Last Updated: 20 Feb 2024
British Airways’ most luxurious way to fly, First Class, is hugely coveted by Avios collectors and cash fare travellers alike. Many say that once you’ve had a taste of the high life, you won’t want to fly any other way. Some Avios collectors are so fanatical about it that they’ll only book those types of BA reward flights. Other collectors have a bucket list First Class travel destinations in mind and save their Avios points religiously until they can snap up those seats.
Reward Flight Finder, the original British Airways reward seat Alert tool, is incredibly popular with BA Executive Club members seeking the most sought-after First Class tickets. Because BA doesn’t guarantee they’ll release First Class reward seats on every flight they’re like gold dust to Avios travellers. Here we take a look at why First is such a VIP way to fly, according to travellers themselves.
Airport Check-In
BA works hard to offer First Class flyers a seamless check-in and boarding experience. Flying First means you can wave goodbye to airport queues, and say hello to dedicated check-in desks and fast-track security at various airports, including London Heathrow, Gatwick and New York JFK. You’ll also benefit from priority boarding, so you can get yourself settled onboard the aircraft in plenty of time before departure.
If a celebrity-style check-in experience sounds like your idea of travel heaven you’ll be a big fan of the First Wing at London Heathrow, Terminal 5. Ensconced behind golden gates (literally!) you’ll enter an exclusive, private check-in area, with its own security lanes, and a direct walkway into the Galleries First Lounge and Concorde Room. Considered “relaxing and tranquil, with plenty of available, smiling agents waving me over”, Alex from Just Fly Business says that T5 First Class check-in is “always a breeze”. Nowadays, most travellers like to start their holiday the second they arrive at the airport, and it certainly seems British Airways has that one in the bag.
First Class Lounges
Now we all like an airport lounge. But flying BA First Class gives you access to the creme de la creme of Lounges before departure. If you want to live like a rockstar, try as many of them as you can pre-boarding, to really get a taste of the high life - it’s allowed!
First Class Lounges have been designed to let you take time out in elegant, indulgent surroundings before your flight, where you can tickle your tastebuds with a variety of excellent wines and champagnes, soft drinks, buffet snacks and a la carte offerings. There’s also a range of business facilities if you’re travelling for work, and sleep pods where you can catch forty winks.
Lounges are available for passengers who are:
- flying on a scheduled BA flight in First Class, which includes BA reward flights
- a Gold Member of BA Executive Club, travelling on a scheduled flight operated by British Airways or a Oneworld partner
- an Emerald member of any of the Oneworld airline frequent flyer programmes on a scheduled flight operated by British Airways or a Oneworld partner
British Airways passengers with a First Class ticket at London Heathrow or New York JFK can also access the uber chic, exclusive Concorde Room, where you can unwind in discreet booths and private cabanas with full waiter service. You’ll find free-flowing, complimentary Laurent-Perrier Grand Siecle Champagne (worth £120 a bottle) and an a la carte menu bursting with culinary decadence. The Luxury Travel Expert praises its “home away from home” ambience, going as far as to call the restaurant space “remarkable”.
Thrifty Points writes that the Concorde Room has a “SOHO-House finish”, full of “bright fabrics and large double loungers, where you really can put your feet up and immerse yourself in the experience”. is another fan of the Concorde Room, particularly the cocktail bar, which was “stocked with countless bottles of spirits from around the world”, whilst “the cabana-type layout and furnishings reminded me of an upmarket beach club in Dubai. I could have happily spent all day there”. After a visit here you’ll certainly be relaxed for your flight.
One of the highlights of the lounge, especially if you are on a night flight, according to The Lux Traveller, is the ability to dine in private booths before your flight. “The quality of food is of course very high and there is a sufficient level of choice. Service is also very efficient which is helpful, meaning no wasted time”.
Cabin and in-flight experience
Passengers flying First Class get their very own suite onboard, for absolute comfort and privacy during their flight. Typically you’ll find just 14 seats in the VIP cabin which allows the cabin crew to provide the best standards of in-flight service possible, and for you to enjoy the peace and quiet. Just Fly Business reckons “the difference between First Class and Business becomes apparent as soon as you board. The suite provides higher walls, meaning privacy and lots of it. Everything is beautifully designed, from the stitching on the extra wide seat to the stunning table lamps, to the vast inbuilt media centre fixed to the far wall of the booth”.
