Information on British Airways Flights

British Airways covers a great deal of the world with its long-haul operation and serves a long list of cities in Europe too. It has nearly 300 aircraft and an especially strong presence in the United States. The service offering these days is a mixed bag, however – everything from long-haul First Class with afternoon tea service to a pay-for-everything low-cost style European model. So it’s good to know what you’re getting before you book.

Why should you consider British Airways?

With BA you can usually count on a decent long-haul service with four cabin classes to suit every taste and budget. With so many destinations and price points and a conveniently located European hub, BA is likely to appear on many transatlantic search results. It’s not a perfect airline and it has detractors, but I personally never hesitate to book BA if the price is right. The majority of my flights have been nothing but good.

Tip: keep in mind that British Airways is part of a larger group known as IAG which includes Iberia, Vueling, Aer Lingus and LEVEL. That’s useful to know because BA will sell flights across the group interchangeably and the onboard products can vary quite a bit between them.

Connecting at Heathrow

Heathrow Airport is big and can be maze-like to navigate, especially if you have to switch terminals. It’s not as efficient as some other European hubs for connections. However, most BA connections will happen in Terminal 5 which means no bus transfers to deal with. And while delays and crowds can get bad, I don’t mind it as a place to connect.

Destinations

BA has so many destinations that it’s impossible to list even a fraction of them here. One standout is the number of routes to the United States: 28 as of summer 2024. That includes secondary cities like Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and Nashville. That can make BA a convenient way to cross the Atlantic from the US.

And BA isn’t only well-positioned to get you to London or nearby European destinations. Don’t forget about its extensive onward network from London to places like India, the Middle East and Africa.

Also while Heathrow gets the bulk of the traffic and attention, don’t forget that BA also operates quite a few flights out of London Gatwick as well. Those include mostly European flights but also a handful of US cities as well (Orlando, Tampa, New York JFK and Las Vegas).

A note about City Airport

London City also sees BA service to a number of European cities under its Cityflyer brand. It’s a fantastic place to depart from because it’s small and efficient, and much less of a maze than the other London airports. You’re not going to be connecting from the US here, but if there’s a short hop you need out of London, and they serve it from City, it can be a great choice.

The fleet

British Airways has an enormous fleet of long-haul aircraft encompassing 777, 787, A350 and A380. Meanwhile, the European fleet is largely served by A320 aircraft ranging from older classic versions to brand new NEOs.

Best aircraft on long-haul

The class of service you’re traveling in will have an impact on which aircraft to look out for, but as an overall guideline if I’m flying British Airways I will be looking to get on an A380 or A350 if it’s possible. Next on the list would be the 787, and then it’s 777s at the bottom of the list.

Best aircraft on short-haul

Although the A320 family forms the backbone of the short-haul fleet and can be unavoidable, the best possible aircraft to catch around Europe is the Cityflyer Embraer 170 family, which is smaller but comfortable, with a passenger-friendly 2-by-2 configuration meaning no middle seats. These also depart from the easy City airport. Often you won’t have a choice, but if you do, try to catch one of these. I’m still a little sad BA stopped its former direct London City-New York all-business class service, which used to be a fabulous way to cross the Atlantic.

Onboard experience

British Airways still offers a relatively premium experience on long-haul as you’d expect a major flag carrier to do, with obvious variation depending on which class you’re flying in. But for the most part, it is a step up from the low-cost and discount airlines, and all transatlantic flights are on board wide-body aircraft that offer reasonable comfort throughout.

In Europe, the experience can be quite different, as they’ve gone the route of competing with low-cost airlines and offer very little for free. Some of the Euro fleet have super basic, uncomfortable seats with poor legroom too. However, they have announced improvements to a number of those aircraft so the trend seems to be in the right direction.

Long-haul economy class

In economy, a.k.a. World Traveller, BA offers reasonably well-padded seats with adjustable headrests, inflight entertainment at every seat, and complimentary hot meals and beverages. Legroom is nothing to write home about, usually around 31 inches which is industry standard. It’s really not bad overall.

Long-haul premium economy class

Premium economy, which BA calls World Traveller Plus, is also what I’d call “industry standard”, with extra seat width and legroom and an upgraded service in a dedicated cabin. If you can find it at a good price it can be well worth the extra cost to have more breathing room, especially if you’re traveling as a pair in which case you’ll be able to sit in a block of two seats, in most cases, avoiding sharing with a stranger which is just about guaranteed back in economy.

Long-haul business class

BA has two “Club World” business class products. Both offer flat beds but one is a densely configured older offering without direct aisle access for all. The other is the newer Club Suite which is much more private, made up of solo pods with a door you can close. This is the one to try and get. However, I don’t mind the old product very much as I enjoy that it has rear-facing window seats and I find it’s private enough with the divider raised. The key thing is knowing which one you’ll be getting.

Tip: if you’re traveling with someone who you want to chat with during the flight, the older Club World might actually be preferable. In certain center row seats, you’ll find seats that are quite close together and make interacting easy, all within your own little bubble.

Club Suite business class and where to find it

BA is currently in the process of switching over its business class on all aircraft to the Club Suite and that’s due to take until 2026 to be finished. On the A350 you’re guaranteed to get it. Most 777s have it. On 787s it’s a mixed bag. The only one you’re sure not to get it on is the A380.

Long-haul first class

BA has a number of aircraft with a true first class, though it’s less spacious than competitors and I’d say is not as luxurious or exclusive as others. This is okay if you get it with points but I wouldn’t pay extra for it, especially when you get a very similar amount of space in the Club Suite.

European flights

On European flights, you’ll get a tiny snack and a small bottle of water in economy and a full meal service on most flights in business. European economy seats can be very tight, and basic, but there’s a new product being rolled out that reverses some of the worst aspects of this offering. European business class is an economy seat with the middle blocked. All in all, it’s the most forgettable part of BA’s offering.

BA has been charging for seat selection for years even in business class and many European airlines have since followed their lead. That’s unfortunate. But note that if you have mid-tier or higher status with BA or a oneworld partner (oneworld Sapphire or Emerald), seat selection is free on any ticket, even the cheapest economy fares.

Loyalty program

The Executive Club is one of the more attractive programs for overall value and the points you earn, which are called Avios, are in use by all IAG airlines as well as Qatar Airways in their own program too. Redemption rates can be quite good, especially on short-haul, but watch out for hefty fuel surcharges in premium cabins. Upgrading can be an especially good use of points, in particular from premium economy to business. Make sure you’re booked on a BA-coded flight though, as some partner-coded tickets will not be upgradable using the Executive Club.

Tip: once you have Avios you can transfer them between airline programs. That can be worth knowing because in some cases you’ll find better deals and lower fees with others such as Iberia’s program. If you want to hack your redemptions a bit, there’s plenty of room to maneuver.