As gas turbine entry temperature (TET) increases, thermal loading on first stage blades increases and, therefore, a variety of cooling techniques and thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) are used. In the present work, steady state blade heat transfer mechanisms were studied via numerical simulations. Convection and radiation to the blade external surface were modeled for a super alloy blade with and without a TBC. The effects of surface emissivity changes, partial TBC coatings and uncertainties in external heat transfer coefficient were also simulated. The results show that at 1500 K TET, radiation heat transfer rate from gas to an uncoated blade is 8.4% of total heat transfer rate which decreases to 3.4% in the presence of a TBC. The TBC blocks radiation, suppresses metal temperatures and reduces heat loss to the coolant. These effects are more pronounced at higher TETs. With selective coating, substantial local temperature suppression occurs. In the presence of radiation and/or TBC, the uncertainties in convection heat transfer coefficient do not have a significant effect on metal temperatures.