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British Airways First Class Guide & Review [2021]

Are you thinking about flying British Airways first class? If you would like to know what to expect and other important details like what aircraft and route you might be flying, be sure to check out this comprehensive guide below.

I’ll also give you a detailed review of my experience flying British Airways first class, complete with tons of photos and detailed descriptions!

Table of Contents

New BA first class product

Before jumping too far into the details, you should know that British Airways has a new first class product coming out.

In October 2020, the new 777-300s arrived in London showcasing the new first class product.

It’s not a complete overhaul of their current cabin, though.

In fact, some would argue that it’s basically the same seat just with a door. And that is a slight bummer because the seat is comparable to some business class seats so we’re not really talking a significant upgrade.

Still, it was very important to put doors on the suites since the British Airways business class product already had enclosed suites.

Also, some of the new cabins have reduced from 14 seats to eight which make them a lot more intimate and allow for more privacy, so that’s a pretty good upgrade.

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BA First Class aircraft

If you are going to fly British Airways first class, you will likely be flying in one of the aircraft below.

787 Dreamliner

The British Airways 787–9 has two rows of four seats. This has always been the smallest and most intimate British Airways first class cabin and it is also probably the most coveted (although now there are small first class cabins in the newer aircraft.)

Compared to some of the other aircraft, there also have been interior upgrades which makes for a slightly enhanced experience. For example, you will be able to enjoy a larger personal screen and your suite. If I had to choose one way to fly British Airways First Class, it would probably be the 787.

The first class cabin on the British Airways A380 is located on the bottom level of the massive A380 aircraft. While some people prefer the A380 top level, the windows are smaller and the ceiling clearance is also lower on top so you get more room on the bottom.

The A380 has four rows with a total of 14 seats, so you’ll be seated among almost double the amount of seats found on the Dreamliner. You’ll find the lavatories upfront which is also where the staircase is located. Therefore, I would prefer to sit in the back of the cabin for optimal privacy.

The British Airways 777-200 has four rows with a total of 14 seats. So like the A380 it is going to be one of the more crowded first class cabin experiences. Some 200s are only three class aircraft and do not come with a first class cabin.

The British Airways 777-300 is going to be very similar to the 777-200.

But one major difference is that the lavatories are located in the rear of the cabin on the 300 while the 777-200 lavatories are located in the front of the cabin, including one in the middle aisle.

This means that sitting in the back row could give you a lot more privacy on the 200 since people will be moving toward the front of the cabin to head to the lavatories.

However, if you were sitting at the front of the cabin on the 300 you may have the best privacy since generally people would be moving toward the back of the cabin for restroom visits.

It’s worth noting that there may be fewer seats on the newer 777-300 aircraft.

Unfortunately, flying the British Airways 747 is no longer in operation.

However, it had five rows of seats but only two of those rows had four seats across.

The lavatories were located in the back of the nose so the two front seats had fantastic privacy which is why elite members were able to get them. The 747 will be greatly missed!

BA First Class routes

Below are some destinations that you will be able to find a British Airways first class cabin on.

Most of these destinations are flights from London but keep in mind that the destinations and aircraft are subject to change for various reasons including aircraft swaps.

787–9 Dreamliner

British Airways has 19 787-9s. If you want to experience the awesome first class product in the Dreamliner, look into the following destinations:

• Kuala Lumpur
• Los Angeles
• Mexico City
• Narita – Tokyo
• Newark – New York
• Philadelphia
• San Jose CA

You can find the latest routes here .

British Airways only has 12 A380s.

• Johannesburg
• San Francisco

British Airways has a total of 45 777-200s but I’m not sure how many of them are outfitted for first class so remember to verify that the 777-200 has a first class cabin.

• Buenos Aires
• Rio de Janeiro

Boeing 777-300

British Airways has a total of 12 777-300s. Some of these newer aircraft will have the smaller first class cabins (fewer suites) so be on the lookout for that on the seat map.

BA First Class Lounges

British Airways has first class lounges and they also have the special Concorde Room at London Heathrow Terminal 5 and JFK Terminal 7.

To get access to the Concorde Room at London Heathrow Terminal 5 and JFK Terminal 7 you need to be flying on a British Airways flight in First Class and over the age of 18 years, or if under 18 years you are accompanied by a responsible adult.

The rules are more lax for the first class lounge is and you can get into these if you meet the following requirements:

• Flying on a British Airways flight in First Class
• You are a Gold Member of the British Airways Executive Club on a scheduled flight operated by British Airways or a  one world partner
• You are an Emerald member of any of the  one world airline frequent flyer programs on a scheduled flight operated by British Airways or a one world partner
• You are over the age of 18 years, or if under 18 years you are accompanied by a responsible adult.

Note: Access to the BAR at Dubai and Singapore is restricted to guests traveling in First Class.

Find out more about these rules here .

We capped off an extraordinary trip to Norway during the holiday season with a flight back from Oslo to Houston via London in British Airways first class.

Although I had come across a few reviews that dampened my enthusiasm for BA’s first class product on the 747, I still thoroughly enjoyed the flight experience. While BA’s first class on the 747 isn’t quite on the same level of some other global carriers, it’s still nothing to scoff at.

Also note that while the 747 has been discontinued the hard product will be very similar to other aircraft such as the A380, 777, etc.

Related: Top 10 First Class Cabins (& How I Booked)

We used 85,000 American Airline miles to get from OSL to IAH via LHR in first class one way for each person.

Google flights listed this flight at $6,576 although if you fly it out of London it’s listed at over $11,000! For our award flight, total fees came out to $270 (which isn’t that bad for a premium flight out of LHR), and so our redemption value came out to 7.4 cents per point, which I’ll take just about any day. We may have looked into Finnair or American if we were focused on cutting costs, but we really wanted to try out BA’s first class product, so we went with BA and just ate the cost. 

(The first class on board the A319 from Oslo to London was nothing impressive and merely consisted of economy seating with a placeholder in the middle seat, so our enthusiasm was focused on the 10.5 hour segment of our route.) 

Related: 12 Best Chase Ultimate Rewards First Class Redemptions

The first class cabin

While not as stunning as what’s found on the 787, the British Airways first class cabin on the 747 is still well polished and sleek. I’d read a number of reviews about the first class cabin on the 747 being crowded, and so I was a little bit worried about feeling cramped the whole time while in first class and that detracting from the experience. However, I honestly didn’t feel cramped at all.

It’s true that the cabin isn’t as spacious as I would like and could use more space or fewer seats, but it didn’t feel like too close of quarters where I sat in seat 2K. I got a bit lucky in that I had no passenger directly across from me, so that helped create more privacy. The story may have been a little different if I were in row 3, 4, or 5, although the staggered design of the seats helps to provide some screening even when you have neighbors. 

2K was a great seat but one issue was that passengers often came around the magazine rack either to pick up literature or to swing back around from the lavatory if their way was blocked. That was slightly bothersome. The best seats are 1A and 1K but those are reserved for BA/ one world elites and as far as I know you can only select them at check-in if they are still not available. (They weren’t available when we checked in.)

British Airways First Class cabin.

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I found the seats to be comfortable and designed and positioned to afford you with a decent amount of privacy. The desk or counter space adjacent to the seat is a bit limited and there’s no big storage drawer or compartment for your larger items, so that’s a slight drawback (although you can use the netting in the closet space to store small items like your passport, phone, etc.).

The seat comes with a small pillow that honestly felt worn and thin and detracted a bit from the overall polished feel of the cabin. With everything else having such a nice aura, it just felt out of place.

