First class has always represented the best and most exclusive way to travel commercially. Today’s most exclusive cabins are no longer just oversized seats at the front of the aircraft. Instead, the most private first class products available today are fully enclosed suites designed to feel more like private hotel rooms than airplane seats. With floor-to-ceiling walls and sliding doors, these suites cater to travelers who value privacy and comfort while flying.

While many airlines offer excellent first-class products, only a select few truly stand out when it comes to privacy and exclusivity. These products, often limited to a small portion of an airline’s fleet and routes, are the best in commercial aviation. From enclosed rooms with virtual windows to multi-room apartments in the sky, here are five of the most private first-class suites available today.

Emirates

‘Game Changer’ Suites – Boeing 777

Emirates has long been a leader in luxury aviation, with opulent business and first-class products featuring gold finishes on nearly every surface. While the Dubai-based carrier is famous for its Airbus A380 double-decker aircraft, complete with a full-service bar and first-class showers, Emirates’ best and most private suite can be found on select Boeing 777 aircraft. These suites, known as the ‘Game Changer’ first class suite, are designed for travelers looking for the upmost privacy and exclusivity in the sky.

One of the defining features of the Emirates Game Changer suite is its fully enclosed design. Each suite features fully-closing floor-to-ceiling doors and a service window, so the cabin crew can serve first-class passengers without ever opening the door. Inside the suite, passengers can find a large leather chair that converts into a fully flat bed, ample storage space for anything from a small purse to a carry-on roller bag, as well as both a large 32” wall mounted touchscreen and 13” wireless tablet that can be used to control the temperature or even the lighting color of the suite.

The first class cabin onboard Emirates 777 aircraft with Game Changer suites is arranged in a 1-1-1 configuration, with just two rows for a total of six seats. While window seats are typically considered the most private for solo travelers, Emirates sought to make every seat equal in terms of privacy and comfort, with each suite featuring full floor-to-ceiling walls on all sides and three windows, even in the middle suite. This is made possible by three HD displays in the middle suite, which project the view from outside.

While Emirates’ Game Changer suite is a terrific product, it shines in privacy and exclusivity, but it lacks availability. This is because this specific first class product can only be found on nine out of the 140 Boeing 777 aircraft in Emirates’ fleet. Until March 2026, the end of the official IATA winter travel season, the Game Changer suite can be consistently found on routes from Dubai to Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Kuwait City, Melbourne, and Tokyo. In addition, they can sometimes be found flying to Zurich or London Stansted, but not as frequently. While Emirates has no plans to install the Game Changer suite on its existing 777 aircraft, it does plan to take delivery of its new 777Xs with the new first class product installed.

Air France

La Première – Boeing 777

Moving from the Gulf to France, Air France’s La Première embodies French elegance, combining privacy and excellent service into their first-class product. While not as opulent as Emirates’ first-class suites, Air France opted for a minimalist look, focusing on the details in its white, grey, and red-accented seats. Like Emirates, however, La Première is available only on a small subfleet of Air France’s Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, limiting the product to a handful of routes.

However, when flying La Première, Air France passengers will find their own well-appointed space. While at first the seat is not fully enclosed like some of the other suites on this list, both the old and newer versions of La Première feature floor-to-ceiling curtains which can be closed to create a fully private space. This can only be achieved during cruise, but the openness to other La Première passengers creates a bright and airy space for passengers to settle into during taxi and takeoff.

Once settled into their seat, each passenger can enjoy a space of up to 38 square feet (3.5 square meters) depending on the version of La Première. In addition, onboard Air France’s new La Première cabins, passengers can find a larger armchair as well as a chaise lounge that converts into a 78-inch (2-meter) bed. As for entertainment, La Première offers 4K screens, wireless touch controls, ultra-high-speed WiFi, and views out of the suite’s five windows.

Lufthansa

Allegris First – A350

Lufthansa Allegris is one of the newest and innovative premium products in the sky. Taking flight in November 2024, Lufthansa aimed to reinvent its aging first class. Filled with deep blues and wood finishes, Allegris is an elegant, and private, first class product that can be found on select Lufthansa A350 aircraft. This includes routes from Munich to Cape Town, Shanghai, New York, and San Diego, or from Frankfurt to Delhi, Hong Kong, Los Angeles, and Toronto.

