Egyptair's New 787 Business Class Seat Should Be Huge Upgrade Over Its Old Product
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.
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.
TPG featured card
at Bilt's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 1X | Choose to earn up to 1X points on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee |
| 2X | Earn 2X points + the option to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday purchases |
Pros
- Choice to earn up to 1 Bilt Point per dollar spent on rent and mortgage payments
- Elevated everyday earnings with both Bilt Points and the option to earn Bilt Cash
- $400 Bilt Travel Portal hotel credit per year (up to $200 biannually)
- $200 Bilt Cash annually
- Priority Pass membership
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- Moderate annual fee
- Designed primarily for members seeking a premium, all-in-one card
- Earn points on housing with no transaction fee
- Choose to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday spend. Use Bilt Cash to unlock point earnings on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee, up to 1X.
- 2X points on everyday spend
- $400 Bilt Travel Hotel credit. Applied twice a year, as $200 statement credits, for qualifying Bilt Travel Portal hotel bookings.
- $200 Bilt Cash (awarded annually). At the end of each calendar year, any Bilt Cash balance over $100 will expire.
- Welcome bonus (subject to approval): 50,000 Bilt Points + Gold Status after spending $4,000 on everyday purchases in the first 90 days + $300 of Bilt Cash.
- Priority Pass ($469/year value). See Guide to Benefits.
- Bilt Point redemptions include airlines, hotels, future rent and mortgage payments, Lyft rides, statement credits, student loan balances, a down payment on a home, and more.