We arrived at the gate just a few minutes before boarding began at 4:10pm for our 4:40pm scheduled departure. No one took the aisle seats next to Katie or me — as we both wanted a window seat — so we didn’t have the awkward “look into a stranger’s eyes” experience that other Club World passengers have to endure during takeoff, landing and meal service. The two upstairs flight attendants alternated two-hour rest periods during the overnight, leaving one to watch after the cabin while the other slept. She answered that breakfast would be served about 5:30am London time, but that I shouldn’t worry about setting an alarm, as she’d be glad to wake me up. WELCOME OFFER: 75,000 Points Terms Apply. The credit card offers that appear on the website are from credit card companies from which ThePointsGuy.com receives compensation. I got the muesli plate, a mixture of sliced apples and oats with an interesting earthy flavor. As a British Airways Executive Club Gold cardholder, I can check in at Heathrow’s Terminal 5 via the fancy and exclusive-feeling First Class Wing, available to first-class passengers, as well as BA Gold card and other Oneworld Emerald cardholders. When BA gets it right, it gets it so right. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Canard-Duchêne Cuvée Léonie Brut; Besserat de Bellefon Grande Tradition Brut Rosé. Both meals came with a “warm bacon roll served with tomato ketchup” and a croissant. British Airways 747-400 Club World (business class) San Diego to London (LHR) 03. (All photos by the author unless otherwise noted.) After geeking out watching the planes come and go for a bit, we grabbed some snacks and finished some last-minute work using the decent Wi-Fi. Boarding started with the first-class passengers and then continued with Club World business class and Oneworld elite passengers. Nothing magical, but then again, everything you might need, and a handy, smart bag to use afterward. The Points Guy will not sell your email. TPG’s resident economy reviewer JT Genter recently took to the skies in long-haul business class for the first time. I’ve heard of subpar experiences on British Airways’ Club World, so my expectations were certainly in-check coming into the flight. I would like to subscribe to The Points Guy newsletters and special email promotions. It had direct aisle access via the footwell, and the bulkhead provided an element of coziness. The ground staff welcomed me to the entrance of the First Wing and ushered me almost immediately to a check-in desk. Click the video above to see BA’s 747 Upper Deck Business Class reviewed on a flight from Bangkok to London.. BA 747 Upper Deck. The cabin seats up to 14 passengers with 5 single seats on either side of the aircraft and two seat pairs in the center. A RED VENTURES COMPANY. Once we’d landed, the captain came on to welcome us to Terminal 5 (not London or Heathrow). But, unless you plan on waking up with a hangover the next morning, be prepared to say no a few times. The seat itself is comfortable and also good for a sleep in in the lie flat position. Katie got the fruit plate and found it to be fresh and crisp. However, I was really looking forward to being able to fly upstairs on a 747 — a dream of mine since childhood — so we booked our trip via Dallas (DFW) with an AA leg rather than flying nonstop from Austin (AUS) to London (LHR). For this British Airways Premium Economy review, we took at look at two international flights and pricing for the British Airways Premium Economy 777, A380, 747, and 787 as compared to Economy and Business Class.. Flights are all round trips booked 30 days in advance. If the airline could combine the level of service I received with a new, competitive hard product, it really could have a shot at reigning supreme in the transatlantic skies. In this review, we will look at Roving Reporter's … We each also enjoyed a rich fruit smoothie. Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel. Enjoy complimentary access to the Global Lounge Collection, the only credit card airport lounge access program that includes proprietary lounge locations around the world. I love the window seats as you have a lot of privacy, and I always put my leg on the storage boxes on the window side :). Once at the runway, the pilots powered up the four engines and we quickly were in the air. Combined with the sense that you were in a small private cabin, the flight felt special from start to finish. Even after this wonderful experience, we personally wouldn’t pay more than double the economy fares, but now we better understand why some flyers only choose business or first class — this sort of treatment can certainly spoil you! Although the screens were extended for the safety video, they had to be stored in the console during takeoff. British Airways Club World cabins are available on the Boeing 747, 767 and 777 aircrafts. Business class includes one carry on and one personal item, with two checked bags. There was ample legroom (more than my little legs would ever need), huge amounts of storage with the addition of the side bins, and a power socket. I stood true to my British values and managed at least five cups of tea during the flight, which were great. On this flight, the crew did not fail. We paid for the steep taxes and surcharges with The Platinum Card® from American Express, in order to take advantage of the card’s 5x bonus on airfare purchases directly with the airline. There was one change to the printed menu: The beef wouldn’t be available since British Airways had substituted a traditional Christmas turkey dinner! Last week I wrote about my experience flying to San Francisco on the British Airways A380 Upper deck in Club World. After dinner, most people settled