First time Flying Business class and that with Emirates.

Horrible fligh

Image from rednote Just thought that this was a really cool room haha

Originally booked business saver for the 2 outbound flights and premium eco for the way back (but only available on 1 plane). Redeemed all my miles for a decent discount when booking. Last minute upgrade from business to first available at check-in.

My opinion: first is not worth it, business is great for flights over 8 hours. Premium economy is lovely. Economy is very nice but painful if flying over 6 hours. Pics of all classes attached :)

On a business trip over in Milan from the US, so knew I had to figure out how to fly on the A380 if given the opportunity. I don’t travel internationally frequently.

I originally booked JFK - MXP in Premium, and all signs seemed to indicate that’s where I’d stay given the price of upgrades days and weeks out - which was honestly just fine with me.

Imagine my surprise when I asked about an upgrade while dropping my bag off and was offered it for just 24,000 SkyWards miles! No hesitation from me.

It was a great experience. The only other international long haul business travel I’ve done was Delta One (on a 764 and 339). The Delta One lounge at JFK was way better, and the suite on the 339 was nice, but otherwise everything about the Emirates business class experience was better. Even managed 5 hours of sleep!

Have to stay humble - I’m in Economy on the way home! 🤣

Hey guys, I just made this account to apologise on behalf of my family and I for any inconvenience that we may have cause. Upon taxiing down towards runway 34L, my father had a medical emergency so the plane had to head back to the gate. Total delay was just about an hour later at Dubai. I told multiple cabin crew staff to please let the passengers know we’re sorry for any inconveniences that the delay may have caused. But I would just like to echo that. With that being said thank you to the passengers for your patience, and a massive thank you to the ambulance, cabin crew, ground staff and all medical personnel involved. I felt compelled to respond to the matter because I’m a big aviation enthusiast, since i was young (I’m 19) and love everything planes and especially the a380. But never in my wildest dreams didn’t I think I could prevent one from taking off.. That’s all for now, thank you very much for understanding and sorry again!

Boarding pass had changed in app this morning. Very pleasant surprise. Was dreading this 8 hr flight as I hadn’t slept well. Thank you Emirates!

Background:
10 flights this year mostly business
Never paid full business fare
Silver tier
Flex plus ticket with premium economy (was looking forward to trying out the new PE cabin!)

Two legs: one on the older configured A380, and one new. Only difference that stood out were the taller privacy walls and the more subtle colors.

Flights attendants were super attentive and friendly without being obtrusive.

Food was good but not amazing. The dine on demand is nice for eating whatever and whenever the mood strikes. The glass of Dom before takeoff was nice. I don't like Caviar but it seems to be popular.

The meet-and-greet at the connection was a life saver. I'd probably still be walking from C to B without it.

The DXB FC lounge in C is nice but not spectacular. The full service restaurant and table service throughout the lounge is nice. Shower room is miniscule.

Being able to shower on board prior to arrival, after 3 flights (including a codeshare) and over 30 hours total travel time was life altering.

Limo service through Blackline was great. Started receiving updates a day prior, with driver's name, phone, car type and plate number. They notified of me of a flight delay before Emirates did. Communicating with the driver as I landed and navigated Immigration and Customs made for a smooth transfer.

Air fares originating in Asia are far lower than originating in the US, making it not just an excellent experience, but also a good value.

I flew from London to Dubai recently, I fly this route all the time and usually these flights are about 80% full. This was the emptiest A380 I've ever seen, it took less than 10 minutes for the meal service! I just think it's interesting how quiet the flights are 4 months on from the madness. inshallah dubai will recover🤲

I Flew Emirates First Class from Dubai – what an experience!!

I had to repost this after a few kind members here pointed out that my name was visible in the original post. Thank you again for the heads up!! BUT I’ll now share even more details, include more photos, and respond to a few of the questions that came up last time. Let’s go.

So, I recently flew Emirates First Class out of Dubai and it truly felt like stepping into another world. Everything started in the First Class Lounge, which already set the tone for what was to come. There was a wide selection of snacks, desserts, fresh juices, and sweets waiting for you the moment you entered. They also had a full à la carte menu and proper table service. It was all relaxed, refined, and very well done.

The lounge itself was impressive not just because of the food but also because of how much thought they put into comfort. There were dedicated rest areas to properly unwind and even a full spa. That part really made the time before boarding feel like part of the experience and not just waiting around.

