The ultimate Emirates First Class A380 review

What’s it really like to travel in the best class, on the biggest plane?

My first, and highly memorable, First flight on Emirates A380 was just after the pandemic. The world was just opening up for travel, but things weren’t quite the same: lounges were shut, the service offering had been adjusted, and it just felt a little bit stressful being on a plane. That period is now a distant memory. With Emirates redemptions being super expensive, I didn’t expect to be flying with them again. As luck, and a twist of fate, would have it, here we are.

How we booked this flight using points

Strap yourself in. This trip took us from the UK to Dubai, then Shanghai, Singapore, Malaysia, back to Singapore, then home to Manchester again.

The Shanghai leg was for four nights, followed by five nights in Singapore, then five on the Desaru coast in Malaysia. We then got a ferry back to Singapore, hung around for seven hours and caught a flight back to MAN.

We had already booked the Shanghai to Singapore leg on Singapore Airlines (First) and the final leg back to Manchester in Singapore Business Class. Our original plan was to travel out to Shanghai with BA, via London Heathrow. We booked that flight using Avios, but the plane we were due to fly on had the old-style club seats.

This is a first-world problem. When we started flying business class, those seats were incredible. We had so many great flights to North America and the Middle East. I still remember the very first time we flew business in the original Club World seat.

Now we’ve been spoiled by other airlines, and even BA itself with their new club suite. I adore the new version of the seat. It’s not the best in class, but it’s a very good seat, especially for overnight flights.

14 and a bit hours in the cramped, and likely banged up and slightly grotty, old-style seat did not sound like fun. Especially as we were flying out on my wife’s birthday.

We waited a few months to see if the plane swapped to the newer seat. As we got sixty days out from the flight, I made an executive decision and looked for alternatives. Surprisingly, Emirates had flights available, and we had enough points for them.

The price (in points and pounds)

We booked two Business Class seats from Manchester to Shanghai for 240,000 Skywards miles using Amex Membership Reward points. We also had to cover £1,715.72 in taxes and carrier-imposed surcharges.

These surcharges are significantly higher than BA’s, which itself has come under fire for setting the cash element of a points booking too high. I’d typically expect to spend around £1k on taxes and fees for a business class redemption with BA.

Upgrading from Business to First on Emirates

We upgraded the first MAN to Dubai leg from Business to First Class. That cost us 39,000 points each, which felt like a bargain. I ended up writing more about these Emirates First Class upgrades on a separate post, as recent changes with Emirates may have created the impression that it was not possible to use points for First. It is, just not directly.

That upgrade became available a few days after we booked the flight. We then tried to upgrade the second Dubai to Shanghai leg. Seats became available to book around a week before the flight, but we couldn’t get our points into Skywards quickly enough. It’s a long story, but American Express really let us down, and that saga is sadly ongoing.

Checking in at Manchester

Emirates flies from Manchester Terminal 1, the soon-to-be-closed legacy terminal. Their check-in desks are located at the far right-hand side of the terminal.

There is a dedicated First Class line, so check-in took all of three minutes. Our cabin bags had “First Class” tags attached, and we were given directions on how to reach the lounge. I’m not too sure what the purpose of those tags is, other than to make us feel special.

Business and First Class passengers will automatically receive fast-track security clearance. Despite us travelling out on the Friday before the August bank holiday, it was surprisingly quiet. However, there was only a single scanner open, which meant it was also slow, as any small issue meant that it impacted everyone. No surprise that Manchester Airport have been named the worst in the UK. Their decision making is often obsurd.

The only item of other note was when someone in front of us tried to put a baby through the security scanner in a tray. You think you’ve seen it all. I have no idea what they were thinking, but thankfully, a staff member stopped them.

The Emirates Lounge at MAN

Manchester is Emirates’ second-busiest UK hub, based on seats, just behind Heathrow. There are three flights a day to Dubai, on the A380. One of these has a first-class cabin, making EK the only airline to fly from MAN that offers first-class service.

According to an Emirates staff member, the airline will move to Terminal 2 in October 2025, and they will have a dedicated lounge at T2 a few months after that move.