in for the night — including half of the crew. Check-in was quick and friendly, and I proceeded to security. In general, Club World lags behind the competition, but the seat still goes all the way flat, and British Airways now provides White Company bedding, which includes a thin base mattress (a bit of a waste of time, since it needed to be much thicker), two separate blankets (both felt luxury) and a soft, comfortable pillow. If we’d booked all of our flights on British Airways aircraft, we could’ve saved an additional 10% by using our British Airways Visa Signature card. I slept rather poorly overnight. Particularly impacted is the 747, which British Airways in recent years turned into a quasi-business jet. Learn More. Menus were handed out shortly after we were seated. BRITISH AIRWAYS. Once the couple moved, the upstairs cabin was nearly half empty. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page. CARD HIGHLIGHTS: Delta Sky Club and Centurion lounge access, up to $200 annual airline fee credit and up to $200 in Uber credits annually. the seats 4EF and 5EF are ideal for passengers who are traveling with partner. The system itself had an adequate number of movies, TV shows and music to choose from, but the whole IFE system itself wasn’t as crisp or captivating, and it could certainly use a refresh. Thankfully, British Airways is in the middle of rolling out a refreshed cabin on its 747 aircraft. The seat is actually quite a distance away from these, even though you are facing them. Enrollment required. Once in the sky, we explored the IFE system, which clearly showed its age — the touchscreen monitors required a firm touch and the screens weren’t as clear as other IFE screens we’d seen recently. We’re used to getting great economy deals, typically paying between 2.5 to 6 cents per mile on international trips, so this was quite a splurge for us to pay $1,100 round-trip for a flight. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). Boarding was orderly, and I boarded first, again taking advantage of Gold status. Security was relatively busy, but most passengers here looked like regular business travelers and were lighting-fast with the laptop-and-liquids procedure. We received good-quality, seemingly noise-cancelling headphones, which had two different-sized prongs. What baggage sizes are available with British Airways? With a hard product that frankly doesn’t come close to its competitors, BA really needed to nail the service aspect. Introduction: Business class battle royale – British Airways vs. Virgin Atlantic 02. Many of the credit card offers that appear on the website are from credit card companies from which ThePointsGuy.com receives compensation. The 747 is particularly affected, which British Airways has transformed in recent years into a quasi-business jet. The upstairs bathrooms were similar to those in the economy cabin — certainly nothing like Emirates’ on-board bathrooms — with the simple addition of some lotions. There aren’t many occasions we’d delight about flying such an old BA aircraft in the Club World cabin. To commemorate the 747s, British Airways has launched a fare sale. The hard product itself is undoubtedly dated and gets less competitive by the day. Editor’s note: This article has been edited from the original. Disclaimer: The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. While there was an extensive drink selection and some views of the runway, the lounge was quite small (Occupancy: 49) and felt busy. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. I watched “Love, Simon” and managed to cry my eyes out multiple times. We were happy that we’d spent most of our time in the Admirals Club instead. The soft product, while certainly improving, can be hit-or-miss, especially on the service front. I would like to subscribe to The Points Guy newsletters and special email promotions. The seats 1A and 1K are located close to the closet and do not have overhead bin storage. However, not everyone enjoyed the upstairs cabin. British Airways do not offer a company travel loyalty programme in the US but our partner American Airlines does. On a good day, you'll get a top-notch crew, the soft product is improving and the upper deck feels like a private jet. About 50 minutes after takeoff, appetizers were served. Using their yin-yang seats, the upper deck only has 20 seats, arranged in a 2-2 format in 5 rows. BA hadn’t refreshed this 747 yet and the cabin itself showed its age, even sporting a dull yellowish color. While dinner was cooking, the flight attendants would pass by a few more times shortly afterward to offer refills (if you’d had any of your drink) or alternative drinks (if you weren’t drinking your drink). Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. One of the longest flying aircraft, Boing 747s took to the skies as commercial planes in 1970. Thanks to a flight deal alert from TPG, that streak ended this past December. Any staff member would take your order and deliver food directly to your seat, but you needed to be proactive in getting their attention. Earn 75,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $5,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Here’s his review of the upstairs Club World business-class cabin on British Airways’ 747. It was nice, especially the coronation chicken sandwich which was tasty on soft bread, and the scone, which was warm and crumbly. Is Amtrak’s big Rail Passengers Association point bonus worth the cost? We were thrilled to have had such a wonderful experience! There was a wide selection of warmed bread to choose from, but the butter was too cold to really spread on the bread. I found the turkey to be quite moist, tasting freshly sliced and not at all reheated. Seated facing backward gave us a wonderful view of the sunset and ever-darkening skies. The credit card offers that appear on the website are from credit card companies from which ThePointsGuy.com receives compensation. Sure enough, about 5:45am, she reached over the partition to gently rub my shoulder to wake me, letting me know that breakfast was about to be served. The in-flight entertainment (IFE) system wasn’t available during taxi and takeoff. You can use your own earbuds or headphones if you prefer as long as the plug matches one of the two sizes. As mentioned above, 62A & 62K are hands down the best business class seats in British Airways’ entire fleet. © 2021 THE POINTS GUY, LLC. There were a number of people in the area, but this section has a large number of check-in desks, so it would have to be incredibly busy for a wait. