Hello from Bogota! Emirates has just launched an exciting new daily service between Miami (MIA) and Bogota (BOG), as a continuation of the carrier’s Dubai (DXB) service. As a Miami resident, I was really excited about this new route — when I saw first class award availability on the inaugural flight, I couldn’t help but book it (even though I usually avoid inaugural flights).
I won’t be writing a standard trip report about the flight, given how often I’ve reviewed Emirates first class. Instead, I just wanted to focus on what makes this route unique, and how unbelievably good the experience was.
In this post:
Flying Emirates from Miami to Bogota is surreal
I’ve flown Emirates first class a countless number of times over the years, though something about this flight felt so special. It was surreal to leave home late in the morning, be at my home airport a short while later, and then board a three hour Emirates flight.
When I board a three hour flight from my home airport, I’m usually flying American, so you can imagine that this flight felt like something out of the twilight zone. To get the full Emirates experience on a flight this short so close to home is simply unreal.
I do have one very serious complaint about the flight — it just wasn’t long enough!! I can totally relate to that Jennifer Aniston Emirates ad that goes back many years, where she asks the flight attendant if “there’s anyone we can talk to about maybe flying this around a little bit longer before we land?”
Emirates’ first class service is unbelievable
Emirates really is uncompromising with its service quality in first class. While Emirates slightly modifies its first class service on shorter flights, this route features all of the signature elements.
Service began with drinks, and the choice of nuts, olives, and/or chips.
That was followed by Emirates’ signature caviar course.
Then there was a choice of appetizers, and I selected the Arabic mezze.
For the main course, I had the pan-fried wagyu beef sirloin with hogao sauce, duck fat potato terrine, and asparagus. That’s right, I ordered beef for once!
Then for dessert, I had the bittersweet mocha cake with dulce de leche and kumquat compote, and a cappuccino.
And then to finish off the meal, I was offered a selection from Emirates’ extravagant chocolate box. I love how over-the-top the box is, as if each first class passenger is going to have a dozen chocolates after such a big meal.
And then as if that wasn’t enough, there were even more chocolates to take home (along with a roadie, natch — I’ll let y’all guess what was in it).
For those curious, below was the menu for the flight.
Even more impressive than the food was the drink selection. There were a dozen wines to choose from, but I could only accomplish so much on this short flight. After all, this wasn’t an ultra long haul Emirates flight, where you can sleep off your hangover. 😉
One of the highlights was of course the Dom Perignon 2013, which is always available in Emirates first class.
What delighted me even more, though, was the Opus One 2012, which was phenomenal. I’m not a huge red wine person, but Opus One goes down as easy as water (for better or worse).
Emirates also serves a special Dictador XO Colombian rum specifically on this route, and first class passengers were proactively offered that.
For those curious, below was the wine list for the flight. Honestly, in my ~15 years of consistently flying Emirates, this is possibly the best wine list I’ve ever seen on the airline.
As far as amenities go, Emirates’ full first class bedding was available, and pajamas and slippers were also available upon request.
The crew on this sector was phenomenal, with purser Julian and cabin crew Alison and Grace taking care of first class.
There wasn’t much fanfare for the inaugural
Emirates has spent a lot of money marketing this route, and there are ads all over Miami promoting this new service. So I was curious to see what the inaugural festivities would be like. To my surprise, there were very few.
There was no recognition of the inaugural in Miami, aside from a couple of signs about Bogota at the check-in counter.
There were some elements to the onboard experience that commemorated the occasion. For example, much of the crew was Colombian, including the captain, purser, and one of the first class flight attendants (I imagine there were other Colombian crew as well). They were proud to be working this flight, though sadly they had a direct turn, so they couldn’t even spend a night at “home.”
Inaugural flight certificates were also handed out before landing. While I’m a huge aviation geek, I’m never really sure what to do with these. They’re cute, but I’m also not going to frame them and put them on a wall.
The crew also did everything in their power to make the inaugural flight special, like coming around to each passenger and offering to snap their picture with a Polaroid.
