When booking a trip from Bangkok to Koh Samui recently, I had the choice of flying with Thai Airways or the boutique airline Bangkok Airways.

I ended up choosing the former as it’s a Star Alliance member and I was pleasantly surprised to see that it was offering business class seats for only $100 more than economy (~AUD$300 in business class or ~AUD$200 in economy, one way).

I was intending to fly economy, since the flight only lasts an hour (I can cope for that long!), but the small price difference made me reassess those plans.

Not only would business class be more comfortable, but I’d also get lounge access and a bigger baggage allowance, which I actually needed.

So, after mulling it over briefly, I decided business class was good deal and booked a seat at the pointy end of one of Thai Airways’ 737-400s.

So, was the extra cost worth it? I think so!

Here’s my combined review of the flights to and from Koh Samui.

The pre-flight experience  

Check-in at both Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport and Koh Samui Airport were a breeze, with dedicated business class check-in counters and no queues, followed by a fast track through security.

At Bangkok airport I relaxed in the spacious and comfortable Thai Airways domestic business class lounge.

It comprises a dining space with a solid selection of drinks and snacks, and a quieter garden-themed area where a small selection of drinks was available (but note that alcohol is not served in the lounge).

On the return leg, I enjoyed the delightful Blue Ribbon lounge at Koh Samui Airport, which is actually operated by Bangkok Airways but welcomes Thai Airways business class passengers and Priority Pass members.

The Koh Samui lounge comprises one moderately-sized space (pictured above), with a range of tasty self-service snacks and drinks available, as well as an a la carte drinks service (no alcohol, but fresh coconuts!).

The Bangkok lounge was moderately busy, whereas the Koh Samui lounge was relatively quiet.

In Bangkok, oddly, there were no boarding announcements in the lounge, while in Koh Samui one of the staff personally informed me when boarding commenced for my flight.

The cabin and seat

The 737 business class cabin has 12 seats arranged in a 2-2 layout across three rows, with a curtain separating the cabin from economy (where the layout is 3-3).

Upon boarding, there were plenty of Thai Airways’ trademark colours on display, especially in the economy cabin (it’s not often that you board a plane to find the business class seats looking a bit drab compared to economy!).

Row 3 (business class) and row 4 (economy) 

The 737 business class seat

On both flights, the planes were showing their age, with a lot of wear and tear in the cabin and seats.

The recliner seats are 20 inches wide with foot rests and modest leg room (seat pitch is 36 inches) – but that space quickly evaporates when the person in front reclines.

Not much leg room when the person in front reclines

On both flights, staff requested (and enforced) that passengers not recline their seats during the meal service so the tray tables stored in the armrests could be used.

There was no in-flight entertainment, except perhaps music (I neglected to try it out).

The seat controls – indicative of the aircraft’s age!

The dining and service

I was warmly greeted by the friendly crew upon boarding and offered a drink of water, orange juice or iced tea.

The crew also handed out cold towels on the first flight and warm towels on the second.

Despite it being such a short flight, a hot meal was served, which was a noodle dish in both directions.

On the first flight, the main dish was accompanied by a mango bubble tea while on the second flight I enjoyed a delicious whipped cream, orange and pistachio dessert with my main.

Lunch on the first flight

Lunch on the second flight

The crew finished the meal service by offering coffee and tea.

Summing up

I enjoyed the short 737 business class flights, even though the planes were old and a bit shabby.

The service and meals were excellent, and I appreciated the priority check-in, lounge access and extra baggage allowance.

If you find yourself flying domestically with Thai Airways, a modest price difference between business class and economy could make business class a good deal, especially if you value the extra perks that come with business class.

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Emirates is one of only a handful of airlines to bring first class to Australia, and on the carrier’s flagship A380 that means enjoying one of the world’s most luxurious ways to fly.

Emirates is a popular airline in Australia due to its extensive network and partnership with Qantas. It flies not only from Australian capitals to Dubai and beyond, but also direct from Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane to Bangkok or Singapore, and from Sydney to Christchurch – with most flights operated by A380s.

Thanks to Emirates’ partnership with Qantas, Qantas Frequent Flyers can use their points to book seats with Emirates, including in first class – and I think this is one of the best uses of Qantas Points.

My partner and I recently flew from Sydney to Bangkok in Emirates A380 first class, which costs 90,000 Qantas Points plus $333 in taxes and fees per person: a very reasonable amount for a 9-hour flight!

I loved the experience. Here are the highlights.

The pre-flight experience

Emirates first class passengers, including those on award tickets (except on flights to New Zealand), get complimentary chauffeur transport to the airport. We didn’t need it on this occasion as we were connecting from a domestic Qantas flight, but I have used it in the past and it’s a very comfortable way to start a trip!

Emirates complimentary Chauffeur Drive (the last time I used it in Melbourne)

At Sydney airport, we had a fast-track through customs and immigration, and before I knew it we were relaxing in a lounge – but not the Emirates lounge, which in Sydney is a bit bland compared to the Qantas first class lounge that Emirates first class passengers can also access (always research your lounge options before getting to the airport!).

In the Qantas first class lounge you can enjoy a la carte dining, top-notch wine and fabulous views across the tarmac.

The stylish Qantas International First Lounge

Boarding, and first impressions of the cabin

We soon boarded the A380 via a dedicated business and first class lane, and were escorted to our seats by two of the first class cabin crew.