For the moment, they’re still flying from T1 and using a lounge that is decades old. Despite its age, it’s the standout best lounge at the Airport. I wrote separately about my experience in the Emirates lounge at Manchester Airport. We really loved this space, and I think the airline (and the staff in the lounge) did an outstanding job.

Boarding for each Emirates flight is announced in the lounge. It will take you approximately ten minutes to get from the lounge to the gate, as you must go downstairs, through the main body of the terminal, and then into a satellite building. The A380-capable gates are right at the far end of this.

Boarding

We’ve flown Emirates from Manchester before, and boarding is like a scrum. The A380-friendly gate that Emirates uses is at the far end of the terminal. To access this from the main part of the terminal, you go through a thin, awkward walkway.

You then have to go past a number of other gates, in a building that’s not particularly wide. It is a poor experience, but it’s been like that for many years.

Emirates’ A380 has Business Class and First Class on the top deck, and at MAN, they operate two jet-bridges for boarding. The right-hand queue is for F and J passengers. Upon boarding, you’ll turn right if you’re in Business and left if you’re in First.

As we were travelling in First, once our tickets were checked at the door, we were then taken to our suites by a staff member. Prior to take-off, we were then introduced to a host of other staff members. I lost track of each person and their job, but it was nice to be given their time and attention.

It did feel a bit too much – let me get settled in my seat. I can barely remember my colleagues’ names, let alone those of staff members on a plane.

The Emirates First Class cabin

The First cabin had fourteen suites, in a 1-2-1 configuration. There are four solo suites on the left and right-hand side, then three pairs of seats in the middle. At the front of the first cabin are the two bathrooms and showers, the snack area, and then the stairs leading down to the economy section.

Behind the cabin is the First Class galley, then the business class cabin, then behind that is the bar and the business class bathrooms.

I was sitting in 2K, and my wife was in front of me in 1K. We chose our seats to be closer to the bathrooms and away from the galley. I don’t think there are any bad seats on this plane. On a night flight, being closer to the front of the cabin could be marginally better, as you’re further away from the First galley.

We were offered a welcome drink after boarding, and I opted for an Apple Spritzer. Shortly after our drinks arrived, we were offered sleep suits, and then amenity kits were brought to us.

We were then given menus and reminded that dining is at a time that suits us. Finally, we were asked if we wanted to use the shower on the flight, and I booked a timeslot an hour before landing.

It is very busy at the start of the flight, with all the questions, intros and people. There are a lot of decisions to be made.

The Emirates A380 bar

I absolutely love the Emirates A380 lounge, it’s the best bar in the sky (I wrote about all the planes that have on-board bars). Sadly, the number of airlines that operate social spaces on planes is decreasing. This bar has been updated since our last visit; there’s more seating space, and some tables have been removed.

It’s a great social space, and the best time to visit is when the Business Class cabin offers meal service at the start of the flight, as most passengers are occupied with eating. We spent twenty minutes in the bar, and were the only passengers using it until a few minutes before we left. I had a glass of white wine, and my wife had the breakfast martini.

During our time in the bar, there was only one other guest: a man of many talents who managed to hold a baby, order a gin, drink the gin, and then offer to take our picture (whilst still holding the baby). He took a great photo too.

A bartender is available at all times to serve you drinks, as well as wine, cocktails and spirits. There are also desserts and snacks that you can help yourself to (which I did). If the bar isn’t busy, the staff members will take a picture of you behind the bar.

One thing I love about Emirates is the mix of staff members’ nationalities and their approach to service. The bartender was British, and we had a friendly, informal conversation with her. Some of the staff members who served us at our seat were more formal and a bit more “first class”. Everyone delivered, and they were faultless, in their own unique ways.

The seat

The First Suites are ultra-wide, taking up the same width as three economy-class seats. About a quarter of that width is taken up by a storage unit and the drinks cabinet. That leaves you with a seat that is still wider than an economy seat, but it doesn’t feel much bigger than business class.

In front of you is a large TV. It’s 32 inches, which might not feel like much in a modern living room, but on a plane it’s huge. This is surprisingly not the biggest in the sky: JAL offers 42-inch screens on some of its planes.

The screen is a touchscreen, but it’s so far away from you that it’s impractical to use it that way. Instead, there’s a second screen that acts as a remote.

