Review: Emirates Airbus A380-800 First Class (DXB-IAH)
DXB-IAH
EK 211
Depart: 9:45AM
Arrive: 4:20PM
Duration: 16 hours 35 minutes
Seat: 2K
I took the long way to get back from my summer Europe trip last year by insisting on trying out Emirates’ First Class, and even going out of my way on visiting the UAE in August to do it.
Emirates First Class is a highly-regarded redemption within the points & miles space because there’s loudness in its luxury compared to most premium cabins. Shower in the sky, caviar, and expensive champagne are the standouts and I wondered how they’d clash against my more subdued personality.
It’s also my first time in a double decker plane so it was a neat experience to try.
Emirates Airbus A380-800 First Class– Booking
I booked the flight using Qantas Frequent Flyer miles at the amount of 187,000 miles. However, this was done before the added restriction of having Qantas Silver status or higher to be able to book Emirates First Class with Qantas.
Still, the taxes and fees on top of it came out to over $800 which isn’t what I’d like to normally pay, but considering how unique Emirates First Class is, I pulled the trigger. I’m thankful that I was able to do it when it was more accessible.
Devaluations don’t just come in form of more miles required, but now we’re seeing few examples recently of award spaces being gatekept behind elite status. Earn and burn, baby!
Emirates Airbus A380-800 First Class- Check-in
I arrived to DXB from Abu Dhabi which took about an hour and a half-long car ride.
There’s a specialized space for first class check-in that’s lounge-like. The giant Emirates First logo made an impression.
Afterwards, I headed to the First Class lounge and had some pancakes for breakfast. I didn’t get to fully check out the lounge, but it was mostly an empty large, business-like space.
I was able to access the departure gate besides the lounge’s dining area which was nice and convenient.
There’s even different floors for upper and lower deck! For First Class, I’ll be boarding to the upper deck of the A380.
As I was on the jetbridge, I marveled at the quadjet as I walked.
Emirates Airbus A380-800 First Class- Flight Experience
The 16 hour plus flight was very comfortable and time flew by so quick. Though, I regret to say that I didn’t get to “maximize” this flight and simply enjoyed my time with it in a relaxed manner.
Cabin
Emirates First Class cabin has a 1-2-1 seating arrangement, and there’s 16 seats total which is pretty big for a first class cabin, but it’s probably because it’s in a double-decker.
The First Class in Airbus A380 is older compared to the one in Boeing 777, and it looks “older” too with the combination of grey and gold which I feel doesn’t mesh well. That still doesn’t take away how luxurious Emirates First Class is.
After arriving to my seat 2K, I spotted slippers and sets of pillows and mattress next to the seat already prepared.
In front of the throne seat is the big entertainment screen with a table attached to place a snack box and amenity kit. You can take both of those with you after the flight! Flowers are also set on the wall to add flourish to the suite. and lights on both ends of the compartment.
I checked out the slippers and it was the most comfortable slippers I’ve tried compared to other airplane slippers. It’s the first one I encountered with raised heels. They added grip and warmth.
The headset by Bowers & Wilkins can be found on a compartment underneath the flowers on the wall.
Each seats are privatized suites complete with fancy slidable doors.
The controls are conveniently placed by your seat, both on the handset and the interface by the windows.
The minibar can be elevated with a button. So cool! Inside, there’s water, both still and sparkling, juice, and nuts.
On the table, there’s a compartment with facial toiletries and lit face mirror that you can freely take with you.
Within the table’s slot, there’s a compartment for Emirates-branded notebook and pen that I gladly took home.
Then, a BVLGARI amenity bag filled with men’s cologne, shaving kits, dental kit, deodorant, and hairbrush.
The universal plug can be found udnerneath the table that supports three-prong plugs for laptops.
I was then offered pre-flight drinks of orange juice and bitter Arabic tea paired with a date.
Shortly after takeoff, I set the seat down to lie-flat mode to test the comfort.
It’s surprisingly a “tight” fit, at least compared to other First Class like ANA The Suite and JAL Old First Class. The doors felt glued to the seat which could explain the snugness.
I then head outside my suite to check the rest of the cabin. All the suites feel so private that having the windows opened won’t bother other passengers.
In front of the First Class cabin is a bar where you could help yourself to some snacks, though I think flight attendants are needed for the drinks on the shelf.
Just across it is the stairs to the lower deck that’s barred with a rope during the flight. This particular stair wasn’t used for boarding and deplaning.
Entertainment
Emirates First Class’ entertainment system is dubbed ice. There’s wide selection of movies filled with worldwide cinemas.
Food & Drinks
The food and drinks were plentiful as well. I got to try out some of the more unique ones like popcorn that even came with the bucket to start! Perfect movie vibes.
Then, I got some tasty beef sliders with potato chips on the side.
After that, the caviar came with various toppings, blini, and hard bread.
Some time later, I got a lamb biryani with berry juice for the drink. It had a nice kick to the spice
Then, for the pre-arrival meal, I got an Asian rice dish with caramelized chocolate dessert. The rice dish was nothing special, and probably the weakest dish I got on the flight, but it was still very edible.
The dessert came with gold flakes decoration to add on to the already golden theme of first class.
Emirates Airbus A380-800 First Class- Shower in the Sky
Possibly my most anticipated thing to do in Emirates First Class was showering in the sky. So far, this is the nicest lavatory in a plane I’ve been on. Everything was prepared and laid out nicely in advance! But, you’ll have 30 minutes total to occupy the lavatory which is generous.
The lavatory is a long strip of space with dedicated spaces for the shower behind the glass door and toilet that somewhat resembles a throne. The toilet seat cover blends in with the bench.
I must say that the warm brown veneered-wood texture fits very well with a toilet with an activity that I don’t need to go over-detailed with.
The toiletries like shampoo, conditioner, and soap are free to grab next to the toilet for shower use.
A hanger is provided in addition to the bench on the toilet space, along with a hairdryer.
The shower has a limit of around 5-minutes. The water flow is measured by the colored gauge so you can tell how much time you have left with showering.
Was it nice? I’d say yes. It’s a very novel experience, but it’s not as glamorous as I thought it’d be with how limited the time is. It’s something worthy to brag about with your peers, possibly.
Emirates Airbus A380-800 First Class- Bar
The bar area is located on the back of the upper deck, just behind business class. They offer snacks, soft drinks, and alcohol onboard. A good area to stretch your legs over a very long flight.
There’s also sofas on both sides of the bar for guests to mingle with other passengers and the flight attendants.
Conclusion
It was a very cool and special experience to get to try Emirates First Class! It was definitely a luxurious experience and I can confidently say that this is one of the top echelon of First Class products.
Yet, it’s not something I’m interested in repeating or go out of my way to book again. Besides the increased barrier to book it by limiting award spaces to Emirates/Qantas elite members and increased prices, I think I’m coming to a point where I’m just not too interested in chasing the best products in the sky. Being able to do it once in your life makes it much more special, after all.
I will still strive for lie-flat seats for long international flights, but really, just any kind of lie-flat that will get me to my destination the fastest will do for me at this point now that I already experienced one of the best First Class experiences out there. I know that many who have been in the points and miles game for many years share the same sentiment as mine in this regard.
