Business class and first class are both premium airline ticket options, but first class offers a significantly higher level of luxury, privacy, and personalized service. For example, Emirates First Class on the Boeing 777 includes fully enclosed private suites, zero-gravity lie-flat seats, HD screens, on-demand dining, complimentary sleepwear, and access to Emirates’ exclusive First Class Lounge at Dubai International Airport. In contrast, Emirates Business Class on the same aircraft offers lie-flat seats, without full privacy, set meal times from a fixed menu, and access only to the standard Business Class Lounge. Baggage allowance typically includes up to 50 kg for First Class and 40 kg for Business Class.
Business and First Class Explained
Hold your horses; we’ll get into the differences in a second. But first, here’s a quick look at what each class is all about.
What Is Business Class?
Business class is what you go for when you want to feel like a VIP without wanting to splash out the hefty fees for a first-class ticket. It’s a popular choice for business travelers or anyone simply looking for more comfort than what you’d get in economy. The seats are more spacious, so you can actually sleep in them, the food is tastier, the amenities are better, and you get some nice extra perks like priority boarding and access to airport lounges.
What Airlines Offer Business Class?
Most international airlines offer some form of business class, but fair warning: there are no strict standards they must follow regarding what they provide to customers, so some are far more luxurious than others.
Here’s a list of some airlines that sell business class tickets.
- Air France
- KLM
- Cathay Pacific
- ANA
- Japan Airlines
- Etihad Airways
- Qatar Airways
- Emirates
- Turkish Airlines
- Delta Air Lines
- American Airlines
- Swiss Airlines
- Iberia
- EVA Air
- Korean Air
- Thai Airways
- United Airlines
- Air Canada
- Qantas
- LATAM
- Finnair
- Singapore Airlines
- British Airways
- South African Airways
- Virgin Atlantic
- China Airlines
- Asiana Airlines
- Lufthansa
What Is First Class?
Out of all the airline tickets you can buy, first class is the gold standard; I mean, it’s all in the name. Everything is a level above business class. First, you’ve the seating cabins, or in some cases, all-out private suites, especially Etihad’s Residences aboard their A380s, which can sleep up to two people at once. Then, there’s the food that looks like it has just come straight from a restaurant kitchen, and you can order what you want, when you want. Let’s not forget about all the extras either: showers on the plane, exclusive hotel pickup, personal minibars, and access to first-class lounges. So yeah, it’s the real deal.
What Airlines Offer First Class?
You won’t see first class offered nearly as much as business class on flights. The market for these tickets is quite niche; think about it, not many people can afford to spend thousands to have a few extra comforts on board when similar flights are available for just a few hundred. That’s why airlines often choose to load their cabins with extra business and economy seats, as they’re more likely to sell. However, a select number of airlines still offer first class on certain routes. Here are some of them.
- Thai Airways
- STARLUX Airlines
- China Eastern Airlines
- Garuda Indonesia
- Air France
- Qatar Airways
- British Airways
- Qantas Airways
- Etihad Airways
- Cathay Pacific Airways
- Singapore Airlines
- Emirates
- Saudia
- Korean Air
- Air China
- Kuwait Airways
- Lufthansa
- ANA
- Japan Airlines
- Swiss Airlines
The Biggest Differences Between Business Class and First Class
Seating
Seating is the first significant distinction between business and first class. Sure, both are a major upgrade from economy’s basic recliners (that wouldn’t be hard), but even between business and first, there’s a noticeable gap. In most business class cabins, seats come equipped with lie-flat seating, whereas in first class, they’re often suite-style seats with an extra layer of privacy thanks to the walls or curtains that surround them.
On some occasions, airlines may still give their business class passengers enclosed seating, such as Qatar Airways’ Qsuite, which has often been regarded as matching the high standards of some airlines’ first-class suites.
Dining
If we’re being completely honest, airline food is pretty lackluster. But after seven hours without eating, and your stomach starts rumbling, there comes a point when you just have to give in. Luckily, when you’re flying business or first class, you never have to worry about that kind of thing. The food is usually fresh and, in some cases, prepared by a designated chef on board, just like you’d get on the ground. Not too shabby.
In terms of quality, the food in both business and first class is exceptional. But the main point of difference lies in the service. Business class tends to follow a similar style to economy, where a row of seats is served one after the other with a set menu. First class meals, on the other hand, are usually made to order. When passengers get hungry, they just have to give the flight attendant a little nudge-nudge, wink-wink, and they’ll come by to check what you’re having. Quality also plays a role, as the ingredients used in first class tend to be more premium, paired with a more elite selection of drinks.
In-Flight Amenities
Another way airlines set their services apart is through in-flight amenities. Depending on the airline, each has its own way of doing this. Take British Airways, for example. In their First Class cabin, passengers get 15-inch screens, duvets made from recycled plastic bottles, and special pajamas and slippers. But when you compare that to their Business Class, you’re only given a 12-inch screen without all the extra perks. There’s also a noticeable difference in the amenity kits. First Class passengers are given his and hers ‘D’ora’ print amenity bags stocked with products from the well-known skincare brand Elemis. In contrast, when you fly business class, you’ll just receive a more basic amenity kit provided by The White Company with standard products.
