First class Emirates is not for small boys

Emirates is a mammoth airline: it has more than 240 widebody planes in its fleet, carrying more than 40 million passengers to more than 100 destinations in the world per year. According to Wikipedia, Emirates is currently the fourth-largest airline in the world in terms of international passengers carried, the world’s third largest airlines by scheduled passenger-kilometers flown, the seventh largest airline in the world in terms of revenue, and the largest airline in the Middle East in terms of revenue, fleet size, and passengers carried. The Dubai based airliner is also famous around the world for its outrageous offerings in its premium cabin.

How Did I End Up Flying On An Emirates First Class Ticket?
When I hit the book button on my flights between Dublin and Sydney/Auckland, I was offered the opportunity to upgrade from Business Class to First Class.

I had imagined that flying Emirates First Class would be prohibitively expensive but they were asking for just 500 EUR each way to upgrade.

I decided to indulge in the First Class upgrade for the marathon flights on the way home. Auckland to Dubai is more than 17 hours in duration and Dubai to Dublin is another 8 hours or so. It turns out that I definitely go my money’s worth on that upgrade.

Emirates First Class vs Business Class Similarities
Of course, Emirates First Class and Business Class have some similarities. You can expect free chauffeur service to and from the airport and a bespoke cocktail with a premium selection of warm nuts after take-off.

First Class and Business Class share the in-flight bar on the Emirates A380. Both Business Class and First Class passengers can expect Fast Track service in Dubai.

Now let’s talk about what makes Emirates First Class special or, dare I say, over-the-top awesome.

Emirates First Class features a private suite with a sliding door that you can close for the ultimate in privacy. A small pop-up mirror complete with diva lighting conceals small containers of Byredo cosmetics.

Press on the tray to your left and a mini-bar filled with soft drinks and Perrier rises so you have refreshments at your fingertips. Press on the small compartment in front of you to reveal a leather-bound notebook and pen.

An extra-large Bulgari amenity kit awaits. In addition to the standard things you get in Emirates Business Class (e.g., eye mask for sleeping, toothbrush, lotion scented with a Bulgari fragrance), you’ll find a small glass bottle of Bulgari perfume.

Other Emirates First Class amenities include Bowers and Wilkins noise canceling headphones and free in-flight wi-fi.

When you board and settle into your Emirates First Class suite, you’ll soon discover a metal bowl full of packaged premium snacks (both savory and sweet). I thought the small bar of Butler’s Chocolate from Ireland was a nice touch.

The snack basket also contained a cylinder of Uppy rehydrating tablets. Simply pop one of the fizzy tablets into water every four hours to allegedly minimize the effects of jet lag when you land.

One of the best parts about flying in Business Class or First Class on any airline is the champagne. Before take-off, the flight attendants come around and offer drinks.

I usually celebrate the good fortune of having a comfortable seat with a glass of bubbles. In Emirates Business Class, they serve Veuve Clicquot champagne.

When I asked the flight attendant for a glass of champagne in Emirates First Class, she replied, “Ok, a glass of Dom Perignon, coming up!” Let me say that again: Emirates First Class Champagne is Dom Perignon!

The most recent vintage of Dom Perignon sells for over 200 EUR per bottle. You can see how I was quickly getting my money’s worth in Emirates First Class.

Of course, the Emirates A380 First Class food service is also amazing. The service begins even before take-off with an Arabic coffee and an almond-stuffed date.

A three-course gourmet meal follows once you are in the air. If you aren’t feeling super-hungry, you can mix and match appetizers to make yourself a small meal and forgo the main course.

After indulging in fantastic champagne and an Emirates First Class dinner, I was starting to get sleepy. The flight attendants made up my suite with a comfy mattress.

Premium pajamas made with hydrating sea kelp and plush slippers rounded out the experience. As you can imagine, I slept really well.

An Emirates A380 First Class Shower at 40,000 Feet
In First Class on the Emirates A380, you also get another unique experience: the ability to shower at 40,000 feet. Let me start with the Emirates First Class bathrooms themselves.

Every time anyone used the First Class toilet, the first attendants would clean and refresh the amenities so that it appeared new and fresh each time. After the dinner service, the flight attendants came around to book my shower appointment.

I chose to shower about three hours before we landed in Dubai. The expectation is that you have private use of the bathroom/shower cabin for about 30 minutes max.

The shower is metered so that you can use a maximum of five minutes worth of water. You can easily turn the flow on and off though while you soap up.

In the end, I used about half of my allotment. Plush towels, premium cosmetics, and a hair dryer round out the experience. There are two Emirates First Class showers on the A380.

Before trying the Emirates First Class shower, I thought: “What happens if there is turbulence?”.

The flight attendant explained that there are no seat belts in the bathroom but if the seat belt sign goes on, you should sit on the bench (naked) next to the sink and hold on to a conveniently placed safety bar. I’m glad my flight was smooth so I didn’t need to try out the turbulence safety procedure!

After my shower, I was treated to a small cup of tea and found a skewer of fruit and mango puree for dipping back in my Emirates First Class suite.

The Emirates First Class lounge in Dubai is even more exclusive than the Emirates Business Class lounge. Unfortunately, I had a very short layover, so only got a quick overview of what was offered.

Highlights of Emirates First Class Lounge include a free 15 minute massage service (sadly I couldn’t take advantage of this because of the short layover) and table service meals (I was able to order a quick breakfast; a Chinese-style congee).

The Emirates 777 First Class experience from Dubai to Dublin was equally luxurious minus the shower, in-flight bar, and pajamas.

I asked for a glass of wine on my flight from Dubai to Dublin. The flight attendant told me that “The wines in Emirates Business Class are just ok, but Emirates First Class wines are fantastic” and often retail for several hundred dollars a bottle.

Apparently, Emirates has an extensive wine cellar that they draw on for for the first class menu. I was soon sniffing the bouquet of a 2004 Bordeaux Grand Cru from Chateau Haut-Brion.

I looked it up later and this particular bottle is selling for 250 EUR online. If you enjoy fine wine, the cost of upgrading from Emirates Business Class to First Class nearly pays for itself.

The other thing that caught my eye on the menu from Dubai to Dublin was this: caviar. I’ve never had caviar before but this seemed like the perfect time to experience it.

What better defines a First Class experience than champagne and caviar? So, I ordered a glass of Dom Perignon and caviar to toast the end to my amazing Emirates First Class experience.

How was the caviar? Eaten alone, it’s definitely very fishy and briny. However, when you mix it with the accompaniments (including raw onions and sour cream), caviar is actually quite palatable.

I could get used to this… It was definitely difficult to go back to coach for our vacation in Japan and Taiwan a few weeks later!

This post has covered a lot of details about the Emirates First Class in-flight experience. Let me finish by summarizing the answers to some frequently asked questions.
Q: What does Emirates First Class Include?
A: Emirates a380 First Class includes:
* Chauffeur service to and from the airport
* A luxury private suite
* Fine wine and gourmet meals
* Access to Emirates in-flight bar
* A fabulous Bulgari amenities kit
* In-seat mini-bar
* A shower in the sky
* Pajamas and slippers

Q: How much does an Emirates First Class ticket cost?
A: An Emirates First Class ticket can cost less than 5000 EUR. Purchase a business class seat and then look for upgrade opportunities for 500 EUR each way.

Q: Is Emirates First Class worth it?
A: If you can get a relatively inexpensive upgrade from Emirates Business Class, most definitely! Emirates First Class is definitely worth the splurge on an Emirates Airbus a380 service because you get the full range of amenities including the chance to shower in the air.

Everything you need to know about Emirates First Flight