How to Fly First Class for (Almost) Free: A Beginner's Guide

The $15,000 first class seat. The one with the door that closes. The bed that’s actually flat. The champagne before takeoff.

Most people assume it’s for celebrities and executives. But thousands of regular people fly first class every year using credit card points.

Here’s how.

What Does First Class Actually Cost in Points?

Let’s demystify the numbers:

Route	Airline	Cash Price	Points Cost	Effective Value
NYC → Tokyo	ANA	$15,000+	110,000 Virgin Atlantic	13.6¢/point
NYC → Tokyo	ANA	$15,000+	150,000 ANA direct	10¢/point
LAX → Hong Kong	Cathay Pacific	$12,000+	110,000 Alaska	10.9¢/point
US → Europe	Lufthansa	$8,000+	92,000 Aeroplan	8.7¢/point
US → Middle East	Emirates	$10,000+	136,000 Emirates	7.4¢/point

These aren’t fantasy numbers. These are actual redemptions people make every day.

Step 1: Earn Transferable Points

You need points in programs that can transfer to airlines. The big four:

Chase Ultimate Rewards

How to earn: Sapphire Preferred (60k bonus), Sapphire Reserve (60k), Ink Business (90k)
Best first class transfers: Virgin Atlantic (for ANA), United (for partner awards)

American Express Membership Rewards

How to earn: Gold (60k bonus), Platinum (80-150k), Business Gold (70k)
Best first class transfers: ANA direct, Virgin Atlantic, Singapore Airlines

Capital One Miles

How to earn: Venture X (75k bonus), Venture (75k)
Best first class transfers: JAL, Turkish, Emirates

Bilt Rewards

How to earn: Pay rent (free), use for dining/travel
Best first class transfers: Virgin Atlantic, Turkish, AA

My recommendation: Start with Chase. The Sapphire Preferred + Ink Business Preferred combo can get you 150,000 points from sign-up bonuses alone. See our best credit cards for 2026 and current sign-up bonuses for the latest offers.

Step 2: Pick Your First Class Product

Not all first class is created equal. Here are the best:

ANA First Class

The Suite: Private room with door, full bed, Japanese hospitality The Food: Multi-course kaiseki meals, unlimited caviar The Service: Impeccable, quiet, attentive Book via: Virgin Atlantic (110k miles) or ANA direct (150k)

See exactly how I booked this flight in my ANA First Class booking guide, or read our complete Japan award flights guide.

Singapore Suites

The Suite: Separate cabin, double bed option The Food: Book the Cook — pre-select gourmet meals The Service: Legendary Singapore Girl service Book via: Singapore KrisFlyer (198k miles round-trip from US)

Cathay Pacific First Class

The Suite: Spacious, private, minimalist design The Food: Hong Kong-style dim sum, Western options The Service: Refined, professional Book via: Alaska Airlines (70k miles one-way) or Asia Miles

Lufthansa First Class

The Suite: Open suites, excellent bedding The Food: German precision, wine selection The Lounge: First Class Terminal in Frankfurt — shower, restaurant, car to plane Book via: Aeroplan (70k miles one-way) or Lufthansa Miles & More

Emirates First Class

The Suite: Fully enclosed with shower spa The Food: Unlimited Dom Pérignon The Service: Over the top in the best way Book via: Emirates Skywards (136k miles one-way to Dubai)

Step 3: Find Award Availability

This is the hard part. First class award seats are limited.

Tools to Use

Seats.aero Aggregates award availability across multiple programs. Set alerts for your desired routes.

ExpertFlyer Set alerts for specific fare classes (F, A, etc.). Paid service but worth it for serious searching.

Airline Websites Search directly on ANA, Singapore, United, etc. as award availability is most accurate at the source.

When to Search

355 days out: Airlines release schedules, best availability
330 days out: Another wave of releases
14-7 days out: Last-minute cancellation releases
Day of: Occasionally, inventory dumps appear

Flexibility is Key

Can’t find JFK → Tokyo in first class? Try:

Different departure airports (LAX, SFO, ORD)
Different dates (+/- a few days)
Different connecting cities (via Singapore, Hong Kong)
One-way awards (mix airlines)

Step 4: Transfer and Book

Once you find availability:

Confirm the seat exists — Search on the partner’s website
Transfer points — Usually instant for Chase, 1-3 days for Amex
Book immediately — Availability can disappear in minutes
Screenshot everything — Just in case

Transfer Times

From	To	Time
Chase	Most partners	Instant
Chase	United	Instant
Amex	Most airlines	1-3 business days
Bilt	Most partners	Instant to 24 hours
Capital One	Most partners	1-2 business days

⚠️ Never transfer unless you’ve confirmed availability. Points don’t transfer back.

Real Example: JFK → Tokyo First Class

Here’s how I’d book ANA First Class from New York to Tokyo:

Step 1: Search ANA.com for award availability

Select “Use miles”
Enter JFK → HND
Look for “F” class (First) on the calendar

Step 2: Note available dates

Step 3: Transfer Chase → Virgin Atlantic (instant)

110,000 miles needed for one-way First

Step 4: Call Virgin Atlantic

1-800-862-8621
“I’d like to book an ANA First Class award”
Provide dates and passenger info

Step 5: Pay taxes (~$200-300) and confirm

Total cost: 110,000 points + $250 taxes for a $15,000+ flight.

How Many Points Do You Actually Need?

For a realistic first class trip (one-way, US to Asia):

Program	First Class Miles	How to Earn
Virgin Atlantic	110,000	1-2 Chase card bonuses
ANA	150,000	2 Chase bonuses + spending
Alaska	70,000	1 Alaska card + purchase
Emirates	136,000	Amex + Capital One transfers

Timeline: 3-6 months of strategic credit card applications and normal spending can get you enough points for international first class.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Booking too late — First class disappears fast. Search early.
Not being flexible — Rigid dates = no availability.
Transferring before confirming — Always search first.
Ignoring fuel surcharges — Some programs charge $500+ in fees.
Flying first class for short flights — Save points for long-haul.

Is First Class Worth It?

Yes, if:

You’re crossing an ocean (8+ hours)
You value sleep on planes
It’s a special occasion
You have the points

No, if:

The flight is under 4 hours
Business class is available at half the points
You can sleep anywhere

My rule: First class for 10+ hour flights, business class for 5-10 hours, economy for under 5.

Action Plan

Get Chase Sapphire Preferred — 60,000 points bonus
Add Chase Ink Business Preferred — 90,000 points bonus
Earn organic points — Use cards for all spending
Search for availability — Seats.aero, airline websites
Transfer and book — When you find it, act fast

In 6 months, you could be sipping champagne in a $15,000 suite for the cost of credit card annual fees and taxes.

That’s the points game.

Related reads:

Planning your first First Class trip? Drop questions in the comments!