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The first photo of the new British Airways First Suite

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This is a short article, but I know a lot of people are keen to see the new seat.

We have managed to get hold of a photograph of the new British Airways First Suite. Here you go, click to enlarge:

British Airways First Suite

We are hoping to take a peek at the seat in the flesh soon. As a reminder, this seat is being installed on four brand new Boeing 777-300ER aircraft being delivered to British Airways this Autumn. The first aircraft arrived last week.

Behind the door, it is still fundamentally the same First Class seat which has been used on other recent deliveries:

British Airways First class refresh seatbelt First Suite

Here is an earlier internal BA image we obtained:

British Airways First Suite doors

Whilst nothing has been confirmed by British Airways, there is talk that it will be retrofitted to the existing Boeing 777-300ER fleet too. This still means, unfortunately, that only a handful of long-haul aircraft will have it and your chances of flying it are slim.

Whether this seat is used on the upcoming Boeing 777X fleet (the larger 777-9 variant) being delivered from 2022, is a different question. British Airways will receive up to 42 Boeing 777X, with 18 firm orders and 24 additional options.

Our article on the British Airways Boeing 777-9 / 777X order is here.


How to earn Avios from UK credit cards

How to earn Avios from UK credit cards (April 2024)

As a reminder, there are various ways of earning Avios points from UK credit cards.  Many cards also have generous sign-up bonuses!

In February 2022, Barclaycard launched two exciting new Barclaycard Avios Mastercard cards with a bonus of up to 25,000 Avios. You can apply here.

You qualify for the bonus on these cards even if you have a British Airways American Express card:

Barclaycard Avios Plus card

Barclaycard Avios Plus Mastercard

Get 25,000 Avios for signing up and an upgrade voucher at £10,000 Read our full review

Barclaycard Avios card

Barclaycard Avios Mastercard

5,000 Avios for signing up and an upgrade voucher at £20,000 Read our full review

There are two official British Airways American Express cards with attractive sign-up bonuses:

British Airways American Express Premium Plus

25,000 Avios and the famous annual 2-4-1 voucher Read our full review

British Airways American Express

5,000 Avios for signing up and an Economy 2-4-1 voucher for spending £15,000 Read our full review

You can also get generous sign-up bonuses by applying for American Express cards which earn Membership Rewards points. These points convert at 1:1 into Avios.

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold

Your best beginner’s card – 20,000 points, FREE for a year & four airport lounge passes Read our full review

The Platinum Card from American Express

40,000 bonus points and a huge range of valuable benefits – for a fee Read our full review

Run your own business?

We recommend Capital on Tap for limited companies. You earn 1 Avios per £1 which is impressive for a Visa card, along with a sign-up bonus worth 10,500 Avios.

Capital on Tap Business Rewards Visa

Huge 30,000 points bonus until 12th May 2024 Read our full review

You should also consider the British Airways Accelerating Business credit card. This is open to sole traders as well as limited companies and has a 30,000 Avios sign-up bonus.

British Airways Accelerating Business American Express

30,000 Avios sign-up bonus – plus annual bonuses of up to 30,000 Avios Read our full review

There are also generous bonuses on the two American Express Business cards, with the points converting at 1:1 into Avios. These cards are open to sole traders as well as limited companies.

American Express Business Platinum

40,000 points sign-up bonus and an annual £200 Amex Travel credit Read our full review

American Express Business Gold

20,000 points sign-up bonus and FREE for a year Read our full review

Click here to read our detailed summary of all UK credit cards which earn Avios. This includes both personal and small business cards.

Comments (50)

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

  • BJ says:

    When can we expect to see a roof on all these new cunicles with doors but no tops?

    • Andrew says:

      Although these look a lot more private than those silly half doors on CW Suite which really only provide privacy when in bed mode. I was disappointed when I flew in it, I was expecting it to feel like QSuite but it wasn’t at all.

      • Catalan says:

        I’m not sure you’re referencing the right airline here. The Club Suite has a fully closing door setup. It’s Virgin’s Upper Class Suite that has the ‘silly half doors’, as you put it.

        • Andrew says:

          Granted the Upper Class Suite door is even more silly, but if you’ve sat in Club World Suite you’ll know what I mean, when you’re sitting up your face is still visible – the pictures make it look a lot more private than it is and really only provides privacy when quite reclined or in bed mode. QSuite it certainly is not.

    • Lady London says:

      when they’ve got the loft insulation sorted out.

  • Andrew says:

    I like the BA crest on the wall, very classy – differentiates the cabin from CW with the Speedmarque on the wall.

  • Doc says:

    Unless the rumoured “new” first class on the 777X is substantially better than this, I really don’t see people wanting to spend substantially more money /Avios for First travel on planes with Club suites.

    • ChrisW says:

      Agreed. The better business class gets, the less need for first.

    • Nic says:

      At the moment the price difference on first versus club flights to New York is tiny and given so few flights have the new suiteds it is a great deal. And the experience certainly used to be much more special in terms of food and service.

      • Andrew says:

        The food and drink is MUCH better in First and of course much more attentive service, plus CCR where available. Of course until BA stop serving ready meals in cardboard boxes in First then I’ll be keeping my custom away.

        • memesweeper says:

          First lounge in NYC was fabulous when I used it, that and the rest of the ground experience makes F worth it on the NY route.

  • mark2 says:

    I may be in the minority but I see having a door as a downgrade, and I don’t suffer from claustrophobia.

    • Andrew says:

      You don’t have to close it, so you’re no worse off

    • Paul says:

      +1

    • Andrew (@andrewseftel) says:

      I agree. Lack of privacy has never been an issue for me on BA F. I’d rather they invested the design/engineering effort into bringing back buddy dining to the new seat.

  • Number9 says:

    Glad that shoulder strap can be detached. They are never comfortable for woman.

  • Simon says:

    Looks like a hot tub!

  • Nathan says:

    Seems to bear a striking resemblance to one of those walk-in baths available for the elderly or less mobile.

  • Jose Pacheco says:

    Drab.!! Drab colours, drab style, an outdated look. BA has slipped so far behind the other airlines.
    All that money spent and the colour is grey!! The doors look silly. Perhaps the design team need to fly the likes of Emirates to see what a true first class looks like. That…is worth the money spent. Nevermind about seat belts..
    BA has lost its edge in all areas. Just my opinion!

    • Duncan says:

      It’ll always be personal preference, but I prefer the understated elegance of this muted colour scheme than the in-your-face glitzy stylings of Emirates. 🤷‍♂️

    • @mkcol says:

      Depends how nouveau riche you are Jose.

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