Stepping to the front of Allegris-equipped Airbus A350-900s, first-class passengers will find just three first class suites, two window suites and one double suite in the center aisle. The Allegris suites are designed with a minimalistic feel while maintaining functionality. Each suite features ceiling-high walls and closable doors, creating a fully private suite for passengers to enjoy. Each window suite contains a large fabric seat and a leather ottoman (which opens like a trunk to fit a carry-on bag) that becomes part of the 81-inch (2.05-meter) bed.

In terms of technology, the suite features all the latest features expected of modern premium products. This includes Bluetooth connectivity, individual temperature controls, a 32-inch HD screen in the single suite, and a massive 43-inch screen in the double suite. Notably, however, the double suite has only one large entertainment screen, so passengers traveling as a pair must share a single screen for onboard movies.

While Allegris First is currently available only on the most recent Lufthansa A350-900s, the carrier plans to retrofit the main deck of its 747-8s with the Allegris first-class cabin. In addition, once the Boeing 777X is certified, Allegris is expected to be installed on all of Lufthansa’s new 777 aircraft. Additionally, it is likely that Lufthansa’s A350-1000s, which have not yet been delivered, will feature the Allegris first class product.

Singapore Airlines

Suites – A380

Few airlines are as closely associated with premium travel as Singapore Airlines, and nowhere is that more evident than its flagship Suites first class product onboard the double-decker Airbus A380. Unlike most first class seats, Singapore Suites Is more than just a suite. Positioned at the front of the upper deck on the A380 in a 1-1 configuration, Suites offer an impressive level of privacy and comfort.

Singapore Suites, which was introduced by the airline in 2017, features an enclosed room with walls and sliding doors that create a hotel-like atmosphere. Each suite is furnished with a 270-degree rotating armchair and a separate, fully flat bed. The suites are finished with warm wood tones and cream leather, making the space feel airy and modern. However, unlike other first class options on this list, Singapore Suites doesn’t feature floor-to-ceiling walls, preventing passengers from being completely sealed off from the rest of the cabin.

What truly sets Singapore Suites apart is the bed. Instead of a traditional seat that converts into a bed, each suite contains a standalone bed that folds down from the side wall. This allows passengers to dine or work in the armchair before transitioning over to the bed. In addition, what sets Suites apart from other first-class products is the ability to transform the room into a double suite by lowering a wall partition. This can be done in seats 1A and 2A or 1F and 2F, turning the bed into a full bed for two. Today, passengers can find Singapore Suites on routes from Singapore to Auckland, Sydney, Hong Kong, and London, among others.

Etihad Airways

The Residence – A380

Often hailed as the pinnacle of modern commercial aviation, Etihad’s Residence stands in a category entirely of its own. Described as a three-room apartment in the sky, The Residence, which can be found on Etihad’s A380 aircraft, is the most private and exclusive product currently available on commercial aircraft. Unlike traditional first-class suites, which are a single space, The Residence is divided into three distinct areas: a spacious living room, a separate bedroom, and a private en-suite bathroom complete with a shower.

When entering the 125-square-foot (11.6-square-meter) Residence, Etihad guests will first encounter the living space, which features a large couch for two, a long bench, and a large entertainment screen. This is where the majority of the flight could be spent, especially during takeoff, landing, and meal service. To the right of the entryway to The Residence is a short hallway that leads to the private bedroom. Inside, passengers can find a permanent double bed and another entertainment monitor. The bedroom can be closed entirely from the rest of the cabin with a locking door, creating a fully private space onboard.

On the left of the hallway is The Residence bathroom. This fully stocked en-suite bathroom features a personal vanity, toilet, and shower. The shower has enough water for ten minutes of water flow, which can be extended longer by pushing a pause button. Residence guests also receive their own butler, adding a level of personalized service difficult to match by other airlines. While it looked like The Residence would be gone forever after the pandemic, Etihad has brought back many of its A380s from retirement to increase capacity amid aircraft delivery delays. Now, The Residence can be found on flights primarily from Abu Dhabi to London Heathrow, with occasional service to other major cities, such as Paris.