Last month, I flew first class for the first time on both Singapore and Emirates Airlines, which have two of the most superior first class products in the industry.
On Singapore Airlines, I flew in the Suites from JFK-FRA and then FRA-SIN (for a total flight time of over 19 hours, which means I was able to properly enjoy the experience). In the Singapore Suites, there are only 6 enclosed private suites, each with its own standalone bed, chair, and 32-inch TV.
Meanwhile, I flew two different Emirates first class products. The first was B777 first class from CGK-Dubai (about 8 hours) and then A380 from DXB-IAH (a 16-hour+ flight). This also means I got to enjoy Emirates first class on-ground service in Dubai, with a private concierge to whisk me through the airport, a huge lounge with everything you can imagine, complimentary massage in the airport, among other things.
But back to the flights themselves, the A380 flight experience was superior in my opinion. I mean, I got to shower onboard! The plane also has a bar with a dedicated bartender for business and first class passengers. It was truly an experience.
I could talk in more detail about the flight experiences and the differences with both airlines but that deserves its own post (and you can also check out my Instagram page for that). The focus here is on answering some common questions I received. So let’s get into it!
Is flying first class worth it?
Absolutely!
I had people tell me “just think of how many flights you could take for the same cost of a first class flight” and I am so glad I didn’t listen. I love travelling but the process of travelling (the actual transportation) is usually a pain. Not when flying first class though! I usually can’t sleep on flights but having a completely flat bed and all the comforts I could ask for made a huge difference. I got off a 16-hour flight feeling refreshed, energized and sad that the flight was over.
Honestly, if I had my way, I wouldn’t fly any other way.
How much did you pay for it?
This is a BIG one, and understandably so.
For my Singapore Airlines flights, I paid less than 80 USD in cash to fly first class from JFK-SIN and business class from SIN-DPS. My Emirates flights cost significantly more, but still I paid slightly under a 1,000 USD to fly from CGK-IAH.
This brings us to the next question . . .
Did you pay in airline miles?
I did!
The Singapore flight cost me about 237,000 miles and Emirates was about 197,500. And yes, I know that’s a lot so, naturally, the next question is . . .
How long did it take you to accumulate those points?
Technically, it didn’t.
Let me explain. I had never flown Singapore Airlines until last month though as at the time I decided to book my award flight with them, I had accumulated 20,000 or so points with them already. Singapore Airlines is a Star Alliance partner so I signed up for their frequent flyer program and whenever I would fly any Star Alliance flight (e.g. United), I would simply provide my Singapore Airlines frequent flyer number.
For the rest of the points I needed, once I had found availability for the award flights I wanted, I transferred the points from my Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card to Singapore Airlines and Emirates, respectively. It is very important to do the transfer only AFTER finding availability for your desired flights.
Even with using credit card points for the flights, it still seems like a lot of points (and it is) but it doesn’t take that long to acquire those points. Starting with the fact that the best travel cards around give you bonus points when you sign up, then you can get points for referral, and so many other random bonuses. On top of those, I use a mix of different cards to maximize my earnings. I currently have 4 travel credit cards in my rotation. This is another topic that deserves its own post and I’ll plan to do one on it soon. But to summarize for now, I am now about this point life and only wish I had started sooner. It took me less than 2 years to get so much more than the points I needed for both flights.
How do you find award tickets?
Acquiring the points is the easy part because award flights can be difficult to find, which makes sense – the airlines are trying to sell as many seats as possible to people who will pay them cash.
My top tips for finding award space are:
- Start looking early (and often)
- Be flexible with your dates and travel plans
- Consider other airports outside your primary ones (even if it means flying to the other airport)
- Be open to last minute travel (as airlines often make award spaces available instead of flying empty first class seats)
- Use the waitlist for airlines that offer them
Does the flight crew know that you booked your ticket with points instead of cash?
From what I’ve learned, no, they don’t. So, for all they know, you paid with cash and they treat you accordingly, I guess 😀
Did you say there’s an “on ground service” included in first class tickets?!
Yes! This depends on the airline, of course. Unfortunately, you’re not informed about most of the on-ground perks so you may need to do your own research. For example, I only knew about Emirates’ complimentary massage for first-class passengers from research.
With Emirates, I got a concierge on arrival and was transported through the airport to the first-class lounge. You can board the flights directly from the lounge. Emirates also has chauffeur-service and other perks. I know Singapore Airlines has private boarding area for first class passengers flying from SIN but they didn’t offer as much as Emirates in my experience.
How can you go back to “normal” flights now?
I don’t know 😭. This is my most recent inspiration to be at an extremely comfortable financial position and/or win the lottery.
I think I addressed the main questions I received. Anything else you’d like to know, please ask away and I’d be happy to answer. Hope this was helpful!
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