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If you've read anything about redeeming points and miles for travel, you'll undoubtedly be curious about maximizing your hard-earned rewards on the best travel possible. For many, that means flying in first-class international flight on a premium airline. I know I like to, as I've flown several of the products featured in this post!
However, not all first-class products are created equal. So, we wanted to put together a guide on how to book each of the best first-class airlines as a way toget your search started.
Here is how to book the best first-class flights in the sky with points and miles!
Page Contents
Why Should You Fly First Class — And Book With Points and Miles?
International first class is the upper echelon of air travel — unless you have a private jet. Ordinarily, first-class tickets have a price tag to match the luxury and privacy you'll get in these cabins. Think tens of thousands of dollars per way, if not more!
In the case of the example above, you could pay $15,000 to fly one-way between New York and Tokyo. That's a lot of cash! But a better way to book is by redeeming points and miles.
Using rewards points earned from credit card sign-up bonuses and aligning your wallet with your spending patterns can help you fly the best products commercial aviation has to offer without breaking the bank.
While this guide doesn't cover every first class cabin imaginable, it does cover what we think to be the best. So, without further ado, here's how to book the best first class seats with points and miles.
Etihad Apartments
Etihad's former CEO once described it to me as not trying to be the “biggest airline” but rather “the most luxurious airline.” The national airline of the United Arab Emirates, Etihad Airlines, is certainly a premium airline.
For several years, it hasn't even been possible to fly its most premium product, The Residence (effectively a private three-room cabin in the sky), or its still-luxurious-but-more-traditional First Class Apartment seat since the airline's A380s were grounded. But now, the only aircraft that flies this configuration for Etihad has returned to the skies — and you can book its best seats with points.
The First Class Apartment features several incredible features, including a separate day bed in your fully enclosed suite, providing an unbelievable amount of space for an airline seat and an onboard shower. This contrasts Etihad's other First Class product on its Boeing 787 Dreamliners, which still features a door but not as much personal space.
Currently, the A380 is flying these routes for Etihad from Abu Dhabi (AUH):
- London Heathrow (LHR)
- New York-Kennedy (JFK)
- Mumbai (BOM)
- Paris (CDG) from November 1st, 2024
- Singapore (SIN) from February 1st, 2025
Booking the Etihad Apartment is surprisingly easy for such a premium product. Here's how you can:
Etihad Guest
The most obvious choice at first glance is Etihad, which prices routes on a distance-based chart. This means that flights between Abu Dhabi (AUH) and London (LHR) would cost 140,000 Etihad miles each way, plus taxes and fees, and flights between Abu Dhabi (AUH) and New York (JFK) would cost 220,000 miles, plus taxes and fees.
The problem with booking through Etihad is three-fold:
- You can book Etihad awards for less through partner airline programs.
- Etihad Guest passes on onerous carrier-imposed fuel surcharges.
- Etihad has one of the strictest award change and cancellation policies in award travel.
But on the bright side, it's easy to accrue Etihad miles. So, if you can stomach the surcharges and your plans are set in stone, booking through Etihad Guest is a completely viable option to book First Class awards.
Presently, you can transfer at a 1:1 ratio from the following multiple credit card programs:
American Airlines AAdvantage®
Etihad doesn't belong to an alliance but partners with several notable airlines. American Airlines is an example; AA prices First Class awards more reasonably than Etihad Guest. The same route from New York to Abu Dhabi that costs 220,000 Etihad Guest miles only costs 115,000 AAdvantage miles — with no carrier-imposed fuel surcharges!
One downside to booking through Etihad's partner airlines is that availability is comparatively poorer than if you book through Etihad Guest. Part of this is the “30-day rule” Etihad imposes on making premium cabin awards available to partners such as American and Air Canada.
With respect to the latter, Air Canada Aeroplan used to offer excellent value for Etihad First Class awards. While the prices are still great (think 130,000 Aeroplan points plus taxes and fees), availability is nonexistent. All to say, you can book premium Etihad awards through Aeroplan, but don't hold out hope you'll ever find award space.
Asiana Airlines Asiana Club
Asiana also partners with Etihad, and prices First Class awards at just 80,000 miles each way. However, Asiana doesn't work with any credit card programs. Rather, it only partners with Marriott Bonvoy, which transfers to Asiana at a 3:1 ratio, plus a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 points transferred.