Across from your seat, there’s a footrest that also functions as a small stool/seat that even comes equipped with a seat belt. I sat in it for a minute and it was surprisingly more practical than I had imagined but I would not consider eating a meal from that “seat” or spending any considerable time in it like the alternate seats found other airlines like Etihad.

The overall design of the seats are very pleasing to the eye. This is especially true when you drop down the mood-lit blue shades via an electronic control.

In addition to the mood-lit shades, the miniature “lamp” that hangs just over your seat control panel on the right adds an additional touch of ambiance to the experience.

With both of those lighting features, the first class cabin transforms into something a bit more lustrous.

It really is one of the prettier first class seats. 

Seat functions

One of my favorite aspects of the first class seat is the seat functions because they are some of the simplest controls I’ve ever come across. You simply turn the dial in one direction and you’ll begin to recline until you’re all the way flat. Once you begin to bring the seat back up, the lighting surrounding the circular dial will turn green to let you know you’ve reached the take-off/landing position.

At one point, the controls did appear to malfunction and a red light lit up that said “fault.” This would not let me bring my seat out of the lie-flat position. A flight attendant came to assist and she fixed it by turning the dial toward the lie-flat position and then instantly turning it back the other way. She seemed like she knew exactly what to do, so perhaps that issue comes up fairly frequently. 

You could also adjust the position of individual segments of the seat with buttons found below the dial. The buttons on top of the dial control the two reading lights above your seat. And the buttons on top of the panel control the brightness of the lamp and (when activated) also control the intensity of the blue mood lighting in the window shades.

Just to the left of the seat dial is the USB port and also the headphone jack. In between those, you’ll find the controls for the window shade.

There’s also a silver panel you have to pull out to access the controller to the in-flight entertainment system. It’s an easy to use controller that also controls the reading lights and call button for service.

One slightly annoying thing about the in-flight entertainment/controller is that the volume bar/meter does not show up on the screen so it’s not easy to gauge your volume level and return to that “perfect” level once you change it. 

Finally, there’s a universal power outlet found near the bottom of your seat.

There’s a nice closet storage compartment that I was able to hang up a pretty thick peacoat in without wrinkling it all up. If you have a heavier jacket you can always request to have your coat stored elsewhere in the cabin.

There’s also an additional hanger next to the television screen.

And finally, there’s an opening at the bottom of the closet for your shoes, which is a nice touch. (Right above it is the netting that you can put small belongings in.) 

The 747 comes with 15-inch TV screens. You have to pull these screens out of the back of the seat by sliding the notch over near the top of the screen. It’s kind of an annoying thing to have to do since you have to lean all the way forward to bring it out but not a major problem. 

The monitors have touch screen capabilities and responded very well to touch. One thing I enjoyed about the monitors is that they didn’t seem to lose visibility when lying down. It’s a real pain when you can’t tilt a screen but when you lie down, you can hardly make out what’s on the screen. This didn’t seem to be an issue and the monitor was also bright enough to be clearly seen even when the cabin lights were not dimmed. The movie, tv, games, etc., selection appeared to be pretty standard, as well. 

I thoroughly enjoyed the dining experience on board this flight. First, I really like the fact that you can push your (large) tray table forward and with your seat in the proper position, you can still exit and enter your seat. This makes the dining process a lot more enjoyable so you don’t feel like you’re chained to your tray with tons of cutlery, dishes, and condiments on it until you finish your entire meal.

As for the dining itself, it exceeded expectations. It’s not on the same level as Etihad, Singapore, etc. when it comes to presentation and overall food and drink selections, but it still held its own. For an appetizer, I had the duck rillette with smoked duck breast and kumquat confit and found it tasty (although it wasn’t my favorite thing in the world to eat).

For the main course, I went with the seared fillet of Aberdeen Angus beef with pearl barley arancini and vegetables. I had a similar beef dish on Etihad’s Apartment but enjoyed this one a lot better as it had more flavor and was cooked more to my liking.

For dessert, I went with the plain Madagascan vanilla ice cream which apparently was nothing special compared to the caramel brownie that Brad had. I think that’s why the flight attendant asked me if I wanted to pair the ice cream with another dessert, but to avoid giving in to a bit of gluttony, I refused.

A couple of hours later, I requested a cheese plate and some red wine to go along with the assortment. Aside from the beef, this was the highlight of my dining experience, as I loved the different cheeses and crackers. Brad went with the sandwich sampler and had good things to say about them as well.

I’d heard a lot of negative things about the dining experience on British Airways, too, but I found it to be a solid experience. It wasn’t quite as extravagant as some of the other premier cabins like Singapore or Etihad but it was still an overwhelmingly positive dining experience and although it lacked a little bit of flair and personal touch found elsewhere, I still felt very satisfied.

Amenity kit

When we boarded our seat, our slippers and a very thin blanket (almost like a shaw) already awaited us. Our flight attendant asked us if we wanted pajamas for the 10.5 hour flight and I obliged since I can’t turn down a comfy pair of PJs.

We were some of the last passengers to receive the old amenity kit, since British Airways is offering newly designed kits in 2017. According to one of our flight attendants, the kits for women are getting the major overhaul, while those for men won’t see as many changes.

Inside the kit we had:

• Toothbrush and toothpaste 
• British Airways “First” writing pen
• Moisturizer 

The headphones given to us were noise canceling headphones, although I’m not sure which brand they were. They were decent quality though and did the trick. I also didn’t have any issues with the volume cutting out due to a poorly connected headphone jack as often happens on flights with even the slightest nudge with the headphone jack.

The cotton PJs were nice and comfy and much thinner than some other ones like the Givenchy pajamas given on Singapore Suites. I personally prefer the thinner pajamas since it’s much easier to stay cooler. The “First” insignia was a nice added touch, too.  

Turn-down service

When you put the seat down flat, the armrests also lower to the level of your seat creating a wider space for your upper body. Although this only added a couple of inches, I found the little bit of extra room allowed for a much more comfortable experience.

The staff happily made my bed when I requested turndown service. Although the duvet/blanket, and additional pillow they brought out didn’t come out in the most snazzy fashion, I got extremely comfortable in them. One reason I got so comfortable is that British Airways actually kept the cabin cool — a tad bit chilly even. With the cotton PJs and soft pillows and blanket, I was able to get cozy without warming up too much which has been an issue on several long-haul flights with other airlines I’ve flown on. 

Although I actually didn’t sleep on this flight, I was able to stay perfectly comfortable throughout the entire flight due to the coolness, bedding, and room I had. 

Just like with the armrests, you also have more room down by your feet created by the additional padding. Again, we’re only talking about inches here but you know how big of a difference a matter of inches can make when it comes to room on a plane.

I will say that the only real negative is that when you have the TV monitor extended out, you don’t have much room above your legs so you have to remain conscious about that so you don’t end up kneeing your monitor. But despite that, I’d have to rate the turndown service among the best I’ve experienced purely as a matter of all-around comfort when all things are considered. 

Here’s where BA really surprised me. The service from out first class cabin crew was tremendous. While I didn’t feel quite the same level of over-the-top dedication as I felt from my Singapore Suites experience (which nothing has been able to top), the service on this flight was right up there with some of the best. They were super-attentive, willing to assist with whatever was needed, and were extremely pleasant to deal with. I had zero complaints about them. 

British Airways First Class FAQ

787 Dreamliner A380 777-200 777-300

787 Dreamliner Some 777-300s

London Heathrow Terminal 5 and JFK Terminal 7.

Boston Chicago Hong Kong Johannesburg London Los Angeles Miami San Francisco Singapore Vancouver

The first class cabin is on the bottom level.

