The Definitive First Class Ranking: Every Major Airline, Rated Curb-to-Curb
Let's be clear about something: first class isn't just a seat. It's a door-to-door experience that begins the moment your driver pulls up to departures and ends when you step into your destination city.
Most airline reviews miss this entirely. They obsess over seat width and champagne brands while ignoring the chauffeur who was late, the lounge that ran out of decent Burgundy, or the arrival experience that dumped you into the same immigration queue as economy.
We don't make that mistake. Welcome to Cabin 1A — the only first class ranking that scores the entire journey.
Our Methodology
We score each airline's first class on six dimensions, weighted by importance:
| Category | Weight | What We Measure |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Game | 15% | Chauffeur service, check-in, transfer to lounge |
| Lounge | 15% | Space, food, drinks, amenities, service |
| Boarding | 10% | Priority, experience, attention to detail |
| The Flight | 35% | Hard product (seat), soft product (food/wine/service) |
| Arrival | 15% | Fast-track, arrival lounge, transfer service |
| Value | 10% | Is it worth the premium over business class? |
The Rankings
Tier 1: The Untouchables
1. Singapore Airlines Suites — 9.4/10
The benchmark. Everyone else is chasing them.
Ground Game (9/10): Complimentary limo transfer in most cities. Private check-in room at Changi. You don't wait in lines — lines wait for you.
Lounge (10/10): The Private Room at Changi is the single best airline lounge on Earth. Full restaurant service, cocktail bar, and an atmosphere that makes most first class lounges feel like food courts.
The Flight (10/10): The new Suites are genuinely private rooms with a real bed and a door that closes. The double suite for couples is as romantic as commercial aviation gets. Krug on demand. Dom Pérignon as a backup.
Arrival (9/10): Priority immigration, but no dedicated arrival lounge. Minor deduction.
Value (8/10): Astronomical in cash, but remarkably bookable with KrisFlyer miles. Sweet spot.
Verdict: If money is no object and Singapore serves your route, stop reading. Book it.
2. Emirates First Class — 9.1/10
The maximalist choice. Everything is more.
Ground Game (9/10): Complimentary chauffeur service in most cities. White-glove check-in.
Lounge (9/10): Dubai's First Class lounge is a cathedral of excess. Full-service restaurants, Moët & Chandon bar, cigar lounge, spa. It's almost too much. Almost.
The Flight (9/10): The 777 suites are iconic — closing doors, virtual windows, shower spa at 40,000 feet. Yes, a shower. On a plane. The A380 suites are the pinnacle.
Arrival (8/10): Chauffeur on arrival in many cities. No dedicated arrival lounge.
Value (8/10): Expensive, but Emirates makes you feel every dollar.
Verdict: Maximum luxury, maximum experience, maximum Instagram content.
Read Our Full Emirates Review
14 hours of testing the shower, the champagne, and the hype.
Read the Review →3. Cathay Pacific First Class — 8.9/10
Old money doesn't need to shout.
Ground Game (8/10): The Pier lounge at HKG is the real show. No chauffeur, but the airport experience compensates.
Lounge (10/10): The Pier First Class lounge — especially The Retreat with its day suites and private cabanas — is refined in ways other airlines don't understand.
The Flight (9/10): The 777 seat is aging but still excellent. Service is where Cathay shines — attentive without being overbearing. Krug and vintage champagne. Hong Kong-style dim sum that's actually good.
Arrival (8/10): Arrival lounge at HKG with showers and refreshments.
Value (9/10): More bookable with Asia Miles than you'd think. Excellent sweet spot for quality/accessibility.
Verdict: For those who find Emirates vulgar. Quiet excellence.
Tier 2: Excellent but Not Transcendent
4. Japan Airlines First Class — 8.7/10
Japanese precision applied to luxury.
JAL's first class is a masterclass in consistency. The Sakura Lounge isn't flashy, but every detail is considered. The seat is comfortable, the kaiseki cuisine is authentic, and the service is impeccable without Western stuffiness.
Best for: Flights to/from Japan where the cultural alignment enhances everything.
5. Lufthansa First Class — 8.5/10
German engineering, including the lounge that has a cigar room and full bar.
The First Class Terminal in Frankfurt is legendary — you clear immigration privately, get driven to your plane, and board after everyone else is seated. The onboard product is solid if unspectacular, but that ground experience elevates everything.
Best for: European departures, especially Frankfurt connections.
6. Air France La Première — 8.4/10
The French art de vivre at altitude.
The La Première lounge at CDG is a design statement. Onboard, the suites on the 777 are enormous, and the French cuisine is genuinely restaurant-quality. Service can be... French. Which is either charming or frustrating depending on your temperament.
Best for: Francophiles and those who prioritize food and wine.
Tier 3: Good but with Caveats
7. Etihad First Apartment — 8.2/10
The most space in the sky, period.
The Apartment on the A380 is objectively the largest first class suite ever built. It's a room. With a door. And a bed. And a chair. Separate. However, Etihad has scaled back frequencies and the soft product doesn't quite match the hard product.
Best for: The novelty, and if you can find availability.
8. Qatar Airways First Class — 8.0/10
Business class is so good, does first matter?
Here's the thing: Qatar's Qsuite business class is often better than other airlines' first class. Their first class is solid — Al Safwa lounge is stunning — but you're often better off in their business product. The first class feels like an afterthought.
Best for: If you have miles burning a hole in your pocket and can't book Qsuite.
Tier 4: Skip It
9. American Airlines First Class — 6.5/10
First class in name only.
Aging hard product. Inconsistent soft product. The Flagship First Dining is the one bright spot. This is a domestic-style first class marketed internationally. If you're paying cash, you're making a mistake. If you're using miles, use them elsewhere.
10. United Polaris First — 6.0/10
Wait, does United even have first class?
Not really. "Polaris" is business class with better marketing. No true first class product. We mention it only because people keep asking.
The Bottom Line
First class is about the complete journey, not just the seat. The airlines at the top of our list understand that the experience begins at your door and ends at your destination's.
Book Singapore Suites if you can find availability. Default to Emirates if you want the full circus. Choose Cathay if you prefer elegance over spectacle.
And if someone offers you "first class" on American? Smile politely and book Cathay business instead.