Traveling first class with Emirates: better A380 or 777?
For a few more months, Emirates' fleet will be very simple: to date, EK uses only two fuselage aircraft [...]
Emirates
For a few more months, the fleet of Emirates will be very simple: as of today EK uses only two wide-body aircraft the Airbus A380, the iconic double decker, and the Boeing 777, also known as the triple seven. In the future. A350, 787 and (sooner or later) the new 777x will also arrive, o 777/9.
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On both models there is the first class, but the space on board has allowed the company to create two very different experiences, obviously sold at dear price, or as we like it on TFC at dear points. Since this cabin is the dream for many serial accumulators of points and miles, I want to do a piece where I explain the differences and types of seats offered by EK today on its planes.
Which aircraft Emirates flies to Italy with today
The Dubai-based airline flies from Dubai to four Italian airports-Milan, Rome, Venice, and Bologna.
The A380 is the permanent guest in Milan and Rome, at the moment, however, the flight EK206 Dubai/Milan/New York and back is operated with the 777/300, while the evening EK92 Milan/Dubai flight and return is always made with the Airbus giant.
At Venice and Bologna Emirates regularly flies the "smallest" aircraft in its fleet, the 777.
There is a price difference between the two "first classes"
As we will see in the rest of the article first-class experiences aboard the different aircraft, in Emirates' fleet, can be significantly different between them, but there are no major price differences except those due to normal market fluctuations due to fill rates and special promotions.
As you can see in this example from Milan to Tokyo, there are the different possible combinations: all with A380, all with 777 or mix of aircraft and the price is always the same. This is also to prevent, in case of changing machines for operational reasons, problems and discussions with the passenger, because I remember the company is not liable for any reimbursement if makes the flight in a different aircraft Than planned.
What never changes with this ticket
The service you receive does not change in any way whether you fly one model or the other. From the in-flight menu to the wine list, from amenities to ground services such as the private chauffeur you will receive everything on the ticket up to theFree hotel in Dubai where you can sleep between flights.
First class aboard the A380
If you say Emirates you think A380, the Dubai-based airline has made the A380 its hallmark, is the one that has ordered nearly half of the planes it has produced, and is the one that today with nearly 100 planes in service takes the double-decker plane around the world.
On these pages I have written dozens of articles on first-class cabins, new and old, and although EK's A380s are being upgraded, I must admit. what Emirates offers is far from the top of the line. The product offered is light years away from what Singapore Airlines offers on board its A380s. In contrast along with British Airways, the Dubai-based airline offers the most First seats in the world.
There are as many as 14 first-class seats on every Emirates A380., admittedly they do not always fly full, but it is certainly the most crowded in the world and this translates into less exclusivity. There are, however, two features that have brought Emirates' first class into the public imagination as the most coveted and sought-after: the shower and the in-flight bar.
Many airlines offer huge bathrooms to first class passengers aboard A380s, but only Emirates has installed two showers which can only be used by the lucky first-class guests. Showering at 30,000 feet, alone or in pairs, is a thrill that can only be had aboard an Emirates (or Etihad) A380.
The on-board bar is available to passengers on the upper floor, so both business and first ones. Here you can have fun, relax, chat, make new friends. And even get behind the bar and party with friends.
It is possible that there may be slight differences in configurations between the various i fleet planes, but we are talking about small details such as chair finishes, bar configuration, or furniture colors. The bulk of the hardware does not change also on the newly renovated A380s with Premium Economy installed.
"Standard" first class on Emirates' 777s
Contrary to what you might think, first-class passengers flying on Emirates 777s have more exclusivity (there are only 8 seats) and more space thanks to an identical but more generous seat (the cabin is larger). This is despite the fact that the chair model and cabin configuration is identical.
The cabin is more spacious because the fuselage is larger than the upper deck of the A380, so passengers can be in a less cramped and more airy environment due to the high ceiling and the absence of hat racks above the middle row of seats.
Fewer passengers also translates into more attentive service and more pampering, but this is a child of the fact that there are 6 fewer guests on board to care for. The malus is that, for the same price, you do not have shower and bar facilities.
So considering that a passenger incurs the same expense, whether in cash or Skywards points, the counter value is decidedly different. Sure one will be able to drink endless Dom Perignon and eat lots of caviar, but the thrill of showering on board or the allure of having a cocktail in the tail bar will not be there.
The "secret" first class suite on a few Emirates 777s
Emirates has a fleet of more than 120 Boeing 777s in service and only nine, I repeat nine, planes have a First Class cabin that is different from everything else in the fleet, I am talking about what EK has dubbed the "Gamechanger" or the best First Class cabin in the world, behind that of Singapore Airlines.
Not only are there only a few planes, but they are also the ones that offer the most privacy, the most comfort, and the least crowded ever in the EK fleet since there are only 6 "suites," because these cannot be vulgarly called seats.
It does not exist in the world today, and no one has even announced anything like it for the future.
The Gamechanger is enclosed from ground to sky, providing total privacy. the passenger can adjust the temperature at will, the color of the lighting, has room to live enclosed in his suite better than in a studio apartment in Milan, and, for the two travelers who do not have outward facing EK has put in virtual windows that show what is happening outside the plane, as if you were window-side.
It is not ideal if you are traveling as a couple, but Marika and I did not suffer loneliness on our trip from Tokyo to Dubai, and in any case no cabin of first on EK offers a double bed experience as other carriers do.
What is the best Emirates first class seat?
Using points to fly in First with Emirates is one of the best possible conversions and is one of the most sought-after by travelers around the world, it is also true that compared to the prices of competitors, it is also the most "affordable."
The real experience is definitely the one aboard the A380 because there is a shower, a bar, and because you travel over the pilots' heads in the upper deck of the largest passenger plane ever produced. So if it were a "once in a lifetime" experience I would definitely go for this ticket.
If, on the other hand, you were aiming for the absolute best product then the argument changes and the top of the top is undoubtedly the Gamechanger. Of course both are inferior to what Singapore Airlines offers, but we are talking about the best of Emirates not the world of commercial aviation today.
Then there are also other factors such as distance, i.e., flight duration and time. If it is a day or night flight and then it depends on whether you are traveling alone, as a couple or with friends. If you are single, the 777 is definitely the most comfortable product, but in other cases it is still the A380 that wins: you want to put the shower and the bar are experiences to be had in company.
I hope I have clarified any doubts and made it easier for you to choose, of course I would love to know your opinion here in the comments.
