London to New York in First Class with British Airways, a great way to use Avios points

Since Alitalia ended up the way it did, I focused all my point collection on Membership Rewards for a simple reason: I am a Currency interchangeable with many airlines and loyalty programs of hotel chains. In short, a piggy bank containing points that never expire and that in a matter of minutes, maximum hours, they can be converted into points from other loyalty programs.

This note was born just like that. A one-way award ticket from Milan to New York (via London)., and return trip with Delta. Other company, other alliance, again taking advantage of the possibility of converting MR points into points from the U.S. carrier's loyalty program.

The ticket

I booked this ticket using 65 thousand Avios and 363 euros tax, which unfortunately with BA they are very expensive.

I chose the last flight of the day for two reasons. First because arriving during the night gives an incredible view of the New York skyline. Second because this is a flight operated by a 777/200, a plane over 20 years old (sometimes 25), one that has, however, been completely renovated inside: business class does not is the one I reviewed coming back from Singapore, but it is the brand new Club World Suite. And then because it also houses the first class cabin.

My hope was really to be able to get an upgrade., paid not free, those unfortunately do not exist practically anymore and so it was

How to use Avios to book an award ticket We have explained it in all sorts of ways, using MR points is a quick and easy way to get the points to book these types of tickets. Of course, taxes affect these tickets a lot, but it is an inevitable or almost inevitable thing.

At the airport in London Heathrow

Arrived in the south lounge area of BA teminal 5, I headed towards the Concorde Room, or the lounge dedicated exclusively to First Class passengers with the British carrier, here you do not enter even if you are traveling in First with American, Cathay or other OneWorld carriers. It is reserved only for those traveling in First or the lucky few who have Concorde Keys in their pockets.

I did what I advise everyone to do, I asked about the possibility of a paid upgrade (cash or Avios). There are those who millanta free upgrades from ultra basic economy to first class, but personally it has never happened to me, I know people who have been "chosen" for upgrades because of external factors, but even if you are the pilot's girlfriend you have no hope of flying in First without paying. And to get an idea, a ticket in First travels between 3 and 7 thousand pounds, one way.

The attendant told me that 2 seats 1A and 1K were still available., which is the first row that can only be reserved by those who hold at least the Gold level in the Executive Club by BA, cost? 458 pounds. I took a breath and said smilingly, "I accept."

The reasons why I found the investment attractive are many, two being the main ones.

1. I would have had about five hours to spend In BA's most exclusive lounge And fish everything I wanted from the kitchen and the cellar
2. I was going to treat myself to my first trip in BA's new first class cabin (unfortunately, I found out later that it wasn't the new one)

In the lounge

Being able to stay from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. in this lounge means having a lot of time to amortize the expense. Of course, if you are a vegan and teetotaler it will not be easy, but if you enjoy drinking and eating it will not be difficult to put yourself in "free refill" mode with some of the most expensive Champagnes, wines and spirits on the market.

If Emirates chose the top with the 2008 Dom Perignon, British proposes Grand Siecle cuvée from about 180 euros per bottle, but it is only one of the labels you can ask to taste.

In addition to this there is the Concorde Dining room, that is, a restaurant where you can have lunch/dinner enjoying restaurant-level dishes, not starred, but definitely one of those in London that will pony up 100 pounds for anything. It must be said, however, that the menu has not yet returned to pre-pandemic quality.

Needless to say, so I did and arrived, as it were, quenched my thirst by the time boarding for my flight finally opened.

If I wanted, I could also have locked myself inside one of the Cabanas available to guests; they are small studios with all the amenities.

There is a huge bathroom with a shower, a sitting area with a sofa and a big TV screen, and use is free and obviously for all Concorde Room guests.

The beauty of reward travel is to look around and think that people in the same lounge spent thousands of pounds to get in. While you got a ticket that cost less than premium economy.

It's like being the wedding crasher., the one who says in turn that he is a friend of the bride(s), knowing that sure, accumulating MR points is complicated, but the reward outweighs any possible discount in the bank statement.

On board

Unfortunately, British Airways does not offer first passengers any preferential treatment On airport travel and boarding. No personal limousines as is the case with Air France, no golf car that avoids walking all over the airport as other companies offer.

You stand in line with other passengers, waiting your turn without any privileges. This, too, contributes to a less premium experience than with other first classes.

I like to embark first, I could I would board before the pilots, along with the cleaners. I do that when I fly economy, let alone in this case. I wanted to take all the benefits associated with my boarding priority and Group 1.

Arriving earlier allows me to take photos, videos, chat with the crew and pilots, and lengthen the onboard experience as much as possible.

However, the boarding procedure was more laborious than usual with gate attendants who kept inviting passengers With the infamous "SSSS" printed on the boarding pass to report to the gate for screening.

Boarding was through the middle door; the 777/200 is the small variant, and in this configuration you can see that everything is more contained. You go through the business class cabin first, the beautiful Club World Suite, and then arrive in first.

First's cabin consists of two rows, with a total of 8 seats. Unfortunately, this plane did not have the new first class cabin, the one I was hoping to test. Unlike the Club World Suite seats that have been installed on the entire 777/200 fleet and which Will also be installed on the larger version of the "triple 7", not all aircraft have seen the installation of the new first cabin.

So no suite, but the classic first-class seat found on the entire fleet, including the A380.

The seat

It's not the first time I've flown first with BA, but I must say that this time was much better than my previous experience. Both in terms of the culinary offerings and the service. Probably having only 8 passengers makes everything much more polished and it really feels like being on a private jet,although not to the level of Air France's La Premiere, which has only 4 seats.