On arrival in Bogota, we saw a ton of people standing on the apron photographing the aircraft. There was nothing special in the terminal, though.
It was nice to meet some fellow aviation geeks on the flight. I’m a bit surprised Emirates didn’t do more to celebrate the inaugural flight, but then again, I realize the challenging logistics of that (at what point do you really celebrate, given that this is a “direct,” multi-sector flight?). Yesterday was also a public holiday in Colombia, so it’s my understanding that Emirates has some other celebrations planned.
I can’t recommend Emirates’ new flight enough
Miami to Bogota is a competitive market, as it’s also served by American, avianca, LATAM, and now Emirates. If you’re flying between the United States and Colombia, I can’t recommend flying Emirates enough, whether you’re paying cash or redeeming miles.
Emirates’ pricing in cash is extremely competitive at the moment. On many days, economy is priced in line with or cheaper than competitors in the market. And keep in mind that on Emirates you get a full meal in economy, free alcoholic drinks, friendly service, checked bags and carry-ons, etc. You’d be stupid not to fly Emirates.
Emirates is priced marginally higher than competitors in business class, but honestly, you’re getting so much more than on other airlines, so I think it’s a reasonable premium.
First class is very expensive, but then again, that’s what miles are for. 😉
Speaking of miles, Emirates’ flights between Miami and Bogota are wide open with Emirates Skywards miles in all cabins. Right now these planes are empty, and I see two first class award seats, at least seven business class award seats, and nearly unlimited economy award seats, on these flights, on most dates. What should you expect to pay?
- Economy costs 22,500 miles one-way, or 26,000 miles roundtrip
- Business class costs 52,500 miles one-way, or 64,000 miles roundtrip
- First class costs 60,500 miles one-way, or 121,000 miles roundtrip
Emirates Skywards miles are really easy to come by, as the program is transfer partners with all major transferable points currencies, including Amex Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Capital One, Chase Ultimate Rewards, and Citi ThankYou.
Bottom line
Emirates has a new route between Miami and Bogota, which I’d argue is the most luxurious flight within the Americas in first class. The route operates daily, and regardless of which cabin you’re flying, you’ll get a better experience than when flying with competitors.
While I don’t usually take inaugural flights, it was a treat to be on this special service, especially with the lovely Colombian crew that was working this flight. I’m already excited to take this flight again. How lucky am I to have this fifth freedom route at my home airport?!
Any OMAAT readers plan on taking Emirates’ new flight between Miami and Bogota?
Just flew this route in reverse (BOG-MIA) in F for 60K skywards. Spectacular compared to any other option on this route! I believe the single chocolate box is used in both directions because when it was presented to me at the end of the meal, about 2/3 of the chocolates were already missing (and there was only one other passenger in F with me).
My two children were flying in Y (10K skywards each)...
Just flew this route in reverse (BOG-MIA) in F for 60K skywards. Spectacular compared to any other option on this route! I believe the single chocolate box is used in both directions because when it was presented to me at the end of the meal, about 2/3 of the chocolates were already missing (and there was only one other passenger in F with me).
My two children were flying in Y (10K skywards each) and Purser offered each of them a box of chocolates to go as well and moved them up to empty J seats immediately behind F for final so we could deplane together.
I actually paid dollars, not points or miles or upgrades, for this. I had never flown EK before, wanted to try it, and thought what the hell, do it in F to get the full feel. Glad I did. EK is pricing that leg in F at about $3,400 for June, including inaugural, but oddly through Amex Travel it was being discounted by $665 from that, into the $2700s. Heck, the discount almost paid for...
I actually paid dollars, not points or miles or upgrades, for this. I had never flown EK before, wanted to try it, and thought what the hell, do it in F to get the full feel. Glad I did. EK is pricing that leg in F at about $3,400 for June, including inaugural, but oddly through Amex Travel it was being discounted by $665 from that, into the $2700s. Heck, the discount almost paid for one year of Amex Platinum in one foul swoop! I was worried on a shorter flight I may not got the true experience, but with one exception (somehow I was never offered the dessert course), I did. And Julian and those ladies were fantastic. Nice meeting you on board.
