Best Emirates A380 Business Class Seats: My Picks, And Seats To Avoid

Emirates is one of the world’s most well-known airline brands, and the airline is known for its Airbus A380s, as it has a massive fleet of these, comprised of over 100 jets. Given just how many people fly Emirates’ A380 in business class, plus the variance in quality between seats, I’d like to share my take on the best seats in the cabin, and what you should consider.

Basics of Emirates A380 business class layout

Emirates’ Airbus A380 business class is located on the upper deck of the world’s largest commercial jet. There are two general Emirates A380 configurations.

The most common configuration has a total of 76 business class seats, which take up most of the upper deck, and are located behind the 14-seat first class cabin. In this configuration:

• There’s one huge business class cabin, with a total of 58 seats, spread across 15 rows
• Then there’s also a rear business class cabin, with a total of 18 seats, spread across five rows
• The two cabins are separated by the emergency exits, and the rear cabin is located right in front of the business class bar

Emirates also has a small subfleet of A380s that don’t feature a first class cabin. These planes have historically had a total of 56 business class seats, which take up roughly the back half of the upper deck (with economy being at the front of the cabin, interestingly). In the original configuration:

• There’s one bigger business class cabin, with a total of 40 seats, spread across 10 rows
• Then there’s also a rear business class cabin, with a total of 18 seats, spread across five rows
• The two cabins are separated by the emergency exits, and the rear cabin is located right in front of the business class bar

However, note that these higher density A380s are in the process of being reconfigured, and soon they’ll all have 76 business class seats, so I won’t focus too much on the subfleet in this post.

Let me emphasize that there’s also a slight variation in terms of the cabin finishes, with some A380s having seats that have Emirates’ updated color scheme, and others having the more retro colors. There are also differences in the resolution of the monitors, the personal tablets, etc. But that doesn’t impact the layout of the aircraft, and therefore doesn’t impact my recommendation of which seat is best.

How to pick the best Emirates A380 business class seats

Since Emirates’ A380 business class consists of staggered seats, there’s quite a bit of variance in terms of the quality of seats. So let me share some general considerations for picking seats.

“A” and “K” seats are the best for solo travelers

In a staggered configuration, some seats are closer to the windows, while others are closer to the aisle.

Typically the “true” window seats in this configuration are preferred, since you have more separation from the aisle, and also have a better view out the window. The real window seats are those with the letters “A” and “K.”

The “B” and “J” seats are also technically window seats, though they’re much closer to the aisle, and therefore aren’t nearly as private (and for that matter, people in the aisle can even bump into you). It’s also tougher to reach the storage lockers from these seats. So they’d only be my second choice if traveling solo, after the “A” and “K” seats.

“E” and “F” seats are great for couples

If you’re traveling as a couple and want to be able to enjoy the flight together, be sure to pick seats with the letters “E” and “F.” These are often referred to as “honeymoon” seats, since they’re so close together. They also have separation from the aisle, which is preferred in terms of having some privacy.

In every other row, the seats in the center section are the “D” and “G” seats, and those are closer to the aisle. If you’re traveling with someone, you might as well not bother with picking these seats, since they’re so far apart. The “E” and “F” seats would be my absolute last choice when selecting seats.

There are advantages to the front of the cabin

In Emirates’ A380 business class, there’s a lot of foot traffic to the back of the plane. All four business class lavatories are at the back of the cabin, as is the onboard bar and lounge. Not only that, but the galley is also in the rear of the aircraft, so most of the service happens from there.

The further forward you sit, the less foot traffic you’ll deal with. If you’re in the first several rows, you’ll have the fewest interruptions.

Now, conversely, if you’re seated in the front of the cabin, you’ll also see the fewest flight attendants passing your seat, so it can be harder to flag someone down. Then again, Emirates flight attendants are pretty responsive to the call bell.

Avoid(ish) the rear business class cabin

Usually I have unusual seat preferences, as I prefer to sit in the very back of a business class cabin. However, the rear cabin has a ton of foot traffic, and also has a lot of noise from the bar and galley area. Now, I’d say the first row or two in the rear cabin aren’t necessarily bad, but if you’re in the last three rows, the noise is definitely noticeable.

I actually sort of can’t believe Emirates sells the last row of business class on this plane, as you might as well have a seat at the bar. I would hate to be seated in one of those seats if I were hoping to sleep.

Bulkhead seats have larger footwells

If you can snag a seat in one of the bulkhead business class rows, I think that’s a good idea. For one, it feels a bit more private, since you don’t have anyone in front of you. On top of that, the footwell is a bit bigger than in other seats, which is always great.

My Emirates A380 business class seat recommendations

With the above out of the way, which seats would I choose if flying Emirates’ A380 business class? If you’re flying on an A380 with the 76-seat business class cabin:

• My first picks would be 7A, 7K, 23A, and 23K, which are the bulkhead seats that are “true” windows, offering the most privacy and the largest footwells
• If traveling alone, I’d otherwise pick the seat furthest forward that’s an “A” or “K” seat, which would be in odd numbered rows
• If traveling with someone, I’d probably select the honeymoon seats, which would be in odd numbered rows
• I’d then select the “B” and “J” seats over the “D” and “G” seats
• I’d do everything possible to avoid row 25 or 26

If you’re flying on an A380 with the 56-seat business class cabin:

• My first picks would be 6A, 6K, 20A, and 20K, which are the bulkhead seats that are “true” windows
• If traveling alone, I’d otherwise pick the seat furthest forward that’s an “A” or “K” seat, which would be in even numbered rows
• If traveling with someone, I’d probably select the honeymoon seats, which would be in even numbered rows
• I’d then select the “B” and “J” seats over the “D” and “G” seats
• I’d do everything possible to avoid row 22 or 23

Bottom line

Emirates has a huge Airbus A380 fleet, and it can be hard to figure out which seats are the best choice. The nice thing about these staggered configurations is that they offer different seating options depending on your preferences. However, some seats are definitely better than others. Hopefully the above is a useful rundown of which seats you’re best off picking.

Do you have a favorite Emirates A380 business class seat?