Features added in First Class include ten brand new missions, multiplayer mode with up to 4 players, new MIDI music, cargo transportation and more. It was published in 2001 by Monte Cristo however, the publisher decided to remove First Class subtitle from the game box and manuals, though it remained in-game. The first Airline Tycoon title to be released in United States and the United Kingdom was Airline Tycoon First Class. It was not released in any English-speaking country however, there was an official English demo. The original game was released in August 1998 in Germany. With a network, up to four people can play at once and the game status can be saved (as it can in single-player mode) for longer games.

The graphics are bright and decidedly tongue in cheek: the tycoon Igor Tuppolevsky has a set of Russian dolls on his desk-and an open tin of caviar, while Tina Cortez has a picture of a matador and a bull's head. The player can also perform sabotages on the other players. The player must also manage their personnel, plan flights, buy fuel, attend meetings in the airport manager's office and, if there is the time, slip into Rick's café for a quick cup of coffee. The player must keep their aircraft in good shape and equip them at such a level as to keep the customers satisfied, buy new planes (from the expensive Airplane Agency or from Mr Schlauberger at the museum who sells old planes at a much lower cost) and take out bank loans if required. The names of the four tycoons are: Tina Cortez (Sunshine Airways), Siggi Sorglos (Falcon Lines), Igor Tuppolevsky (Phoenix Travel) and Mario Zucchero (Honey Airlines). A simulation computer game where the player acts as manager of an airline, competing against three other tycoons.

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