The Future of Garuda Indonesia's First-Class Service: Is It Coming to an End?

A Look Back at Garuda Indonesia's First-Class Service

Garuda Indonesia has long been renowned for its exceptional first-class service, which I personally ranked among the best in the world. It's been a few years since I last flew Garuda Indonesia in first class, and I’m planning to revisit this service soon. However, it seems that Garuda Indonesia's first-class offerings might be nearing their end, which isn’t entirely surprising. The airline has made several changes in the past, so what happens next remains uncertain.

Unique Features of Garuda Indonesia

It's hard to find another airline that manages its first-class service quite like Garuda Indonesia. They only have two Boeing 777-300ER aircraft outfitted for first class, and despite having around 80 planes in total, just these two are dedicated to this service. In fact, the operational fleet is even smaller—one of the planes, registered PK-GIG, has been grounded since January 2026, leaving PK-GIF as the sole active aircraft.

First-Class Characteristics of Garuda Indonesia

Garuda Indonesia's two Boeing 777s are not only first-class aircraft but are also painted in a special livery for the Indonesian government, as they are frequently used for official purposes. This occasionally disrupts their ability to operate on a daily schedule, complicating service logistics.

There has been ongoing discussion about Garuda Indonesia potentially phasing out its first-class service, especially given the airline's very limited first-class network. They used to offer first class on eight 777s, but six of these were retrofitted to remove the service altogether.

Current Situation

As of now, Garuda Indonesia has stopped selling first-class tickets... at least for the time being. Previously, the primary route featuring first class was the flagship flight between Jakarta (CGK) and Amsterdam (AMS), operating 2-3 times a week. However, since summer 2025, the first-class service has mostly been limited to the Bali (DPS) to Tokyo Narita (NRT) route.

While the airline may have identified a demand for premium travel from that market, it is somewhat ironic that the only first-class route is not from the airline's main hub.

Flight Schedule

The flight GA880 from Bali to Tokyo departs at 12:20 AM and arrives at 8:50 AM, while GA881 from Tokyo back to Bali leaves at 11:00 AM and lands at 5:25 PM. I honestly don’t see a high demand for first class, as each time I checked, the first-class seats were quite spacious and comfortable.

Sudden Changes

Now, the airline has decided not to sell first-class tickets for any flights until the end of the upcoming schedule. Although there is still one aircraft with first-class capability in operation, the airline has removed first-class offerings from flights expected to be operated by this plane. It’s possible that in the near future, they might resume selling first class, but the current situation is truly perplexing.

Temporary Conclusion

Garuda Indonesia boasts an excellent first-class product, but it’s only available on two aircraft. The airline previously offered first class between Jakarta and Amsterdam, as well as Jakarta and Tokyo, but has recently shifted its focus to Bali and Tokyo. Currently, it appears that Garuda Indonesia has temporarily halted first-class services across its entire network, with no first-class seats available for sale.

While this may signal the potential elimination of first class, Garuda Indonesia still has its mysterious ways. It’s quite confusing to sense that the airline is unsure of which direction to take.