In the First cabin, the overhead storage bins are located on the left and right-hand sides, leaving the ceiling in the centre of the plane open and making it feel more spacious. You have so much storage in the suite itself, it’s unlikely you’ll need to use the bins.

Storage in the First suite

Within the Suite, you have four storage spaces:

• In front of you, there’s a space that contains the in-flight magazine and headphones.
• In the armrest to one side, you have a small storage tray suitable for jewellery
• To the other side of the seat, you have a deep storage bin
• Behind the drinks cabinet is a long and deep storage unit.

Amenities and buttons galore

You have a desk in front of you that features a lamp on one side and a pop-up tray that includes a makeup mirror.

Inside that tray, you’ll find a sealed set of amenities that includes pillow spray, sleep oil, a towelette, facial toner, and eye cream. The desk also houses your snack tray, which contains a mixture of chocolate, crisps and nuts, along with mints and effervescent vitamins (think Berocca, but a different brand).

Under the desk is a pull-out writing drawer that contains a notepad and pen. On the opposite side, there is a single USB-A port and a universal power socket. These power options feel miserly when compared to some other aircraft. Emirates’ own 777 has two USB-C connectors in its business class suite.

There are no overhead air vents. Instead, you have a vent positioned slightly above head height behind you, and a second vent located at waist height, next to the IFE remote screen.

For lighting, you have a desk lamp in front of you, a higher side light in front of you, and then behind you, a reading light.

When the blinds are down, the cabin can be quite dark, so you will end up utilising them if you need to work, eat, or just see.

The mini-bar

A pop-up mini-bar is built into the seat, offering a selection of soft drinks for easy access. It’s a nice touch, and you get something similar in Business Class. This is not a chilled mini-bar, so as the flight goes on, the drinks will get warmer.

The mini-bar also contains two snack containers. On my flight, I had the following contents:

• Two bottles of still water
• Two bottles of sparkling water
• Two containers of nuts

There is no doubt that this seat is exceptional and one of the best in class. It can feel a little bit busy, with so much going on around you. It can also feel like you’re really only working things out by the time the flight ends. There are a lot of buttons in this seat; in fact, there’s a lot of everything.

There are storage spaces, knobs, and vents that you only discover after an hour or two. This suite is not about simplicity, but about delivering everything in one place, which is probably the Emirates mantra.

The suite is also very gold, but not too gold. It’s a single step back from gaudy. There’s just enough light grey and grey-effect wood to tone this seat down so it’s not too much. It is undoubtedly, and recognisably, Emirates

The seat is a little too far away from the dining table, but that’s rectified using one of the seat control buttons. The controls don’t just recline the seat, as in Business, but also move the seat forward towards the table.

It has to be said that this suite is spotless and looks brand new. The reality is that most airlines are quite happy putting First or Business Class passengers in seats that are a little worn and have scratches on surfaces. Not Emirates, or at least not on this plane. It’s like it came straight from Airbus.

The Emirates Amenity Kit

Emirates offers a densely packed First Class amenity kit, which is primarily from Bulgari, with a few other brands also included.

Inside you’ll find:

• Deodorant spray from Axe (effectively the UK/AU brand Lynx, which is not exactly high-end)
• Enough Gillette shaving foam to clear your whole body of hair
• A Razor, a comb and a dental kit
• Emirates earplugs
• Bulgari after-shave balm
• Bulgari body lotion
• Bulgari Le Gemme after shave
• Bulgari moisturising towel
• And Bulgari lip blam

Before take-off, you’ll also be asked if you want a sleep suit, slippers, and then what size you require. The pyjamas are soft and comfortable, whilst the slippers are more akin to velvet boots.

They are not the sort of disposable slippers that you would get in a Spa, they wrap around the foot and are incredibly easy to wear and very comfortable.

Bear in mind that you also have the amenity kit inside the desk. Within the bathrooms, there are even more amenities for you to help yourself to.

