Flying Business Class should feel like the start of your adventure, not just the journey to get there. For our latest trip — an epic adventure through the Wild West, ticking off national parks in Nevada, Arizona, Utah, and California before finishing in Disneyland — we kicked things off in style (or at least tried to!) with British Airways Club World.
This was our first time flying BA’s new Airbus A350, and given the mixed reputation BA’s been building online lately, we were more than a little curious to see which side of the fence we’d land on. Spoiler alert: it was a bit of a rollercoaster, but it ended on a surprisingly high note.
Booking British Airways Club World
Let’s be honest — British Airways has been getting a bit of a kicking recently. Delays, cancellations, dated cabins, poor service — the internet hasn’t been kind. And while we’ve never been BA’s biggest fans, we thought it was time to give them another chance and judge their Club World Business Class product for ourselves.
We’d racked up enough Avios points and qualified for a 2-for-1 Companion Voucher through our British Airways Amex Card, giving us the perfect excuse to book a long-haul Business Class flight to Las Vegas.
That’s where the fun started.
The BA website is, to put it kindly, not great. Clunky searches, endless crashes, and an overall user experience that feels like it’s straight out of 2006. Things got even more frustrating when we tried to book an open-jaw flight (flying into Vegas and out from LA). The website simply wouldn’t let us use our voucher or points combo, forcing us to pick up the phone — a terrifying concept for our generation.
To the agent’s credit, while she initially claimed the flights didn’t exist, she did go above and beyond to fix things. After a complicated back-and-forth — part online, part over the phone — the whole booking came through perfectly. Full credit to her.
Still, it shouldn’t have been that hard. BA gets low marks for their online systems but high praise for the human on the other end of the line.
Cost: £475 in taxes and fees + 90,000 Avios points (for two people from Manchester to Las Vegas). Honestly, that’s excellent value for Business Class.
Seat Selection Frustrations
Here’s a real head-scratcher: BA charges for seat selection even in Business Class.
To pre-select our seats for the outward leg would have cost around £150 per person, with another £100 each for the return. For a premium cabin product, that’s a poor look. We know other airlines do this, but not all, and in particular not Virgin Atlantic, at least at the time of writing!
Luckily, we’re not overly picky — the Club Suite setup means you get plenty of privacy wherever you sit, so we decided to wait for the free seat selection window at online check-in (24 hours before departure).
Check-In Challenges
Our check-in experience continued the trend — clunky and confusing. The online system crashed multiple times, forcing us to check in at the airport instead.
At Manchester, check-in didn’t open until two hours before the flight, leaving little time to enjoy the lounge. The process itself was slow, with repeated ESTA checks and verification issues, but we eventually made it through.
We also flew Club Europe down to London Heathrow — that experience (and the Manchester lounge) is covered in another video, but let’s just say it was… mixed.
Lounges at Heathrow
By the time we reached Heathrow, our patience with BA was wearing thin. Thankfully, things started to look up.
We spent some time in the BA Business Class Lounge in Terminal 5B, which turned out to be a real highlight. Calm, spacious, with a good range of food and drink — even if we weren’t particularly hungry after already being fed twice that day.
It’s not the flashiest lounge in the world, but it was the first point in the day where we actually started to relax and look forward to the flight.
Boarding and First Impressions
Boarding in London was smooth and well-organised — a pleasant surprise after the chaos in Manchester. We boarded early, settled into our Club Suite, and were offered a glass of Champagne before take-off.
The crew took the time to introduce themselves and take both our meal and drink orders for later in the flight — a really nice personal touch.
Inside the Airbus A350 and Club World Cabin
The Airbus A350 is one of BA’s newer aircraft, and it’s instantly noticeable. The cabin feels fresh, modern, and calm, with larger windows and better pressurisation that makes for a smoother ride.
There’s no First Class cabin on the A350, so Business Class dominates the front half of the plane with 56 Club Suites spread across two cabins. We ended up in seats 6K and 7K on the right-hand side — comfortable window seats with excellent views. Couples might prefer the middle seats (E and F), but we’re window seat people through and through.
The New Club Suite
This is where BA really shines.
Their old Club World seats were outdated, awkward, and lacking privacy. But the new Club Suite is a complete turnaround — and honestly, one of the best Business Class seats we’ve tried so far.
