First, Club Suite and the rest: Flying the British Airways 777 in all 4 cabins
With many multicabin reviews under our belts at TPG, this time we go back to our roots and revisit our first viral hit: reviewing four classes on the same British Airways flight.
The original video was published May 16, 2019, and has amassed 184 million impressions and 7.7 million views. It also kick-started our journey to almost 400,000 subscribers and 71 million views on The Points Guy UK YouTube channel.
We boarded a British Airways Boeing 777 once again, but this time it was a refurbished 777-200 with the newest British Airways business-class product, the Club Suite. This is a significant upgrade to the product we featured in our last video. We flew this aircraft from Terminal 5 at Heathrow Airport (LHR) in London to Dulles International Airport (IAD) outside Washington, D.C.
Watch the full video below:
Here’s a breakdown of our individual experiences on BA's 777-200:
First class — Ben Smithson
Seat: 1K.
We paid: 68,000 Avios plus $499.
I found this to be an upgraded experience compared to British Airways business class. It was overall much better than I expected. The food — presentation, variety and taste — was genuine fine dining. I would be happy to be served this in a five-star hotel in London.
The terrace of the Concorde Room lounge was an airy, light-filled space ideal to enjoy a glass of vintage Champagne while escaping the crowds in the terminal below.
The seat, however, needs a sliding door to provide the privacy it lacks. Some BA first-class seats now feature a door and business class on this flight has doors. The inflight entertainment screen was old, clunky and fairly low-resolution. Also, back on the ground, although the terrace is lovely, the indoor dining booths in the Concorde Room are quite dark and gloomy.
Club Suite — Liam Spencer
Seat: 15K.
We paid: 50,000 Avios plus $499.
This was one of the most spacious business-class seats I’ve flown. The fully closing door allowed for total privacy and was the real star of the product.
From the starter and main course to afternoon tea, all of the food was delicious. I opted for the chicken tikka masala for lunch after a recommendation from the cabin crew and it proved to be the best curry I’ve ever eaten on a plane.
The Club Suite cabin felt incredibly fresh, modern and clean. The product is a few years old but it hasn’t shown any signs of aging.
However, some improvements could be made. The Club Suite bed could have been comfier and wider. The bedding itself was perfectly fine but the footwell was quite narrow.
Also, my business-class ticket granted me access to the British Airways business-class lounges at Heathrow T5. These aren’t a bad place to relax before your flight, but are way behind other business lounges at Heathrow in terms of comfort, design and dining options.
World Traveller Plus — Nicky Kelvin
Seat: 23A.
We paid: 26,000 Avios plus $357.
Terminal 5 has a separate check-in queue for premium economy, which is relatively rare among airlines that fly a premium economy product and the queue was very short.
On board, the seat was very spacious and comfortable, and the smaller cabin gave an extra sense of privacy. The food and amenities were also true upgrades from economy and closer to what is provided in business class. Food was served on real crockery and was very tasty. The large meal was enough to satisfy any appetite.
Unfortunately, there is no lounge access and the ground experience is the same as for economy — other than the separate check-in line. While the seat was very comfortable for a day flight and had a decent recline, I would still find it difficult to sleep in this seat on an overnight flight.
World Traveller — Maren Gimnes
Seat: 37A.
We paid: 13,000 Avios plus $265.55.
I really enjoyed the friendly crew, and quick and efficient service. I found there to be a good amount of legroom and I liked the colors and the design of the seat.
The comfy blanket was a lot bigger than what I’m used to on long-haul economy flights and I was surprised by how many snacks we got between the meals. It was also great to get my own bottle of wine rather than just a glass.
It wasn’t all perfect though. There was a lot of space between the seat and the fuselage, which made it uncomfortable to rest against the window, although this is a problem suffered by all the pairs of two seats in the final few rows of this aircraft. The main dish had tasty vegetables, but the meat was very dry. Finally, the headphones were poor quality and you would be better off bringing your own to watch the inflight entertainment.
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
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- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
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Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.