Food and drink

A quick TL;DR of the food and drink in First:

1. You dine whenever you like. The menu includes starters, main courses, desserts, light bites and “movie snacks”.
2. There’s an extensive drinks menu, covering cocktails, mocktails, beers, wines, champagnes and spirits. Alongside that, there are soft drinks, teas and coffees.
3. A snack wall is located at the front of the cabin, between the two bathrooms.
4. You also have a snack basket in your suite
5. In the mini-bar, there are more snacks
6. You can walk to the bar at the back of the plane for more snacks.

There aren’t enough hours on the average flight to get through all of the First Class menu options. It’s extensive, high-quality, and covers every eventuality.

To start, we were offered a welcome drink immediately after boarding, and then a second one once we took off. Dining in First is on-demand, and I chose to eat four hours into the flight while my wife ate just after take-off.

Kate’s first course was the caviar.

She then followed this with the sticky date pudding.

Later on in the flight, she had lobster salad as a snack.

I had the steak and the triple-cooked chips. It is nearly impossible to get crispy chips on a plane. I had high hopes when we travelled in Etihad’s The Residence, but their chips were something of a let-down. Even the king of fries, Shake Shack, didn’t attempt to replicate their stunningly crispy chips when they did a food tie-in with Delta in their business class cabin.

Emirates didn’t deliver on crispiness, but they were still excellent fries. Somehow they tasted crispy, without actually being crispy. There is some kind of magic happening there. The steak was beautiful. It’s a dish that is very hard to get right in the sky, but it was the best piece of meat I’ve eaten at 40,000 feet.

For dessert, I had the lemon polenta cake. This was the most disappointing dish of the day.

It didn’t look great, or at least it didn’t look like a desert, and it didn’t particularly taste of much either.

I followed this up with a coffee (one of the best I’ve had on a plane).

After my coffee, I got to choose some chocolates from a gigantic box. The staff member patiently walked me through all the available options. I opted for orange in dark chocolate, an olive oil and milk chocolate, and finally (her favourite) a pistachio chocolate. All delicious.

Back in the bar, I had a small cake. They were on display in the bar area, and for the purposes of this review, I went back and had a second one just to confirm that it was delicious.

The bar at the back also has sandwiches available, on top of the drinks options (similar to First, you can choose from wines, cocktails, champagne and soft drinks).

There’s a printed and digital version of the menu, with the paper version being more of an attractive brochure. Flip through the images below to view all the options available in the digital version of the menu.

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The bathrooms on the A380

No other airline has bathrooms as big as Emirates. Singapore comes close with their First Class bathrooms on their own A380, but they’re marginally smaller and don’t have a shower. They also have a large and a small bathroom, whereas Emirates somehow finds the space for two identical, large ones.

Walk into the Emirates A380 bathroom for the first time and you’ll be taken aback at the sheer scale of it. It’s likely that, like me, you’ll have spent your entire life crowbarring your body into a room barely bigger than a shopping centre toilet cubicle. Most bathrooms on planes are awkward spaces, unsuitable for human habitation, but somehow they are acceptable to us.

Even on Etihad’s A380, in their three-room Residence, you will bump your elbows if you turn around too quickly in the bathroom. On Emirates, you can take four steps forward and still not be at the end of the room. This feels, to me, more luxurious than the seat itself.

The First bathrooms are at the front of the upper deck of the A380, ahead of the First cabin. There are two on either side of the stairs that take you down to the lower level. They’re both the same size, and separating the two entrance doors is a small lobby, which also houses the self-service snack area.

On one end of the bathroom is a generously sized shower. This could easily fit two people in it, although that is strictly prohibited. The sink is the size of a regular sink, rather than the meagre bowls you get in a standard aeroplane bathroom. Not one, but two mirrors sit above the sink, one of which is magnified.

To the left of the sink is a long bench. Sit on it, put your clothes on it, it’s so long that you could probably sleep on it. In the middle of this bench is a flap which you lift to reveal the actual toilet. Full-height mirrors sit opposite the toilet and sink, meaning you end up looking at yourself whilst you carry out your business.

A bathroom this size can carry a lot of amenities. A wooden tray contains a host of essentials.

A smaller shelf near the sink holds soap, as well as both men’s and women’s cologne.

There are more drawers to explore in this room that contain even more handy items, and there’s even a hairdryer in a cupboard.

It is, without a doubt, the most luxurious bathroom you can visit on any commercial airline.