You'll need to call Asiana to book these awards. So, a best practice is using a tool such as Seats.aero to locate bookable space and then dialing up Asiana.
Emirates First Class Suites
My favorite product I've flown has been Emirates First Class on the A380, which features a private seat with a door and an onboard shower uniquely available to first class passengers.
Since I've flown in first, Emirates has added an even more premium product on its Boeing 777-300ERs, without the shower experience of the A380. On board, travelers will have a truly enclosed suite (think floor-to-ceiling doors and walls) measuring 40 square feet, which even edges out Etihad's First Apartments at 39 square feet.
If you're looking to travel in Game Changer First Class, it can be hard to find bookable award space. That's because there are just nine 777-300ERs in the Emirates fleet with the newest First Class cabin. Common routes with these aircraft include flights from Dubai to London, Tokyo, Geneva, Brussels, and Zurich.
We have a whole guide to booking Emirates First Class with miles. But here's a recap.
Emirates Skywards
If you're lucky enough to find availability on this product, it'll cost you. Emirates First Class from Dubai to Tokyo starts at 141,000 Emirates Skywards miles and 1,615 AED (~$440). Flights to Europe are slightly cheaper, priced at 102,000 miles and 1,615 AED, though flights from London will be subject to a premium cabin tax.
A potentially cheaper way is to book first class by upgrading a business class ticket booked through Emirates. Anecdotally, this is very easy to do, and you can earn Emirates miles by transferring from the following programs:
Air Canada Aeroplan
Another potential booking partner is Air Canada Aeroplan, which has a specific award chart for Emirates flights.
| Flight Distance (Miles) | Economy | Business | First |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-2,000 | 15,000-35,000 | 30,000-77,500 | 65,000-175,000 |
| 2,001-5,000 | 21,000-65,000 | 45,000-140,000 | 110,000-325,000 |
| 5,001-9,000 | 40,000-85,000 | 80,000-185,000 | 225,000-475,000 |
| 9,001-12,000 | 60,000-110,000 | 120,000-225,000 | 300,000-600,000 |
| 12,001+ | 85,000-150,000 | 180,000-300,000 | 400,000-750,000 |
The downside to this award chart is that it's not specific pricing; rather, awards are priced within a range. Additionally, it's been harder and harder to find premium cabin availability through Aeroplan, so your mileage may vary here. To look up awards, you're best bet is to search on Aeroplan's website, as Seats.aero is unreliable for this partner.
Qantas Frequent Flyer
Finally, you can also book Emirates First Class through Qantas Frequent Flyer. Qantas employs a distance-based award chart for Emirates First Class flights as well.
| Flight Distance (Miles) | Economy | Premium Economy | Business | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0-600 | 10,000 | 15,800 | 20,000 | 29,000 |
| 601-1,200 | 14,000 | 23,700 | 30,000 | 43,500 |
| 1,201-2,400 | 20,000 | 34,500 | 43,800 | 64,500 |
| 2,401-3,600 | 24,500 | 48,500 | 61,200 | 89,800 |
| 3,601-4,800 | 30,200 | 59,000 | 75,000 | 107,700 |
| 4,801-5,800 | 37,800 | 70,800 | 90,000 | 129,300 |
| 5,801-7,000 | 45,000 | 81,800 | 104,500 | 149,800 |
| 7,001-8,400 | 50,300 | 93,500 | 119,200 | 170,800 |
| 8,401-9,600 | 61,500 | 109,000 | 139,200 | 199,300 |
| 9,601-15,000 | 66,200 | 124,800 | 159,000 | 227,500 |
If you need to top off your account, a number of transferrable currencies convert to Qantas points, each with varied ratios and transfer times.
ANA First Class Suites
ANA's new First Class Suites are a newsworthy upgrade and have earned a place on this list. With the first 4K TVs in the sky, measuring 43 inches, these fully enclosed suites are jaw-droppingly large. The cabin has only eight seats, making for a premium and exclusive experience in the sky.
