British Airways Club Suite Review

Leroy Tyler IV

British Airways is a pioneer in the airline industry. They were the first airline to introduce the lie-flat seat. Since then, other airlines followed suit.

Fast forward to 2019, British Airways introduced their new business class seat called Club World Suite.

I had to try it for myself. This review is a full breakdown of my experience with British Airways Club Suite.

Flight Details:

Airline: British Airways
Origin: Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
Destination: London Heathrow
Airport Aircraft type: Airbus A350-1000
Flight time: 9 hours and 15 mins
Departure time: 8:45 p.m. local time
Arrival time: 1:30 p.m. local time
Seat: 10A

Booking:

I booked this flight as part of a mileage run/loyalty point run to earn executive platinum status with American Airlines.

The flight was booked as a combination economy/business class ticket from Los-Angeles-Phoenix-London-Chicago-St Louis. The ticket cost me $2,220.80, and the Phoenix to London sector was flown in Club World Suite, which this article will be about.

British Airways also charges you for seat selection, even in Business class. It can cost upwards of 50 British pounds (about $60), which is ridiculous even when you’re on a fully paid ticket. I was able to select my seat for free since I have OneWorld Emerald status.

Check-In Experience:

Checking in for the flight in Phoenix was pretty uneventful. As a business class passenger/One World Emerald elite status holder, there is a dedicated check-in line.

I was traveling carry-on only. British Airways has no self-service kiosks, so you have to wait in line. I couldn’t check in online because I was on a combination American Airlines/British Airways ticket, so I had to check in for this flight in person.

It took about 20 mins to check in and obtain my boarding pass due to only one agent checking in business class passengers. Once checked in, I proceeded through security and headed to the lounge.

Lounge Experience:

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport has two lounges near B gates: the American Express Centurion Lounge and the Escape Lounge.

Despite there being two lounges, you can only access one of them. You can’t go in between lounges.

Since I don’t have an Amex platinum card, I ventured into the Escape Lounge.

This lounge is contracted with British Airways and is accessible with your business class ticket. Despite Phoenix being a hub for American Airlines, there is no flagship lounge, which I found interesting.

The Escape Lounge is an excellent place to spend time before your flight. You have your typical lounge food like meats, rice, chicken, salad, and desserts. There is also a bar where you can order drinks. I had a decent plate and a couple of mimosas and headed to the gate.

Boarding:

Gate B25 is where this flight departs from every night. The gate area is tiny, with no view of the aircraft. Honestly, this area isn’t suitable for a long-haul international flight, but I digress.

The flight was 30 minutes delayed, but that didn’t hurt us upon departure. Before I knew it, it was time to board the Airbus A350-1000.

Upon walking onboard, the flight manager pleasantly welcomed me into Club World.

The Suite:

I couldn’t help but notice how familiar the seat looked.

It’s a Collins Aerospace seat, which is the same seat that American Airlines has on their long-haul aircraft. I stow my luggage in the massive overhead bin and take my seat in 10A.

My first impressions of the seat were that it was extremely comfortable, there was ample legroom, the entertainment screen was massive and bright, and there was plenty of storage for your stuff. To your left, a door opens up with a mirror, a bottle of water, headphones, and the amenity kit from The White Company, containing lip balm, an eyemask, socks, lotion, and a toothbrush/toothpaste pack. The menu for the flight was also located here.

To the right was the door to the suite, which was open and locked during takeoff and landing.

This flight was during Super Bowl weekend, so it was pretty empty, allowing us to depart on time despite the aforementioned delay.

It was time to relax and prepare for the 9-hour and 15-minute flight across to London Heathrow.

Takeoff:

Shortly after takeoff, I was addressed by name and asked how my day was prior to getting on the plane. I thought that was really thoughtful!

I was given a hot towel and a choice of orange juice or champagne. The obvious choice was champagne. Traditionally, towels and drinks are provided before pushback, which was new but still great.

Meal Service:

Cocktails:

After downing my champagne, I looked at the menu and decided what I wanted to eat/drink.
There were three cocktails to choose from:

Gin Zing: a tantalizing mix of premium gin, citrus, and sparkling water over ice
Cranberry Blush: a refreshing and colorful mix of vodka, orange, cranberry, and a dash of spritz over ice
Johnnie Ginger: premium whiskey, orange juice, and ginger ale over ice.