Why bother in FC for a 3 hr flight. You just paid for a very fancy FC meal when you could have gone to any Michelin Starred restaurant! So u paid for a $2000 meal when you wouldn't have time to avail yourself of luxurious sleeping accommodations.
Reminds me of flying Emirates first CHC to SYD where I was lucky enough to be the only passenger in first. It was the most memorable flight I have done to date! Also at the same time one of the most extravagant use of points and the best value use of points all at the same time.
That takeout coffee cup was full of Dom, wasn't it?!
WoW! Just the price on one bottle of the Opus One is higher than an economy roundtrip fare. Very nice!
The beef!!! Hooray :) I hope you enjoyed.
Just as a heads up, Emirates just recently slashed their award pricing in economy and thus this route now costs just 10K EK miles which makes it quite the steal IMO. Similar story with their other fifth freedom routes. Heck even MLA to LCA now only costs 7,500 miles
who cares…who even flies that route
@ Joemama -- Hey, it's fair enough if the route doesn't interest you, but there are a dozen flights per day in the market, so I imagine others feel differently...
Is anyone else having issues on the app? When you select a search for classic awards BOG is deleted and is not an option.
@ MK -- There have been issued with searching this city pair, though it seems to be fixed on the website but not app. So I'd recommend accessing the full site, as it's not just you.
Emirates first class Polaroid photo
It's not like we don't know what you look like :). Would have been fun to post that poloraid pic as well (wink)
How many flights have you had cancelled on you? And is that even allowed? I understand if an entire flight is cancelled or one gets downgraded on a flight, but to your reservation cancelled seems bizzare.
The overabundance pop up ads have made OMAAT unreadable..
Adblock browser.
The Hyatt in Bogota is amazing hope you are staying there and will review it. We love it.
Julian is one of their best! :) had him from Maldives to Dxb!
Are you going to write about the return flight ?
How dangerous is Bogota? Like do I need to carry a gun when there? Think I will stick to Dubai when flying Emirates.
That’s a stupid/ignorant comment. Bogota is safe as long as you exercise normal precautions - same precautions you would exercise in any large city.
How dangerous is USA?
Americans carry guns all over the country.
Go figure.
You're stuck in the 90s. It's much more dangerous in parts of Chicago or Los Angeles than it is in most of Bogota. Just use your common sense.
How many thru passengers were there?
FlyerDon -- Very, very few. I only know of one passenger who had originated in Dubai. I get the sense that a vast majority of passengers on this route will be flying between MIA and BOG.
Is it possible to tag on flights with partners like United DEN-MIA for this flight for same mileage or slightly more?
@ Hans with Golden Rule Travel -- Unfortunately not. Skywards doesn't allow mixed redemptions in that way. You might be able to book something on both United and Emirates through Aeroplan, though pricing may not be great.
Thank you so much for such an adorable flight comment! I’m booking my flight as we speak, cos I want to have it all!!!
Sign me up! Been to Bogota before but EK 1st class is an excellent excuse to go back! Need to figure out best transfer option!
GReat you enjoyed Opus One. But saying it goes down as easy as water it's probably mildly insulting to all the wine conoisseurs out there :D
@ Travling Mike -- Hahaha, definitely true. But it's the truth. Opus One is SMOOTH (my non-wine connoisseur take, and it's intended as a compliment).
Ben... there will be an event at Miami airport to celebrate this new route around 0900am.maybe u and the team can show up.
Cash J fares are super low...like 1k USD. But then again its a short flight...must be hard to sell F on such short flights.
On the topic of South America, we still need a Boliviana A330 trip report!
@ Tulasi -- Coming very, very, very soon!
Are cash J flights upgradeable for this route?
I wonder if paid upgrades are offered at check-in as well.
@ TravelinWilly -- You should be able to upgrade cash business class fares to first class with Skywards miles. Cash upgrades typically aren't a great value on Emirates, and are often just the fare difference.
