Emirates A380 First Class Review

Emirates First Class Experience: My Review

Emirates is, with no doubt, my favorite airline. So many factors come into play – customer service, flight attendants, boarding process, lounges, economy class cabins, business class cabins and (now I can add) first class cabins!

Yes, I’ve been able to try out the Emirates A380 First Class on a long-haul flight with a stop-over in Dubai. In summary, the experience has been simply wonderful – a mix of positive feelings, ranging from being on a private jet on one side and in a very exclusive hotel on the other.

For all of you, here is my review (with many, many photos)!

Emirates First Class Lounge in Mumbai (GVK Lounge)

My first flight was between Mumbai and Dubai, therefore I was looking forward to trying out the First Class section of the GVK lounge.

The GVK lounge is used by Emirates at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport which is the main airport of Mumbai, located directly in the center of this huge city. By the way, also this time I stayed at the JW Marriott Mumbai (that I reviewed previously), which is right next to it – great hotel.

After the usual formalities, such as check-in and security, I headed directly towards the GVK Lounge.

I was greeted with a very warm welcome by the staff and they asked me if I wanted to take a massage before the flight – I just opted to take a quick shower since there wasn’t much time before boarding.

The First Class section of the GVK Lounge isn’t very big and is actually part of the main lounge but physically separated and with a higher level feeling thanks also to a very good quality à la carte dining.

After a short while, a member of the Emirates staff notified me that boarding was starting and that I could proceed to the gate.

Exclusivity: The Only Passenger in the A380 Emirates First Class!

Boarding on the A380 was carried out very smoothly and I quickly realized that I was the only passenger in First Class! Once on board, also a flight attendant remarked it by stating that all 6 (if I remember correctly) flight attendants for the first class cabin were at my disposal since I was the only passenger in that cabin – wow, what an honor!

The crew was extremely friendly and available for any need – as soon as I was getting up from my seat there was immediately a flight attendant asking if I needed any assistance. Impressive!

Emirates A380 First Class Cabin

As you can see from the pictures, the Emirates First Class cabin is simply beautiful. It has a very luxury feeling with the smooth ambient/mood lights that relax and make your trip even more enjoyable.

The gold and wooden textures increase the high-level atmosphere and, then, there’s the real gem: the suites!

Emirates First Class Suite: 1A

You read it correctly, the seats on the Emirates First Class are actually real suites (I was in Suite 1A for both flights). The entrance to your suite is actually a sliding door that can be opened and closed electronically to offer you additional privacy.

With a press of a button, you’re able to light up an indicator outside your suite that communicates to the crew if you would like to be in “Do Not Disturb” mode or if you need any kind of assistance.

The seat is extremely comfortable and allows you to fully relax and sleep if required. You can control all settings by using the buttons on the side or by using the remote controller (which is actually a tablet). With the remote controller you can also control the lights and the huge screen in front of you.

Inside the First Class Suite, I immediately fell in love with the hidden personal bar which is available with a touch of a button – by pressing it, a set of drinks will slowly appear from your side: what a delightful idea!

During the first part of my journey, I mainly slept to re-energize and to enjoy the First Class Lounge in Dubai and the second flight still in First Class that was awaiting me in DXB.

Emirates First Class Lounge Dubai

Once we arrived in Dubai I immediately headed over to the 4th floor at Concourse A where the Emirates First Class Lounge is located together with the Timeless Spa.

The entrance of the First Class Lounge is very similar to the Business Class Lounge (which is on the 5th floor on Concourse A), but it’s even more luxurious probably also due to the fact that there are much fewer people.

Once inside, you’ll have a choice of multiple high-end jewelry shops such as Bulgari, Chopard, Tiffany, etc. – I just quickly glanced at them, but then started searching for the Fine Dining area.

I found that the main difference between the Business Class lounge and the First Class lounge in Dubai is with the dining options – here there’s a butler assisting guests and providing à la carte gourmet dining. The food options were all compelling and I opted for some delicious scrambled eggs which were elegantly served at my table.

Shower Spas at the Emirates First Class Lounge in Dubai

Right after breakfast, I headed over to the showers. I love these facilities at DXB – the maintenance and level of cleanliness are excellent in both the Business Class Lounge and First Class Lounge.
In addition, the waiting time is usually very short in the Business Class and null for the First Class.

All amenities are provided, including flip-flops, soap, conditioner, shampoo, body lotions, combs and so on.

By the way, the First Class Lounge at Concourse A (near the A gates) is huge and it extends for the length of the Business Class Lounge which has the same length of all the Concourse A – amazing!

Emirates First Class from Dubai to Milan Malpensa

After a few moments exploring the lounge and taking some photos for this review, the time for boarding my EK connecting flight to Milan Malpensa had arrived and so I headed over to the departure gate directly from the lounge.