Overall, my first class experience on the British Airways 747 exceeded my expectations that admittedly had been set a little bit low based on some reviews. The hard product itself was beautiful, practically designed, and comfortable; the dining and drinks were terrific; and the service was exceptional. While some airlines clearly have British Airways outdone in terms of bars, showers, and other areas, I don’t think “British Airways First” is quite far behind as some make them out to be. 

Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and the credit card app, WalletFlo . He is a former attorney turned travel expert covering destinations along with TSA, airline, and hotel policies. Since 2014, his content has been featured in publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, and CNBC. Read my bio .

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Very nice review! We are looking forward to flying BA first in May on 3 different segments, with an outbound from Miami on AA, and enjoyed reading your comments about the plane and service. Our first long haul flight will be LHR to CPT on a 747. As we are both Exec Platinum on AA, we were lucky enough to get 1A and 1K reserved at time of booking. Our return flight from Johannesburg to London will be on a BA 380, and our last BA flight back to the US is on a 777; all in First. We look forward to trying the different planes and service on British. Thanks again for the review and with lots of photos.

Thanks, that trip sounds amazing! I’d love to see your take on the differences of the cabins if you end up writing up an article on them. That’s going to be quite the experience, and I absolutely love South Africa!

Can you let me know what you think of first class to Cape Town, I’ve been told it’s not their proper revamped first class. We’ve booked to go in December

Great review, looking forward to our 6th BA First in April. Reading your thoughtful review helps keep the excitement building for the next trip. We also learn new things!

Like you, we both live with “an attitude of gratitude” and usually have a terrific time flying and traveling. Kindness, and a respectfully playful perspective add smiles and warmth, especially when traveling.

Later on this summer, we will fly BA First on the 789 from AUS to LHR, in the “new” First Suite. This will also be our first visit to the Great Lone Star State (save for passing through), and we’re looking forward to Austin.

Thanks Daniel, for your great trip report and your website!

Thanks a lot for the feedback. 6 BA trips in F? Must be nice! I’d be really excited to try out the new first class suites, too. They look outstanding. You’ll enjoy Austin, it’s a beautiful city and there’s plenty to do whatever your tastes might be. Just bring your sunscreen!

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So glad to read this. We’re headed to London in Sept in First from San Jose California on the 787-9. In my excitement I’d been reading different BA reviews and have honestly gotten depressed about it. We were so excited but started to expect the worst after reading many of them.

So nice to see a positive review. Thanks so much for posting!!

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The Complete Guide to British Airways Fare Classes (a.k.a. Fare Buckets)

What are fare classes.

Fare classes are the different letters that represent a price of a ticket. You will see these represented in a variety of ways through different means, such as in Manage My Booking:

or in Expert Flyer.

or in Matrix.

Chances are if you are using Expert Flyer or Matrix though, you will probably already know about Fare Classes and just want to know how many Avios or Tier Points you will be earning. Feel free to skip ahead!

What is the difference between Fare Class and Travel Class?

“Travel class” is which cabin you are flying in. First Class, Business Class, Premium Economy or Economy Class.

“Fare class” is what specific price your ticket is purchased at, and the restrictions imposed on it, represented by the letters mentioned throughout this post.

What Fare Classes does British Airways have?

There are a myriad of fare classes, which can be confusing for those who do not (yet) know how British Airways prices their tickets.

As with most other airlines, usually the more expensive the ticket the more flexibility it buys in terms of advance purchase requirements, ability to change flights, refunds on cancellations, shorter minimum stays and longer maximum stays. And in the lower travel classes, you need to be buying more expensive fare classes in order to be able to upgrade

At the more extreme levels of pricing, you may sometimes find that fares in a higher travel class are actually cheaper than buying in a lower travel class. E.g. non-refundable business class cheaper than fully-flexible premium economy.

First Class :

From most to least expensive: F, A

Club World / Europe (business class) :

From most to least expensive: J, C, D, R, I

World Traveller Plus (Premium Economy) ,

From most to least expensive: W, E, T

World/Euro Traveller (Economy) :

From most to least expensive: Y, B, H, K, M, L, V, S, N, Q, O, G – Note that G is specifically reserved for Travel Agents (including BA Flights and Holidays) or BA staff bookings.

Which Fare Classes do redemptions book into?

Avios or other partner airline redemptions book into the following fare classes

• First Class: Z
• Club World/Europe (business class): U 
• World Traveller Plus (premium economy): P
• World/Euro Traveller (economy): X

How Many Avios and Tier Points will I earn?

For slightly easier formatting, and to ensure up-to-date information, I advise going directly to one of the following:

• British Airways Avios and Tier Points Earnings Tables
• British Airways Avios and Tier Points Earning Calculator

The latter being good if you have a specific route in mind, and will also calculate the bonus Avios you get if you have Bronze, Silver or Gold British Airways Executive Club status.

But to make this a one-stop shop…

First Class:

• F – 300% Flown Distance. Minimum 1250 Avios, 100% Tier points
• A – 250% Flown Distance. Minimum 1250 Avios, 100% Tier points

Club World / Europe (Business Class):

• J – 250% Flown Distance. Minimum 1250 Avios, 100% Tier points
• C – 250% Flown Distance. Minimum 1250 Avios, 100% Tier points
• D – 250% Flown Distance. Minimum 1250 Avios, 100% Tier points
• R – 150% Flown Distance. Minimum 750 Avios, 100% Tier points
• I – 150% Flown Distance. Minimum 750 Avios, 100% Tier points

World Traveller Plus (Premium Economy):

• W – 150% Flown Distance. Minimum 750 Avios, 100% Tier points
• E – 100% Flown Distance. Minimum 500 Avios, 100% Tier points
• T – 100% Flown Distance. Minimum 500 Avios, 100% Tier points

World / Euro Traveller (Economy Class):

• Y – 100% Flown Distance. Minimum 500 Avios, 100% Tier points
• B – 100% Flown Distance. Minimum 500 Avios, 100% Tier points
• H – 100% Flown Distance. Minimum 500 Avios, 100% Tier points
• K – 50% Flown Distance. Minimum 250 Avios, 50% Tier points
• M – 50% Flown Distance. Minimum 250 Avios, 50% Tier points
• L – 50% Flown Distance. Minimum 250 Avios, 50% Tier points
• V – 50% Flown Distance. Minimum 250 Avios, 50% Tier points
• S – 50% Flown Distance. Minimum 250 Avios, 50% Tier points
• N – 50% Flown Distance. Minimum 250 Avios, 50% Tier points
• Q – 25% Flown Distance. Minimum 125 Avios, 25% Tier points
• O – 25% Flown Distance. Minimum 125 Avios, 25% Tier points
• G – 25% Flown Distance. Minimum 125 Avios, 25% Tier points

As with most airlines, redemptions do not earn any Avios. This includes V  fares which Gold members can sometimes book into as a reward fare.

Bronze members get 25% extra Avios, Silver gets 50% extra Avios and Gold gets 100% extra Avios. This is calculated in addition to the Avios earned in the fare class calculations above.

Bottom Line

Understanding British Airways' fare classes is important for knowing how many Avios and Tier Points you will earn. If you are coming from Star Alliance or Skyteam you will also notice that the order of the letters is different, so take note!

Share this:

Hey Tim – booked and paid for Club World, and upgraded to First, but the class is now showing as Z. Seems that it doesn’t earn anything… thoughts?

You will get the original Tier Points and Avios for your original Club World booking!

Is there any way to get BA to send me something that shows the orig booking class? I want to have my backup incase I don’t get credit.

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British Airways Fare Classes

Publication.

Publish Date:

Modified Date:

The purchasing of a ticket these days is not a simple as one might think. Gone are the days of just booking a ticket in one of four seating groups: economy, premium economy, business and first class. With the advent of variable ticket pricing, understanding has become a little bit more complicated.  

