Review: Emirates Business Class Airbus A380 (JFK-MXP)

Thank you Ben, for reviving old memories of our pre Chinese virus A380 flights. Thinking back, one realises how our tastes have changed over the years.
One’s first impression was Wow! Today it is “Really”, how “Posh and Becks”.
Seriously, one is pleased to note that you enjoyed the experience, even if the cabin decor is looking dated.
Personally, having observed the changes in the Gulf States for over half a century now, one is unlikely to experience another Emirates flight …. however, one should never say never again.

Apparently it's a huge loss for most, that EK failed Ben on this U2 quest.

Looks so ghetto.

Election night on a plane lmao, I'm surprised somebody didn't try to crash the plane.

While I totally get the point about those wanting some substantial sleep, I cannot think of a better night to go transatlantic. For those who were watching the counts come in and map colors change, it must have felt like the flight was over in the blink of an eye. If only I had FA's bringing me cocktails and food on election night, and then champagne at whatever ungodly hour it was when 270 was hit. Too fun.

The SQ25 to FRA and SIN often leaves from A6 as well, and they use the same kinds of signage, but they usually enforce a bit more order with the queues.

It's not "Chinese virus" it's "Jyenavirus."

@Ben - If you use miles to upgrade a business award ticket to first at the time of check in are you also charged any cash differential in taxes/fuel surcharges that would have been imposed between a business and first class award booked from the get go or only the additional Skywards miles?

I’ve never been able to find an answer to this online. It looks like a few people asked the same question on the post where you covered the process in depth back in 2021 but never rec’d a reply.

Would appreciate any insight!

Unfortunately, their pricing is very high. I am not sure its halo effect would justify the over $2k pricing premium over the other carrier non stops.

I did a points upgrade from Athens to nyc and don’t remember paying any cash fees. If there were tax differences it would’ve been extremely negligible.

The halo effect is a marketing gimmick. If you’re taken in by it, you’re being duped. This is a vastly inferior business class hard product in a cabin that feels like a cattle car. No privacy and no peace. No thank you.

Pimp my flight.

"You can either choose to just have shares (as soon below)..."

Two typos here, I think.

Ben, curious about your missed EasyJet connection~ I assume it was a cash ticket~ so were you a 'no-show' or did you communicate you would miss it?
Did you get any refund, or maybe a TI payout?
I always dread missing a seperately ticketed connection and opt for what is normally an excessive connection time.

That sounds so good. It's my dream to one day afford the Emirates business class. Sounds like so much fun.

My darling, Alonzo. Strive as you may, to appear 'witty' or sharp with these uninspired one-liners, you are (still) doomed to be as witless as a common garden slug.

Thanks for the write up. Weird typo around the window shade section: "You can either choose to just have shares (as soon below)"

Could you give some insight in how to book the business saver round trip award on this route. JFK to mxp or mxp to jfk RT. Would like to do that for ~105k miles vs ~87k miles one way. The one way redemption kind of stinks vs just the normal 60k business to go to Europe. Can even get SQ for 60. The search in emirates website seems horrible and designed to only allow you to search 2-3 times before it gives you a fake error. Thanks.

I always considered the Emirates (EK) business class a pretty solid product - not exceptional but solid.
In some areas it is ahead of many airlines, in one - to me - important area it is behind some airlines, and in two areas it is even ahead of Emirates first class.

Thankfully, EK offers decent room for one’s feet in business class, not a shoe box where you cannot turn you feet like Air Canada on their 777 for example. Except for Dubai, business and first class seem to share the same lounges and also share the bar on the A380. Nice…

As a CPAP machine user, I had hoped for some partition between seat and aisle to give more privacy on the new A350, but the path to the aisle remains always unobstructed, be that on the 777, A380 or A350. There is some room for improvement here.

Call me a plebeian, but I prefer the EK Business Class Moët & Chandon over their First Class Dom Pérignon and I also like EK’s business class (lighter) blankets better than those in first. Whenever I travel in first class, the crew has, however, always been happy to oblige me. Thank You.

As I said, a pretty solid product.

B

You are of course free to believe whatever takes your fancy Willy, if your mate Trump referred to the pandemic virus as the “Chinese Virus”, who am I to argue?

While it may be dated, the EK A380 J seat is pretty great. Even just on the hard product alone, I’d prefer it any day of the week to a “modern” J seat such as LH Allegris. Add in EKs soft product and lounges and it’s no comparison at all.

Yo momma a garden slug.

The great battle of TravelinPenis vs AeroB13a the pedophile poop expert.

What a sight.

I was just going to comment this.... SQ recently stopped the queuing system as well (late 2024). When they call for your cabin class you are free to board. When we were lining up near the gate and signage we were kindly asked to move toward the seating area until your group is called

It's too bad Qatar only has a few A380s in service. Their business class on the A380 > Emirates' business class on the A380.

Granted, the reverse is true in first class, but still. Better food and seats in business class on Qatar's A380 for sure.

So it was over 2 hours late and you still gave it a good ranking ?

Maybe that's ok for people who drift around reviewing airlines. For the rest of us who actually need to be placed being 2 hours late is totally unacceptable. So I'd rank it a fail

Amen to that! It boggles the mind how some folks are actively drawn to Emirates when both Qatar and Etihad are superior.

Finora,
One could take a different view of your criticism of Ben’s post.
A two hour delay on a scheduled flight is hardly uncommon these days, furthermore, many delays are beyond the control of the carrier. One is aware that some airlines do have a poor punctuality record due to their poor scheduling, etc, and are best avoided.
Some might contend that those passengers who do not take into account the possibility of delays, are simply planning to fail at some point.
In conclusion one is minded to believe that Ben’s report is about his experience as an EQ passenger, this is what the majority of readers are mostly interested in.

Your "I think my main “issue” with flying Emirates business class is that you can pretty inexpensively upgrade to first class with miles on the day of departure"

I do not think you meant to use issue here.

I really wanted an easyjet review. Hope Ben does a tour with them... Put up a few hundred bucks and see how many times you can fly.

“However, Emirates gets a lot of things right, and it’s a pleasure to fly the A380. Emirates has comfortable seats, friendly crews, exceptional entertainment, endless amenities, and tasty food and drinks.”

I know this is a mileage muncher’s premium travel blog but that very nicely sums up my (pre-Covid) three one stop all-380 Economy round trips from my local U.K. airport to Auckland.

By no means the cheapest but fair value for the convenience and fastest trip when time was limited. EK plugged the one stop England to NZ gap left wide open after Air NZ abruptly ended its one-stop 777 service via LAX in 2020 in favour of a non stop 787 AKL-JFK rotation.

The ads once claimed BA was ‘the world’s favourite airline’ but Emirates (especially in the A380) is now mine. Even in the cheap seats.

LOVE this airline.

No. Air France looks ghetto.

Wrong. Emirates is amazing