jkumpire

Hi folks!

I've done some travel over the years, only 1 int'l flight on El Al, in econ

On my bucket list is a 1st Class trip to Europe; where I can fly in luxury all the way there and back, price is no object.

In your collective FT experience what is the best airline to fly to Europe in the 1st class cabin from the good old USA?

Please note: I'm open to any destination, and I'm not interested in flying Netjets or something like it.

gabdusch

Lufthansa First is pretty highly rated over here, and you get fantastic service not only in the air but on the ground in FRA as well with the dedicated First Class Terminal.

I would pick a flight from the West Coast to maximize the experience. LAX has a daily 747-8 flight to FRA if I recall correctly.

Or take the SQ25 flight from JFK-FRA. I believe an A380 is operating the route with Suites Class. It's a pretty short flight however...

Do a search in the Trip Reports section if you're looking for actual feedback, there's plenty about LH and SQ F.

tmm1012

I'll add that Swiss Airlines First Class is very highly regarded as well. Their hub in Zurich places you well for connecting to elsewhere in Europe. In addition, their service and food are considered one of the best, although gabdusch is correct that Singapore First Class Suites are also top notch.

There are lots of good reviews with photos and commentary floating around (see here, here, and here).

Even though flying to Dubai on Emirates would take you beyond Europe, they're the only airline currently to have showers onboard (reserved only for First Class passengers).

If you'll be traveling with someone, you may want to consider how well the seats are designed for couples. Some First Class seats, like on Swiss, are designed with an ottoman and extendable table where you 2 can dine together facing each other. There are lots of great options out there!

BenA

Since someone has to say it: even though you say price is no object, there is a dramatic difference in cost between business class and first class - and only a surprisingly modest difference in luxury on many airlines. Delta, as one example, has a "BusinessElite" class of service that's somewhere in the middle; they ofer fully lie-flat seats on their flights to Heathrow and many other European destinations. The food, while good, won't include foie gras and caviar, but then again - the cost can be as low as $2000 or less round trip for off dates and times.

If you have a trust fund and money is truly no object, I'd fly Singapore Airlines or Emirates in a first class suite on the A380, preferably to a destination further away than Europe so you have more time to enjoy the experience. (May I recommend Hong Kong, Tokyo, or Sydney?) But if you're looking to tick off an item on your lifetime bucket list and see Europe without being overly wasteful, consider one of the many excellent business class products with lie-flat seats - you'll be just as comfortable, and you can spend the savings on a fancy hotel and lavish Michelin-starred meals at your destination.

Having flown Emirates in their A380 suite on a mispriced ticket, it is a fun experience - taking a shower at 35,000 feet and taking photos of the Dom Perignon both have their charm. But if I was paying, I'd step off the plane eight hours later and wonder what exactly I got for my extra thousands of dollars over business class. I never seem to have similar regrets after paying for luxury hotel rooms or high-end meals out of pocket.

(Yes, I know this isn't the advice the OP asked for Just throwing it out there as many don't realize how few differences there are these days between first and business. Remember, many companies only pay for "business" class, so there has been a race to make the best business class product that can still be expensed - resulting in many first class amenities migrating into business class.)

GetSetJetSet

LH, SQ and LX are tops for USA-Europe. I find that LH has the best food and the FCT is nice, but they don't have the dom, so if you want that, SQ is the way to go. I know LX gets tons of love, but i'm underwhelmed by them and would choose every iteration of LH F (save for the old old blue thrones) over LX F. I suppose your final destination matters as well, if you're not planning to end up in FRA, then LH F allows you to either transit through an airport with a FCL or FRA with the FCT. If you arrive in SQ F and aren't an HON member, you'll be stuck in a lousy SEN lounge waiting to connect to your final destination. The poster who suggested the LAX-FRA 748 route is right on. I just got off that flight this morning and it was super, plenty long enough to get good rest, and of course...a 747-8i.

pinniped

If money is really no object, LH F is the way to go IMHO. With ample time on the ground at FRA for the dedicated First Class Terminal. ^

I understand the high marks for the 748 out of LAX, but when I flew the 744 out of IAD it still blew my mind. I got my fill of caviar and Johnnie Blue in the air and then switched over to a 25-year Glenfarclas in the FCT. So if you're Northeast or Midwest, I wouldn't say it's essential to traipse across the U.S. to LA to get a great LH experience.

Of course, if money is no object, then you have to pick a couple destinations and we'll need to start talking about hotels. With a bottomless pit of cold stinky cash, you can stay in some truly amazing places in many different cities in Europe.

Sheikh Yerbooty

If money's really no object, suggest you charter a nice Gulfstream for your ride across the pond. Figure around 50K each way might be able to do it, and apart from deciding on the schedule you're also - more or less - free to choose what you want to eat, drink, watch and listen to.

Enjoy.

BigLar

Gee, I hate to be a contrarian, but my (one) experience with LH in First was not all that impressive.

I've done TATL in F on AA, BA, and LH, and J on BA, NW, KLM, AF, and US. Not an extensive list, but at least some basis for comparison.

Although the OP states "price is no object", I have to agree with BenA and others that, just maybe, the OP hasn't really checked out the actual prices. True, you don't get the feeling of exclusivity you get in First, but Biz is miles above riding in the back, the luxury experience is still pretty good, and the cost differential (compared with First) is really huge.

Of course, if that "bottomless pit of cold stinky cash" really exists, well, ... do you need a guide?

GetSetJetSet

didn't he specifically state he had no interest in flying private? Short of being an Arab sheik with my own 747, I'd rather fly TATL in commercial first than in a small private jet anyway.

pinniped

I guess a *little* clarification would help: is money really, really, really no object? We're talking about $12k for commercial F with a typical corporate discount, $18-20k for commercial F for typical "full retail", $100k for a Gulfstream, and no real indication of destination.

Is it possible that a $4k to $8k ticket in a good J product in a 2-cabin plane more what you're looking for? On anything short of the FCT in FRA, that's actually how I prefer to spend my miles.

Of course, most of us here are coming at it either from the miles/award perspective or maybe the corporate travel booking (usually in J, not F) perspective.

belfordrocks

BusinessElite is nowhere near "in the middle", it's business class, and not even a great one at that.