I rank Emirates’ new first class as the world’s best first class product. Readers often have questions about whether a particular flight is scheduled to feature the new first class, so in this post I wanted to cover that in a bit more detail, and provide an update on which routes are currently scheduled to have the new product.
Emirates changed several routes featuring the new first class as of December 2023, so I wanted to update this post to reflect that.
In this post:
What makes Emirates’ new first class special?
While Emirates first class has long been a world class product, the airline took it to the next level with its new first class, introduced in late 2017 (okay, I guess it’s not really that “new” anymore, but it is rare). The new first class is available exclusively on select Boeing 777-300ERs, and features just six seats. It’s simply the most impressive first class hard product in the sky.
While there are lots of first class suites with doors nowadays, this one is actually fully enclosed, floor-to-ceiling. This suite also has an incredible number of gadgets, from temperature controls in your private suite, to lighting controls where you can choose the color and intensity of the lighting.
To get a sense of how awesome this product is, check out my full Emirates new first class trip report from a flight I took between Washington and Dubai.
Which planes feature Emirates’ new first class?
Even though Emirates has a fleet of over 250 aircraft (exclusively Airbus A380s and Boeing 777s), only nine planes feature the new first class seats. More specifically, the last nine Boeing 777-300ERs that Emirates ever took delivery of have this cabin. Emirates took delivery of these planes between 2017 and 2018, and they have the following registration codes:
The above links go to the Flightradar24 pages for each of the planes, so you can track where they’ve been flying.
Just to be perfectly clear, while Emirates’ A380s offer an incredible first class experience with onboard showers and a bar, no A380s feature the new first class seats.
How can you tell if your plane features Emirates’ new first class?
The best way to tell for sure if you’re scheduled to be on a plane with Emirates’ new first class is to look at the seatmap. If the seatmap shows eight seats in first class (two rows in a 1-2-1 configuration) then you’re scheduled to be on a 777 with the old first class.
Meanwhile if the seatmap shows six seats in first class (two rows in a 1-1-1 configuration) then you’re scheduled to be on a 777 with the new first class.
Let me once again emphasize that aircraft assignments are subject to change, especially if you’re still a long time from departure.
Which routes feature Emirates’ new first class?
Let’s take a look at the routes on which Emirates has currently scheduled its Boeing 777s with the new first class cabins. For the winter 2023/2024 season, you can expect to find the new 777s flying between Dubai and the following destinations:
- Brussels (BRU) on EK183/184 & EK181/182 — on an ongoing basis
- Geneva (GVA) on EK83/84 & EK89/90 — on an ongoing basis
- Kuwait City (KWI) on EK843/844 & EK855/856 — on an ongoing basis, but scheduling varies
- London Heathrow (LHR) on EK41/42 — from December 1, 2023, until March 31, 2024
- Nice (NCE) on EK77/78 — from December 1, 2023, until March 31, 2024
- Riyadh (RUH) on EK815/816 & EK819/920 — on an ongoing basis, but scheduling varies
- Tokyo (HND) on EK312/313 — on an ongoing basis
- Washington (IAD) on EK231/232 — from December 1, 2023, until March 31, 2024
Let me emphasize that this schedule is always subject to change, and there may be some variation with specific frequencies. So you’ll want to always check the seatmap for a particular flight to ensure that it’s actually scheduled to be operated by one of these aircraft.
Emirates also tends to have some last minute aircraft swaps, so you may book a route scheduled to feature the new first class and not get it. Conversely, you may book a route scheduled to be operated by the old first class, and luck out with the new first class.
I’m happy to see that Emirates’ new 777 first class has finally returned to the United States this winter, on the Washington to Dubai route.
Will more planes get Emirates’ new first class?
Emirates introduced its new first class around six years ago, and still only nine planes have the new first class. When can we expect more planes to get this new first class product?
- There are no concrete plans for Emirates to reconfigure any existing planes with the new first class product; while Emirates plans to reconfigure some existing 777s with premium economy and a new business class, installing the new first class isn’t part of the plan
- Rather the new first class product will be rolled out on Emirates’ upcoming Boeing 777Xs, as the airline has 205 of these planes on order
- The catch is that Emirates was supposed to start taking delivery of the 777X in 2021, but that has now been delayed until 2025 at the earliest
- Emirates also has Airbus A350s and Boeing 787s on order, though we don’t yet have details for the cabin layouts of these aircraft
Unfortunately it sounds like we shouldn’t expect any more planes to feature the new first class for another two or more years (and that’s optimistic), which sure is disappointing. Hopefully Emirates management has a change of heart, and reconfigures some existing planes with these seats. It really is kind of embarrassing to roll out an amazing new product, and only have it on nine planes after six years.
How do you redeem miles for Emirates first class?
The best way to redeem miles for Emirates first class is directly through the Skywards program. The good news is that Skywards is transfer partners with all major transferable points currencies, including Amex Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou, and Capital One, so there are lots of ways to earn Skywards miles.
First class award availability can be tough to come by on planes with the new first class, given how small the cabin is. That being said, we often see one seat released in advance, and then more seats released as the departure date approaches.
The real trick to scoring an Emirates first class award seat is to book a business class award, and then upgrade at the airport or on the plane using Skywards miles, as that generally gets you last seat availability.
Bottom line
Emirates’ new first class product is incredible, and I rank it as the best in the world. Unfortunately it’s only available on nine aircraft, so a vast majority of Emirates first class passengers won’t get to experience it.
Hopefully the above is a useful overview of what makes the product special, and what routes you can regularly find it on. Emirates pretty consistently offers its new first class to destinations like Brussels, Geneva, and London, and this winter you can even expect the product to be available to Washington.
If you’ve flown the new Emirates first class, what was your experience like?
I have an issue. I booked the game changer first class to try it for a flight end of Jan this month - flight EK006 london Stanstead to Dubai. I know 100% it was the game changer. Now its not the game changer and Emirates are saying it never was - i know it was! But how can I prove it??? because they are saying if i can prove it, they will waive the change fee
Dulles has been extended at least through the first part of May (happened in the last week). Have been planning a trip in the this window and was annoyed when they swapped the A380 for the 777 but at least now it may afford an opportunity to maybe get lucky if there is first award space available.
Emirates seems to not show the old business class in their 3D viewers at all anymore! You can check here:
https://www.emirates.com/in/english/experience/seating-charts/?aircraft=b777-three-class-ultra-long-range
Basically any Boeing 777 plane with 3 classes is showing up as having the new first class. So is this completely wrong? I'm confused.
On their general business class page they do not show the old one. When you have a reservation and view the 3D view of the seat for a given leg they still show the legacy product assuming that route is planned for legacy.
So embarrassing, still only 9 planes with this product
So I learned a lot about the "last seat availability" for upgrading same day.
1. They don't always make all seats available for upgrade and there's no way to know until you get to the airport
2. Some airports allow check-in T-3 hours; others are T-4 hours (JFK); and DXB is ongoing since the airport counters are always open. In DXB they operate a "waitlist" for these same-day upgrades and don't clear you...
So I learned a lot about the "last seat availability" for upgrading same day.
1. They don't always make all seats available for upgrade and there's no way to know until you get to the airport
2. Some airports allow check-in T-3 hours; others are T-4 hours (JFK); and DXB is ongoing since the airport counters are always open. In DXB they operate a "waitlist" for these same-day upgrades and don't clear you until 1 hour before the flight, so you may not ever get to access the first class lounge if they wait until the last second. I did this 2 weeks ago, and thankfully they cleared my upgrade 2 hours in advance (I kept checking the app. Was never notified)
3. Apparently this upgrade process can be complicated, some check-in agents don't want to deal with it.
Hey Ben, did you mean EK853/EK854 for the flight to Kuwait instead of EK843/EK844? To be honest, this is the first time I am hearing about EK853/EK854 being serviced with the game-changer suites. It's often either EK855/856 or EK859/860.