The best airlines providing Domestic and International First Class

Why domestic first class isn’t what it used to be? According to frequent airline passengers flying in the front of the plane for years, have witnessed the slow and sad decline of premium service.

But in the last three or four years, it has most definitely lost what little luster it had. A lot of other air travelers, has noticed a marked decline in premium service. Seats have shrunk. Leg rests vanished. The food is barely edible, and the service is unacceptable.

And let’s be clear about what we mean by first class: We’re talking about domestic flights and generally excluding the competitive transcontinental flights, where airlines still make a half-hearted attempt to put the “first” into first class.

First class is the best an airline can do, and economy class is arguably the worst. But the two move in tandem, so as first class falls off a cliff, the good people in the back of the plane suffer, too, as airlines reduce seat size and slash service. We’re all in this together.

The decline of domestic first class is that the equipment has changed. The wide-body jets have been replaced by less spacious, single-aisle aircraft,” he notes. “Essentially the same crowded cabin feel is shared by all classes. The smaller planes are more fuel-efficient and make more sense from an operational point of view. But the folks up front sure do miss that extra space, he adds.

The first-class experience has also been cheapened by the upgrade game of mile-collecting frequent fliers. It’s simple economics: When your first class seat is “free,” you get what you pay for.

You don’t have to look far for examples of the fall of first class. In the 1970s and 1980s it actually used to be an amazing experience, but it’s gone down the tubes. In-flight meals have all but disappeared, replaced with snacks — or nothing. Of course, most airlines don’t even bother calling it first class anymore. It’s now  “business” class, as if renaming it can somehow lower our collective expectations.

Some passengers say first class today is “appalling.” A first-class ticket doesn’t even give access to the first-class lounge. There was no priority seating for her, no in-flight snack.

In a perfect world, the class system wouldn’t exist. Every seat would come with a humane amount of space, reasonable service, and basic amenities such as the ability to check a bag and make a seat reservation. But we don’t live in a perfect world.

The solution is simple: Whenever possible, fly on airlines that treat all of their customers well. A one-class airline like Southwest, where all passengers have adequate leg space, stands out. The old JetBlue, before it foolishly embraced the class system, comes to mind, too. Even a carrier like Alaska Airlines, which has a premium class, is worth recommending.

The decline of first class is worrisome for all airline passengers. Because, as the front of the cabin goes, so goes the back. If premium service is the best an airline can do, I can only imagine what its worst is. Maybe we’re about to find out.

Where to find First Class, real First Class

Transatlantic and transpacific routes. Even domestic airlines go the extra mile on the long-haul routes — mostly because there’s competition from carriers that still understand a luxury experience, such as Emirates and Singapore.

What can I expect in First Class: Long-haul First Class is found on international/long-haul routes. This class of service offers more comfort and amenities than Long-haul Business Class, which usually include:

For seating and service overview: https://www.seatguru.com/charts/longhaul_first_class.php

Domestic & Transcontinental flights. American carriers sometimes operate special aircraft on the most popular transcontinental routes. It’s almost like flying across the Atlantic, but travelers say it’s usually a slight downgrade, more like and average Business Class.

What can I expect in Short-haul First/Business Class: People who have flown or seen International Business class are often disappointed by Short-haul First/Business Class. There are only small improvements over most coach class seats, and many customers are sad to see that there aren’t any legrests. These days it is more common to see a frequent flyer upgraded into these seats than a true paying First Class customer. Airlines have started offering these seats to customers that pay for full fare coach tickets as they try to increase their revenue from these seats. Here’s what to expect in Short-haul First/Business Class: