- Mr Plane Guy
- May 5, 2024
- 7 min read
Updated: Jun 25
BA CityFlyer Review: Flying Business Class From Amsterdam To London City
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click and buy, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It helps keep this blog running (and funds my airport coffee habit).
Come with me as I fly with British Airways in Club Europe from Amsterdam to London City airport right in the heart of London.
Trip Report:
Airline: British Airways CityFlyer
Route: Amsterdam (AMS) → London City (LCY) BA8460
Aircraft: Embraer 190 G-LCYK
Flight Time: 41 minutes
Cabin: Club Europe (Business Class)
Avios Earned: 321
Tier Points: 40
Lounge Access: Oneworld Lounge Amsterdam Schiphol
Fast Track Security: Included
What Is BA CityFlyer?
Many travellers assume all British Airways flights are operated in exactly the same way, but that's not actually the case.
BA CityFlyer is British Airways' London City Airport-based subsidiary and operates a fleet of Embraer aircraft on short-haul routes across the UK and Europe.
Unlike British Airways' Heathrow operation, BA CityFlyer focuses on business-friendly routes from London City Airport, offering quick check-in times, fast arrivals into central London and a generally smoother airport experience.
The airline still uses British Airways branding, Club Europe business class, Avios earning and Executive Club benefits, so most passengers won't notice a difference. However, aviation enthusiasts and frequent flyers will appreciate that BA CityFlyer has developed something of a loyal following thanks to its Embraer fleet and convenient London City Airport base.
For many travellers, BA CityFlyer is actually one of the most enjoyable ways to fly British Airways short haul.
Flying out of Amsterdam Schiphol Airport meant I was able to use the brand spanking new One World lounge! This opened in February 2024 as a shared lounge between the One World alliance airline members, its situated in the Schengen departure zone of the Airport in departures between gate 40 and 41.
BA CityFlyer Fleet: Why The Embraer 190 Is Different
One of the biggest differences between BA CityFlyer and other British Airways operations is the aircraft.
This flight was operated by an Embraer 190, one of the most passenger-friendly aircraft flying around Europe today.
Unlike the Airbus A320 family used by British Airways at Heathrow and Gatwick, the Embraer features a comfortable 2-2 seating layout throughout the cabin.
That means:
No middle seats
Faster boarding
Faster disembarkation
A quieter cabin experience
For Club Europe passengers, this makes the experience feel slightly more premium than a standard short-haul British Airways flight.
I've also reviewed KLM Crown Lounge: My Honest Amsterdam Schiphol Lounge and KLM Cityhopper Business Class Review: I Paid £60 to Upgrade… Was It Worth It? (Amsterdam to the UK)
London City Airport also has a steep approach and short runway, meaning only specially certified aircraft can operate there. The Embraer 190 is perfectly suited to these operations and remains one of the reasons many frequent flyers actively seek out BA CityFlyer flights.
While Club Europe still uses the same seat as economy, the Embraer's layout arguably makes the overall experience more comfortable than many short-haul Airbus flights.
Good news if you're flying from London City Airport, the airport is finally getting its first Aspire Lounge. Here's everything we know so far.
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I 'travel mathed' myself in to paying way more for this flight, considering it's the same seat if I had I flown economy, but obviously I wanted to try the new One World lounge for you guys, so I had to sit and enjoy the champagne lifestyle, the things that I do for you! Let’s be brutally honest for a second Club Europe on this route is not about the seat. It’s the same 2-2 layout as economy, just with the middle seat blocked. What you’re really paying for is:
Lounge access
Fast Track security
Priority boarding
A meal and champagne onboard
And, most importantly for me… Tier Points
If you’re purely seat-focused, this is not a transformational upgrade. But if you’re playing the Avios and status game, it suddenly makes a lot more sense.
So I gained 321 avios points and 40 tier points around £45 in value! For this flight, now I‘m not going to pretend I’m this savvy airline reviewer with a wallet full of airline loyalty cards and fly first class for £1, I wish someday I could be that person, I’m just not that into it
Thankfully Club Europe BA includes 'Fast Track' which was a third world problem god send! Amsterdam Schiphol airport was tres busy. Did you know Amsterdam Schipol is Europes busiest Airport, because of this passport control was around a 45 minute queue (it felt like 2 hours) time!