When boarding started, I was personally taken to my suite. The cabin was very spacious and beautifully designed. You can really see the attention to detail in the layout and finishes. It gives you that real sense of privacy and calm.

The appetizers were excellent and well thought out. I had a main course with chicken and green beans, and to be honest, it was genuinely delicious. Especially when you consider it’s airplane food. That said, I’ll answer a question someone asked here: how did the food compare to Business Class?

I’ve flown Business a few times, and First Class only once, this was that one time. So I’m not a frequent First flyer (sadly). In Business, I’ve had both amazing food and meals that were just okay. The food on this First Class flight was excellent, but I do believe it varies. Sometimes you get a really top notch meal, other times it might be a bit more average. This time I got lucky.

After dinner came one of the highlights, the onboard shower. Someone asked about the water pressure, and while it wasn’t exactly like at home, it was more than good enough. At no point did I feel like I was struggling to actually wash. You do get a maximum of 15 minutes of running water, which is more than enough for a comfortable shower at 40,000 feet.

One person asked if the seat had a massage function. Honestly, I didn’t notice one. Maybe there was something subtle going on, but if there was a massage setting, it must have been too discreet for me to catch it.

As for the drinks, I can say with confidence that the green tea and orange juice were freshly made. Beyond that, I really can’t say for sure because I didn’t ask,... I was honestly a bit overwhelmed and just trying to take it all in. First Class was a new experience for me and I was enjoying the ride.

To wrap it up, after the shower, I came back to my suite and found a small dessert and a freshly prepared green tea waiting for me. That moment really captured the whole vibe of the flight. Thoughtful, comfortable, and just a bit magical.

Thanks again to everyone who asked questions and helped me fix the earlier post. Hope this one makes up for it.

FFS people there is currently a war going on in the Gulf and all the airports are closed and no one knows for how long. Stop showing your ignorance asking if your flight from whatever jungle is canceled or will be rebooked. Pull your head out.

edit: as someone who spent 25 years in Dubai and had and still have direct connections to Emirates and their staff (which this subreddit is for) I am not ignorant of the situation . And I stand by comments. If you need to ask if your flight is getting rebooked 12 hours after missile debris landed on the Fairmount then yes you are ignorant and can’t read the room.

Used my miles to upgrade me and my fiancee into First class for the first time, and my expectations where fully blown. The staff is so personal and well trained it was well worth the 140k in miles.

Best part we got to see FP3 of Formula 1 live.

102 EK flights in air right now, despite yesterday being eventful to say the least

I recently traveled from LAX to DXB on Emirates. At nearly 17 hours, it's one of the longest flights, and I knew it could be challenging because my daughter is prone to severe motion sickness. Before the trip, we did everything we could to prepare—we saw her doctor, got a prescription for Zofran, packed wrist bands, motion sickness patches, and electrolyte powder, hoping she would make it through comfortably.

About six hours into the flight, she began vomiting continuously and became severely dehydrated. It was a frightening experience.

The Emirates cabin crew and supervisor responded immediately. They checked on her constantly, provided ginger ale and electrolytes, and even coordinated with a medical team in Dubai while we were flying over the North Pole. They followed the medical team's guidance and, as a precaution, arranged for paramedics to meet us upon arrival.

When we landed at DXB around 10 p.m., the airport medical team was already waiting at the gate with a wheelchair. They escorted us to the airport hospital, where the doctor saw her almost immediately. She received antiemetic medication and IV fluids, while the nurses kept me informed and cared for her with remarkable kindness throughout.

Thankfully, we had a six-hour layover, giving her enough time to recover before our connecting flight. Once she was stable, we were cleared to continue our journey.

What surprised me most was that every bit of medical care—from the paramedics to the hospital treatment—was provided at no cost. Had this happened in the U.S., the bill could easily have been thousands of dollars. ( I'm not sure if I'd be receiving a bill later)

I've flown with other airlines before, including Singapore Airlines and Lufthansa, but I have never experienced this level of coordinated care during a medical emergency.

A heartfelt thank you to the Emirates crew, the Dubai airport paramedics, doctors, and nurses. Your professionalism, compassion, and teamwork turned an incredibly stressful situation into one where we felt safe and cared for. I'll definitely be sharing this with Emirates customer service.

