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| First-class cabin experiences |
| by Brian Kelly |
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Hi everyone,
Over the past year, I’ve had the opportunity to fly in some of the world’s most coveted international first-class cabins, experiencing perks like showering onboard and snacking on caviar with Emirates, controlling the temperature of my massive seat with Lufthansa and having my own chauffeur to drive me to my gate with Air France.
While I loved each and every experience, I enjoyed them for different reasons. Below, I’ll give my ratings to each (and tips on how to book them), which can help you prioritize which airline’s first class you’d like to save your miles for (hint: you really can’t go wrong with any of them).
Lufthansa: Best for comfort
The Allegris suite on Lufthansa’s Airbus A350-900 is a private suite with many features — my favorite being the temperature-controlled seats. To me, real luxury means privacy, and that’s what this suite offered, with a fabric door that closes. On my flight from Munich to the U.S., I was in seat 1A, which was incredibly spacious and converted into a long bed. On the massive 43-inch inflight entertainment screen, I could adjust the seat temperature and connect my own Bluetooth headphones.
How to book Lufthansa
Unfortunately, Lufthansa doesn’t allow partner award redemptions for its Allegris first-class cabin, so you can book it one of two ways: by redeeming points for business class and hoping you get upgraded, or paying in cash (which can run you nearly $8,000 or more each way). I used the Amex Pay with Points rebate feature on my business Centurion card, which means I got 50% of the points back. In the end, I spent 400,000 points to pay for the ticket (post-rebate) and earned miles for flying. Alternatively, Rove transfers 1:1 to Lufthansa’s Miles & More program.
Lufthansa often has sales on mileage bundles, which can be a cheap way to buy first-class seats that normally cost $9,000 one-way. First-class awards start at 80,000 miles, so purchasing a mileage bundle of 80,000 miles might cost 2 cents per point or $1,600 plus fees of about $800 when you book.
Emirates: Best for onboard vibes and amenities
I’ve been lucky enough to fly Emirates first-class suites on the A380 aircraft a number of times, and I absolutely love how glitzy and glam the suites are, decked out in gold with huge IFE screens. They often have special Champagne, such as Dom Perignon, and I can’t get enough of the unlimited caviar. They also have enormous bathrooms complete with showers — showering on a plane never gets old.
The absolute best, though, is Emirates’ Game Changer first-class suite, a fully enclosed suite with doors that go from floor to ceiling. The suite is on the 777 that flies to Chicago (and sometimes on other 777 routes), which can be helpful if trying to score an upgrade.
How to book Emirates
Emirates is a Chase Points Boost airline, meaning you can usually redeem points at 2 cents per point to book flights. That’s how I redeemed for this first-class flight (at roughly the same number of miles it would have cost to fly United business class). Plus, I earned miles on the flight. Emirates has a very generous upgrade policy for business class, and you can pay with miles at check-in to upgrade to first class.
Air France: Best ground service and lounge
When flying Air France’s new(ish) La Premiere suites on the 700-300ER aircraft, my favorite part occurred before I even got on the plane. I had an escort the entire time, who took me to the gate (in Paris, I was actually driven there in a Porsche). The new lounge in Paris is incredible, offering private suites with outdoor space and 30-minute Sisley facials. Onboard, each suite has five windows, a seat, and a chaise lounge.
How to book Air France
You must be a Flying Blue Platinum member to book first-class awards and partners like Citi, Chase, Capital One and American Express all transfer to Flying Blue. Even without Flying Blue status, you can still find affordable redemption rates using Flying Blue for economy, premium and business-class seats, with one-way business-class awards starting at 60,000 miles.
You can often upgrade a business-class booking on Air France to La Premiere first class (even award bookings). It doesn’t hurt to ask at check-in — it can be a $1,500-$2,500 cash upgrade.
Singapore Airlines: Best for service and award availability
Singapore’s first-class suites are iconic, especially on the A380, where you can combine two suites into a double bed. The suites are spacious and comfortable, but what I really love is that they offer a lot of award space to loyalty members, especially on the 777-300. Singapore flight attendants are also exceptionally kind and welcoming.
How to book Singapore Airlines
Citi, Chase, Amex, or Capital One all transfer to Singapore’s KrisFlyer program at a 1:1 ratio and award availability is great for KrisFlyer members — no elite status needed like with some other programs.
ANA: Best cuisine experience
I appreciate how wide All Nippon Airways’ (ANA) first-class bed is, especially when one (or both) of my two kids may need to come lie with me. But my favorite part is the cuisine, starting with Krug Champagne, followed by a choice between a Japanese and an international meal. I never thought I’d be eating beautifully presented scorpion fish on a flight, but it was incredible, as was the wagyu beef. Singapore Airlines is a close second for cuisine.
How to book ANA
Transfer Amex Membership Rewards points to ANA Mileage Club at a 1:1 ratio.
Bottom line
First-class flights are one of the most indulgent ways to travel, but you don’t need to be a travel expert to experience this level of luxury — points and miles are the “secret” that lets travelers sit up front without paying rack rates that can run into the tens of thousands of dollars.
Whether it’s the VIP arrival for Air France’s La Premiere or the Champagne on Emirates, each of these cabins proves that first class isn’t just about a bigger seat — it’s about an entire experience built around you.
So take this list as inspiration, pick your favorite from the rankings above and figure out which loyalty program gets you there. Then start planning your own splurge-worthy trip in the front of the plane. Just a word of caution: once you’ve flown first class, it’s hard to go back.
Have a great weekend,
BK
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| Photo Credit: NICKY KELVIN/THE POINTS GUY. |
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