Emirates Business Class: Everything You Need To Know

If you have ever been to Dubai, it’s a wonder to behold. How Dubai’s rulers managed to change this barren piece of desert beside the sea into a glistening metropolis is a story all in itself. As Dubai transformed into a sea of skyscrapers, they implemented a plan. As Dubai was so well positioned geographically for flights, having a name-brand airline was paramount. Thus, Emirates was born, offering a high-end travel experience that many say is unmatched. Flying business class on an Emirates flight comes with many benefits, from lie-flat seats to multi-course meals and glasses of Champagne. Keep reading to learn about all an Emirates Business Class flight can offer.

Emirates Business Class is available to most international travelers on Boeing 777 and A380 flights. Most of these flights will either originate in Dubai or stop in Dubai on the way to the final destination. The business class experience with Emirates in itself is unique. It comes with restaurant/bar facilities, a shower, and various other in-flight dining and entertainment options. It also comes with perks and benefits related to traveling between airports, such as priority boarding and chauffeur service. The price is high but in line with other business-class flights on any major airline.

Business class is offered on two of the largest airplanes around: the Airbus A380 and Boeing 777.

In the Emirates A380 business-class cabin, every seat has direct aisle access, so there is no need to fret about getting the dreaded middle seat. The A380 is huge and is the only airplane with a lounge/bar. The ability to get up from your seat and hang out at a bar makes for a memorable experience. You also have access to a shower for business-class passengers. Both the bar/lounge areas, as well as the showers, are only available on the Airbus A380.

Business class on a Boeing 777 is not as nice as it is on the Airbus A380. First, you do indeed have a middle seat in business class on a Boeing 777 flight. The seating works with a 2-3-2 seating plan in which every row has one middle seat. Furthermore, the bar/lounge and the shower are not available on Boeing 777 flights. However, other than the plane layout, the majority of in-flight services and benefits are more or less the same.

Both the Boeing 777 and Airbus A830 flights come with many of the same benefits, including the following:

One of the most frustrating parts about long-haul flights is that if you cannot sleep, you just have to sit awake for hours at a time. Emirates’ lie-flat seats allow you to take your seat all the way down and turn it into a snuggly bed. The width and cushiony aspects of the seat, in addition to the way it reclines, make it seem more like a bed than a seat. A business-class seat on Emirates will be among the most comfortable airplane seats you could encounter on a plane.

You will have priority access to all elements of the typical airport experience. This includes check-ins for Emirates as well as security in the Dubai airport. Emirates Business Class check-in can save you a considerable amount of time on your travels.

Business-class passengers get access to Emirates Business Class lounges throughout the world. The Dubai Emirates business lounge, in particular, is a wonder to behold. There is even barista-made coffee and a health and wellness buffet. Dubai’s Concourse B also offers a Moet & Chandon Champagne lounge. This means you can sip on top-notch champagne while waiting for your flight to board.

Business-class passengers on Emirates can take two bags that weigh up to 70 pounds each. You can also take up to two carry-on pieces of luggage that can weigh up to 15 pounds each. For a long-haul flight, the baggage savings add up.

Emirates provides free chauffeur service from your hotel or apartment to the airport you are flying out of. They will come to get you up to 12 hours before the departure of your flight. There is a mile restriction, so if you live far from an airport, you might have to pay an extra fee.

Emirates likes to spoil their passengers during the flight. They want the in-flight experience to be as enjoyable as possible so that it feels as if the passenger is not even traveling by plane. Here are some of the in-flight benefits on offer.

You won’t get a butler in a three-piece suit with a bowtie, but in terms of in-flight service, the experience comes close to that. As the local population of the UAE is not high, Emirates has recruited an international staff that speaks 60 languages. At the start of the flight, they will announce the languages that are spoken by the staff. The primary meals are served via food carts, but the flight attendants are at your beck and call during the flight.

Champagne anyone? Most of the time, on an airplane, you will get sparkling wine at best. On Emirates, however, you will get real Champagne from Moet & Chandon or Veuve Clicquot. There are also a variety of LVMH group wines available on board. At the bar (on the A830), there is a host of cocktail options that are also available from your flight attendant. Premium coffee and sparkling water are also standard, along with various fizzy and sugary drinks.

Emirates offers high-end cuisine for its business class passengers, coupled with quality preparation and dining utensils. The menu depends on the distance of the flight, but there are plenty of options to choose from. For long-haul flights, in addition to the meals, there is a selection of “light bites” that are available for the duration of the flight. The dining utensils and kitchenware are courtesy of Royal Daulton Fine Dining and Robert Welch cutlery. The menu items range from seafood to pasta to prime cuts of meat. The meal starts with an aperitif and an appetizer and finishes with the main course and dessert, all accompanied by drinks and/or cocktails. For those with dietary restrictions, you can pre-order certain meals before the flight.

Every seat in Emirates Business Class comes with a large entertainment center in case the passenger can’t get any sleep in their bed-like plane seat. They refer to this entertainment package as “on ice.” Passengers can enjoy 5,000 channels of programming, including 1,000 channels of movie selections. As Emirates says:

Before you book Emirates Business Class, be aware that there are other ticket classes to consider. Here are the other ticket classes that Emirates offers:

A business-class ticket will cost less than a first-class ticket but more than an economy or premium economy seat. As an Emirates Business Class ticket is expensive, is it worth the price? That all depends on how much you value luxury vs. price. However, one thing is for sure. The Airbus A380 offers more in terms of its layout than the Boeing 777. Therefore, if you are going to book Emirates Business Class, book it on a flight with an Airbus A380.

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Travel and airport benefits consist of access to the Emirates business lounges as well as preferred check-in and even chauffeur service. In-flight benefits include 5,000 entertainment channels and high-end beverages and cuisine. The plane layouts are also unique, and both the A830 and Boeing 777 have lie-flat seats.

No, although you do get an amenity kit with facial cream, lip balm, and shaving foam. Other airlines, including United, do offer pajamas on their long-haul flights.

Tickets, on average, start at around $5,000, but this changes depending on the timing of purchase and location. You can purchase tickets with any valid debit or credit card.

On the Airbus A830, there is no difference. Every seat is on an aisle, with some facing closer to a window and some not. With the Boeing 777, however, there is a middle seat. Any seat other than the middle seat on the Boeing 777 is more or less the same.