You'll have a few options to book these suites, but right now, only a few routes feature the new suites, such as:
- Chicago (ORD) to Tokyo-Haneda (HND) and Tokyo-Narita (NRT)
- London (LHR) to Tokyo-Haneda (HND)
- New York-Kennedy (JFK) to Tokyo-Haneda (HND)
- San Francisco (SFO) to Tokyo-Haneda (HND)
Related: The Best Points and Miles for Free Flights to Tokyo
ANA Mileage Club
The most obvious program to book through is ANA Mileage Club, which has historically offered the best availability for its members. Keep in mind that ANA does require round-trip travel on award bookings, which is a potential roadblock for some.
ANA also passes on hefty carrier-imposed surcharges to customers. Moreover, the airline only has two transfer partners you can leverage: Amex Membership Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy.
However, the rates make up for the hassle and lack of transfer partners. ANA award pricing varies by season, but here's the minimum number of miles required for round-trip travel between Japan and North America:
- Fly between Japan and Hawaii: 120,000 Mileage Club miles
- Fly between Japan and the Continental U.S./Canada: 150,000 Mileage Club miles
Avianca LifeMiles
Avianca is another Star Alliance partner of ANA's with reasonable redemption rates. For the same New York to Tokyo route in ANA's first class, 120,000 LifeMiles are required per person.
Avianca has several transfer partners and routinely sells LifeMiles for incredible discounts, so it's easy to rack up a sizable balance of miles to book these aspirational awards.
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
To me, the most exciting option for booking ANA First Class awards comes via Virgin Atlantic Flying Club. You can book long-haul ANA First Class suites starting at only 85,000 miles each way per person between New York and Tokyo-Haneda, which is an incredible deal.
Keep in mind this is another airline with steep carrier-imposed fuel surcharges, and you'll have to call in to book at 1-800-365-9500. You'll also have to confirm availability with a partner like United, as it's not possible to search for ANA availability on Virgin Atlantic's website. The good news is this partner has the most credit card transfer partners from our list!
The Flying Club option also opens up a very cheap redemption in ANA First Class from Honolulu to either Haneda or Narita for only 57,500 miles each way. However, award availability can be hard to come by.
United MileagePlus
In recent history, United devalued international first class partner awards, but MileagePlus is a program worth mentioning nonetheless.
Generally speaking, it's relatively easy to earn United miles. The airline offers several credit cards and is a transfer partner of Bilt Rewards, Chase, and Marriott, so it's easier to plus up your balance of miles with United than with ANA, for example.
And as we mentioned, United charges hefty prices for ANA First Class awards, starting at 222,000 one-way from New York (JFK) to Tokyo Haneda (HND). On the bright side, the out-of-pocket cost is negligible.
Singapore Airlines Suites
Singapore Airlines, one of my favorite airlines, has always been known for its amazing lounges on the ground, stellar in-the-sky service, and excellent catering. In 2017, Singapore Airlines raised the bar for First Class in the sky with their Singapore Suites product on the A380.
This suite is already incredible for one person, with a Poltrona Frau chair that can swivel in three directions as well as a separate bed. However, if you can book for two, you'll be able to enjoy some of the most space in the sky for a first class suite. The beds even fold down to allow you to sleep in the same bed as your partner!
When it comes time to book, you'll want some Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer miles. That's because Singapore only allows its own members to redeem for First Class. Singapore is a transfer partner of several programs, such as:
Singapore Airlines works on a “Saver” and “Advantage” award availability system — spelled out in its zone-based award charts (caution: PDF link). Saver availability is cheaper than Advantage, and this particular seat is hard to come by. But generally speaking, you can expect to redeem the following for First Class awards to/from the United States and Canada:
- Saver awards between Singapore and USA (West Coast) & Canada: 146,500 KrisFlyer miles.
- Saver awards between Singapore and USA (East Coast & Houston): 148,500 KrisFlyer miles.
- Advantage awards between Singapore and USA (West Coast) & Canada: 228,000 KrisFlyer miles.
- Advantage awards between Singapore and USA (East Coast & Houston): 243,000 KrisFlyer miles.
Conclusion
You can't go wrong redeeming a first-class product for your next trip. The experience will make returning to domestic flying, especially in economy, difficult. And while we didn't touch on every first class product in the skies today, we hope this guide still allows you to strategize for your next long-haul flight so that you're flying one of these unbelievable and game-changing products!
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