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First class (also sometimes branded as a suite) is a travel class on some passenger airliners intended to be more luxurious than business class, premium economy, and economy class.

On a passenger jetliner, first class usually refers to a limited number (rarely more than 10) of seats or cabins toward the front of the aircraft, which have more space and comfort, including better service and increased privacy. In general, first class is the highest class offered, although some airlines have either branded their new products as above first class or offered business class as the highest class. Propeller airliners often had first class in the rear, away from the noise of the engine and propeller, while a first class on jet aircraft is normally positioned near the front of the aircraft, often in front of the business class section or on the upper deck of certain wide-body aircraft such as the Boeing 747 and Airbus A380.

First class seats vary from large reclining seats with more legroom and width than other classes to suites with a fully reclining seat, workstation and TV surrounded by privacy dividers. International first-class seats usually have 147‍–‍239 cm (58–94 inches) of seat pitch and 48‍–‍89 cm (19–35 inches) of width, while domestic flights may have 86–173 cm (34–68 inches) of pitch and 46–56 cm (18–22 inches) in width. Some airlines have first-class seats that allow passengers to let one guest sit for a short time while face-to-face with the occupant of the cabin.

First-class passengers usually have at least one lavatory for their exclusive use, with more than one on larger planes. Business and economy class passengers are not normally permitted in the first class cabin. Normally, AVOD (audiovisual on demand) entertainment is offered; although, sometimes, normal films, television programmes and interactive games are provided on medium‍–‍to large-sized seat-back or armrest-mounted flat panel monitors. Especially for long-haul and high-yielding routes on top airlines, a first-class seat may have facilities akin to a luxury hotel, such as a minibar and an onboard lounge, in the case of Emirates’ first-class suites.

Since the 1990s, a trend has developed in which many airlines eliminated first class sections in favour of an upgraded business class. Newer business class seating is increasing, adding features previously exclusive to first class, such as convertible lie-flat seats, narrowing the amenities gap to an extent that first class is redundant. Furthermore, with the late 2000s recession, airlines have removed or not installed first class seating in their aircraft, as first class seats are usually double the price of business class but can take up more than twice the room, leaving business class the most expensive seats on such planes.

With business class seating moving upmarket, some airlines are reintroducing or modelling their first class sections as suites. Singapore Airlines now markets the highest class on its A380s as “suites”, with the tagline “A class above first.” The 2 m (78 inches) bed is separate from the seat and folds out from the back wall, with several other components of the suite lowering to accommodate the mattress. Windows are built into the doors, and blinds offer privacy. Suites located in the centre can form a double bed after the privacy blinds between them are retracted into the ceiling.

Other A380 operators like Emirates also have a suite-like first class with similar amenities, but the bed and chair are integrated, where a button is pushed to turn the seat into a bed in seconds and vice versa. Etihad Airways introduced a three-room suite called “The Residence” in December 2014 when it added the Airbus A380 to its fleet. Historically, first-class air travel has been very expensive. First-class long-haul fares regularly exceed $10,000 or €10,000 per person for an intercontinental long-haul round trip, as opposed to $4,000–5,000 international business class tickets and $300–2,000 economy class tickets.

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