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Egyptair's New 787 Business Class Seat Should Be Huge Upgrade Over Its Old Product

Jan. 14, 2019
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3 min read
egyptair
Egyptair's New 787 Business Class Seat Should Be Huge Upgrade Over Its Old Product
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Angled flat seats in business are becoming more of a novelty than a normality. One of the carriers that still has this product in its premium cabin is EgyptAir, which currently has a long-haul fleet of eight Boeing 777s and 10 Airbus A330s.

The airline ordered six Boeing 787 Dreamliners in 2017 to replace the aging aircraft. The new birds will soon come into service this year and Routes Online has found that it will feature a new business class product.

After taking delivery of its first 787 in March, EgyptAir will first operate the aircraft three times a week between Toronto (YYZ) and Cairo (CAI) starting Oct. 3. The seat map that was loaded into the schedule shows a new configuration in business class, featuring 30 seats in a 1-2-1 layout — suggesting that EgyptAir will install lie-flat seats on the 787s.

This is a huge improvement over EgyptAir's 777 business product, which is laid out in a 2-3-2 configuration with dated angle-flat seats. TPG himself reviewed it and didn't have the best things to say, other than the fact that it's the only carrier that flies nonstop between the US and Egypt. Unlike the 777, all seats on the new 787 will have direct aisle access. The 270 coach seats will be arranged in the traditional 3-3-3 layout — making for a capacity of 270 in the economy cabin and 300 passengers overall.

While we don't know yet what seat EgyptAir will use, One Mile At a Time points out that like many other airline's 787s, which feature 30 seats in their business class cabin, we'll likely see a reverse herringbone seat similar to Air Canada's or American's Dreamliners.

empty seats in a business class cabin on a plane
Image by JT Genter / The Points Guy.

EgyptAir is part of the Star Alliance, and you can use United miles (a Chase Ultimate Rewards transfer partner) or Avianca Lifemiles (a Citi ThankYou and Amex Membership Rewards partner) to book awards seats on the carrier. A one-way business class award from New York to Cairo would run you 80,000 United miles or 78,000 Lifemiles, and fortunately both rewards programs don't impose heavy fuel surcharges on EgyptAir flights.

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  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
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  • 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.
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  • $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.
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