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Home » United Airlines » My Best United First Class Trip Of All Time
First ClassTrip ReportsUnited Airlines

My Best United First Class Trip Of All Time

Matthew Klint Posted onOctober 26, 2018November 14, 2023 3 Comments

a seat in an airplane

Yesterday, I wrote a eulogy for United’s international first class product. 

There, I promised to offer a report on my best first class trip of all time on United. There’s a difference, I think, between best and favorite. I have already written about my favorite experience in Global First, which was a flight from Frankfurt to San Francisco in the nose of a 747-400 with amazing service and excellent rest.

But since so much of the first class experience, even on United, is about food and drink, I would not call that flight my best. Instead, my best flight was a trip in 2015 from Washington Dulles to Kuwait City aboard the 777-200 in first class.

I was flying to Doha in order to take part in the first commercial A350 flight, but ended up stopping in Kuwait, Bahrain, and Dubai on the way.

people waiting in an airport

What made this particular the flight the best? It wasn’t the seat. The seat was great, mind you. Spacious and comfortable, I slept like a baby for most of the flight. This was pre-Saks Fifth Avenue bedding, but United has offered great business and first class bedding for years. 

a seat in an airplane

a seat in an airplane

an airplane with a seat and a couch

a computer screen on a table

a bed in a dark room

It wasn’t the service either. Angel was sassy: I loved her. I bet non-U.S. passengers in the cabin (there were none, to my knowledge) would have been shocked at how casual she spoke to passengers. She was that aunt who likes to run her mouth and frequently enjoy a hearty laugh.

And while I may have preferred the professionalism of Sylvia and Anne from Frankfurt to San Francisco, Angel was an angel. I loved her and appreciated all the laughs we shared together during the flight. 

It wasn’t the IFE or Wi-Fi, though the internet worked well. 

What truly made this flight my best ever was the food. Let’s not kid ourselves: you can often enjoy a decent meal on United, but never something that makes you stop and ask whether you are really on an airplane. Until this flight…

The mixed nuts were not special.  In fact, the cashews were Jeffed (broken). I will miss the silver bowl and frequent refills in Untied international first class, though.

a person holding a bowl of food

a bowl of nuts and a glass of water

The hot appetizer (empanada), tomato soup, and green salad were very tasty, but also not anything special.

a plate of food on a table

a plate of food on a table

a white bowl with a white substance in it next to a salt shaker and a white bowl with a white substance in it

a bowl of soup on a plate

a plate of salad with croutons and cheese

It was the main course that made this flight my best ever in first class on United. For it was truly a first class entree. I ordered rack of lamb and never have I tasted something so good nor seen something so beautifully presented on United. The lamb was succulent, tender, flavorful, and cooked a perfect medium rare.

a plate of food on a table

a plate of food on a table

a plate of food with a fork

a plate of food with a piece of meat and vegetables

I enjoyed an excellent glass of Australian Syrah with dinner and appreciated the tulip on the stemware. The current globe logo has grown on me, but I still miss the tulip.

a glass of wine on a table

The meal was not over. Next came an excellent cheese course and the meal concluded with a decadent ice cream sundae with all the fixings.

a plate of cheese and crackers

a bowl of ice cream with nuts and syrup on a plate

This was an excellent meal. An excellent first class meal. True, there was no caviar or Krug, but this was something special.

I even wrote about it at the time.

> Read More: One of the Best Dinners I’ve Ever Had on United Airlines

After a tremendous rest, I woke up as the sun set over the Arabian desert for breakfast. The breakfast pictured below was a staple for years on United and at Continental before it. I never got tired of it…

a tray with food on it

a plate of food with greens on it

a plate of food on a tray

As we began our descent into Kuwait City, Angel shook the hand of every passenger. We laughed about something else…I don’t even remember at this point.

CONCLUSION

I’ll miss United first class quite a bit. Flights like my journey from Washington Dulles to Kuwait helped to build my loyalty over the years.

What was your best international first class flight on United?

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About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

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3 Comments

  1. JoeMart Reply
    October 26, 2018 at 10:29 am

    Do you miss the Eli’s cheesecake? I still savor the memory of the whole grain pancakes with poached egg on top and nectarine braised in sweet red wine.

  2. William Y. Reply
    October 26, 2018 at 3:26 pm

    Oh wow, that rack of lamb doesn’t look like a cafeteria plate at all. Don’t listen to the people saying that.

  3. Mitch Cumstein Reply
    October 26, 2018 at 4:35 pm

    I love your meal reports. This one made me hungry.

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