The crew managed all of this while continuing to provide excellent service to every other passenger on board.

An experience I'll never forget.

I recently flew Ho Chi Minh City → Düsseldorf via Dubai with Emirates. I had a Flex Ticket, which includes free seat selection. I carefully chose our seats early, checked in online, and even got my boarding pass in Vietnam with my assigned seats. Confirmed with check-in counter about our seat selection. My wife and I were traveling with our 8-month-old baby, so I made sure we had window-side seats in the first row of economy, where my wife could comfortably hold the baby. In seat selection I choose the seat, and during online checking, I choose the seat. seat was locked, and nobody else could book it. Just due to Flex ticket where choosing a seat is free, it shows 0 EUR. If I had bought a cheaper (Saver Economy) ticket, I would have to pay a small amount for the chair.

When transiting in Dubai, Emirates suddenly reissued my boarding pass and changed my seat, separating me from my wife where there is a corridor in-betwen us. When I asked why, the ground staff told me that my original seat was sold to another passenger who paid for it.

I was never given an option to pay for my seat, Website show 0 EUR, yet Emirates allowed another passenger to buy it—despite my Flex Ticket including free seat selection. How does this make sense?

This caused extreme discomfort as we already flown for 7 hours and now after transit, we had 7 more to go.

In this new flight:

• My baby couldn’t sleep and become fussy and cry a lot the entire flight, disturbing nearby passengers.

• My wife and I couldn’t sleep either due to stress and exhaustion.

• Emirates made this happen just to make extra money on a seat I had already selected.

• Whenever my kid fall asleep due to tiredness, someone would walk-by and our kid would startle and wake up, He is not used to movement around.

Has anyone else experienced this with Emirates? Should I escalate this further?

#Emirates #Travel #AirlineIssues #FlightProblems

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Clarifications Based on Comments So Far

Since many people have asked or made assumptions, here are some key points to clarify:

“You didn’t pay for your seat, so it wasn’t yours.”

• I booked a Flex Ticket, which includes free seat selection. My seat was confirmed multiple times, and I was issued a boarding pass with my selected seat before departure. If I had cheaper (Saver) ticket, then system would have asked me to pay for that seat selection. It wasn’t “available” for anyone else to book through normal means. The only way another passenger got my seat was through manual intervention by Emirates ground staff in Dubai.

“Why didn’t you ask for a bassinet?”

• I asked and that is why I booked that seat. We had a bassinet before transit, and it was confirmed at check-in. After the seat reassignment in Dubai, the bassinet holder was placed in front of the couple who got our seats, while my wife and I were moved to seats without a bassinet option. That's why I am complaining about this entire thing.

“You weren’t separated from your baby, only an aisle apart.”

• Being separated by an aisle matters when traveling with an infant. It made it difficult to assist my wife during her meal service, baby feeding times, and comforting the baby during turbulence, or when someone passes by. We specifically chose our seat so we could better manage our baby’s sleep and feeding routine, which was disrupted.

“Why didn’t you just pay for the seat?”

• Excuse ground staff give "You should have paid for ticket" is just an excuse. I was never given the option to pay because my seat selection was free due to higher cost of my ticket. A cheaper "saver" ticket would have charged me. But Flex ticket comes with higher luggage allowance, and free seat selection etc. Emirates’ system showed my seat as locked and unavailable for purchase by others as well because I selected it under my Flex Ticket. Yet after check-in, the seat was sold to someone else at the transit point manually via emirate ground staff.

“This happens all the time, get over it.”

• Maybe this is the problem. happens and nobody complain so they do it again. If i stay silent and you stay silent, nothing will improve. I am frequent traveller and this has never happened to me before that my seat get booked by others. The whole point of seat selection and online-check in is to make sure you get seat that you want. It shouldn’t happen when a seat is already assigned and confirmed. Specially if you are a family with infant, I might understand but Infant wont!

“Posting here won’t change anything.”

• This isn’t just about me—it’s about warning other travelers that Emirates can override confirmed seats mid-trip and sell them to someone else. If this can happen to me, it can happen to anyone who thinks their seat is “locked in” after check-in.

It’s a dangerous move to fly first class on Emirates. You will get a suite, not a seat. You will be offered a SPA, not the restroom. You will have 19th century cognac and rare whiskies. You will have a high mile shower. So be careful to fly once in first, as going back to business class will be tough!