There’s also no need to trouble yourself with paper towels to dry your hands. A neatly stacked pile of fabric towels are next to the sink.

It should be noted that this stunning bathroom is exclusively for first-class passengers. If you’re back in business class, you will have to make do with a toilet that is the same size as any other airline’s. There are four of these bathrooms at the rear of the business class cabin, just beyond the on-board bar.

The A380 shower

After take-off, we were asked if we’d like to use the shower and at what time. I chose a slot as close to landing as possible, and this was about an hour before we were due to touchdown.

An hour and a half before we were due to land, the staff asked if I wanted to use it earlier than planned. I was happy to, and wandered to the front of the plane. An attendant opened the door for me and asked me if I needed help using the shower. That staff member stayed outside the bathroom until I was finished. During the popular time for showers at the end of the flight, both bathrooms are taken out of service for shower users.

A single large bath towel was ready for me in the bathroom. There’s an Emirates-branded clothes hanger, and ample surface space to lay out your clothes. The shower gel and shampoo are in the wooden ammenity tray, rather than the shower itself.

You get a total of five minutes of hot water. This feels meagre, but it’s more than enough. You can always pause the water flow if you want to extend your time in there.

The water pressure was excellent, and I ended up finishing what felt like a leisurely shower with just a few seconds of water left. There’s a countdown timer on the shower wall so you can always see how much time you have left.

The bathroom also has a heated floor (oh, the luxury). I was in and out in ten minutes, feeling refreshed and ready for landing in Dubai. After a long day of travel, and at the tail end of a seven-hour flight, there is nothing better than feeling clean.

Wifi on Emirates

Emirates is not known for its speedy wifi. The hope is that, at some point, they will go the same way as Qatar (and soon, Virgin Atlantic) and utilise Starlink. Until then, they downplay the speed of their wifi. They even claim that there is just 5MB/s of connectivity shared across the entire plane.

What I experienced was much better and perfectly usable over the course of the flight. A speed test gave me just under 5MB/s download and 3.5 MB/s upload.

I was able to write up parts of this review and send emails with minimal lag.

If you’re in Business or First Class, then you’ll get free wifi for the entire flight, across a single device. It was easy to swap it between my phone and my laptop.

Departing the plane

First-class passengers were let off first, and as we disembarked, we spotted a staff member with a sign with our names on it.

They were there to help us get to the lounge before our connecting flight, which meant a fast-track through security. This wasn’t via a fast track line; it was a case of them moving ropes out of the way to squeeze us through. This saved us around twenty minutes (the line was long) and they also pointed us towards the right gate before depositing us in front of the business class lounge.

What happened next was the worst decision I have ever made regarding money and travel. I decided we should upgrade from the Emirates business class lounge to their First Class lounge.

Emirates doesn’t allow you to use their First Class lounges unless your next flight is in First, and our connecting flight was in Business. I suggested we spend around £250 to upgrade, so we could experience a luxurious restaurant and utilise the spa.

What I didn’t bank on was the lounge we upgraded to being a satellite “first class light” lounge, which was frankly no better than a regular business lounge. No spa. No unadulterated luxury. It did have food you ordered from a menu (not bad) and a mezzanine level that was entirely deserted. There were no showers, but there was a smoking room.

It was very quiet, but it was also pretty average and absolutely not worth £250.

The verdict on Emirates First Class

Emirates could legitimately claim its First Class as being the best in the sky. Through a combination of a great seat, an outstanding bathroom, exceptional food and first-class level service, they are a very good option if you have the money or the points.

Whilst it appeared that they had made First Class points redemptions more challenging, it’s entirely possible to book a business class seat with points, and then upgrade to First using points.

We’re on a mission to try all of the best First Class experiences, and our bucket list wouldn’t be complete without Emirates. Its reputation precedes it, and for good reason. It is an exceptional experience. Like any great experience, you don’t want it to end.

Our seven-hour flight went by too quickly, and we’re yearning for more. As other airlines downsize their premium experience, Emirates double down on it. At some point in the future, these A380s will retire, and the First experience will be poorer for it. The A380 was built for excess (the bar, the shower, the sheer size), so if you’re on a mission to earn enough points to take a first-class flight, then Emirates should be top of your list.