Within each seating group is a what is called a fare class (often also referred to as a fare bucket) with airlines operating twenty of more ticketing classes across the four groups.

Furthermore, within each fare class is an alphanumeric fare basis codes which are the individual constructions of the ticket when factoring in airline fare rules.

British Airways Travel Classes

British Airways operates a typical 2 cabin seating arrangement when travelling in Europe and a 3 or 4 cabin configuration when travelling to places further afield – usually the seating arrangements are dictated by the 2,000 mile rule

Travelling in Europe

Travellers in Europe can pick between two travel classes – Economy and (European) Business. With British airways, their European product is designated Euro Traveller and Club Europe respectively for Economy and Business.

Euro Traveller

Euro Traveller features leather seats, M&S on-board and on some flights Wi-Fi.

Club Europe

Club Europe features the same benefits as Euro Traveller but with access to departures lounges and complimentary food and drink service on-board.

Travelling Outside Europe

Travellers to the rest of the world can pick between 3 or 4 travel classes on a flight – the difference being that some flights do not offer a First Class product. With British airways, their International product is designated World Traveller, World Traveller Plus, Club World and First respectively for Economy, Premium Economy, Business and First Class.

World Traveller

Economy offers a standard product and is primarily aimed at offering a consistent product in multiple fare classes to meet the varying needs of the international traveller.

World Traveller Plus

World Traveller plus is a variant on the standard Economy Class with a longer pitch (more legroom) and a wider seat, it is ideal as a mid way between Business and Economy Class

While one of the oldest Business Classes in the air (being the first ever product to introduce flat beds in Business Class) it holds its own with exceptional service.

First is British Airways most luxurious product on offer. It the benefits of the product extend from not only when you are in the air but also on the ground before and after your flight.

What is a Fare Class (Selling Class)

A fare class (also known as a selling class) is effectively a subgroup of the Travel Class. A fare class is designated a letter and the common split is between a low fare and a flexible fare.

However, to complicate matters further, each airline runs its own lettering system so knowing one airlines fare class structure may not benefit you with another airline.

Airlines will release seats on a plane at different fare prices – a fare range will typically decrease in price but increase in the number of restrictions placed on it. In doing so, an airline will band a number of similar ticket prices together to create a fare class. In practical terms, fare classes are more commonly used by airline reservation systems or travel agents to sell seats on a plane with different requirements such as cancellation terms and rebooting flexibility.

Fare classes come with different rules such as:

• hand baggage allowances;
• permitted routings;
• number of stop overs;
• change and cancellation rules; and
• minimum stay requirements (usually used to denote business and leisure travellers).

What this means is that if you take an economy ticket, it can give a quick indication as to how many tier points and Avios a ticket will earn you even though everyone will be sitting in the same seat.

The British Airways Fare Class

Earning rates on fare class.

British Airways divides its tickets in nine different ways, often offering ‘lowest’ and ‘flexible’ tickets in each cabin class – Economy has an extra class called ‘low’ slightly less tier points than a fully flexible ticket.

Each of these categories comes with at least one designation letter, though some come with many more. Here’s the full list, including how many Avios you will earn if your ticket falls into that category:

• Economy lowest – Q, O, G – 25% Avios of miles flown
• Economy low – K, L, M, N, S, V – 50% Avios
• Economy flexible – Y, B, H – 100% Avios

Premium Economy

• Premium Economy lowest – E, T – 100% Avios
• Premium Economy flexible – W – 150% Avios

Business Class

• Business lowest – R, I – 150% Avios
• Business flexible – J, C, D – 250% Avios

First Class

• First lowest – A – 250% Avios
• First flexible – F – 300% Avios

Fare Class Letters Explained?

While some fare classes have meanings assigned to their letters, some are arbitrary and help segment a travellers flexibility, here are some with meanings behind them

• BA Fare Class G – Fare Class G is reserved for “Group” bookings whether that is simply a group booking at a reduced rate, or, it could mean travel agents who have taken a set number of seats on a flight to BA internal staff members who booked reduce fares and are placed in the lowest fare class.
• BA Fare Class P – Fare Class P is reserved for Premium Economy redemption’s
• BA Fare Class U – Fare Class U can mean two things, either an Avios redemption in Business Class or a paid “Upgrade” to business class
• BA Fare Class X – Fare Class X is reserved for Economy redemption’s
• BA Fare Class Z – Fare class Z is reserved for First Class Avios redemption’s

How to Find the British Airways Fare class

British Airways make it easy to see your fare class whether during the booking process or finding out after you have booked.

Before you book

On the ba website.

Once you have selected your flights and cabin class, you will see a small “flight details” link below the flight time and operating airline. This will pull out the flight information as well as the selling classes in the popup.

On ITA Matrix

Alternatively it is possible to search for a fare code through ITA Matrix by entering the flight details.

After you have booked

Alternatively, you can see your fare class in ‘Manage My Booking’. Under the flight details drop down, there is a link to ‘More Flight Information’, which triggers a pop-up with the aircraft type, flight duration and other flight details and your ‘selling class’, which is you fare class.

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A smooth ride across the Atlantic: A review of British Airways World Traveller Plus on the new daytime flight from Newark to London

I have a secret to avoiding jet lag when flying across the Atlantic.

While most flights from the East Coast of the U.S. to London depart in the evening and arrive in the United Kingdom the following morning, there are a handful of daytime flights that depart in the morning and land in the evening of the same day. And I cannot recommend them enough .

These flights are commonly under six hours in length, so too short for a good night's sleep regardless of the cabin. But by taking a daytime flight I can easily stay awake for the fairly short trip, sleep in a real bed in London at a normal bedtime hour when I get there and wake up the following morning with no jet lag.

When British Airways recently announced a new daytime service to Heathrow Airport (LHR) from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), it became a prime opportunity for me to revisit the airline's premium economy service on my preferred schedule and see what the product was like these days. Here's how the experience went.

Related: Why I don't think premium economy is worth the ticket price

British Airways operates two to three daily services from Newark to London depending on the time of year. While at least one service departs in the evening, the new daytime flight departs Newark at 7:55 a.m. daily, arriving in London at a civilized 7:45 p.m. It is scheduled at seven hours in length, though the flight is usually at least one hour faster than this because of the tailwinds.

Round-trip cash fares in British Airways World Traveller Plus (the formal name for its premium economy product) on this route start at $2,076 during the quieter winter months, about three times the price of World Traveller (economy) for the same dates.

One-way fares start from $940 in World Traveller Plus, or $586 in World Traveller, though you can expect to pay almost twice this much on busy summer dates.

There was good award availability for this new flight, so my ticket was booked using 26,000 Avios and $298 in taxes, fees and those pesky British Airways fuel surcharges for a one-way flight on an off-peak date. The fees, taxes and surcharges were paid with The Platinum Card® from American Express , which earns 5 Membership Rewards points per dollar on purchases made directly with airlines (on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year), picking up an additional 1,490 Membership Rewards points, worth $29.80 by TPG's current valuations .

You can earn enough Avios required to book this flight round-trip with a single welcome bonus. The British Airways Visa Signature Card earns 85,000 Avios after you spend $5,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening. There's also a 10% discount on British Airways flights originating in the U.S. when booking through a dedicated site, up to $600 per calendar year in statement credits for those frustrating award flight fees year, and the ability to earn a Travel Together ticket after you spend $30,000 on the card in a calendar year. Cardmembers will receive a $100 statement credit per reward flight booking in economy (World Traveller) or premium economy (World Traveller Plus), or an up $200 statement credit for all other reward flight bookings in business (Club World) and First.

