Vintage photos show how flying first class has changed over the past 70 years

• Modern commercial air travel pales in comparison to the pampered flying experience of the 1960s.
• Luxury air travel is still alive and well in the first-class cabins of the world's leading airlines.
• Brands like Pan Am have given way to Singapore Airlines, Emirates, and Etihad. 

Flying these days can be a slog.

For most of us, it's something we tolerate as a means to get from point A to point B. It's no longer a special occasion. For the traveling masses, commercial flying has been reduced to the essence of what it is: public transportation. 

Things didn't used to be this way. We've all been regaled with tales of the Golden Age of air travel: spacious seats, cosseting service, fine wines, and gourmet meals. 

However, the glamour of the Golden Age has not completely vanished. It's still alive and well in the first-class cabins of the world's leading airlines like Singapore Airlines, Emirates, and Etihad.

And then there's the inflight experience. Modern first-class cabins offer a greater degree of privacy, comfort, technology, and personalization than the jet set could have ever imagined. With prices that could top $40,000 for a round-trip, these tickets are far from affordable. Then again, neither was first class during the Golden Age of Flight.

Here's a closer look at how first-class air travel has changed over the past 70 years.  

The age of jet-powered scheduled passenger air travel began in 1952 with the De Havilland Comet 1. However, a series of fatal crashes forced the plane to be grounded for modifications.

Even though later versions of the jet, such as the Comet 3 seen here, would go on to serve successfully in airline fleets around the world, it was no longer at the forefront of the industry.

While the Comet was dealing with its troubles, it was overtaken by the Boeing 707 and the Douglas DC-8 as the jet-powered workhorses of the airline industry.

The jetliners of the era, while not quite as refined as today's aircraft, were faster and smoother than their propeller-powered contemporaries.

The capabilities of the jetliner served as a great complement to the first-class services provided by the world's airlines, such as gourmet meals.

Reclining seats included footrests and leaned almost all the way back.

Cocktail lounges were also a feature of the first-class flying experience in the 1950s.

The introduction of the double-decker Boeing 747 jumbo jet in 1970 took first-class service to new heights.

The extra width of the 747's cabin gave airlines the ability to up their games even further.

The first-class cabin's gourmet dining remained.

Flutes of Champagne were an added bonus.

Spiral staircases led to the 747's upper deck lounge.

Some early jumbo jets were even equipped with pianos.

Between 1976 and 2003, Air France and British Airways passengers had the opportunity to fly on the Concorde supersonic airliner.

Its speed came at the expense of a smaller cabin, but passengers were still treated to fine wines and gourmet meals.

During the 1990s, airlines began to introduce 180-degree lie-flat seats to their first-class cabins along with improved in-flight entertainment.

By the late 1990s, a new generation of first-class cabins with added privacy began to take shape, which would play a huge role in the development of today's business-class seats.

The next leap forward for first-class cabins coincided with the arrival of the Airbus A380.

The massive double-decker entered service with Singapore Airlines in 2007.

The enclosed first-class suite on the A380 afforded passengers an extra measure of privacy.

Two suites could even be merged to create a couple's suite.

Dubai's Emirates is the A380's largest customer with more than 120 aircraft in the fleet.

Emirates has also launched its own first-class suites.

Amenities include access to an in-flight shower.

However, the ultimate first-class experience comes courtesy of Etihad.

In 2014, the Abu Dhabi-based airline introduced the Residence first-class suite on board its A380s.

Each 125-square-foot, three-room suite features an en suite bathroom with a shower.

It also includes a private bedroom and a personal butler.

There is only one Residence suite per aircraft, and tickets can cost more than $41,000 for a round trip between New York and Abu Dhabi.

Etihad also offers a 45-square-foot first-class suite called The Apartment with access to a shared shower and a lounge stocked with beverages.

In 2017, Emirates introduced its next generation of first-class suites on its fleet of Boeing 777 airliners.

They were the industry's first suites to be enclosed from floor to ceiling, effectively making them flying hotel rooms.

The suites even come with artificial windows that use cameras mounted to the plane's fuselage to give the passengers a view of the outside world.

In 2017, Singapore Airlines also announced it would spend $850 million on a new generation of first-class suites for its fleet of Airbus A380s.

Two suites can be joined to create a two-passenger mega-suite.

In 2023, Japan Airlines debuted new first-class cabins on its Airbus A350-1000 featuring 43-inch TVs and speakers built into the headrests.

Although not every airline's first-class cabin features a full suite, common features include large, comfortable seats, upscale beverages, and delicious food.

While many domestic carriers have done away with first class, United Airlines launched United First in 2023.

United First includes features like wireless charging, privacy barriers, and Bluetooth-enabled 13-inch seat-back screens.

In 2025, Qantas is set to begin operating the world's longest flights from Sydney to London and New York in first-class suites with beds, recliners, and wardrobes.

This story was originally published in May 2019. It was most recently updated in March 2025.