The cabin is exactly what you’d expect from Emirates: out-of-control bling! It’s a visual onslaught of faux wood finishes, gold trimmings, LED lights, lamps, mirrors and flowers.

It’s so over-the-top I actually kind of love it!

The very-blingy Emirates first class cabin

The cabin is located at the front of the upper deck, with 14 first class ‘suites’ in total (which makes for a relatively big first class cabin). There are also two first class bathrooms with showers (more on that later) and a small self-service bar.

Upon sitting down we were offered a welcome drink, but the champagne was not the Dom Perignon that Emirates usually serves in first class, rather the Moet & Chandon NV from business class – which I declined.

Emirates tends to serve the Dom Perignon after take-off in jurisdictions where alcohol taxes and duties are high, in order to avoid them. That means you have to endure a short, but annoying, delay, before you can enjoy the best bubbles.

We were also offered Arabic coffee and dates, hot towels, newspapers and magazines, a stylish Bulgari men’s amenity kit, and ‘moisturising’ sleepwear for later use (which apparently “gently releases naturally moisturising sea kelp, so your skin stays soft”).

The “hydrating”, sea-kelp infused sleepwear

The Bulgari men’s amenity kit

The seat 

There are 14 seats arranged in a 1-2-1 layout, and with so many potential passengers it helps that there are sliding “doors” that can turn your seat into a more private ‘suite’, as well as a divider that can be lowered or raised if you’re in one of the middle two seats.

This is what a window seat looks like, and it’s perfect for solo travellers …

And here are the middle two seats, which are great for couples (photo supplied by Emirates – that’s not us, obviously!).

I found the well-padded leather seats to be very comfortable, including for sleep, where the crew affix an extra layer of padding. The seats convert to fully flat beds stretching 2.08 metres in length.

The seat has several pre-set recline settings as well as variable controls, and also sports multiple massage functions.

Everything is controlled via a wireless touch-pad, and there’s A LOT to play with – though I found the touch-pad a bit temperamental and complicated to use.

The suite controls

There are no overhead bins in the cabin, instead your bag must be stored near your feet – which makes it hard to reach during flight. Fortunately there are lots of nooks within easy reach where you can store personal items.

Lots of leg room, though the bag storage isn’t very convenient

There’s also a built in mini-bar, though it’s a bit gimmicky as the drinks aren’t chilled.

Your in-seat mini bar

There are reading lights, USB ports and AC power in your seat, and you also get noise-cancelling headphones.

And if all the technology gets a bit much, you can write some first class-inspired letters to friends or family with the writing kit also located in your suite.

The boxed writing kit, complete with pen, paper and envelopes

The dining 

The menu is on-demand and you can eat at your own pace. We could choose from a wide range of canapes and appetisers, mains, desserts and cheese, and light bites.

The drinks list included the Dom Perignon (2009 vintage); a selection of wines from Australia, France and New Zealand; cocktails, beers and spirits; dessert wine and port; and non-alcoholic beverages.

We opted for a light meal, both choosing to start with caviar (of course)…

The caviar course

… and then moving on to the delicious Arabic mezze.

Arabic mezze

The food was wonderful, but we finished there in order to get a few hours’ sleep before landing in Bangkok. On a daytime flight I would definitely have sampled a lot more of the cuisine!

A few other notable things 

Emirates is known for its extensive and diverse in-flight entertainment, and as usual there was a huge selection of films, TV shows, music, radio and games to choose from – all of which can be enjoyed on a large LCD screen (27-32 inches depending on the aircraft).

One of the ‘must dos’ when flying Emirates A380 first class is the ‘shower spa’. It’s something only Emirates and gulf rival Etihad offer, and only in first class.

You get access to more than just a shower cubicle: it’s part of a surprisingly spacious bathroom that has lots of amenities, heated floors, and a dedicated crew member who sets it up and cleans it after each use.

I found taking a shower while flying through the air super fun and refreshing!

The first class shower 

More of the spacious bathroom

Another ‘must do’ is the bar and lounge, which is available to both business and first class passengers, and is located at the very back of the upper deck. If sipping cocktails at a bar at 40,000 feet is your kind of thing, you’ll love this!

The business and first class bar and lounge

My only complaint about the flight was that internet access wasn’t complimentary. It’s free for Emirates Skywards members, but not if you have another frequent flyer program attached to your booking (e.g. if you used Qantas Points to book, like I did), in which case all you get is a measly 20MB of free access, which lasts about five seconds.

Otherwise, internet access costs US$9.99 for 150MB or US$15.99 for 500MB. I really think it should be complimentary for all first class passengers.

Finally, and to end on a positive note: I have to say that the customer service from the first class cabin crew was superb. They were very friendly and attentive, and really made us feel welcomed and looked after. You’d expect that in first class, but still, I appreciated it.

Summing up

I really enjoyed the experience of flying first class in an Emirates A380. It was so memorable – from the physical space to the dining and service – and I can’t wait to do it again, especially on a daytime flight where I can sample more of the food and drinks.

I would definitely recommend using Qantas Points to fly Emirates first class. Our flight cost 90,000 Qantas Points plus $333 in taxes per person, which I think is a great deal (you can get 90,000 points right now with just one credit card sign-up bonus).

Emirates award seat availability is usually quite good, and if flying first class is a ‘bucket list’ item for you, this is a fantastic way to achieve it.

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