First Class Flights from the UK — Private Suites & Chauffeur

Q: Is first class really worth the price over business?

Depends on priorities. First offers private suites, wider beds, onboard showers on some carriers and 6–14 seat cabins. But at 2–3× the price, most travellers find top business delivers 80% of the experience.

Q: Which airlines still fly first class to/from the UK?

BA, Emirates, Etihad, Qatar, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, JAL, ANA and Lufthansa all serve the UK in first. Many other carriers have dropped first in favour of premium business.

Q: What's the Etihad Residence?

A 3-room private cabin on Etihad A380 with bedroom, living room and en-suite shower. Priced around £15,000–25,000 per passenger and includes a Savoy-trained butler.

Q: Can I redeem Avios for BA First?

Yes. BA First awards cost 110,000–220,000 Avios one-way plus £500–900 in taxes. Released typically 355 days out in two batches.

Q: Do I get a separate check-in and lounge?

Always. Dedicated first check-in at every hub plus first lounges like BA Concorde Room, Qantas First, Cathay The Wing, Emirates First Class Lounge, and Lufthansa First Class Terminal.

Why first class?

What sets first apart from top-tier business

🚪

Private suites

Fully enclosed cabins with sliding doors, 30–38" wide. Singapore Suites (A380) has a proper double bed. Emirates First has onboard shower spa. Etihad Residence is a 3-room apartment — bedroom, lounge, shower. Most first cabins seat just 4–14 passengers.

🥂

Dom Pérignon & caviar

Beluga caviar, Krug or Dom Pérignon champagne, multi-course à la carte dining, proper bone china. On-demand dining — eat when you want, not when the cabin service trolley arrives. Pyjamas by Gieves & Hawkes or similar; turndown service with proper mattresses and duvets.

🛎

Exclusive ground experience

Chauffeur-drive both ends included. Premium lounges: BA Concorde Room (LHR T5), Emirates Concourse A (DXB), Qantas First (LHR/SYD), Lufthansa First Class Terminal (FRA) with dedicated limousine to aircraft. Dedicated first-class security and immigration at most hubs.

Popular first class routes

Return fares from Heathrow, cheapest first-class cabin

🇺🇸

LHR ▶ JFK

Heathrow → New York · BA First · 7h 30m

Heathrow → Dubai · Emirates A380 · 7h 05m

from

£5,999

Onboard showerChauffeur

🇸🇬

LHR ▶ SIN

Heathrow → Singapore · SQ Suites · 13h 05m

from

£8,499

Double bedBook the Cook

🇭🇰

LHR ▶ HKG

Heathrow → Hong Kong · Cathay First · 12h 15m

Heathrow → Abu Dhabi · Etihad · 7h 10m

Heathrow → Tokyo · JAL/ANA First · 11h 45m

from

£9,799

Ultra longSuite

What's included in first class

The baseline spec across major first cabins

Suite cabin: Enclosed or semi-enclosed private suite with door. Seat width 30–38", bed length 80–82". Separate seat and bed (turndown service). Singapore Suites (A380) has two suites that combine into a double room.
Baggage: 3 checked bags at 32kg each on most carriers, some (Emirates First) at 50kg. 2–3 carry-on items. Priority tags and dedicated first-class baggage delivery at arrivals hubs.
Lounges: BA Concorde Room (T5) serves à la carte meals, has private cabanas and butler service. Emirates Concourse A in DXB spans multiple floors with spa, showers, direct boarding. Lufthansa First Class Terminal in Frankfurt has a private limousine to plane.
Chauffeur: Included return within ~75 miles of UK hubs on Emirates First, Etihad First, Qatar First, Singapore Suites. BA offers chauffeur as a paid extra.
Dining: Caviar service standard on most (Emirates, Singapore, Etihad). Dom Pérignon or Krug champagne. Multi-course menus by named chefs. Dine-on-demand throughout flight.
Amenities: Luxury amenity kits (Bulgari on Emirates, Ferragamo on Singapore, Giorgio Armani on Etihad), designer pyjamas, full-size bedding, wireless noise-cancelling headphones, 23–32" personal screens.
Onboard showers: Emirates A380 First and Etihad First have real onboard shower spas (5-minute water allocation per passenger).
Etihad Residence: A 3-room suite (living room, bedroom with proper double bed, en-suite shower room) priced around £15,000–25,000 per passenger for the full cabin. Includes personal butler.

First class FAQs

Is first class really worth the price over business?

Depends what you value. The cabin experience is noticeably better — private suites versus open business pods, wider beds, onboard showers on some carriers, and 6–14 seat cabins feel far more exclusive than 40-seat business. But at 2–3× the price, most travellers find top business (Qatar Qsuite, BA Club Suite, Singapore 2024 business) delivers 80% of the experience for 40% of the cost.

Which airlines still fly first class to/from the UK?

British Airways (LHR to NYC, SFO, LAX, HKG, SIN, DXB, JNB and a few others), Emirates (LHR, MAN, BHX, GLA, EDI to DXB), Etihad (LHR, MAN to AUH), Qatar (LHR, MAN, EDI to DOH), Singapore (LHR, MAN to SIN), Cathay (LHR, MAN to HKG), JAL and ANA (LHR to Tokyo), Lufthansa (LHR connections to Frankfurt First). Many other airlines have dropped first class in favour of premium business.

What's the Etihad Residence?

A 3-room private cabin on Etihad A380 aircraft, with a bedroom (proper double bed), living room with sofa, and en-suite shower room. Priced around £15,000–25,000 per passenger (or for two travelling together) and includes a Savoy-trained butler. Only available on LHR→AUH and a handful of other A380 routes.

Can I redeem Avios for BA First?

Yes. BA First awards cost 110,000–220,000 Avios each way plus ~£500–900 in taxes and surcharges. Peak dates cost more. Availability is released by BA typically 355 days out in two batches — Household Account members can redeem pooled points for partners and family.

Do I get a separate check-in and lounge?

Yes, always. Dedicated first-class check-in desks at every major hub, plus first-class lounges — BA Concorde Room at T5, Qantas First at LHR and SYD, Cathay The Wing at HKG, Emirates First Class Lounge at DXB. Lufthansa's First Class Terminal in Frankfurt is effectively a private terminal with limo service to plane.

Is the chauffeur service really included?

On Emirates, Etihad, Qatar, Singapore Suites and Cathay First — yes, both ways, within typically 75 miles of UK airports (some up to 100 miles). You book via the airline portal after ticketing. BA offers chauffeur as a paid extra from around £150 each way.

First Class Flights
from the UK

Why first class?

Private suites

Dom Pérignon & caviar

Exclusive ground experience

Popular first class routes

What's included in first class

First class FAQs

Other flight types

Compare first class fares

First Class Flightsfrom the UK

Why first class?

Private suites

Dom Pérignon & caviar

Exclusive ground experience

Popular first class routes

What's included in first class

First class FAQs

Other flight types

One-way →

Multi-city →

Last-minute →

Business class →

Premium economy →

Flexible dates →

Student flights →

All routes →

Compare first class fares

First Class Flights
from the UK