Flying first class

[MrsExpo]

We have go on a long haul flight later in the year and have been looking at options for flight times, departure airports, fares etc. Having done the research we're more or less decided what we're booking, but just for fun, DH looked at how much it would cost to upgrade to first class. The difference was between just under a thousand pounds for economy to around £6k (each!) for first class .... to get on the same plane, at the same airport and arrive at the same time as everyone else at the same destination.

So .... has anyone done it? Is it really worth the difference in price? What are the advantages? What do you get for the extra ££££ ?

Anyone care to share experiences?

If you are changing planes, look into going just one leg First/business class. On a flight to/from NZ, stopping in the Middle East, for example, often the London-Dubai (or Doha) leg will be far more expensive, even though it's much shorter, because it's a popular business route. So you can fly the much longer Dubai-Auckland leg in luxury but go Economy for the short hop from London to Dubai.

I also find many lounges have no clocks and few departure boards and an otherworldly atmosphere. I can easily imagine missing a flight. Not a fan of them at all.

Good grief, why are people so upset that other people like flying first/business?

All this ridiculous slaying and minimising - if you really don't care about it, why are you going to such lengths to slag it off?

Seems overkill?

I fly BA long haul 1st 6 times a year (3 returns)
I fly BA Club typically twice return and Virgin UC twice
I fly BA CE (club europe) almost weekly and AA internal 1st several times a year.
Plus CE on loads of other airlines, sometimes do WTP (world traveller plus) or premium economy on long haul. Occasionally do budget or economy (20 odd times a year probably).

BA Gold- so I get the flash check in and club lounges anyway- get the Concorde room at LHR if flying 1st.

Depends on the airline. WTP is only worth it because it is the sweet spot for free upgrade to club, really no different from economy on lots of planes. I tend to get an empty seat next to me on flights that are not full as BA has a theoretical setting model and empty seats next to golds typically lock down at T-24.

Is it worth the extra? That depends. Long haul 1st costs me about £600 return as I use avois and an amex 2 for 1 voucher. I occasionally pay as sometimes 1st can be the same price or even less than club world.

A lot depends on which plane and which fit out it is. The upper deck BA club seats are better than middle 1st for example.

The Concorde lounge doesn’t announce flights which makes it very easy to miss yours, and it is miles from the gates. The bacon sandwiches are curly at the edges and the pasta is rank. How this is life-enhancing, I know not.

The LPGS is amazing though and £120 a bottle to buy in a supermarket.
Spa treatment. Great full English when getting off a red eye. Cabanas to have a shower and booze.

Never had bacon sandwiches in the CCR- they have them in the 1st lounge.

Cathay 1st lounge in T3 is nice. In fact T 3 is better overall- you can do a nice one world lounge tour.

I love how geeky some of you are about this. It’s like an exec version of top trumps.

Seatguru is crap imo. For Accurate BA and Emirates seat maps use The BA Source and The EK Source respectively.

the FlyerTalk BA thread has the best seat guides for all BA plane types and lovely people who answer endless silly questions

www.flyertalk.com/forum/british-airways-executive-club-446/

I love how geeky some of you are about this. It’s like an exec version of top trumps

I am doing 12 flights in about 7 days next week and 4 the week after. pays to be organised! .

@mumdom You misunderstood.

The crappy chain restaurants which are overcrowded, noisy and overpriced is not the reason to fly business class. I was replying to the poster who felt that chatting to others in the terminal restaurants was one of the benefits of going on holiday and one of those great moments in life. And that by going in a lounge you miss that wonderful opportunity.

I'm quite happy to give up that opportunity.

We fly business class long haul for the sleep and space. (And I will fly business short haul too if work pay for it). And yes the extras are nice. What's not to like?

If I had the dosh I'd give first class a try too.

Norfolk Are you male? I don’t know anyone female who’d have a spa or beauty treatment with an unknown therapist and I’d be interested to know if they’re actually any good as a Cowshed style mani-pedi would be very convenient.

I never drink alcohol before take-off and have a two glass limit on board. They must make a fortune on the perks I don’t avail myself of!

You can definitely spot the WAG and the odd model or celebrity, but we women travelling in First under our own steam are still few and far between.

Norfolk Are you male? I don’t know anyone female who’d have a spa or beauty treatment with an unknown therapist and I’d be interested to know if they’re actually any good as a Cowshed style mani-pedi would be very convenient.

No female. They are basic 15 minute facials. Virgin Spa is better than the BA at Heathrow. Although Virgin used to do nails and make up but they don't any more. I have had my haircut in the Virgin lounge a few times as well over the years.

Facials are often the free perk in hotels- so I just go with the flow. I have many more facials when travelling than at home!

I don't really drink much on board (welcome drink plus 1 more pre-dining and then maybe a glass of wine with meal or not) but I do drink champagne in the CCR or Cathay 1st lounge at LHR as it is good quality.

I don't drink the champagne in BA CE or club world as I don't like it.

I don’t know anyone female who’d have a spa or beauty treatment with an unknown therapist

Are you serious? It's slapping on a bit of nail polish, or slathering on some moisturiser then wiping it off (which is what a facial amounts to, however much woo they spout). What's the worse that can happen?

Well, for a start I’ve been warring against PCOS for over 3 decades and a pizza face just before a key presentation in front of my seniors wouldn’t fill me with confidence. Then at my age a lot of my female colleagues have ‘work’ and they’re understandably reluctant to let any old facialist lay hands in them . Although these are the epitome of high class problems and I’m going to hide this thread now. The OP’s question was whether the price premium for First justified the X5 expense, and my experience of it over many years and mostly on my employer’s bar bill: no, never, never, never.

And for balance:

The OP’s question was whether the price premium for First justified the X5 expense. As an experience rather than a thing, and if you can afford/justify it to yourself, then: yes, why not, do it and have a fab time!

(Ignore all the silly sneering. You know the people so loudly dismissing it would take a free upgrade just as fast as the rest of us)

Interesting thread. It sounds as though business class is worth it long haul but First Class is not worth the extra (unless money is no object). Can anybody recommend any agents who can book these flights?

First is only worth the money over business on luxury airlines; Etihad, Emirates and the like. Otherwise business is perfectly comfortable IMO

FWIW, my First Class tickets only cost £400 more than business on the exact same flights (just one of those ticketing anomalies, and I was able to book it there and then).

I've already started a list of the "extra extras" and I'm going to wring every last gram out of them, before I 'downgrade' back to Biz next time

Done both first and business and virgin upper class multiple times (long haul for work) I would pay for business or VUC in a heartbeat- not so much first as it's not *that' different.