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered. While border control was rather empty during our arrival, these likely would have been handy if we were traveling during a busier time. Earn 10x points on eligible purchases on your new Card at U.S. Gas Stations and U.S. Supermarkets, on up to $15,000 in combined purchases, during your first 6 months of Card Membership. I’d say in general British Airways’ 747 upper deck seats are among the best in the fleet, given the intimate feel of the cabin and the storage lockers. These were welcome places to store my backpack, sweatshirt, laptop and other carry-on items, while also keeping them handy. Although I’ve flown 19 long-haul flights on nine different airlines in economy over the past decade — and probably at least three dozen over my lifetime — I’d yet to experience an international business or first class cabin. 64K felt very private, was rear-facing and was tucked away at the back of the cabin near the stairs. However, if a similar deal came up, we’d definitely jump on it! So, on yet another transatlantic hop for TPG UK-related travel between London and TPG‘s home office in New York, I was eager to give BA’s Club World another go, on one of the most iconic and beloved aircraft ever, the Boeing 747-400. See, The airline will retire its entire fleet of Boeing 747 aircraft “in the coming months, Calling all Queen’s Gambit fans: There’s a new hotel room in Lexington, KY, just for you. Breakfast choices were between fresh seasonal fruit and Bircher muesli. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers. (Photo by Nicky Kelvin/The Points Guy) As was the upper deck on a British Airways Boeing 747-400. See, Business Class to Europe from just 30,000 Avios + $446 round-trip, pooled our Avios into one Household Account, the AARP page of British Airways’ website. Thankfully, though, there was availability through BA’s Avios program. A 747-400 typically takes off at 290km/h (180mph), cruises at 910km/h (565mph) and lands at 260km/h (160mph). Upon sitting up, a flight attendant came by to see if she needed anything. Upstairs on the 747 however, is unlike any other plane in the British Airways fleet, with the exception of British Airways “Speedbird 001” “almost” private jet. ... Also read: Step back in time as we visit British Airways' Concorde. We paid 50,000 Avios plus 430 pounds ($560) for the one-way business-class flight from London Heathrow to New York Kennedy. Pillows as well as a bed cover are provided by “the white company”, both fluffy and comfortable, a big improvement if you compare on what you got a few years ago on British Airways business class flights. Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases at Saks Fifth Avenue on your Platinum Card®. Closer to the seat on a console were the seat controls and wired in-flight entertainment remote. The flight attendant was glad to model the bottle of Taittinger before serving me a glass. Today (June 11th, 2014): British Airways Club World (Business Class) Boeing 747-400 from London to San Francisco (upper cabin). So, we were ready to take full advantage of this deal. We could drive up to Dallas (DFW), but the pre-discount fares weren’t any cheaper, so we stuck with Austin at first. The British Airways 747-400 (v2) features the same business class seat dimensions as the 747-400 (v1) above, though the main difference is there are 70 seats instead of 52. British Airways is one of the world’s largest operators of Boeing 747s, a beautiful aircraft with its distinctive ‘bubble’ top deck offering a few exclusive seats to lucky passengers. An outlet was located directly above the bin, so I used this bin to store my laptop and phone while they were charging. At each seat, there was a plastic-wrapped set of headphones, a plastic-wrapped heavy blanket and a somewhat thin pillow. Menus were handed out and orders quickly taken before takeoff. The seats on this airplane are divided into 4 classes. British Airways Economy vs Premium Economy Pricing. The drawstring bag contained socks, an eye mask, hand and body lotion, “pro-collagen marine cream ultra rich” lotion, minty lip balm (which was greatly appreciated during this flight), simple earplugs, toothbrush, toothpaste and a pen. Note that the window lockers taper off as you get closer to the front of the cabin, as the width of the plane decreases. Before heading to sleep, I asked a flight attendant what time breakfast would be since I wanted to set an alarm and wake up beforehand. There was no need for me to use the overhead bins — which seemed quite tight due to the curvature of the plane. subpar experiences on British Airways’ Club World, Calling all Queen’s Gambit fans: There’s a new hotel room in Lexington, KY, just for you. A wide selection of alcohol was available, but I chose a refill of Champagne.

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