300ER.
Is this the first new route with F for some time?
Limited use for AONEx though, as I don't think there is any other OW flight from MXP with F.
Happy Travels.
Is this the first new route with F for some time?
Limited use for AONEx though, as I don't think there is any other OW flight from MXP with F.
Happy Travels.
Dec 11, 2009 | 7:07 pm
#58
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 15
American Airlines
Aircraft type
All mainline aircraft type, but 757, A300 & MD-80 first class are of poor standard. Note within North & Central
Kiwi, You mentioned that 777 first class is of poor standard, I was looking at the ORD to LHR flight, I have never flown AA first class, but fly UA first class often, can you compare the two for me. Thanks.
Aircraft type
All mainline aircraft type, but 757, A300 & MD-80 first class are of poor standard. Note within North & Central
Kiwi, You mentioned that 777 first class is of poor standard, I was looking at the ORD to LHR flight, I have never flown AA first class, but fly UA first class often, can you compare the two for me. Thanks.
Dec 11, 2009 | 7:18 pm
#59
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: BOS/UTH
Programs: AA LT PLT; QRPC PLT/OW EMD; Bonvoy LT Titanium
Posts: 14,571
Dec 11, 2009 | 8:37 pm
#60
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 8,224
American Airlines
Aircraft type
All mainline aircraft type, but 757, A300 & MD-80 first class are of poor standard. Note within North & Central
Kiwi, You mentioned that 777 first class is of poor standard, I was looking at the ORD to LHR flight, I have never flown AA first class, but fly UA first class often, can you compare the two for me. Thanks.
Aircraft type
All mainline aircraft type, but 757, A300 & MD-80 first class are of poor standard. Note within North & Central
Kiwi, You mentioned that 777 first class is of poor standard, I was looking at the ORD to LHR flight, I have never flown AA first class, but fly UA first class often, can you compare the two for me. Thanks.