Garuda Indonesia: The Final Days of First Class or Is There More to Come?

The Twilight of Garuda Indonesia's First Class?

Garuda Indonesia has long been celebrated for its outstanding first-class experience, and I can confidently say it's one of the best airline experiences in the world. However, it's been quite a while since I flew first class with Garuda, and I'm now planning to give it another try. Yet, it appears that Garuda’s first-class service is in a precarious position, especially given the airline's current financial situation.

First Class Available on Just Two Aircraft

Currently, Garuda Indonesia is facing significant financial difficulties — the airline struggles to keep executives in place for long, resulting in a lack of clear vision. The government provides just enough support for the airline to operate but not enough for it to grow. With around 80 aircraft in its fleet, only the Boeing 777-300ERs feature a first-class section, and out of those, only two are equipped for first-class service. This means the availability is extremely limited.

First Class Aircraft Are Presidential Planes

Interestingly, the two Boeing 777s equipped with first class are specially designed for the Indonesian government, as they also serve as presidential planes for official trips. This dual purpose often pulls these aircraft out of commercial flight schedules, making it difficult to maintain a consistent first-class service. There have been numerous discussions about the potential elimination of first class altogether, given its limited network, raising the question of whether that would be a sensible move.

First Class Sales Temporarily Halted

The primary route for Garuda Indonesia’s first class has typically been flights from Jakarta (CGK) to Amsterdam (AMS), though this destination may be more of an exception than the rule. In reality, first class is mainly offered on flights between Bali (DPS) and Tokyo Narita (NRT). However, since the summer of 2025, the airline has ceased selling first-class tickets on all flights.

Challenges in the Business

It’s surprising to see an airline with such sporadic first-class scheduling, seemingly dependent on whether the president needs the aircraft. This has made first-class tickets quite rare, and I’ve personally encountered difficulties in even selling first-class tickets on these flights.

Questions About the Future of First Class

If first class is ultimately discontinued, will the airline consider reconfiguring its aircraft to eliminate first class altogether, or might it transform it into a “premium business class” product exclusively for business passengers? Who knows, perhaps Garuda Indonesia is still figuring out what direction to take and is currently navigating a period without first class.

Conclusion

With everything that's happening, Garuda Indonesia indeed has a fantastic first-class product, but it's only available on two aircraft (one of which is no longer operational). There have been times when the airline offered first class from Jakarta to Amsterdam and Tokyo, but more recently, it has been limited to flights between Bali and Tokyo. As of now, Garuda Indonesia has completely halted all first-class sales. This might be a sign that this first-class product is on the brink of extinction, yet the airline often operates in ways that keep us guessing.