British Airways has the frustrating policy of charging for seat selection in all cabins except First. Prices for my flight to London ranged from $60 for a center seat in the back rows up to $95 for a window seat in the front few rows of the cabin. Executive Club and Oneworld elite members, fortunately, can select their seats free of charge at the time of booking. So, with my Oneworld Sapphire status, I opted for a window seat in Row 18 at no charge.

Ground experience

I regularly fly out of New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) , but this was only my second time at Newark and my first time at Terminal B, which was quiet as the sun rose for my early departure to London.

Terminal B had check-in areas spread over three different levels which, as a new visitor, I found very confusing. It took me quite some time from Level 3, where my Uber dropped me off, to find the British Airways check-in desks, which were relegated to a back corner next to luggage belts down on Level 1 with LOT Polish Airlines and Icelandair.

Oddly, there was no separate queue for World Traveller Plus passengers, as the signage directed them to use the regular World Traveller economy lane. However, there were dedicated World Traveller Plus desks, but no World Traveller desks. With the low ceilings, basement-like atmosphere and odd setup, it was not a glamorous start to my journey.

I was helped quickly as there were few other passengers around. World Traveller Plus passengers receive two 50-pound checked bags though I avoid checking in my luggage wherever possible.

Given British Airways' impressive check-in setup at JFK Terminal 7 , I think I'd choose JFK for my next departure from New York on the airline.

Security was very quick and I was through in minutes. British Airways' Newark flights operate from the B50-B58 gates pier, where the airline also operates its own lounge (immediately after security and up one flight of stairs). Lounge access is not included with a World Traveller Plus premium economy ticket, so instead, I wandered through the compact but pleasant terminal. I especially liked the huge dome where the gates were located as the sun rose on another New York morning.

There was plenty of seating around my gate area and a relaxed atmosphere.

Two boarding lanes were set up with groups 1 to 3 able to use the right lane, and groups 4 to 9 using the left lane. World Traveller Plus passengers were assigned to Group 3.

Boarding commenced slightly later than the scheduled time, around 30 minutes before departure, with groups 1 and 2 invited to board together, and after that was my Group 3. The flight departed slightly late but still managed to arrive around an hour early, as usual, because of the strong tailwinds.

Cabin and seat

The British Airways 777-200 aircraft that flew me to London had 235 seats in four classes of service. Behind First and Club Suites , there were 40 World Traveller Plus premium economy seats in a 2-4-2 configuration across five rows. The cabin felt small and intimate, a key selling point of this cabin class compared with the large economy cabin behind me. The navy blue seats with herringbone fabric were smart both in appearance and their ability to hide stains and spills.

The seats were 18 1/2-inches wide, which was not overly generous given this was only 1 inch wider than the economy seats in the cabin behind, though I enjoyed slightly more elbow room thanks to the double armrest in between my seat and the one next to me. Legroom was 38 inches (normal for premium economy these days) and there was a comfortable fold-down footrest, though unfortunately, British Airways opted not to install leg rests on the premium economy seats.

The seat reclined a generous 8 inches. This is both a blessing and a curse: If you want to sleep, it's great to have your seat go back as far as possible, but it also means the passenger in front of you can recline a long way into your personal space.

The recline function was operated by a single button on the center console. Be aware that if you have a personal electronic device like a laptop open on your tray table, the seat in front can recline quickly and without notice, potentially damaging your device. You may wish to ask the passenger in front to give you a heads-up if you want to ensure any devices remain safe.

I liked how well cushioned the headrest was. The sides could be adjusted slightly in and out to cradle your head, and the entire headrest could move up and down and remain in place.

Storage was sorely lacking around the seat — beyond a large literature pocket in the seatback in front of me, there was nowhere else to place personal items. The bi-fold tray table, which stowed away in the center console, was large enough for my 13-inch Macbook, but you should forget about trying to work or watch anything on a laptop when the passenger in front has reclined their seat all the way.

Individual universal charging points were provided at each seat (with two in the center console I shared with my seat neighbor). There were also those odd audio-visual plugs I've never seen anyone use on an aircraft.

While the seat was not especially wide, and the lack of leg rest was a shame, it was still a comfortable and fairly well-designed seat.

Amenities and inflight entertainment

Awaiting me on my seat was an (unwrapped) fleecy pillow and blanket, an amenity kit and a pair of plastic-wrapped headphones. Both the pillow and blanket were a good size and soft to the touch, despite initially looking a little disheveled on the seat.

The headphones were terrific and a real highlight of the flight, as they were comfortable, well cushioned and high quality, even though they did not have active noise-canceling functionality.

A basic amenity kit is an industry standard in international premium economy, and British Airways' version contained an eye mask, sleep socks, a toothbrush with a tiny toothpaste, a pen and Scaramouche + Fandango lip balm. The "washbag" pouch the items were housed in was made from recycled plastic bottles but looked far more stylish than the crumpled, recycled washbag Virgin Atlantic provides its premium economy passengers .

The 10.6-inch seatback entertainment screen could be tilted up and down at an angle, which was handy when the passenger in front was reclined. It was both touchscreen-operated and could be navigated with the dated remote control housed in the center console. There were 44 new-release movies available, including "Ambulance," "Marry Me" and "Lost City." Among the 24 television series box sets, I enjoyed a few episodes of the latest season of "Britain's Got Talent." Two USB charging points were provided under the screen for each passenger.

Wi-Fi was offered on my flight to London with three different packages available, from 4.99 pounds (about $6) for one hour up to 14.99 pounds (about $17) for the full flight, and limited to one device. The Wi-Fi speeds were the fastest I have ever registered on an aircraft — an astonishing 60Mbps download with a reasonable 4.03Mbps upload. This allowed me to be both very productive throughout the flight and also refresh the BBC news homepage regularly as this flight took place the day Queen Elizabeth II passed away, so I wanted to keep up with events.

Related: In pictures: The queen's life in travel

There were, unfortunately, no dedicated bathrooms for World Traveller Plus passengers, so we shared the two immediately behind our cabin with the World Traveller economy cabin. These bathrooms were standard in size and amenities but were kept clean and as the flight was not full (a perk I've found on my daytime flights across the Atlantic), there was rarely a wait to use them.

Food and beverage

Drinks were offered during boarding with a choice of sparkling wine, orange juice or water. I chose orange juice, which was served in glassware. No bottled water was waiting at my seat.

Flight attendants served the main meal of breakfast shortly after takeoff with a smaller second meal before landing. Breakfast consisted of fruit yogurt and fresh fruit with a choice of three entrees: scrambled eggs with sausage, bacon, mushrooms and tomato; cheese and chervil omelet; or apple pancakes with strawberry compote and vanilla anglaise.

In a vague attempt at a healthier option than sausage and bacon, I asked for the omelet. I was also offered a fresh croissant and my choice of beverage. I again selected orange juice.

A neatly arranged tray packed full of items was handed to me. The range of colors of my meal was visually appealing, though it was, in reality, just a neatly presented economy-class breakfast served on china with metal cutlery.

I've eaten countless airplane breakfasts like this over my decades of travel and it all tasted ... fine. The main dish was piping hot, though it was a little bland so I needed the salt and pepper sachets.

The crew passed through the cabin again to offer tea or coffee after the meal. I chose a coffee to keep me awake right through to London and I was surprised to see the hot drinks served in a takeaway paper cup. Given that the other drinks throughout the flight were served in proper glassware, I wish British Airways provided ceramic cups for these hot drinks.

About 75 minutes before arrival, the trolleys appeared again. The only choices were sandwiches with either chicken and cheese, or just plain cheese. They were served with a packet of sour-cream-and-chive baked pretzels and a choice of drink from the bar. I decided to raise a glass to the (now late) Queen Elizabeth II with a very British gin and tonic. British Airways serves Aviation Gin, which I like for both the name and the taste.

