Is a first class award really worth it?

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I'm not sure I will get to experience the business product on other carriers but my initial impression of the 787 is that it's a tiny cabin for 24 seats. Feels claustrophobic.

24 is quite high density. More airlines are in the 18 seat range for the same cabin. Various configurations, some reverse herringbone, some 1-2-1 staggered (like TG's 77Ws), some 2-2-2 all forward facing.
 
I'm in planning mode for my next holiday (contemplating Cape Town to see the great whites). I have 900K QFF points. I prefer to use my points for business class fares, I don't see economy as a good use of points as the taxes etc cost almost the same as just buying the economy ticket. Just doing ye ole check award flight availability and I see some first class flights available as well. As all experienced award redeemers know business is double the economy points and first is triple the economy points. Having said that, am I prepared to spend half again what I would normally for a business award? I'm trying to see some sort of justification in it. The first class experience sounds all well and good but as someone that normally flies economy, business is a wonderful step up already. Business usually offers lie flat beds, better food/drinks, lounge access etc. First seems to offer these too but maybe a slightly better quality. I usually don't sleep on flights so the bed size/comfort not that important. I'm not too fussy about what I eat/drink, so that's not really that important. If I want a shower, the lounges have that available. First seems to offer you more privacy, but is this a good thing when travelling with others?

I just don't think I'm really sold on First, but I may never get another chance to experience it. Just wanted to see others thoughts on it, especially those that don't use premium too often but had tried both business and first long haul.

After many years of flying economy on SQ with Krisflyer points, we also decided it just wasn't worth it with the high taxes and airline charges. So started flying business class and of course we are now committed. One trip we couldn't get J on points but F was available so we took that instead; from Milan to Melbourne with the second leg in suites. It was fantastic, and a great experience, but we wouldn't do it again. We found the difference between Y and J to be enormous, but J to F is marginal.
 
I have been flying first class for the past 30 years. If you can afford it, either with money. Points or a combination, it is well worthwhile. I have flown Qantas, Emirates, Singapore and Malaysia. Emirates is my best experience but is starting to get a bit tired. Qantas service is excellent but accommodation below the others.
Etihad looks high class but I’ve not flown with them. Qantas points plus pay is valuable for booking Emirates on a QF TICKET.
 
I upgraded a revenue J ticket to F return to LHR as QF9 won’t have F for much longer.

Was a great experience. Would do it again, but QF9 via PER won’t have F so getting upgrades MEL-SIN-LHR return would probably be more challenging.

I have friends who have got F awards where they were unable to secure J.
 
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24 is quite high density. More airlines are in the 18 seat range for the same cabin. Various configurations, some reverse herringbone, some 1-2-1 staggered (like TG's 77Ws), some 2-2-2 all forward facing.

If all other things are equal, IMO the smaller the J cabin the better. Less noise and this is even moreso for when you wish to try and sleep.
 
I got upgraded once on an Emirates flight from Adelaide to Dubai from business to First class, because the flight was full, except (I assume) the first class section. It was a night time flight, so apart from 1 or 5 glasses of Dom Perignon , it was all about sleep. I was offered as much food as I could consume, but because it was already 10pm by the time we took off, one course was already too much. One more experience crossed off my bucket list, but only because of serendipity.
 
I had the same 1st world problem. I'm only Silver Qantas, so wouldn't have ever thought I'd see a 1st Class award seat going from Sydney to Dallas. So when I did, I just thought I may as well do it. One of the longest flights currently, and to do it in 1st class with Qantas I thought was too good an opportunity. Especially when I rave about points to my friends - being able to tell them I did 1st class would also be nice :)

Only 'annoyance' is that there is no driver service for flights to America - only EuropeI believe.
 
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If Qantas wasn't so stingy with its premium international rewards, I'd go Qantas SYD-JNB-CPT, and that would no doubt be max J for 747 (there's no F in QF 747's I don't think anymore). This would be a Zone 7 redemption (6500 miles). But because Qantas doesn't seem to like rewarding its members, it's more likely to be Emirates BNE-DXB-CPT, a Zone 10 redemption (12600 miles). I'm giving serious consideration to F at least one way, but maybe both. Will probably never do F again and EK A380 F should be a good experience as well as their F lounge in Dubai. Emirates has just upgraded their B777's too I believe, which would be the DXB-CPT and return legs.

At this stage contemplating solo, but will possibly have a family member come.

EK F on the A380 is better. Has the showers on board. The F lounge in Dubai is amazing too. Way better than QF in J on an old 747
 
Exactly! But some people are just misery guts-es, always complaining or finding problems. What on earth is the point of sitting on 3 or 4 million points, and thinking 'can't afford a First trip until I get another million points'? And if you are a fast points earner, so can splurge, the chances of being able to use 3-5 million points in one hit is very slim. What would that be? RTW in F for 6-8 people?
Geez that's me!

I'm saving up so I have at least two round trips for my dream trip in F.

Just a personal thing but I don't want to travel in bliss and spend the rest of my life dreaming of doing it again ...
 
Just a personal thing but I don't want to travel in bliss and spend the rest of my life dreaming of doing it again ...

True - but there are so many ways to get 'cheap' F that collecting miles isn't always necessary these days. Lifemiles will give return F to Europe for around AUD3600 - which is only $1000 more than a peak economy class ticket. Alaska Airlines will give you CX J->F AU-USA for AUD3237 return (business class AU-HKG, first class onwards from there).

In that respect, 'is a first class award worth it' depends partly on whether people normally fly F to start with. Awards represent great value of about 1/3 the standard asking price. Business class savings are somewhat less given heavy discounting.
 
I think i should stick up for ANA's J class here (SYD - HND, B787) I thought the seat was great, not too hard or soft, and as it is forward facing, you don't have to sleep at an angle like SQ J seats. The supplied mattress was also comfortable, and i slept alright. Service was attentive and friendly too. Having said that, i am a skinny Asian guy who is about 178cm tall. If you are overly tall or big sized, then yeah, you might find the seat to be too narrow. I also agree that their J class meals are not great. And their J class toilets are the same as those from Y class. Overall though, i would still fly with ANA to Japan and beyond. I really hope that one day they will start flying to Japan from Melbourne.
 
The difference between ANA F and J is huge.Loved their F but didn't like J at all on a 789.Yes I am a little taller and definitely bigger.
 
The difference between ANA F and J is huge.Loved their F but didn't like J at all on a 789.Yes I am a little taller and definitely bigger.

Unfortunately - for me - the NH Square suites are too short. I don't fit :( Coupled with the odd design of the suites blocking the windows, and strange stuff like serving champagne in a normal wine glass (you get a mouthful of bubbles) - NH is off my list :(

Unusually, I slept soundly on the older style angled beds in business class on my connecting flight. Although I was dead tired and luckily had a spare seat beside me on an otherwise packed flight.
 
Only you can truly answer this question. Personally, having done QF1 return in F. It’s pretty amazing. That said the gap between J and F for me isn’t big enough to justify the additional expense. Horses for courses.
I agree that the number of points needed for F vs J is not worth it. We fly once a year to Europe with SQ, redeeming points in J. The difference between J and Y is of course enormous. A couple of years ago we couldn’t get J but were able to fly Milan-SIN-MEL in F. The second leg was in Suites. The flights were of course fantastic, but the difference between F and J is much much less than Y to J. We’re grateful for the experience but will save our points in the future for business class.
 
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