Lounges
Even if you’re not flying Business or First Class, anyone can still pop in and access a lounge, as long as you’re willing to pay the entry fee. However, most airlines that have Business or First Class as part of their service typically have dedicated lounges to cater to the different passenger tiers.
Emirates is one airline that does this. Its First Class lounge is outstanding, with all-day à la carte dining featuring a range of premium dishes made with locally sourced ingredients; the hoisin stir-fried chicken sounds right up my alley. Customers also have access to several bars, including a Moët & Chandon lounge that serves four exclusive cuvées paired with tasty canapés. If that wasn’t enough, they also receive complimentary spa treatments, free Wi-Fi, and direct boarding access to their flight.
The Business Class lounge is equally impressive, though less exclusive than the First Class option, as the service level must align with lower ticket prices. Still, the offerings are exceptional: think nourishing bites from the Health Hub, spacious seating areas, and ticket holders are welcome to make use of a Costa Coffee station (the First Class Lounge also includes this).
When you fly First or Business Class, you’ll almost always be allowed into the airline’s lounge as long as they have one. If the airline doesn’t, they may provide passes to one of their partner lounges instead. For example, suppose they were part of the Star Alliance program; they might grant access through affiliated lounges within that network.
Airlines With Dedicated Lounges for Both Business and First Class
Emirates
First Class: Emirates First Class Lounge (Dubai)
Business Class: Emirates Business Class Lounge (Dubai)
Lufthansa
First Class: Lufthansa First Class Lounge (Frankfurt)
Business Class: Lufthansa Business Lounge (Frankfurt)
Cathay Pacific
First Class: The Deck / The Pier, First (Hong Kong)
Business Class: The Wing, Business / The Pier, Business / The Bridge (Hong Kong)
British Airways
First Class: Concorde Room (London Heathrow)
Business Class: Galleries Club Lounge (London Heathrow)
Air France
First Class: La Première Lounge (Paris CDG)
Business Class: Air France Business Lounge (Paris CDG)
Japan Airlines (JAL)
First Class: JAL First Class Lounge (Tokyo Haneda)
Business Class: Sakura Lounge (Tokyo Haneda)
Boarding
Even during the boarding stages of a flight, the separation between business and first class is clear. Like all passengers, both still need to queue up to get onto the plane, but first class travelers are often brought straight to the gate by an escort, sometimes even by car, depending on the airline and airport. Whereas business class is slightly more casual, as passengers must walk to the gate on their own after leaving the lounge. Once they arrive at the aircraft door, a flight attendant usually brings them directly to their seat, much like they would for first-class passengers.
Ticket Prices
Talk to anyone who’s flown both business and first class, and they’ll tell you the biggest thing separating the two is the amount you’ll shell out for the tickets. Like anything in life, the more you get, the more you pay, and as this breakdown shows, it’s luxury at every level when you fly first class, making the tickets more expensive.
As far as average prices go, there are so many factors that can influence the cost of a ticket, like availability, flight times, distance, and the quality of the actual product, because some cabins are simply built better than others.
With business class upgrades, you might pay as little as a few hundred euros if you buy at the right time, but just as easily, you could end up shelling out more than €2,000 for a return ticket. It all depends. When you reach first-class territory, we’re talking over €10,000 return, so that’s well out the window for a broke backpacker like me.
| Feature | Business Class | First Class |
|---|---|---|
| Seating | Lie-flat seats, less privacy | Fully enclosed suites, maximum privacy |
| Dining | Set menu, served row-by-row | Made-to-order, premium ingredients |
| In-flight Amenities | Standard amenity kits, smaller screens | Luxury amenity kits, large HD screens |
| Lounge Access | Business Class Lounge | Exclusive First Class Lounge with extras |
| Baggage Allowance | Up to 40 kg | Up to 50 kg |
| Boarding Experience | Walk to gate, escorted to seat | Personal escort, sometimes by car |
| Ticket Price Range | Few hundred to €2,000+ | Over €10,000+ |
Business Class or First Class — How High Do You Want to Fly?
First and business class may be out of reach for most of us, but there are still a lucky few out there who get to fly that way. You know how it goes: if you want to live the high life, you’d better be prepared to pay for it. It all comes down to weighing whether the differences between these tickets are worth the splurge. Otherwise, you might find yourself stuck at the back with the other cheapskates, wedged into a window seat on a long-haul flight, sweating profusely; damn the things we put ourselves through to travel.
Which Is Better, Business or First Class?
First class is a more premium product than business class, offering more exclusive service and higher-end amenities. However, business class still provides a high level of luxury. In some cases, an airline’s business class product can surpass another airline’s first class, such as Qatar Airways’ Qsuite, which has a renowned reputation.
Which Airlines Have the Best First-Class Products?
While airlines that sell first class tickets are expected to meet certain standards, some of the most highly regarded in the travel industry for their first-class service include Singapore Airlines, Emirates, Air France, Cathay Pacific, and Lufthansa.
What Is the Highest Class on a Plane?
The highest class on a plane is typically first class. However, there are exceptions with certain airlines, such as Etihad, which offers both first-class tickets and ‘The Residence’, a level above first class.
Do All Airlines Offer Both Business and First Class?
No, only certain airlines offer both business and first class on selected routes. Check the airline’s website to see if they provide the service you’re looking for on your chosen route before purchasing tickets.