Boarding was again very smooth, but this time there were two other guests with me in First Class…what a pity (I’m joking of course!) 🙂

Also in this case the flight attendants were all very friendly and welcoming while taking care of the security procedures and of the passengers as well.

After a short while, the magnificent Airbus A380 started rolling and in a matter of minutes, we were flying in the air smoothly and silently.

Short after takeoff, a flight attendant came over asking for my preferences in terms of meals and shower time (you read that correctly, shower!). Since that was the definitely a unique experience that I was looking forward to, I booked a nice shower a couple of hours before landing to ensure I could eat and catch some sleep right before it.

Emirates First Class Suite – Part 2

As I mentioned from the previous flight, the Emirates First Class Suite is an independent suite that grants full privacy and a luxurious experience for anyone looking for some exclusive time in the sky.

I was immediately spoiled by the flight attendants that kindly brought a basket full of healthy snacks, vitamins, mints and organic chocolate. While, directly in the suite, you’ll find a little makeup corner with mirror included with an exclusive Bulgari amenity kit including skincare products and a re-hydrating lip balm.

Exploring the Emirates First Class Cabin

I then explored the First Class Cabin which is located in the front of the upper deck of the A380 – there’s a beautiful stairway that goes down to the main deck and allows to quickly exit the plane at arrival, then there’s a bar/lounge with some drinks and snacks dedicated exclusively to the First Class passengers and finally I spotted the shower facilities where I was going to head in a few hours.

Dining in First Class

Dining is always a great experience with Emirates no matter if it’s Economy, Business or First – I find it is among the best airlines in terms of service and food quality.

Of course, dining in First Class allows you to bring this moment to the next level by even choosing when you would like to dine and what you would like to eat out of the many gourmet dishes available.

Since it was still morning, I had a quick breakfast with some delicious pastries.

Sleeping in the Emirates A380 Suites

Right after breakfast, I asked if the flight attendant could prepare my suite for sleeping and she took care of it after providing also an Emirates pajama with flip-flops of my size.

Falling asleep took literally only a few minutes, the mattress combined with the silence of the cabin, the total privacy with the doors closed of my own suite made the rest.

Emirates First Class Shower

After a very deep and necessary sleep, I was ready to take my first First Class Shower at 36000 feet!
Taking a shower on an airplane is probably on the bucket list of many travelers and luxury lovers from all over the world – and I must say, it was incredible!

At the scheduled time, an Emirates flight attendant came over and notified me that they had prepared the bathroom with the shower Spa and that I could proceed over there.

There are two (huge) bathrooms in the Emirates A380 First Class cabin – on my flight one was used as a bathroom (and cleaned after each use!), while the other was dedicated exclusively as a shower Spa.

The shower was spotlessly cleaned and maintained – which denotes an incredible continuous work and attention by the Emirates cabin crew. Nicely done!

Once inside, you’ll notice there’s a button to activate the shower and a gauge indicator which helps you manage the water – as you can imagine, there is a limit of water that can be used and that is up to 5 minutes for each passenger. The indicator helps you understand where you are at and after 4 minutes the shower automatically shuts down so you realize there is still 1 minute left for removing any soap remaining.

Of course, all amenities are provided together with many towels to allow each passenger a wonderful experience. I would highly recommend you to try the shower Spa if you ever have the possibility to fly in First Class on the Emirates A380!

Caviar before Landing

Finally, right before landing, I enjoyed a luxurious touch by ordering first some amazing caviar matched with a few slices of fresh bread and then an exquisite ravioli dish.

Both dishes were wonderfully presented and delicious.

Arrival in Milan Malpensa

Once landed in Milan Malpensa, the cabin crew prioritized all the First Class passengers to use the front stairway which goes down to the main deck and unboard safely and efficiently in order to proceed to the passport checks.

I must say that Emirates has a fantastic Business Class, but their First Class is truly magnificent from all point of views – it grants privacy and luxury with any comfort that you might desire.

I really can’t wait to try it again and I hope you all enjoyed this review as much as I did flying in those amazing First Class Suites!

Check out my YouTube video review as well:

Emirates A380 First Class: Final Rating

Emirates A380 First Class	Our Rating (1-5)
Check-in experience	4 / 5
DXB First Class Lounge (Dubai)	5 / 5
GVK First Class Lounge (Mumbai)	4 / 5
Seats / Suite	5 / 5
Bathrooms / Shower	5 / 5
Meals	5 / 5
In-flight service	5 / 5
Overall	5 / 5

Airline reviewed with Travel Class: Emirates First Class
Overall rating: 5/5
Reviewed by: Barbara