The caveat: Limited availability, as with Emirates. Review frequent-flier boards such as FlyerTalk and the blogs of Boarding Area to stay up to date as availability loosens up on both products.
Air France la Première
Why you want to fly it: Air France’s la Première first class is one of the most exclusive experiences in the skies. It debuted back in 2014, giving it broader accessibility on Boeing 777-300ERs from a few U.S. cities, including Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Washington.
There are only four such seats per plane, each with wraparound curtains for privacy. But it’s the details that set this experience apart: Think Givenchy pajamas, Sofitel MyBed linens and colorful cashmere throws on the beds, and Daniel Boulud-designed menus served on Limoges china with Christofle cutlery.
How to book it for less than coach: As one Air France flight attendant told me on a recent trip, “There are no upgrades to la Première.” The airline doesn’t make it easy to get it free by using miles, either, but it is possible. To do so, you can use only Air France’s Flying Blue miles—and solely if you have elite status with the airline. The good news is, you need only a basic level of elite status to be eligible, so frequent fliers can credit a few weeks or months of travel to Flying Blue and they will be set. Flying Blue also transfer partners with American Express Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards, and Starwood Preferred Guest, so it’s easy to pad your account with points from other programs.
The caveat: Brace yourself for high redemption rates. Flights between Paris and the U.S. will cost 200,000 miles each way, while flying from Paris to one of the airline’s Asian destinations will cost 320,000 miles each way. Taxes and fees in either direction can also cost several hundred dollars.
Cathay Pacific First Class
Why you want to fly it: Cathay Pacific’s excellent first-class cabins offer the full package experience, with everything from pre-flight spa treatments to Champagne and caviar service on board. The seats are extra-wide (at 36 inches) and extra-long (the bed stretches almost seven feet), and can be found on some of the carrier’s Boeing 777-300ERs—including many of the planes it flies from its Hong Kong hub to such major U.S. airports as Boston Logan, Chicago O’Hare, LAX, and JFK.
How to book it for less than coach: Good news for U.S.-based fliers: Cathay is a member of the Oneworld airline alliance, along with American Airlines Inc., so you can use AAdvantage miles for award tickets on the Asian carrier. That costs 110,000 miles each way from the airline’s hub in Hong Kong to the continental U.S., or 90,000 miles each way between Hong Kong and Europe. Have Alaska Airlines miles? You’re in even better luck. It costs only 70,000 Alaska miles for a one-way, first-class ticket between Asia and the U.S. or Europe. Pro tip: Cathay often opens up award seats at the last minute, so spontaneous travelers can be handsomely rewarded.
The caveat: Booking via partners requires a work-around, as Cathay Pacific awards can’t be found on Alaska or American’s websites. Simply pinpoint the award seat you want, using British Airways’ award search engine (another Oneworld partner), and then call Alaska or American’s mileage desks with your specific, desired flights.
Etihad First-Class Apartment
Why you want to fly it: Most airlines are just playing catch-up to Etihad Airways, which debuted its stunning suites and three-room Residence back in 2014. What makes these suites so special? Access to some of the world’s best lounges, on-demand dining (thanks to a dedicated, on-board chef), private minibars, and even in-flight showers. As with Singapore’s suites, these also have Poltrona Frau reclining chairs and separate twin beds. You’ll find all this aboard Etihad’s A380s on routes to London Heathrow, New York JFK, Sydney, and Paris (starting on March 25).
How to book it for less than coach: Transfer agreements with American Express Membership Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards, and Starwood Preferred Guest make it feasible to book even the Apartment as an award ticket. All you have to do is shuffle points into an Etihad Guest account and redeem directly through the airline’s website. Redemption rates vary by destination, but a one-way award ticket from JFK to Abu Dhabi costs roughly 136,500 Guest miles, plus $275 in taxes and fees. A similar ticket between Abu Dhabi and London costs far less: about 88,000 miles, plus $235 in taxes and fees.