It is an evening flight, leaving at 7 p.m. in London and landing at 10 p.m. in NY. Many passengers decide not to sleep during the flight, so the crew is much more present and constantly stopping by to ask if you want anything.

My seat was 1A, being in the first or second row doesn't change anything, you don't gain more space, also because there is so much space. As mentioned, however, BA Allows "only" Gold status holders to choose the front row in the loyalty program, a small kindness for those who obviously fly a lot with the British flag carrier. Indeed, privacy is not the best, especially compared to the Club World Suite, with the door isolating the passenger from the aisle.

Of course all passengers have direct aisle access, but you can feel the difference with the first classes of Asian and Middle Eastern airlines and it is abysmal. This chair could be considered a premium business.

The seat is controlled with the thumbwheel: it is really convenient, you don't have to fight with the buttons, you just turn until you reach the desired position. The lights are all controllable from the hand control, and for some you can choose the light intensity. The footrest, which if desired becomes a seat for dining together, lowers, offering a more comfortable position when not in bed mode.

The seat is comfortable, but there are no massage functions or other settings such as seat stiffness that other airlines also offer in business class.

The coffee table comes out of the structure and is Large enough for two people to dine together without any problems. The support is also excellent, allowing work to be done without major problems or too much jolting.

Each passenger has available, in addition to space in the hat rack, a locker to hang their jacket, hide their shoes, purse and more.

The chair becomes a bed, comfortable but not super comfortable. The pillow, on the other hand, is always the top among all those I have had the pleasure of trying along with the Virgin Atlantic pillow.

Turning the chair into a bed is done in just under 45 seconds by the cabin crew. Let's say that BA could invest a few more euros to give a thicker mat, while the quilt is soft and perfect for the role it has to play. Again, a middle ground emerges, a way to keep costs down.

The big NO is the absence of personal air vents, I will never understand why carriers configure cabins without this optional extra that I am sure costs less than 1 euro.

The service

We are in first class, so it is all much more personal. There was an attendant for only 4 passengers who took care of everything.

Passengers are offered pajamas, which I always take even though I never use. And the amenity kit.

There are two different ones depending on the gender of the passenger. It's not just a matter of aesthetics, but obviously the contents inside vary as well. I really appreciate the fact that there are two different kits depending on the sex of the traveler, and I must say that the one for women is definitely more aesthetically pleasing.

The products inside are all top-of-the-line. For example, the Elemis face cream that is given as a gift is a slightly larger package than the one in the trousse, costing 140€.

And there are 4 different creams, as well as the classic eye mask, socks, a pen and for women also a purse mirror. I collect all these beauty and I like to analyze the contents it is also a great way to discover new products.

Food & Beverage

In first class you can sense how all the little details are taken care of down to the smallest detail and you can tell since this ticket also costs 7 thousand pounds, but there is no disparity in treatment between those who pay that amount or those who, like me, paid only a few hundred.

As soon as I boarded, I was offered a flute of champagne, bottle of Grand Siecle as in the lounge opened for me, also because I was the first passenger to arrive at my seat.

A few minutes later, the menu was delivered. The LHR/JFK flight lasts just over 7 hours, BA offers dinner and a light lunch about 90 minutes after landing.

Arriving earlier on board gives you more time to familiarize yourself with the staff, and drink more champagne of course. The wine cellar is also top notch, certainly not like Emirates and Singapore, but we are definitely in the top5.

Just before takeoff the dinner order was taken and the service started about 45 minutes the departure. I think BA is the only airline that does not offer caviar as an entrée to first-class passengers. This, too, is a sign that the English first does not hold a candle to the competition.

After the appetizers, the table is set and the appetizer served: I opted for a carpaccio with asparagus and truffle. While for the main course I bet, and won the bet, on the angus fillet.

All accompanied by a couple of glasses of Bordeaux and some more champagne.

No cheese plate, but I did spoil myself with a double dessert. Chocolate and raspberry mousse, a dessert always present in various variations aboard all BA flights, and ice cream served with melted chocolate and hazelnuts. Full as an egg I fell asleep after 10 minutes, waking up when we were now over the United States.

I skipped the light lunch, but first I gobbled in the lounge, then had a dinner with double dessert, let's say I was more than full.

IFE

The entertainment system is the classic BA system, Functional but not the top of the line.

The controller is hidden behind a small flap, but wanting the monitor is touch so no problem handling it.

The headphones are Bose and are of very good quality, but by now I use my inseparable Airpods Max connected thanks to the Airfly adapter, frankly I haven't checked if the BA system is bluetooth, it's very convenient what I have and I don't have to waste time configuring my headphones with the airplane system every time.

No webcam, unfortunately, but on a night flight it is a lack that is less noticeable.

A universal power outlet and two traditional USB outlets are available for charging one's devices.

Excellent wi-fi, free throughout the trip for first passengers, with no traffic or time limits.

In conclusion

British is one of 4 European carriers still offering first class, is the one with the most available seats and The one that probably gives a lesser experience than all the others, let's say I could call BA's First a Business Class +.

Is it worth 7,000 pounds? Absolutely not. It is worth a 450-pound upgrade, in my opinion, yes. Also because, unlike Air France, with upgrades in first BA allows you to earn both Tier Points and Avios from first.

Some blame for this feeling I think also lies in the Club World Suite, or the new business cabin, which is a very good product and, as Qatar demonstrates with its Qsuite, is a seat that can compete with first.

When I booked the award ticket in business I would have had to invest so many more Avios for the first one and it didn't make sense, while an upgrade at such a low price may fit. However, if you cannot enjoy at the 100% of Concorde Room, then it is a different matter and may be less affordable.

Traveling first class is something different, to be experienced at least once in a lifetime. If you can then do it using points or with an upgrade, there is no excuse.

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