For those who are aiming to have a first class suite or an upgrade from business class with Qantas, Singapore Airlines and Emirates, they are going to have a harder time now. Some changes that happened in these airlines will reduce the availability of first class reward seats booked by using points instead of cash.
In an article published by Australian Business Times, the opportunity of funneling a passenger's points into a premium cabin will shrink. For Qantas, this chance will shrink this March 2018 when the airline company replaces their Melbourne-Dubai-London Airbus 380 flights with new non-stop Boeing 787 Perth-London flights. Singapore Airlines is expected to split the number of first class suites on its Airbus A380s after its latest superjumbo fleet takes flight this October 2017. Emirates will also trim its number of first class berths on its Boeing 777-300ER, with a similar move expected for its Gulf airline's forthcoming Airbus A380 superjumbo suites.
Before this announcement, passengers use their points as it represents some of the best value that could upgrade their flights. One example is the 60,000 to 75,000 points needed in Qantas in order to get an upgrade from the business class to first class from Sydney/Melbourne to London. This is considered as a great deal given that the Emirates' flagship first class lounge during the Dubai stopover is a must experience, according to an article published by ATW Online
Emirates CEO Tim Clark has previously described the suites of their airlines as being even more private than the current closed-door cabin. He said that with all the touches and amenities that a passenger expect in a hotel or a private bedroom on a luxurious yacht, room service and so on would be expected in their first class suite.
Qantas, Singapore Airlines, and Emirates said that they are doing this to have their passengers feel more convenient on their flights in the future. For the meantime, passengers must deal with the fact that a cash is more needed for a more comfortable flight.
