The seven most luxurious first-class cabins for Australian flyers

The list of airlines pulling the plug on first class continues to grow. American Airlines, Asiana, Delta, Air New Zealand and South African Airways have either removed their first-class cabins or soon will. When Qatar Airways finally stops flying its A380s – and CEO Akbar Al Baker can’t wait for that to happen – there will be no more first-class cabins on the airline. First class has never been a focus for Qatar Airways. The airline did not even feature among the top 20 airlines with first class cabins at the Skytrax 2023 World Airline awards, while its business class took gold at the same event.

Qatar Airways’ first-class seats.

There are still many other legacy carriers including Emirates, Singapore Airlines and Qantas that show no sign of giving way. For anyone flying out of Australia and looking to sample the last word in luxury at 30,000 feet, these are the picks of the bunch.

Singapore Airlines

There are two versions of first class aboard Singapore Airlines, depending on the aircraft type. On the Boeing 777, first class seats are fairly conventional while aboard the Airbus A380 first class becomes a suite, and very sweet it is.

First Class (Boeing 777)

The first-class seats on Singapore Airlines’ Boeing 777-300ER.

Pitch 205 cm
Width 88.9 cm
Configuration 1-2-1 in a single row
Two bathrooms are located at the front of the cabin

The lowdown

The handstitched leather seat features variable mood lighting from intense to cool and converts to a wide, lie-flat 208 cm bed. Singapore’s Book the Cook service allows passengers to peruse the menu and reserve their main course 24 hours pre-flight. Expect fine wines and premium label champagne. The in-flight entertainment system features 1800 movies, TV shows, games, music and news, delivered via a 61 cm HD-enabled LCD monitor with Bang & Olufsen noise-cancelling headphones. Wi-Fi is complimentary.

Suites (A380)

The first-class suites on Singapore Airlines’ A380s are pure luxury.

Aboard the main trunk routes to and from Singapore the airline pulls out all stops for its first-class flyers. The suites are private enclaves, as the name implies, with total privacy and a seat as well as a full-length bed. Couples can have a double suite by choosing adjacent window seats 1A plus 2A, or 1F plus 2F. There’s an 81 cm HD TV, heaps of storage spaces, pyjamas and a leather amenity kit.

Qantas

Qantas’ first-class suites on an A380.Credit: Andreas Smetana

Pitch 200 cm
Width 56 cm
Configuration 1-1-1, 14 seats, which makes this one of the largest of any airline’s first-class cabins.
Two bathrooms are located at the front of the cabin

The lowdown

Qantas first is available on the airline’s Airbus A380 services from Melbourne and Sydney to Singapore, Los Angeles and London. Located at the front of the aircraft on the lower deck, the shell-type seat can be rotated, from 45° inward facing for takeoff and landing to the same angle towards the window and video screen at other times. The seat converts to a comfy and spacious 212 cm bed that gets universal applause from fussy flyers with a memory foam mattress, Sheridan bed linen, a pillow menu, pyjamas, slippers and amenity kit. Champagne and wines come from the top drawer although some flyers suggest the food is not up to the high standard of pre-pandemic flying. Eligible first class lounge customers departing from Sydney and Melbourne get a complimentary spa treatment.

Emirates

First class on an A380 with Emirates.

Pitch 175 cm
Width 52 cm
Configuration 1-2-1
Two bathrooms are located at the front of the cabin

The lowdown

Emirates’ slick first-class suites on board a Boeing 777.

There are two different first-class cabins aboard Emirates, an older but still highly regarded seat aboard the A380s and a newer, sleeker version on the Boeing 777s. Aboard the A380, there are 14 seats in first class, with sliding privacy doors, although the cabin feels a little tight. There are no overhead storage bins and stowing a full-size cabin bag in the compartment shrinks the floor space. There are also two showers in the bathrooms at the front of the cabin, one of the only airlines to offer this feature. Aboard the airline’s Boeing 777s, first class seating is newer, bigger and better, in a fully enclosed suite that comes a close second to Singapore Airlines’ suites. Passengers get individual temperature controls and mood lighting, virtual windows and cushy leather seating. Both aircraft types come with an amenity kit by Bulgari, Bowers & Wilkins E1 headphones, a Byredo skincare collection and moisturising pyjamas, whatever they are. The champagne is Dom Perignon, there’s caviar and the kind of dinners that would take a bite out of your credit card in Melbourne or Sydney, with fine wines. Wi-Fi is free for first class passengers, but only for Skywards members, and there’s a limo service between home and airport, free for journeys of up to 80 kilometres.

Japan Airlines

A first-class suite on Japan Airlines’ A350.

Pitch 199 cm
Width 58cm
Configuration 2-2-2 in two rows aboard the A350-900, 2-1-2 in a single row aboard the 767-300ER
One bathroom is located at the front of the cabin.

The lowdown

The seat feels dated, there’s no privacy door to the aisle, the inflight entertainment system is nothing to write home about but the meals and service elevate JAL’s first class cabin to the premier league. The service is polite and attentive without being overbearing, and no other airline presents food with such exquisite perfection. There’s a kaiseki menu as well as a decent array of Western dishes featuring top-line ingredients such as caviar, king crab, foie gras and lobster. There’s also a snack menu with a pork katsu sandwich and some very Japanese touches. Blowfish sashimi, anyone? The amenity kit by Italy’s Etro is nothing special, headphones are Bose and Wi-Fi is complimentary. The seat becomes a 199 cm bed with a mattress pad from Airweave either in soft or hard versions, a big pillow and a large, soft doona.

World’s best first class in the Skytrax World Airline Awards 2023

1. Singapore Airlines
2. Air France
3. ANA All Nippon airways
4. Swiss international air lines
5. Emirates
6. Cathay Pacific Airways
7. Lufthansa
8. Japan Airlines
9. British Airways
10. Korean Air