If there’s one airline that’s never been afraid of doing things correctly, which I mean lavishly, unapologetically, and with the kind of finesse your grandmother might have reserved for her silver tea set—it’s Emirates. And now, dear reader, it has gone and done it again.

The Dubai-based airline, long regarded as the sovereign of airborne opulence, has embellished its First Class experience with refined refinement that would make Versailles blush. Not content with simply being the world’s largest operator of international First Class, Emirates has elevated the notion of what it means to travel at the pointy end.

So, pack away your preconceived notions of luxury, and allow me to escort you through a journey—nay, an experience-that begins not at check-in, but in the imagination.

A Lounge Before Take-Off, and Not the Plastic Cheese Kind

Let’s start before you’ve even left the ground. Emirates’ First Class check-in at Dubai International is currently undergoing a tasteful revamp that you’ll feel underdressed in anything less than a tailored suit. This is no hasty queue with a bored staffer waving a laminated boarding pass. No, this is a warm greeting, a bespoke welcome, and an atmosphere where time seems to slow, just long enough for you to enjoy a date-stuffed canapé or contemplate the absurdity of ever flying economy again.

Chauffeur to Cloud Nine

First Class passengers enjoy complimentary chauffeur-driven transfers in most destinations. Picture yourself whisked to the airport in a blacked-out luxury vehicle. The driver knows your name, the seat knows your spine, and you suspect you may have been minor royalty in a previous life.

Private Suites That Rival Presidential Rooms

Boarding a modern Emirates aircraft—especially the B777 Game Changer—is less ‘getting on a plane’ and more ‘being discreetly ushered into your own penthouse at 40,000 feet’. With just six suites in a 1-1-1 configuration, the sense of exclusivity is staggering.

Here’s what you get: floor-to-ceiling sliding doors, zero-gravity seat positions (yes, really), climate controls, and a 32-inch HD screen that practically begs for a Bond marathon. Window seats come with Swarovski-studded binoculars. Middle seats? Fear not—they come equipped with virtual windows so clear and crisp you’d swear they opened onto the actual sky.

When Dining Becomes Theatre

Order what you want, when you want. This isn’t airline food. It’s cuisine. Emirates has replaced the traditional menu script with a culinary playbook that might earn a standing ovation.

Unlimited caviar served in bespoke Robert Welch bowls. Yes, unlimited. Served with mother-of-pearl spoons, naturally. Wagyu sliders and lobster rolls are on the movie snacks menu. Champagne? Only Dom Pérignon, thank you very much. Wines from storied French châteaux. And desserts you’ll dream about—mini chocolate pralines and dates packaged to take away.

The Only Airline with a Wine Cellar That Could Open a Bordeaux Bistro

Emirates stores over six million bottles of wine in its French cellars, some of which won’t see the inside of a cabin until 2037. The labels read like a sommelier’s dream journal from Montrachet to Mouton Rothschild.

Add Hennessy Paradis Cognac, The Botanist Gin, Stoli Elit Vodka, and a raft of exclusive Sri Lankan teas from Dilmah. Suffice to say, you’ll need more than one flight to sample the lot. And that, perhaps, is the point.

Sleep Like a Sheik

The bedding is pure indulgence—cotton-lined duvets, faux sheepskin blankets, memory foam mattresses. Emirates even offers moisturising pyjamas. Yes, your PJs moisturise you through billions of vitamin C and olive oil microcapsules woven into the fabric. If you nod off feeling anything less than divine, you’ve likely wandered into Business Class by mistake.

Skincare and Scents Worthy of a Five-Star Spa

Each First Class suite features an illuminated vanity and a suite-exclusive Byredo skincare collection: face toner, sleep oil, and eye cream. Then there’s the Bulgari amenity kit—no disposable toothbrushes here. Instead, Le Gemme fragrances, lotions, sustainable hair brushes, and even a shaving kit that wouldn’t look out of place in Savile Row.

Shower at 40,000 Feet? Absolutely.

Emirates was the first to introduce a Shower Spa in the sky; to this day, no one does it better. Aboard the A380, there are two First Class Shower Spas—decked out with heated floors, full mirrors, Voya organic products from Ireland, fresh flowers, and lighting so flattering you’ll want to stay there until landing.

Revitalise or Tranquillity? That’s the only decision you’ll be asked to make mid-flight.

Lounge with Legends

Behind First Class, the A380’s Onboard Lounge welcomes premium passengers into a softly lit social den with a 55-inch live screen showing the aircraft’s position. Recline in one of the curved booths, sip a fine single malt, and enjoy conversations with fellow travellers as the clouds roll by. It’s everything the departure gate isn’t.

Entertainment That Outshines Most Living Rooms

Emirates’ ICE system isn’t just an in-flight entertainment platform—it’s a digital treasure trove. Over 6,500 channels. 32-inch screen. Noise-cancelling Bowers & Wilkins headphones wrapped in sheepskin leather. Boxsets from HBO, Paramount+, BBC and Discovery+. If you somehow get bored, it’s not Emirates’ fault.

A Legacy Etched in Gold

Emirates isn’t merely keeping up with expectations—it’s setting them, gilding them, and sending them aloft with a Dom Pérignon toast. Every detail, every interaction, every flourish is part of a grander vision of how flying used to feel: special, dignified, unforgettable.

And in an age where ‘luxury’ often amounts to legroom and lukewarm linguine, Emirates offers something different: a chance to be swept away by a journey that starts well before the runway—and lingers long after touchdown.

Long may it reign.

 

 

 

By Susan Ng

 

 

 

 

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