I chose the cranberry blush. It was DELICIOUS. So much so that I had 4 of them in total!

Starters:

There are three starters to choose from.

Seared tuna with a quail egg with potatoes, with olive and basil vinaigrette
Caramelized goat’s cheese with roasted tomatoes and chive oil
Leak and potato soup with croutons.

I chose the soup, accompanied with red wine.

Man, when I tell you, this soup was seasoned to perfection! I’m not exaggerating. A roll came with it, and once you dipped it in the soup and tasted it, it was like a party in your mouth, and everyone was invited. Folks that I don’t like were even invited to this party. That’s how good it was.

Main Course:

Now. For the main course.

The choices were as follows:

Pan-seared lamb loin with sautéed spinach, roasted onion potato gratin, with demi lamb sauce
Herb chicken breast with creamy polenta. Broccolini, honey-glazed carrots, and chicken jus
Ancho three-bean stew with seared tamale masa, garlic onion fritter, cilantro lime crema, cotija cheese with mole sauce

While all three choices sounded delicious, I chose the lamb loin.

It was juicy, tender, and cooked perfectly. The potatoes were fantastic. Needless to say, my plate was empty afterward.

Dessert:

To top it all off, I chose one of 3 desserts.

Raspberry panna cotta
Seasonal fruits
Sticky toffee pudding

I went with the raspberry panna cotta. It was decadent and divine.

Club Suite Cabin Layout:

Now that I was full of food and booze, I got up to stretch my legs.

The business class cabin on this aircraft is arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration, giving everyone direct aisle access. There are a total of 56 business class seats, with 42 of them being in the forward cabin and the remaining seats in a mini cabin behind the forward one.

If you’re traveling as a couple, the two seats in the center will be best. There is a divider between both seats, so if you don’t want to look at your partner, you don’t have to.

The window seats are the best choice if you’re a solo traveler.

Between both cabins is a mini bar where you can help yourself with drinks and snacks between meals.

Feeling sleepy, I kicked off the Adidas, closed my suite door, and put my seat in the lie-flat position.

Seat Functions and Amenities:

Before I dozed off, I noticed how comfortable the seat was when fully flat. There is ample footspace in the footwell. It was still very comfortable, even if you’re a side sleeper like me.

The door is a lovely touch. It gives an even greater sense of privacy, but it’s more of a gimmick because you can see right over the door if you’re up walking.

6 hours later…..

I wake up fully rested. I was exhausted, especially since I had been up since 5 a.m. the previous morning to fly from LAX to Phoenix.

Upon waking up, we were over Greenland.

In-Flight Entertainment System:

The screen is approximately 18 inches, extremely bright, and can be controlled via the remote in the console to your left or with your finger since it’s a touch screen. It was full of recent releases like Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, The Woman King, and Black Adam. There was SO much to choose from. You’d be occupied EASILY on this flight!

Wifi:

Wifi was also available. It was $25 for a flight pass, which isn’t too expensive. Wifi is free in first class, but this aircraft was not equipped with first class.

Pre-Arrival Meal:

Ninety minutes before landing, breakfast was served.

The choices were as follows:

Full breakfast (Scrambled eggs, sautéed mushrooms, bacon, sausage, and hash browns
Mushroom omelet with back bacon, asparagus, and a cherry tomato
Buttermilk pancakes with berry compote, strawberries, and maple syrup

All of these are accompanied with yogurt or fruit as a starter.

I chose the pancakes, and they accompanied it with two fresh pastries. The pancakes were light and fluffy, with enough syrup and berries. I downed it with a mimosa.

Before I knew it, we were approaching London.

We landed on Runway 27L at London Heathrow at 1:30 p.m. local time.

The Service:

The crew on this flight was phenomenal. They were so charismatic and genuinely loved their job.

A great flight with an even greater crew makes the flying experience more enjoyable.

Verdict on Club Suite:

Would I fly British Airways Business class again?

I’ve been to London 7 times now, and this was my best flight across the Atlantic BY FAR.

Every time I fly to London in business class, it’ll be with British Airways Club Suite. That’s how fantastic it is.

It’s MILES better than their old Club World cabin.

It’s safe to say that British Airways is back to being competitive!

Please check out my British Airways Club World Suite flight review Youtube video below.