Eventually through and I made it to the swanky Oneworld alliance lounge, I then made my way to the gate area and after around a 10-15 minute delay it was time to board the London City based British Airways embraer aircraft and fly Amsterdam to London City Airport.
This British Airways embraer aircraft flies for British Airways under the 'CityFlyer' brand based at London city Airport with a seating capacity of 98 with the cabin configured 2-2. The Club Europe and Euro Traveller sections are divided by an adjustable curtain, however the seating arrangement is essentially the same in both classes.
BA CityFlyer vs BA Euroflyer: What's The Difference?
British Airways now operates two specialist subsidiaries outside Heathrow: BA CityFlyer and BA Euroflyer.
BA CityFlyer operates from London City Airport using Embraer aircraft and focuses heavily on business travellers and city-centre convenience.
BA Euroflyer operates from London Gatwick using Airbus aircraft and serves a mixture of leisure and holiday destinations across Europe.
Both airlines offer:
Avios earning and redemption
Club Europe business class
British Airways Executive Club benefits
Priority services for eligible passengers
However, the overall experience can feel quite different.
BA CityFlyer tends to appeal to frequent travellers who value London City Airport's convenience and the Embraer's comfortable 2-2 seating layout.
BA Euroflyer, meanwhile, focuses more on leisure destinations such as Spain, Greece and Portugal from Gatwick.
Having now flown both, I'd say BA CityFlyer feels slightly more premium thanks to the aircraft and airport experience, while BA Euroflyer offers better route choice and holiday destinations.
If you're choosing between the two, the deciding factor is usually the airport rather than the onboard service.
The flight was very quick at 41minutes, and the taxi to the runway at schipol was 16 minutes, it felt like we were literally driving to London!
Inflight Dining British Airways Business Class Europe
We eventually we took off and a meal was served straight away, which was delicious!
It was a chicken and coleslaw salad, I was offered a choice of this or a Bali salad? Not sure what a Bali salad is, but the chap next to me was offered a Bali salad or a Bali salad. He declined the Bali salad and low key sulked.
Which made me enjoy my chicken salad even more! I guess thats due to my ex career as crew and the amount of argument's I endured because chicken had ran out!
I was sat in the second row of Club Europe, with just two rows of business class today, I have to say the first row either side would have been better, they get way more leg room!
1 A or B
or
2 C or D
are the seats to choose if flying Business Class Club Europe with British Airways City Flyer on there Embraer aircradft.
After a glass of champagne it was time to land into London City after flying over Southend pier, which is weird as I was on the pier a few weeks ago!
Landing into London City Airport is honestly half the magic of this route. You step off the aircraft and you’re practically in Canary Wharf before your coffee cools down. No endless taxi, no tunnel transfers, no Heathrow madness. For business travellers or tight schedules, LCY is pure gold.
Here is a full video of my review on tik tok don’t forget to follow
Final Boarding Call : Is Club Europe on Amsterdam–London City Worth It?
If you’re paying cash purely for the seat, probably not. If you want:
Lounge access at Schiphol
Fast Track security
A stress-free City Airport arrival
And valuable Tier Points. Then yes this route in Club Europe actually makes strategic sense, especially for short-haul frequent flyers.
Would I pay full price every time? No.Would I upgrade again if the numbers stacked up? Absolutely.
Plane Related Links
Relaxing in Style: A Visit to the OneWorld Alliance Business Class Lounge at Amsterdam Schiphol
Maximise Your Avios Points in 2026: The Ultimate Guide to Boosting Your Collection
How to Get from Schiphol Airport to the City Centre Amsterdam
KLM Cityhopper Business Class Review: I Paid £60 to Upgrade… Was It Worth It? (Amsterdam to the UK)
British Airways Business Class from Gatwick: Champagne, Delays & Drama
What Is an Avios Point Worth? British Airways Avios Value in 2026
British Airways Baggage Allowance: Everything You Need to Know (2026)
British Airways Lounge Gatwick South (2026): The Plane Honest Review
Hello, I’m Paul a professional jet-setter and all-around plane travel pro. After 15 years working in and around planes, I became a flight delay expert at a London Airport and mastered plane travel hacks, a PLANE flight expert with BIG travel plans but small carry-on.
Now, I share PLANE travel news, tips, reviews, and deals with honesty, humour, and zero baggage! Thanks for reading BA CityFlyer Review: Flying Business Class From Amsterdam To London City.
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