The small sandwich tasted fine and was stuffed with plenty of chicken — I just wish it had been larger. The second meal service on daytime flights this length tends to be too small for me, no matter the airline, and I was still hungry when we landed in London.

The crew members on my flight to London were all upbeat, welcoming and friendly. I found the service to be slightly more formal than in Virgin Atlantic's premium economy cabin, with the British Airways crew referring to me as "sir" with every interaction. There were no lapses in the service throughout the flight.

What I will remember most about this flight was that, 90 minutes before landing, I refreshed the BBC news homepage to learn that Buckingham Place had just announced the death of Queen Elizabeth II. I noticed a few shocked faces around the cabin as those passengers who had connected to the Wi-Fi during the flight learned the momentous news.

As the crew members wheeled the trolleys into the cabin around 15 minutes later for the second meal service, it appeared they had not been advised of the news by the captain as they were as chipper and full of smiles as ever despite some truly glum passenger faces in the cabin.

I was curious to see if and how the pilot might announce the news before we landed in London. It was definitely one of those "where were you when you heard the news" moments in world history, especially for anyone living in the U.K. (the death of Princess Diana and the tragedies of Sept. 11 being others I vividly remember). As we began our descent into Heathrow the pilot advised passengers of the queen's passing over the loudspeaker in a solemn, respectful and very British way.

As an avid traveler living in London, it felt oddly fitting to learn this news on a British Airways flight.

Overall impression

This was a solid premium economy experience on British Airways. The check-in area at Newark needs some work, and for that reason alone I would probably choose to fly from JFK next time. But other than that, it was fairly smooth sailing for the rest of my day across the Atlantic. I still prefer these daytime flights, and woke up at a normal time in my own bed the following morning without jet lag.

British Airways' World Traveller Plus seat provides decent comfort and legroom along with its deep recline and clever headrest. The Wi-Fi download speeds were the fastest I've experienced on a flight, making for a productive workday. The first meal was filling, if not refined, though the second meal was too small, as I have encountered on most flights between New York and London. The headphones, blanket and pillow were all more suited to business class than economy, which was a treat.

Having recently flown Virgin Atlantic's Premium on the same daytime route , I found British Airways to be slightly better mainly because of the superior seat recline, amenities, food quality and consistent service.

I still believe premium economy is overpriced for what you actually get, especially for cash fares two or three times the cost of economy. However, if you are choosing premium economy, British Airways is a smart choice.

Simple Flying

British airways' world traveller plus premium economy cabin: everything you need to know.

A look at the UK flag carrier's premium economy offering.

Today we will look at British Airways World Traveller Plus premium economy and see what it offers and if it is worth the extra money. While the concept of a premium economy cabin may sound relatively new, the idea of providing a nicer economy cabin has been around for just over 30 years. Taiwanese carrier EVA Air introduced premium economy seating on its Boeing 747-400s. Instead of calling it premium economy EVA Air called it "Evergreen Class."

EVA Air's upgraded economy seating did not go unnoticed by other airlines and was soon copied by the United Kingdom-based airline Virgin Atlantic in 1992. British Airways did not want to be outdone by a rival and created its premium economy product shortly afterward.

Premium economy allows you a free second suitcase

Before we talk more about British Airways World Traveller Plus premium economy, it's worth pointing out that "economy" is the key word here. While you may have a slightly bigger, more comfortable, reclining seat and extra legroom, it is in no way comparable to flying business class.

There are, however, advantages to flying premium economy over regular economy. The first is being able to check in a second suitcase for free. British Airways would charge extra for a second bag, which, in some cases, may result in the same total price as what it would cost you to book premium economy.

A friend recently flew on TAP Portugal from Miami to Lisbon and needed to bring two suitcases. When he saw what the Portuguese carrier wanted for the second piece of luggage, it was a no-brainer upgrading to premium economy as it was nearly the same price.

Wider seats and more legroom

British Airways premium economy passengers also get priority boarding which means you are in tier three, with first and business class passengers boarding first. British Airways' World Traveller Plus cabin is between business and economy classes and configured in a 2+4+2 layout.

It offers 18.5-inch seats with an 8% recline, which is great for sleeping but not so good if the person in front of you wants to recline fully, as it intrudes on your personal space. Each seat has individual charging points, and legroom is a generous 38 inches with a footrest. Each seat has a 10.6-inch inflight entertainment screen allowing you to watch hundreds of the latest movies and TV shows.

Want answers to more key questions in aviation? Check out the rest of our guides here !

WiFi is available on British Airways flights, but sadly even though you are flying in World Traveller Plus, you still have to pay for it. World Traveller Plus passengers also get noise-canceling headphones and an amenity kit. Unfortunately, the World Traveller Plus cabin has no restrooms, so you share the toilets with economy passengers.

Food and drinks

World Traveller Plus passengers are offered a welcome aboard drink: water, orange juice, or sparkling wine. Meals vary depending on the time of the day. If you are flying from New York to London, for example, flights are generally in the evening so you arrive in the UK early in the morning.

After taking off, the cabin crew comes round with the drink trolley, and then a little while later, the meal service begins. If you expect to get the kind of food served in business class, you will be disappointed as it is only marginally better than what is provided in economy. Later in the flight, before landing, a second meal service is given, which is more like a snack than a meal.

British Airways

British Airways Club World Review in Short Haul – The Ultimate Guide with Photos

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Recently I decided to test the latest BA Club World experience on a short-haul return flight, but what better way to test the Club World experience than book a combined Economy and Club World trip, to really be able to delve into the pros and cons of each. Here is our British Airways Club World review on short-haul vs Economy in the short haul.

A true BA Economy v Club World comparison during a short-haul flight.

I just want to explain that Club World in British Airways terms is comparable to Business Class. Business Class is rarely called this by the airlines. Each airline offers its own equivalent Business Class experience with its own trademarked term.

For example, British Airways uses Club World, whereas Virgin Atlantic uses Upper Class, etc…

My preference was to have the Club World experience on the return flight back to London. Aside from a general want to save the better flight until last, there were though two other reasons why choosing the Club World flight on the return leg made sense for the booking I was trying to make. The first reason the decision was made easier was down to cost. It was much cheaper flying back to London in Club World than flying out from London.

The airport business lounge was the second reason. I was flying out from London City Airport and British Airways does not use a lounge at this airport. The flight back from Germany though did offer a British Airways lounge that I could use before my flight. It seemed like a no-brainer! It is worth pointing out that this review is based on the London City Airport route using the City Flyer planes. This is a smaller plane than standard BA planes, with a 2-2 layout.

Seat Comparison

As I’m sure you can see from the photos that I took here of my seats, they are very similar. The seats in Club World are full leather but in truth, I didn’t really notice much of a difference.

The seat width and seat pitch are the same. Recline is the same. I was fortunate on the flight out to have no one sitting next to me, so I had some nice space around. The flight back was pretty full and so I had a neighbor. I felt as cramped in Club World as I would have been in Economy with a neighbor beside me.

One thing I didn’t consider at the time of booking is how limited the number of seat options is in Club World. The City Flyer from London City Airport has just 12 seats in Club World. Although this makes for a more intimate cabin, with a curtain separating Economy from Club World, it means you must be fast with seat choice.

I’m a tall guy and prefer an aisle seat. All aisle seats for the Club World cabin had been taken – all 6 of them – and so I had to sit near the window. Overall there wasn’t much difference between the seats. Given the choice between an Economy seat with no neighbor or a Club World seat with a neighbor – I would choose the Economy seat every time, although we don’t have the luxury of this choice of course.

