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Old Aug 1, 2016, 1:42 pm
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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)
  • 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
Routes International, on B777-300ER aircraft (1-2-1 layout)
  • 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
No longer any First class services from: PHL, BOS

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)
Latin America & Carribbean
  • Bermuda (BDA)
  • Barbados (BGI)
  • Mexico City (MEX)
  • Santiago (SCL)
Europe: No First Class flights since Moscow has been suspended

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)
Asia & Far East
  • 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
Japan Airlines/JL

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]
Qantas/QF

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
Between Singapore and
  • London Heathrow (LHR) -> 1x daily
Between Melbourne and
  • Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) -> twice weekly?
Qatar/QR

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]
Oman Airways/WY

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
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Old Feb 15, 2013 | 4:40 pm
  #91  
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MH

A380 F will also fly between KUL and HKG from 1st May 2013.
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Old Feb 16, 2013 | 4:46 am
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Originally Posted by Guy Betsy
MH

A380 F will also fly between KUL and HKG from 1st May 2013.
Will they actually sell F?
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Old Feb 16, 2013 | 8:13 am
  #93  
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Originally Posted by correctioncx
Will they actually sell F?
Yes. Why not? Flagship A380 flight!
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Old Feb 18, 2013 | 8:32 am
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Originally Posted by Guy Betsy
Yes. Why not? Flagship A380 flight!
Is it codeshard with CX as CX doesn't operate F to KUL normally?
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Old Feb 18, 2013 | 8:49 am
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Originally Posted by correctioncx
Is it codeshard with CX as CX doesn't operate F to KUL normally?
Its a MH plane.
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Old Feb 19, 2013 | 12:31 am
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YEAH but CX flies on that route

also I think CX is more of a competitor and will not codeshare with MH

whenever A380 flights launched to HK CX has increased frequency to offer cheaper seats

ex sin-form 7 to 10 daily

ex ICN from 5-6 daily

KL-3-4 DAILY

yeah so no regional first codeshare

there is one for business and economy though

although CX flies its 777 daily to KL with better business seats than MH A380 and arguably a better First Seat
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Old Feb 19, 2013 | 1:25 am
  #97  
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Not sure if it's been said before but at least on some days FRA-DFW-FRA on AA has First Class.
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Old Feb 19, 2013 | 7:15 am
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Originally Posted by Kachjc
although CX flies its 777 daily to KL with better business seats than MH A380 and arguably a better First Seat
Quite strongly said CX have better F seats than MH. I agree CX have one of the best F seats on the market and I haven't yet flown on MH First but expectations of A380 seats are very high. Pictures and specs of MH are also good. Waiting for the first MH F A380 trip report to be published.
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Old Jul 1, 2013 | 12:16 pm
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Oneworld First Class

How about Air Berlin, Finnair, El Al code share with AA, and all code shares with Oneworld airlines?
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Old Jul 1, 2013 | 4:12 pm
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Originally Posted by longhorns
How about Air Berlin, Finnair, El Al code share with AA, and all code shares with Oneworld airlines?
This thread is only about first class on Oneworld carriers, not partners. Neither Finnair nor Air Berlin offer first class, and El Al is not a Oneworld member.

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Old Aug 3, 2013 | 9:02 am
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Im booked on BA F next week DME-LHR.
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Old Aug 19, 2013 | 6:54 am
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Booking a OW RTW award (35K for 280K in F) from BOS. We want to get the best F experience we can. Should we go BOS-JFK-HKG in CX over water? What other F routes would be good? Did I mention we're also open to our destinations...? I also noticed that MH will fly the A380 in between KUL and HKG from 1st May 2013. We're going in mid-late May.

Advice, suggestions?
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Old Aug 19, 2013 | 8:41 am
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Originally Posted by tennisboy
Booking a OW RTW award (35K for 280K in F) from BOS. We want to get the best F experience we can. Should we go BOS-JFK-HKG in CX over water? What other F routes would be good? Did I mention we're also open to our destinations...? I also noticed that MH will fly the A380 in between KUL and HKG from 1st May 2013. We're going in mid-late May.

Advice, suggestions?
At the risk of sounding flip, find a different award. RT BOS-HKG in F is only 135K AA miles. You're paying more than double that. In other words, you could have two two roundtrips for what you're paying for one, and still in F. You may want to rethink this one, especially if you're flexible on destination(s). You haven't posted your whole itinerary, but I have to believe that there's a cheaper way.
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Old Aug 19, 2013 | 8:51 am
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Really? I'm thinking something like this:

BOS-JFK-HKG-NRT-PEK-BKK-HKT-CMB-SIN-SYD-AKL-SCL-EZE-SCL-GIG-JFK-BOS or similar, for example leaving out South America and adding more Asian routes like Bora Bora, Bali, Hat Yai, etc...
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Old Aug 19, 2013 | 9:07 am
  #105  
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We want to leave from Boston, take the best F class to Asia, and visit HKG, NRT, PVG, PEK, PHT, SIN, CMB, KUL, PEN, and open to SGN or other key food, tourist, and relaxation spots.

Bonus if we could visit Bali, Papua New Guinea, Bora Bora, or anywhere else in the South Pacific. Sri Lanka and Male would be fun too.

We need to use the RTW OW award, under 35K miles shown, in F.

Last edited by tennisboy; Aug 19, 2013 at 9:08 am Reason: added SRI LANKA AND MALE
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