So I am on a flight from London to Dubai, and flight is kind of overbooked in business, but availablity in First. So the staff upgraded two people to First class and I got business seats....but then they had to change my seats because the people they upgraded did not want First class!!

I mean have you seen Emirates first class...who declines this??!

Was lucky enough to experience premium economy from DXB-HND and return on the B777, and from DXB-EDI on the A350.

Definitely an upgrade from economy with very good legroom, much more private feeling cabin, and comfy seats.

The A350 definitely takes the win with PE having its own toilets, much newer and more responsive IFE screen, and I would say less engine noise.

The only downside I would say is it is hard to get out your seat if the person in front is reclined, but this is a small price to pay for the extra comfort on a long flight.

All travel with Emirates was extremely smooth even in these difficult times, flights were about 50% full if that.

Happy to answer any questions :)

Just booked business class tickets for my parents for the first time.

They're both in their 70s and come from a low income background in India. Growing up, flying was rare enough, business class was something I'd only see while walking past it.

I always wanted to do this for them someday. Not because of the luxury, but because they spent their entire lives sacrificing their own comfort to provide me the opportunities they never had.

It's a small thing in the grand scheme of life, but today I'm feeling incredibly grateful that I was able to make it happen.

Just wanted to share my happiness with someone.

I fly a few times a year UK to Dubai to see my daughter, always book Economy and play the 'refresh' game to see if I can get a good price for Premium.

A couple of weeks ago the upgrade on my app was £424 and I was so close to booking it. There were 3 premium seats left so I held off to see if I got a better 72hour upgrade email.

I got an email for £110 to use the Emirates lounge, but didn't take it.

72hours came and went.... As did the offer for Premium in my app, it had disappeared... Then an upgrade email offer arrived for £490 which I thought was strange as the app had it at £424...until I realised it was for business....

I took it! Never flown business, didn't even realise we check in at a different place.... So here I am waiting to board and hoping I enjoy it as much I think I will....

Thanks everyone for the tips. Im finally home after the 14hr DXB → SYD flight. Honestly still feels like a dream 😂

Started in the Concourse A lounge with some sushi, fruit, and coffee. Didn’t eat too much because I was way too excited for the First Class experience.

Alcohol - I only had Dom + their dessert wine. That dessert wine was TOOOOO good! Did ask for the Dom Rose but not available.

Caviar - had it 3 times and still wish I asked for more 🫠 absolutely delicious.

Food - I had the Asian chicken soup first — super comforting and refreshing. Main was the spicy crab (soft shell crab). It was alright but a bit heavy for me, not my favourite. Looking back, I basically only had 3 rounds of caviar and 1 actual meal. Didn’t feel like eating anything before landing.

I don’t eat red meat or cheese, and I’m not really a dessert person either 🫣 so I just had fruit paired with the dessert wine twice.

Pajamas - got the men’s pyjamas set in a tote. Asked if they had a women’s set for my mum and somehow ended up with 2 tote bags. Also took all the snacks from the basket, the menu book, notebook, and pen because everyone told me to 🤣.

Seat - honestly not the biggest fan like many said. Not sure why the mattress topper doesn’t tuck in like Business Class so it stays in place. Also the armrest buttons are so far away once you’re lying flat. Had to sit up every time to adjust anything. You can use the tablet instead but I hate bright light hitting my eyes the second I wake up. Funny enough, I think I still prefer the Business seat overall user experience and it’s spacious enough for me 😂
*could be user problem

Also didn’t realise until near landing that the chair had a massage feature… dumb dumb moment.

Crew - 10/10. Seriously beyond amazing.

Shower - The 5-minute limit sounds short but honestly it was more than enough.

Headphones - Both my partner’s and my seat had this buzzing/static noise. I ended up moving to another empty seat to watch some live tennis and it was still there, just less noticeable.

Will I fly First Class again? ABSOLUTELY. But probably only if I have spare money lying around 😂

Our ticket breakdown:
2 people return Sydney - London AUD$20k total.
SYD → DXB: used points to upgrade to Business
DXB → LHR: stayed in Premium Economy
LHR → DXB: paid upgrade to Business (AUD $4k)
DXB → SYD: paid upgrade to First (AUD $4k)