Economy vs Club World Cabin

For the flight out in Economy I was sitting towards the back of the airplane. I did this on purpose as I wanted to understand whether having the entire Economy cabin right in front of me, compared to the smaller intimate cabin of Club World, does make a difference.

Personally, for me, it didn’t. The Club World cabin is much smaller and is separated by a curtain which is pulled across to divide the cabins after take-off. The curtain though is always of course behind you. Unless you stand up to gaze around the cabin, it’s not generally noticeable. If though this is important to you, it could be a benefit. Perhaps I was expecting a little too much in the new Club World experience.

British Airways have had so many recent comments and reviews on poor attentive service. Unfortunately, in Club World, I felt the same. It took almost 30mins from boarding the plane before we were able to head to the runway. At no point was anyone in the Club World cabin offered any refreshments – not even a glass of water.

Overall, I would say the experience was very similar. Nothing noticeably different.

The Dining Options

In Economy, my food choices consisted of either a pork salad or potato salad. Both were served as cold meals. The display of the food was surprisingly good, and the packaging was a nice touch. On the return flight there came an announcement over the speaker that Economy passengers were to be given a snack and a drink, whereas Club World passengers would be served a hot meal.

I had a vegetable curry with fresh fruit salad and cream along with a couple of slices of fresh bread and spread. The food was tasty, and the china plates and silver cutlery were a very nice touch.

Overall the dining in Club World, unsurprisingly, is the winner here.

The Business Class Lounge

As my outbound economy flight doesn’t provide any option to use a Business Lounge, I was able to compare the airport Economy experience for my flight out against the Club World experience on or on my flight back.

London City Airport is a much smaller airport than the other major London sites such as Heathrow, Gatwick, Stanstead, and Luton. London City Airport has a strong focus and has been clearly designed around business travelers. The terminal was busy but not overly busy and with the purchase of a sandwich, sweet pastry, and drink I managed to find a seat.

It’s a small terminal, but like most airport terminals it consisted of a number of weary passengers wandering around aimlessly looking for something to relieve their boredom. People just walk out in front of you not really knowing where they are headed, stop abruptly before changing direction again on a path to nowhere trying to waste more time. It can be frustrating, but it was just about bearable.

For my return flight, I headed to the British Airways Business Lounge as soon as I passed through security (my Club World boarding pass allowed me to bypass around 45mins-1hour of security queuing , but more on this later).

The Business Lounge was very busy but began to quiet down quickly after. On offer was a selection of fruits, pastries, cheese, and meats (very continental!) as well as a choice of hot food. All served within a help-yourself buffet – and all completely free. Alongside this is a very well stock fridge featuring a range of branded soft drinks (Coca-Cola, Sprite, etc…) as well as a selection of local beers and wines. Besides this a range of spirits including vodka and gin.

The seating was comfortable, and the atmosphere relaxed with normal tables and chairs for dining, large swivel chairs overlooking the runways, and pods where some travelers set up laptops to check emails and continued to work. Overall a very positive experience and worth considering an upgrade to Club World for the lounge access alone, if the upgrade fee is not too hefty.

Other Benefits

The two main other benefits of Club World over Economy are Priority Boarding , and Fast Track Security (at selected airports). Once you are called to your gate there always seems a nervous tension of boarding the plane. Perhaps this can be linked to the days when low-cost airlines did not pre-allocate seats, which resulted in hundreds of passages literally running across the tarmac leaving behind a carnage of fallen and injured passengers tripping over the stray wheels of carry-on cases, that always have a mind of their own.

My outbound Economy class flight saw me in Priority section 4. There is a section 5 which does fall below priority order to section 4 but sections 4 and 5 were called together, so I was one of the last to board the plane. On the return Club World class flight I was in Priority section 1 – the first to board the plane! Frustratingly though as I traveled down the tunnel expecting to see the door of the plane I found the door of a waiting bus. Club World passengers got ‘Priority Boarding’ just to the bus.

The bus operated a last in first out an unofficial arrangement, so actually, Club World passengers were LAST to board the actual plane! Although my success with Priority Boarding was pretty low, it was well made up for with Fast Track at security earlier on in my journey. As I arrived at the terminal in Germany the queue for security was very very long, and speaking to some passengers at the front of the queue it took them around 50mins to get there!

Club World ticket in hand though I was checked through the Priority Lane at security and I was through security in less than 8 minutes. Overall the benefit of priority boarding wasn’t much of a benefit at all, but the fast track access through security was a wonderful touch!

The clear winner for me was Club World BUT surprisingly this was down to features and benefits the airports were providing (Fast Track Security and the Airport Business Lounge) rather than anything British Airways provided directly. If the upgrade to Club World is at a good deal and low price the next time I fly, I would consider it – but just make sure you have access to a business class lounge at the airport first!

About The Author

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THE INSIDE TRACK • November 2022

Fly in style in the new Club Suite

Lie back in your very own space in the sky with our reimagined  Club World  seat, the Club Suite. Work, relax, sleep and enjoy an enhanced flying experience in superior comfort. Here are a few excellent reasons why you should consider it for your next journey

Expect complete privacy and freedom Seats are in a convenient 1-2-1 configuration and every one has direct aisle access with a door so you can doze and dine uninterrupted. There’s also 40 per cent more storage in every Club Suite, including a vanity unity and mirror, so it’s easy to freshen up on arrival and keep everything to hand. A bespoke table can be adapted for working, eating and sleeping so you can make the most of every moment in the air.

A glimpse of the new Club Suite

Enter a new world of comfort…

Everything you need is at your fingertips Whether you need to work or want to settle down with the latest blockbuster, up-to-the-minute technology will ensure you have everything on hand to fly the way you want. Digital seat functions mean you can find the ideal position at the touch of a button, with personal charging points and  different high-speed Wi-Fi packages to help you stay connected in the clouds. When it’s time to relax, choose from old favourites and the most recent films, TV shows and music on your personal easy-to-navigate, high-resolution screen.

Sleep as soundly as at home When you can’t be in your own bed, you should still sleep as if you are. Wind down with a night cap on board as the cabin lights are dimmed, then stretch out in your Club Suite on a 79in fully flat bed that’s actually seven inches longer than standard in Club World. Plush, high-quality bedding and amenity kits from The White Company make snoozing away the miles easier than ever. After a blissfully undisturbed slumber, tuck into a freshly prepared breakfast so you can arrive refreshed and ready for the day ahead.

Wake up to a proper cup of coffee East London’s award-winning coffee producer and roaster Union Hand-Roasted Coffee has developed a unique blend of coffee for our Club World and First cabins, plus all our UK lounges. The speciality coffee has been purposely designed to be enjoyed at altitude, where things can taste a little different. Union Hand-Roasted Coffee’s experienced baristas even carried out tastings on test flights to develop a high-quality Arabica blend with a sweet, chocolatey flavour for the perfect cup, wherever you are.

Collect more Tier Points Don’t forget that you collect Tier Points as well as Avios every time you fly with us. And the higher the ticket type and fare class, the more points you pick up, helping you to move up the tiers more quickly from Blue, via Bronze and Silver, to Gold. Club World typically earns you between 140 and 160 Tier Points.

Find out more

Have an opinion on The Club that you’d like to share? Let us know

This article has been tagged BA , Travel Tips

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The Guide to British Airways Business Class

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Table of Contents

3 types of business class on British Airways

Club europe, club suites, club suite versus club world seats, does british airways business class have flat beds, how to save on your british airways business class ticket, british airways business class recapped.

British Airways wowed the world in 2000 with the introduction of the first-ever lay-flat business class seat.

