BOOKED: Emirates A380 & British Airways 777 Business Class!

I’ve recently wrapped up a few review trips, and have shared my initial impressions, though haven’t yet published the full trip reports (the first series will kick off this week). I just booked my next trip, and wanted to share the details. This isn’t a full-on review trip, but rather I actually have somewhere I need to be, but I’m trying to make the journey there and back interesting for OMAAT readers.

I’m heading to Paris rather inefficiently

I need to be in Paris later this week for a couple of days. Rather than just taking the most direct routing, I’m of course motivated by being able to review airline products that would make for interesting reviews. These aren’t really niche products, but rather they’re pretty mainstream experiences that I haven’t reviewed in way too long.

More from OMAAT British Airways Overhauls First Class Service, Amenities, And Food: Game Changer Or Non-Story? Read more

Let me state that I’m still trying to see if I can extend my trip by a couple of days and add a little roundtrip to Africa or India from Paris, but the stars haven’t quite aligned just yet in terms of award availability. Maybe they will. In the meantime, let me share what I do have booked.

Emirates A380 business class

I’ve reviewed Emirates’ incredible first class product ad nauseam. To be honest, I kind of struggle flying Emirates business class, because:

• Emirates first class is so much better than business class
• Emirates makes it easy to upgrade from business class to first class, even if you booked an award ticket in the first place

Still, I also have to acknowledge that Emirates’ A380 fleet is massive, so it’s time for an updated review of the premium product that most people are experiencing. I last reviewed Emirates’ A380 business class all the way back in 2017, so it feels like so many years later, it’s time to give it another shot.

I managed to find award availability between New York and Milan using Emirates Skywards miles. Now, this isn’t necessarily the most direct routing, since I first need to book a separate ticket from Miami to New York, and then need to fly EasyJet from Milan to Paris.

Ultimately New York to Milan is probably the single most efficient route on which to review Emirates’ A380 business class, given that the surcharges are much lower than on other routes. Furthermore, it’s cool that the airline offers pajamas in business class on this route, even though the flight is under nine hours (ordinarily the cutoff). That’s because the flight continues to Dubai.

So I’m looking forward to seeing how Emirates’ A380 business class is holding up.

British Airways 777 Club Suites business class

British Airways has greatly improved its business class in recent years, as it continues to roll out its Club Suites product. I reviewed British Airways’ A350 Club Suites back in 2019, but I think it’s time to give the product another shot. This time I’ll be flying on a 777, given that British Airways’ entire Heathrow-based 777 fleet has been reconfigured with this product.

I am avoiding a brunch or supper flight, given the extent to which British Airways has cut back service on those flights, and I feel like that could very well be reversed. Still, I’m looking forward to seeing where British Airways ranks compared to its European rivals.

Bottom line

I’m heading to Europe shortly, and rather than taking the most direct routing, I’m trying to review two new(ish) to me products across the Atlantic. While it requires a bit of a detour, I’ll be flying Emirates’ A380 business class on the way out, and British Airways’ 777 business class on the return.

I might be able to squeeze in a quick turn to somewhere interesting while in Europe, though I can’t make any promises there just yet…

Any predictions for Emirates’ A380 business class or British Airways’ 777 business class?