Each suite has a closing door for privacy, direct aisle access, and a fully flat bed that doesn’t feel cramped. There’s loads of storage space, a logical seat control panel (which actually makes sense!), and stylish finishes that feel more “premium car interior” than airplane.
We especially liked that BA has gone for fabric over leather — more comfortable and less slippery.
You also get a White Company amenity kit, a comfortable pillow and blanket, and decent headphones. The only thing missing? Pyjamas. But for a daytime flight, that’s fair enough.
In-Flight Dining and Drinks
After take-off, service began with a drinks round. Unfortunately, this part was… slow. Painfully slow. We waited almost an hour for our first drink — hardly ideal when you’ve been looking forward to that post-takeoff G&T.
Once things got moving though, the meal service was excellent.
Starters:
- Smoked salmon and prawn (fresh and full of flavour)
- Buffalo mozzarella (Kate’s choice and one of the best airline starters she’s ever had)
Mains:
- Lamb (tender but could’ve used a touch of pink)
- Cod (tasty but slightly overcooked — a plane kitchen reality)
Dessert:
- Chocolate, orange, and walnut cake (rich and indulgent)
- Cheese plate (simple but perfectly executed)
Generous wine pours flowed throughout the meal, with refills readily offered. Nothing overly adventurous, but solid and satisfying.
As the flight went on, the drinks menu continued to impress. We particularly enjoyed the Speedbird IPA (a fun Brewdog x BA collab) and the Singleton whisky. Wine was available throughout the flight, including the fashionable Whispering Angel Rose.
In-Flight Entertainment (IFE)
We were pleasantly surprised by BA’s in-flight entertainment. The movie library was huge — packed with new releases, classics, and plenty of Disney content to get us in the mood for the Disneyland leg of our trip.
The screen was large, bright, and crystal clear, and the system itself was easy to use. The only downsides:
- The music selection was disappointing (we switched to Spotify downloads instead).
- The touchscreen was slightly too far away when reclined — first world problem, we know — but there’s a handy remote control tucked into the armrest to solve that.
Life Onboard and Facilities
Once dinner was done, the cabin lights were dimmed and passengers encouraged to sleep. While we understand the logic, we always find it a little odd when the crew dictates lighting — some of us enjoy watching the clouds!
We missed the social spaces offered on Virgin’s Upper Class — BA doesn’t really have anywhere to stretch your legs or grab a chat away from your seat. There’s a small galley area with snacks and self-serve wine, but it’s not quite the same vibe.
The toilets were clean and functional throughout, if a little uninspired.
When we finally converted our seat into a fully flat bed, it was genuinely comfortable — supportive but not coffin-like, private but not claustrophobic. We both managed a solid nap before the second meal service began.
Second Meal and Arrival into Las Vegas
For the pre-landing meal, we were offered another full three-course service — but after a long day of eating, drinking, and airport-hopping, we kept it simple and went for the chicken pie, which was actually delicious if a bit heavy before landing.
An afternoon tea option might have been more fitting, but still, we couldn’t complain about the quality.
As we descended into Las Vegas, the clouds cleared just in time for stunning sunset views over Lake Mead and the Strip. After a smooth landing and an easy pass through customs, we were ready to hit the hotel and start our Wild West adventure.
Overall Verdict — British Airways Club World A350
We’ll admit it — we went into this expecting to dislike it. BA’s reputation has taken a serious hit in recent years, and early experiences with their website and check-in didn’t inspire confidence.
But once we were actually on board, the experience turned around completely.
The new Club Suite is fantastic — private, comfortable, and one of the best-designed Business Class seats in the sky. The food was solid, the drinks plentiful, and the crew professional and friendly throughout.
Sure, the website is clunky, seat selection fees are cheeky, and the lack of social space is a downside, but overall? We were impressed.
If you can guarantee you’re flying on an aircraft with the new Club Suite, British Airways Club World is absolutely worth considering.
Next time, we’ll probably skip the Manchester connection and fly direct from Heathrow — but BA’s A350 Business Class? We’d happily do it again.
Coming Up Next
We’ve got loads more travel content from this trip, including:
- The best of Las Vegas beyond the casinos
- A full Disneyland 70th Anniversary guide
- Our journey through the Wild West’s national parks
- More airline reviews, including BA Club Europe and World Traveller
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