If you are prepared to spend thousands of pounds when you fly, you can escape cattle class, bypass business and settle in the lap of luxury that is first class. But not all first-class cabins were created equal £3,000 well spent on one aeroplane can be daylight robbery on another, with legroom and facilities varying widely.
To help you get the best value for money, travel website Flightfox has come up with a ranking of the 24 best first-class cabins in the world.
1. Singapore Airlines
First place will come as no surprise to any regular long-haul flyers. Singapore Airlines (above) frequently wins plaudits for all its cabins, thanks to its attention to detail and seating layouts that give all passengers the maximum legroom.
Subscribe to MoneyWeek
Subscribe to MoneyWeek today and get your first six magazine issues absolutely FREE
First-class occupants can stretch out in a seat pitch of up to 81 inches, compared to 34 inches in economy. Chairs fold out into flat, comfortable beds that are 24 inches wide and there is even the option of booking a double bed.
The cheapest flight is £2,053, from Singapore to Mumbai. "For that, you'll be served 2004 Dom Prignon, provided with pyjamas to sleep in and sit on a spacious armchair hand-stitched by Italian craftsmen," says India Sturgis in the Daily Mail.
2. Cathay Pacific
Second place went to Cathay Pacific. You can fly first class on this Hong Kong airline for just £440, but that'll only take you from Hong Kong to Taiwan. It offers a "five-star food and drink service", says Sturgis. This includes "Krug Grand Cuve champagne, an la carte menu and freshly steamed rice, toast and eggs cooked to your personal specifications".
The View from the Wing' blog ranks Cathay Pacific as its favourite airline: "They have the best seats three-across seating when competitors offer four means very spacious seats." The seat pitch is impressive at up to 87 inches.
3. Emirates
However, Cond Nast Traveller's readers rated it even more highly, naming Emirates as their favourite long-haul airline. It "flies high above the rest for in-flight entertainment and service", says the magazine.
The laggards
The Flightfox survey also concluded that the worst first-class airlines are United Airlines and American Airlines, with United taking last place. It scored only two out of five for food and wine, and three for comfort, despite the fact that the cheapest ticket will set you back £2,808.
It scored well for food and drink "expect an la carte menu designed by leading chefs and finished with a cheese board and fine chocolate", says the Daily Mail's Sturgis.
Where it fell down was on ticket prices the cheapest long-haul first-class flight costs £4,973 from Beijing to London, says the site.
Not everyone agrees. BA regularly bags awards for its flight experience and Business Insider reckons it has some of the best first-class seats and accessories. BA "offers passengers travelling in its ultra-modern suites a host of luxurious goodies, including cotton pyjamas and beauty products in a designer Anya Hindmarch bag".
Sign up for MoneyWeek's newsletters
Get the latest financial news, insights and expert analysis from our award-winning MoneyWeek team, to help you understand what really matters when it comes to your finances.
Ruth Jackson-Kirby is a freelance personal finance journalist with 17 years’ experience, writing about everything from savings accounts and credit cards to pensions, property and pet insurance.
Ruth started her career at MoneyWeek after graduating with an MA from the University of St Andrews, and she continues to contribute regular articles to our personal finance section. After leaving MoneyWeek she went on to become deputy editor of Moneywise before becoming a freelance journalist.
Ruth writes regularly for national publications including The Sunday Times, The Times, The Mail on Sunday and Good Housekeeping, among many other titles both online and offline.
‘Inheritance tax insurance’ enquiries are soaring – but is it worth it?
MPs warn over Lifetime ISAs which could leave savers out of pocket