Paid J and upgrade with miles is probably the best/cheapest way to fly F on that route, correct?
I was just in Bogota a few weeks ago—the city has some great restaurants, especially Leo, El Chato, and Mesa Franca! Andres Carne de Res is a hoot, especially the location in Chia!
Dear Ben, thank you for flying Emirates …
It has been a pleasure having you on board and see you soon in the skies
I was eagerly looking forward to reading the menu for this flight! Do you still have it or have pics of it?
@ Joy -- Just added the menu to the post for you. :-) Would you like the wine list as well, or is the menu enough?
Wine list too please Ben - thanks.
@ Simon -- Your wish is my command! In post now.
It won’t last .
@ Eric -- The route or the pricing/award availability? For what it's worth, I can't think of an airline in the world that has axed fewer routes than Emirates...
Appears very similar to Emirates 5th freedom First Class experience onboard the A380 between BKK-HKG. Exceptional service and full range offering as well, including amenities. There, I opted for the Henessy Paradis, though. Definitely worth checking out. The BKK-HKG sells for 800USD return in First...
No amenity kit ? That first class amenity kit is something,
@ Manny -- Just pajamas on demand and not an amenity kit. It seems a bit backwards to me, but I'm not complaining, hah.
It sure is backwards. Most likely as the PJ's cost less than the amenity kit.
Is it possible to do a “turn” on this flight, going out and coming back on the same flight/plane? I’ve never done transit in BOG before. Looks like it is scheduled for 2 1/2 hours ground time. Back when AA used to count BIS miles for status, I did a LHR turn twice. Cleared security but didn’t need to clear UK immigration although one time I did to check out the arrivals lounge.
@ 767-223 -- As I took this trip, I was wondering that as well. The ground time is over two hours, and at least when we arrived, there wasn't a single person at immigration. So personally I'd feel comfortable doing a direct turn, but maybe someone more familiar with BOG can chime in...
I’m doing exactly this next week. Booked two first class award seats round trip on the same day. Everything I see online says you don’t need to clear immigration if doing an international transfer. And even if that turns out not to be true, seems like plenty of time to get through if needed.
The flight from Bogota to Miami tommorow (Wednesday, June 5th) is departing later than the other flights. It's scheduled to depart at 6:55pm, giv8ng you 4hrs at BOG between the two flights. This schedule is only for 6/5, as all other days (and other Wednesdays) have a 2.5hr turnaround.
The one off schedule change (which was done in advance) makes me believe Emirates will celebrate the inaugural tommorow and will likely have a ceremony...
The flight from Bogota to Miami tommorow (Wednesday, June 5th) is departing later than the other flights. It's scheduled to depart at 6:55pm, giv8ng you 4hrs at BOG between the two flights. This schedule is only for 6/5, as all other days (and other Wednesdays) have a 2.5hr turnaround.
The one off schedule change (which was done in advance) makes me believe Emirates will celebrate the inaugural tommorow and will likely have a ceremony at MIA and BOG (which explains the longer ground time in BOG).
Ben, how did you manage the risk of someone changing your flight?
Usually you dont publish your flight plans before you travel.
@ Willmo -- Great question! First of all, it's rather complicated to cancel someone else's Skywards award ticket, unlike with many other loyalty programs. Furthermore, it's not like I had a big trip planned that would have been screwed up if someone did cancel it, so I figured the risk was worth it in this case.
How many flights have you had cancelled on you? And is that even allowed? I understand if an entire flight is cancelled or one gets downgraded on a flight, but to your reservation cancelled seems bizzare.
Lucky, are those prices in miles correct? Seems like roundtrip is double the price of oneway in first, but practically the same as a oneway in eco and business?
@ El Dictador -- They are indeed correct. It's because in economy and business, Emirates has both Saver and Flex awards, while all first class awards are Flex. Saver awards offer significant discounts when booking roundtrip, while Flex awards don't.
Thanks! I've never really looked into Skywards, but good to know.
