First Class - LHR to SYD - BA or Qantas.

First Class - LHR to SYD - BA or Qantas.

Hi all, I'm looking at booking my first First Class flight from London Heathow to Sydney, and am hoping those with more experience could share some advice.

I'm booking through AA and can use either of their code share partners, BA or Qantas. The BA flight first leg is on A388 to Singapore and then on to Sydney flying on a 777. The Qantas flight stops at Dubai and is A380 all the way.

Am I right in thinking that a UK carrier might be better for flying out of Heathrow? I should be able to use BAs Conchord room, at least I'd hope to do as it's a BA operated flight even if booked through AA.

Does anyone have any insight or experience or the two first class offerings? Which option would you choose?

Thanks in advance!

If it's a return trip, try both! Then you get each carriers best lounges etc.

Single trip only in first, as I'm utilising award points to make the booking and treat myself to a bit of luxury on the way home. While I fly domestically every week, it's just from MEL to SYD and not at the pointy end. It'll be nice to have some more room and arrive back refreshed after my holiday. 

If you're making a redemption booking, I'd go with Qantas because the surcharges (co-payment) with BA is ridiculously high.

No brainer. From personal experience, Qantas is heaps better First class experience than BA - BA First feels like a really great business class product IMO.

If you can fly Etihad First Apartments, you should. I just came back recently from the UK on them. Only one word to describe them - Awesome!

I'm redeeming AA points so my choice of carriers and dates are limited. 

i've taken both bookings through to checkout to confirm cost of surcharges on both, from memory US$350 on Qantas and US$680 on BA. On their website BA are charging GB£10,450 to Sydney, and my intinerry also includes a domestic leg to Melbourne in business. 

Seems like Qantas is in the lead. Do they have a first class lounge in Heathrow? I hear their flagship Mel and Syd lounges are very good. 

At LHR T3, Qantas uses the BA lounges. BA Galleries First is quite good. I'd definitely stick with the Qantas option. 

Qantas first class passengers can use the Emirates lounge at Heathrow, too (although this option isn't available to Platinum/Gold frequent flyers when flying with Qantas).

I'm not sure about that. I distinctly recalled news reported on the interweb that QF pax on QF metal are restricted to BA Galleries lounges at LHR. EK lounge is available to QF pax when flying on EK metal only.

Nevertheless, the EK lounge at LHR T3 is shut for refurbishment. Currently all EK pax are herded to the BA Galleries lounges, while the EK lounge is being renovated.

Ah, well, if it's closed for refurbishment then you'll indeed be heading to another lounge, although before it closed it followed a different set of rules to the rest and was open to Qantas First and Chairmans Lounge only, while all other passengers could only access it when flying on an Emirates aircraft.

I would do the follwing:

Syd- DXB - EK F 

DXB-LHR: - QF F

LHR - SYD with Singapore Stop: BA F

It's a one-way ticket from LHR to SYD as pointed out by the OP.

EK is not an option when booking an AA reward ticket

If you are a QF FF member and interested in earning the most QF SC possible, which will help you attain or retain tiers, then fly QF.

I certainly would.

Flying BA might be twee to fly through SIN, but earning QF SC on BA is now very low, even in F.

You would be shocked to know how many QF SC you will earn flying QF.

But if you are using AA to get AA's own FF mileage program (is it still AA Advantage), then eihter would do.

Ah, I see, REWARD TICKET without SC earnings.

Ok.