After stagnating for the better part of two decades, British Airways finally revitalized its Club World long-haul business class product starting in 2019. The London-based airline introduced a new "Club Suite" redesigned business class seat and refreshed service.

More than four years later, not all British Airways business class flights are up to the new standard. Depending on your route and aircraft type, British Airways business class may simply consist of an economy seat with a blocked middle seat with better onboard service and food.

Here's how to tell which business class experience is on which flight, plus what you can expect when you fly on a business-class ticket with British Airways.

» Learn more: The best airline credit cards right now

British Airways business class can be broken into three distinct business-class products:

Club Europe on short-haul flights in Europe, northern Africa, and parts of the Middle East.

Club World : The general term for British Airways long-haul business class, but now more commonly refers to British Airways' older business class seats.

Club Suites : British Airways' new business class seats, which feature a door for privacy.

Let's break down the details of each of these different British Airways business class products.

(Photo by JT Genter)

Club Europe is British Airways' term for its business class product on short-haul journeys within Europe. This is the least-luxurious British Airways business class product, simply consisting of standard economy seats with a blocked middle seat.

You'll find British Airways Club Europe on all British Airways narrowbody aircraft, including the following aircraft types:

Airbus A319-100.

Airbus A320-200.

Airbus A321-200.

Airbus A321neo.

Embraer E190.

What's included

Bag allowance. British Airways Club Europe passengers can check up to two bags at no charge. You can also bring one full-sized cabin bag plus a laptop or handbag on board.

Boarding. British Airways boards passengers in nine groups. Club Europe ticketed customers are part of the Priority Group 1, meaning they are the first to board.

Seats. Club Europe business class seats match what you'll find in economy, down to the seat pitch. That means a tight 30-inch seat pitch and no additional seat width — even though you've booked business class.

Lounges. Club Europe passengers have access to British Airways or partner departure lounges where available.

Food and drink. British Airways serves a complimentary meal in Club Europe, with the meal depending on the time of day. Complimentary alcoholic drinks are included, so enjoy a gin and tonic or Champagne with your meal.

(Photo courtesy of British Airways)

British Airways refers to its intercontinental business class product as “Club World.” This is the business class product you'll find flying between the U.S. and London — and on long-haul flights beyond London.

Since the introduction of British Airways' new Club Suites in 2019, Club World is alternatively used to refer to British Airways' outdated business class seats — the ones whose origins date back to 2000. You'll generally find this older seat on the following plane models:

Airbus A380-800.

Some Boeing 777-200.

Some Boeing 777-300.

Boeing 787-8.

Boeing 787-9.

Here’s what you need to know about Club World business class tickets:

Bag allowance. Club World passengers can check up to two standard weight bags plus carry on one larger bag and one smaller bag.

Boarding. Club World passengers board with Priority Group 2. That means you'll board the plane after first-class passengers — on flights with first class — and Oneworld Emerald elites.

Seats. All Club World seats recline into (at least) a fully flat six-foot bed. Bedding and amenity kits designed by The White Company provide added comfort.

Lounges. Club World passengers get access to British Airways Club World departure lounges and partner business class lounges. Additionally, Club World travelers can visit the Arrivals Lounge when arriving at London Heathrow.

British Airways' newest business class product is referred to as “Club Suites.” This much-better business class seat debuted in 2019. However, British Airways is still years from installing this new business class seat fleetwide.

Which British Airways aircraft have Club Suites?

British Airways debuted the Club Suite on its Airbus A350-1000 aircraft, and all A350-1000 aircraft have this new product installed. In addition, British Airways has completed Club Suite retrofits on its Boeing 787-10 fleet.

Unfortunately, British Airways is well behind its schedule for retrofitting Club Suites onto its other aircraft. In October 2021, British Airways pledged to finish installing Club Suites on its Boeing 777 aircraft by the end of 2022. While British Airways hasn't responded to NerdWallet's status requests, it recently posted on X, formally known as Twitter, that the Boeing 777 retrofit is still in process as of mid-November 2023.

Club Suites will eventually be rolled out to British Airways' entire long-haul fleet. However, British Airways currently doesn't expect to install the new Club Suites on its Boeing 787-8 or 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft until "late 2024 or 2025."

Technically, Club Suites seats are Club World seats. However, there's a reason for the distinction between the two. Instead of awkwardly facing a seatmate and/or potentially having to climb over a neighbor to reach the aisle, all Club Suites have direct aisle access and even a door for privacy.

Even passengers seated in the middle column have a divider they can close to get privacy from their seatmate.

Taller passengers will appreciate that Club Suite seats lie flat into a larger 6-foot 6-inch (198cm) fully flat bed. That's six inches longer than the older Club World seats.

In addition to the better seat and longer bed, Club Suites have a larger 17-inch in-flight entertainment screen. That's noticeably larger than the 12-inch screen installed in older Club World suites.

British Airways was the first airline to ever offer lie-flat business class seats back in 2000. Nowadays, all British Airways Club World and Club World Suite seats recline into a fully flat bed measuring at least six feet long.

However, short-haul Club Europe business-class flights only have standard economy seats.

» Learn more: Reasons to love the British Airways loyalty program

Book business class tickets with miles

You can use a wide variety of mileage currencies to book British Airways business class, including:

British Airways Avios .

American Airlines AAdvantage miles .

Alaska Mileage Plan miles .

Iberia Avios .

Qatar Avios .

British Airways is infamous for charging high taxes and fees on its awards. Add in high premium cabin taxes and flights from London are especially expensive out-of-pocket.

For example, a British Airways business class award from London-Heathrow to Las Vegas costs a reasonable 57,500 AAdvantage miles one-way.

However, the out-of-pocket cost of $692.60 slashes the value of this award.

Book with the airline's credit card

British Airways cardholders can take some of the sting of these high taxes and fees by booking awards through British Airways Executive Club and charging the taxes and fees to their British Airways Visa Signature® Card .

British Airways Visa Signature® Card

Cardholders get up to a $200 statement credit to partially offset the out-of-pocket costs on British Airways business class award bookings — up to three times per year.

Use AARP membership to save on British Airways business class

U.S.-based travelers — regardless of age — can join AARP to get discounted fares on British Airways business class. AARP members save up to $200 off round-trip British Airways business class tickets. To qualify, flights must originate in the United States and be booked through a dedicated members-only link.

Learn more: How to save up to $200 using the AARP British Airways discount

Book Club World through the AmEx International Airline Program

British Airways is one of more than two dozen airlines that participates in the American Express Travel International Airline Program. That means eligible American Express cardmembers can book British Airways business class flights through the AmEx Travel portal to potentially save big on your booking.

Learn more: How to save on flights by booking through the AmEx International Airline Program

Now you know what to expect when flying British Airways business class. If you want to fly in style and have a more comfortable flight experience, look for British Airways Club Suites. However, prepare for disappointment in Club Europe and older Club World seats.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

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Travel class

Available classes (depending on airline and route).

Premium economy

Economy Economy is the standard class of travel on any flight. It usually gives you the cheapest prices while offering the greatest value for money.

Premium economy Premium economy provides you with more legroom and additional levels of comfort and service over economy, at great value fares. It is available on selected longer international flights.

Business Business class brings you exceptional levels of comfort and service and access to exclusive airport lounges. Business class may be the highest level of service available depending on the airline and route you choose.

First First is the most premium class of travel available, providing the most luxurious experience throughout your journey, from exclusive airport lounges to unrivalled on-board comfort. It is available on selected longer international flights.

British Airways cabin names

• Euro Traveller – on flights within the UK and Europe
• World Traveller – on longer international flights
• World Traveller Plus
• Club Europe – on flights within the UK and Europe
• Club World - on longer international flights