They have just lowered economy award pricing.
It's now 10k one-way.
Was Hennessy Paradis not available on this flight? I personally wouldn't have bothered with the Dictador rum (which retails for around 100 bucks so more like business class material!)
@ Luke -- It was indeed available, but I figured that given the special occasion, it was appropriate to try a Colombian rum.
Glad you liked the flight! How are you getting back to the USA, also on EK?
@ GroeneMichel -- I decided to fly Emirates roundtrip, since it's hard to go from EK F to AA. :p
Will you be posting about the return leg, @Ben? Do you know why it showed up as cancelled?
Flying on this flight on Friday! Can't wait!!!
It's my first time in Bogota. Anyone got any tips or recommendations for me (that are safe to visit as an American)?
Also, if you price out that Economy round-trip ticket on EK's website (or follow the link from Google Flights), it's actually $302 round-trip (even cheaper!).
"(along with a roadie, natch — I’ll let y’all guess what was in it)."
- Looks like Ben...
Flying on this flight on Friday! Can't wait!!!
It's my first time in Bogota. Anyone got any tips or recommendations for me (that are safe to visit as an American)?
Also, if you price out that Economy round-trip ticket on EK's website (or follow the link from Google Flights), it's actually $302 round-trip (even cheaper!).
"(along with a roadie, natch — I’ll let y’all guess what was in it)."
- Looks like Ben was being humble drinking from a nondescriptive cup while getting drunk with Dom at immigration in BOG lol.
I was thinking Hennessy Paradis.
Relieved no one messed with Ben's PNR in this rare case of him telegraphing a specific flight in advance!
Definitely check out the Gold museum, Candelaria art district, and Usaquen in Bogota!
Bogota is safe if you stick to the tourist stuff. Avoid the TransMilenio at rush hour or cycling around at any time—best to take cabs. Always check ATM withdrawals and change given for counterfeit bills, this is very common. Take a sightseeing bus, that will do a nice circuit around town and up into the hills. La Candelaria or Parque de la 93 are nice areas to grab some dinner and drinks. There are a...
Bogota is safe if you stick to the tourist stuff. Avoid the TransMilenio at rush hour or cycling around at any time—best to take cabs. Always check ATM withdrawals and change given for counterfeit bills, this is very common. Take a sightseeing bus, that will do a nice circuit around town and up into the hills. La Candelaria or Parque de la 93 are nice areas to grab some dinner and drinks. There are a couple museums worth visiting if you really have time to kill.
TBH, I've found Bogota to be a pleasant and unique city but very buttoned-up for South America. It's a nice place to spend 2-3 days max. Not really the kind of city where you just wander around and discover magic around every corner. It's very utilitarian.
If you do not have a stay yet, a Saturday night stay with Amex FHR at the W is a great choice. They have a night brunch on Saturday nights that is popular with locals. We loved it! Then Sunday mornings, after breakfast, head across the street to the Usaquen market, which stretches for many blocks.
We had the desk at the W arrange a private driver to go to the Catedral de Sal de...
If you do not have a stay yet, a Saturday night stay with Amex FHR at the W is a great choice. They have a night brunch on Saturday nights that is popular with locals. We loved it! Then Sunday mornings, after breakfast, head across the street to the Usaquen market, which stretches for many blocks.
We had the desk at the W arrange a private driver to go to the Catedral de Sal de Zipaquirá, an underground salt mine turned into a church. It was definitely worth it (we had went to the salt mines near Krakow, and the one near Bogota was way more interesting).
We also stayed at the Grand Hyatt, which was probably the nicest Grand Hyatt we have been to. The neighborhood around there is less interesting. The Museo Botero is definitely worth a visit.
Bogota is definitely my favorite South American city I have been to.
Im Brazilian, and had visited Bog twice. I felt really safe there.
Worth visiting Andres Carne de Res at Zona T, The Montserrat peack, The Candelaria area, Botero Museum, and the many cafes and local restaurants. Also Zona T is a great place for shopping and eating. You can use Uber as your transportation easily.