Etihad’s The Residence excels in terms of privacy. Whilst the Emirates suite has a closable door, The Residence has a fully enclosed bedroom. In the latter, all you can hear is the noise of the engines, whereas you’ll find that on Emirates, you can hear other passengers.

Where Emirates wins overall is outside the suite. The bar is a great distraction on a long-haul flight (Etihad do have a First and Business Class social space, but it’s much smaller and harder to get into). Emirates’ bathroom is the best in the Sky.

The service on Emirates is comparable, if not slightly better, than Etihad. And Etihad’s A380 fleet is tiny compared to Emirates’, meaning you can only experience The Residence on a small number of routes.

How does Emirate compare to Qatar?

Qatar have a reputation for having a great business class product. They have an ageing First Class seat that exists on their A380 only. A few of the planes they inherited from Cathay Pacific have a First Class suite, although it’s not strictly a Qatar seat.There are tell-tale signs around that cabin that show you it’s a Cathay plane and not a Qatar one.

The standard of service on Qatar is just as good as that of Emirates. Both airlines are cut from the same cloth.

When it comes to lounges, comparing Qatar to Emirates is challenging. There is no doubt that Qatar’s lounges at Doha, all two hundred of them, are better than Emirates. The Qatar First Class lounge in Doha is simply the best out there.

Emirates, however, have more lounge coverage across the globe. At Manchester, there is no Qatar lounge, and you’re thrown into whichever paid-for lounge the airline has a contract with that year. Emirates has its own space, and has done so for many years.

Emirates operates thirty-two lounges globally, whereas Qatar has just five. For some travellers, the lounge is inconsequential. Business travellers may not even visit one at all if they’re on a tight timeline. For us, the lounge is the start of the holiday, and it is a critical part of the experience.

Qatar’s biggest issue is that they have so many variations of business class seats that it’s hard to know what you’ll get. Sometimes that’s the award-winning Q-suite. It may also be a number of other styles of seats, some of which are barely passable.

Soon, they will have the new Q-Suite. So you may get the best business class seat in the sky, or one of the worst. If you’re paying £3,000 for a flight, do you really want to play roulette?

There’s also the D-words, that’s Doha and Dubai. The latter has a reputation of being popular amongst the instafamous and the crypto-bros. I have been to the city many times, and adore it, but sometimes the behaviour of passengers heading there can be a little bit loud. Doha, on the other hand, barely registers on anyone’s bucket list, and I’ve found the flights to be quieter.

So the question is, should you be flying Emirates or Qatar if you have the choice?

• In business class, if it’s an overnight flight, then fly Qatar.
• If you have the option of flying in First, then use Emirates.
• For daytime flights in J, fly Emirates.

What about Emirates First versus Singapore’s First Suite?

This is a more challenging comparison, as the suites from the two airlines are so distinct. It’s also harder to get into Singapore’s First Suite as they only operate twelve A380s, whereas Emirates has a hundred and sixteen, and they are the number one operator of the aircraft.

(Despite Emirates having over a hundred planes more, Singapore is the second most prolific operator of the A380, tied with BA)

Both airlines have their pros and cons:

• The Singapore Airlines First Suite is bigger than the Emirates First Suite. It feels significantly bigger, not just a few inches here or there. It is a space that rivals the Etihad Residence.
• The bed on Singapore is better than the Emirates First seat (when that seat converts into a bed)
• The service levels and staff are equally good across both airlines.
• The food and drink are comparable between Singapore and Emirates. Both are outstanding.
• Emirates has a bar on its planes, a welcome distraction on long flights
• Whilst both airlines have elevated bathrooms, Emirates has a shower that first-class passengers can access.

So which should you fly? Due to its scarcity, if you have the chance to fly with Singapore in their A380 First Suite, then I would seize that opportunity. It will be far easier to gain entry to Emirates First at some point in the future.

Having done both, I can honestly say that you’re going to have an outstanding experience whichever you pick, and your life goal should be to do both.

Rating Emirates First Class

Boarding

Seat

Food & drink (Served Lunch, Snacks)

Service

Timing

Overall Rating