When it’s time to turn down the lights, the crew will switch your chair into a fully flat bed with a quilted mattress, cotton duvet and pillow – making it easy to stretch out and get some shut-eye during your journey. If you really like to get snuggly, you'll love the complimentary Temperley London loungewear and his and hers amenity bags, which are curated for each season and filled with luxury Elemis products. Dukes Avenue was bowled over by the First Class service, saying that “ cabin crew treat you as though you are the only passenger on the flight. My bed was made as I brushed my teeth, my glass was never empty and I never went without food”.
If you like those little extra touches of elegance, Ben at Thrifty Points reckons you’ll find BA’s offering an “impressive First Class product. You’ll certainly benefit from your own wardrobe, side table, bespoke lighting and power supply”.
British Airways makes it pretty easy to pass your time in-flight with an expansive library of films, music, ebooks, and games available on your 15 in-screen via in-flight entertainment channels, and free Wi-Fi is being rolled out across the fleet so that First Class customers can stream music, films and box sets, browse the internet and email during your journey. Your suite includes a personal power supply for laptops and electronic devices and you’ll be provided with noise-cancelling headphones too. There’s really not much more you could ask for.
First Class offers passengers the chance to create their very own dining experience with a special a la carte menu, served any time you like, revolving around The Best of British. In-flight service also includes complimentary snacks, cocktails, champagne, spirits and wines, as well as soft drinks if you wish. BusinessClass is very fond of the First Class dining experience, writing that “the afternoon tea setup is rather elegant with a large pot of tea placed at each seat, a selection of traditional sandwiches and pastries plus warm scones with clotted cream. There is nothing more quintessentially British, and the airline hits the mark well with this lovely presentation”.
British Airways have recently made some special adaptations to their 787-9 Dreamliner fleets First Class cabin, reducing the number of seats to just 8 (rather than 14), increasing personal screen sizes as well as introducing touch screen handsets - all with the purpose of further enhancing customer experience. Finty recently flew First Class on a Dreamliner for work projects and felt that the wifi was a huge benefit - “being able to access high-speed wifi for the whole of my long-haul flight was incredible. There's no better way to crank out some work than at 35,000ft with no distractions!”.
Why are First Class BA reward seats so popular?
Avios points collectors covet British Airways First Class reward seats because they represent excellent value for Avios point spend and travellers can benefit from some great cash savings on comparable seats. Unless you're a billionaire you’re not going to be flying First Class frequently, so splurging your Avios points on BA’s top tier experience once in a while sounds like a great way to go.
Reward Flight Finder members regularly tell us how much they save by snapping up reward seats, with Kaye W recently letting us know that “I bagged two BA First Class seats from London to Mumbai using my Avios and a companion voucher and saved myself about £25,000!”. They’re also in limited supply, BA doesn’t release them for every flight, so even if you have the points balance there’s no guarantee you’ll be able to book them the moment you start searching.
First Class also offers flyers the most exclusive, top-tier service the airline provides. It’s a pretty good step up from Business Class, particularly the extra cabin and seat space, and if you like your pre-flight experience to be as calm and relaxed as possible, the First Wing and Concorde Lounge just can’t be beaten. With dedicated check-in and security, as well as access to elite lounges, you can avoid the crowds and relax in luxurious surroundings before taking off.
One of the key reasons that BA First stands out as a product is the good old BA service standard. With a sterling reputation over time, cabin crew seem to pull out all the stops in First. The Lux Traveller says that “throughout the flight it was very apparent that cabin crew were always available, watching out for when you might need them – ever-present but not in any way of a hassle”.
According to Sarah Barthet, a points and air miles enthusiast, “First Class flights are obviously wonderful but definitely one to use your points on rather than buying outright if your annual travel budget is not within the six-figure mark”. And Finty believes flying First Class using Avios offers exceptional value, saying that “whether you have points to spend on a business trip, a long-haul holiday, or honeymoon, this would be a good points redemption. I'd happily squirrel my points away and save them for another British Airways First flight!”
British Airways, very cleverly, make it easy to upgrade your ticket to First Class. You can upgrade any paid Business Class ticket (even a discounted one) for a reasonable number of Avios points, assuming there’s award availability. You can also upgrade a Business Class ticket booked with Avios, assuming there's a First Class reward seat available to do so.
If you fancy booking yourself a First Class getaway you can use our BA redemption finder at rewardflightfinder.com to find BA reward flight availability up to a year ahead. Our search calendar will even tell you how many seats are available so you can make the best value bookings if you’re looking to use your BA Companion Voucher. Better still, if you sign up for a Reward Flight Finder membership you can maximise your chances of getting your ideal British Airways reward seats by setting travel Alerts. We’ll notify you when your preferred seats are available to book.