Thai Airways Is Scrapping Royal First: Which 777 Flights Get the New Business Class Plus, and When (2027)

Thai Airways is doing away with first class. From mid-2027 its Boeing 777-300ERs will lose the Royal First cabin. In its place comes a new doored business class, with a front row of four larger "business plus" suites. Premium economy returns, and economy gets tighter. The catch for anyone booking between now and the end of 2028 is that the old and new 777s will fly side by side, often on the same routes. Which cabin you get depends on the aircraft.

What Thai actually announced

Thai has released the plan in stages. Chief executive Chai Eamsiri first talked about "business plus" in October 2025. The new business seat was shown in June 2026. In September 2026 Thai gave the fleet timeline and the details of the front row. As Eamsiri put it: "This first row will be business class plus. More legroom, longer beds, bigger screens – it's about giving the passengers a choice."

• Business class: the Thompson Aero VantageNOVA seat. It is a reverse-herringbone suite with a closing door, a 24-inch screen and direct aisle access from every seat.
• Business plus (Row 1): four VantageNOVA suites across the front row, with 32-inch screens, more legroom and longer beds. The two middle suites can open up to seat four people together for dining. This row sits inside the business cabin, not in a cabin of its own. "Business plus" is Thai's working name; the final brand has not been announced.
• Premium economy: a new cabin. On the 787 it has 28 seats in a 2-3-2 layout across four rows. Seats have 16-inch screens, headrest privacy wings, Bluetooth audio and USB-C power. Thai has not yet given the premium economy seat count for the 777.
• Economy (777): changes from nine-abreast (3-3-3) to ten-abreast (3-4-3), with 13-inch screens.
• Royal First: retired on the 777 as each aircraft is refitted. Thai has said it plans to drop first class completely. Today only three 777-300ERs still have it.

Which aircraft get it, and when

Thai has not yet said which aircraft or route gets the new cabins first. That means every Thai widebody flies with today's cabins until at least mid-2027. From then until late 2028, the 777 fleet is a lottery. The A350 lottery runs from 2028 to 2029. New 787s arrive with the new cabins already fitted. Thai has not said whether its current 787-8s and 787-9s will be retrofitted.

Old 777 vs new 777

Today Thai flies two versions of the 777-300ER. We explain both in our Thai Airways 777-300ER seat guide:

Only three 777s have the 303-seat three-class layout today, so Royal First is already rare. It is mainly used on London, Tokyo Narita and Osaka. The rest of the 777 fleet has the 348-seat two-class layout. The retrofit also brings new lighting, wall panels and galleys to the 777, plus a self-service snack bar for business class.

The business class upgrade is large. Thai's current 777 seat is a staggered design with no doors. Some of its seats face the aisle and are more exposed than others. The VantageNOVA suite has a door on every seat and a screen twice the size.

Economy is the trade-off. The 777's nine-abreast layout is one of the reasons to choose Thai over rivals that fit ten across. Once a 777 is refitted, that advantage is gone. On a 777, ten-abreast seats are typically about an inch narrower than nine-abreast ones.

How to tell which 777 you're on

Until the retrofit finishes, the aircraft type on your booking will say "777-300ER" whichever version you get. Check the seat map instead:

1. Premium economy on sale? No Thai 777 has premium economy today. If your 777 flight sells it, you are on a refitted aircraft.
2. Count the economy seats in a row. Nine across (3-3-3) is the old cabin. Ten across (3-4-3) is the new one.
3. Look at the front. A separate cabin of 8 seats in rows 1–2 means the old three-class Royal First aircraft. If business starts at Row 11 with nothing in front, it is the old two-class aircraft. Four suites in the first row of a doored business cabin means the new one.
4. Check again after booking. Airlines often swap aircraft during a changeover, and the seat map on your booking will update when they do.

Which seat to pick

• Old 777, business: pick a true window seat, A or K. Our 777-300ER guide lists the most private rows and the rows to avoid near the galleys and toilets.
• New 777, business: every seat has a door and aisle access. Row 1 business plus is the headline: bigger screens, longer beds and more room. Thai has not yet said whether it will charge extra for these seats. In a reverse herringbone, window seats face away from the aisle, so solo travellers should choose A or K. The middle pair suits couples.
• Old 777, economy: book the 3-3-3 aircraft while you can. The extra width is worth more than most seat choices.
• New 777, economy: in a 3-4-3 layout, try to avoid the middle two seats of the centre block.

What this means for your booking

• Trips before mid-2027: nothing changes. Royal First is still flying on the three-class aircraft. For business class on Thai's 787-9, see our Thai Airways 787-9 seat guide.
• Mid-2027 to end-2028: a mixed 777 fleet. If a doored suite matters to you, check the seat map both when you book and in the week you fly.
• Collecting miles for Royal First? With only three aircraft left and each one going as it is refitted, first-class award seats will only get harder to find. Book early.

Based on Thai Airways' announcements up to September 2026. Timelines and seat counts can change, so always check the live seat map when booking. We'll update this article when Thai confirms the first route and the new 777 seat counts.