First Class is every traveler's dream. One of the best first-class products currently offered is Emirates First Class, which is famous for its enclosed suites with doors and unlimited caviar on-board. But with all the fabulous soft products aside, let's take a look at the physically important parts- the hard product, that being mostly the seat itself.

A Brief Background About the Emirates Fleet

Emirates currently has a fleet of Boeing 777s and Airbus A380s. It is also currently the largest operator of the Boeing 777-300ER and the Airbus A380. Aside from those the airline also has ten Boeing 777-200LRs.

The Boeing 777-200LRs featured First Class in the past, but the whole Boeing 777-200LR fleet was reconfigured without First Class in 2018, instead featuring a newly designed business class. As such, this aircraft type will not be discussed anymore in this article, leaving us with the Boeing 777-300ER (77W from now on) and Airbus A380.

All A380s feature a lounge where you can hang out in case you grow bored of your First Class Suites.

Emirates "Old" First Class (Most Boeing 77Ws, All Airbus A380s)
 

Both the Airbus A380s and Boeing 77Ws feature the "Old" first-class seats. These are called "Old" due to the new product that Emirates unveiled in 2018 (we will be covering this seat in a minute).

The Airbus A380s have 14 first-class seats in the first section, while the Boeing 77Ws have 8 first-class seats in the first section. The seat design is largely the same in both aircraft types, but the overall larger space and taller ceiling of the Airbus A380 might make you feel more comfortable. However, if you want more personalized service with an intimate cabin, the Boeing 77W might be a better choice.

The interior finishes famously use a golden theme throughout the whole First Class cabin. While it might seem "too much", many passengers and reviewers report that the cabins feel luxurious as they should. All first-class seats feature doors for extra privacy, and a touchpad that allows you to control the seat.

Inside the seats, there are a lot of amenities that you would be expecting at a 5-star luxury hotel. They include vanity kits, pens, even a whole notebook, and a snack basket. You even get your own minibar.

The huge screen provides plenty of entertainment on demand, while also serving as a monitor displaying the tail camera.

You can also expect amenity kits from BVLGARI, and some cotton slippers that feel cozy.

Overall, the hard product of Emirates "Old" First Class does not seem to disappoint. While it might seem dated given that this product has been around for more than a decade, it is still considered one of the best First Class products in the world.

Emirates "New 'Game Changer'" First Class (Select Boeing 77Ws)

Emirates unveiled the new First Class product in 2018, naming it the 'game changer' first class. When it was first introduced, it did live up to its name as it was truly game-changing at the time.

The new first-class seats also have doors as the old ones do, but the suites are fully enclosed. This means that once the doors are closed, the passenger inside is completely isolated from the rest of the aircraft. Here is a picture below.

The seats are configured in a 1-1-1 layout, but all seats get a window view. This might seem extremely confusing to the unsuspecting reader, but you are right- the middle seat definitely does not get a window. So how is this possible? Emirates decided to implement virtual windows into the middle first-class seats. This way, all First Class passengers have a view of the wing.

Besides the gorgeous new seat design and the purely large dimensions of the seat itself, most of the amenities offered remain largely the same, albeit in different packaging. However, there is a new option to call the flight attendants via video call or voice call, directly from your seat using the entertainment screen.

These "New" First Class seats are only offered onboard select Boeing 77Ws. They are so rare that even Emirates crew does not know whether they will be flying on aircraft featuring the "old" first-class seats or the "new" first-class seats. The following aircraft below are confirmed to have the "new" first-class seats installed, so installing FlightRadar24 might become handy if you have an Emirates First Class flight shortly.

A6-EQH

A6-EQI

A6-EQJ

A6-EQK

A6-EQL

A6-EQM

A6-EQN

A6-EQO

A6-EQP

As for routes, it is hard to pinpoint such routes that feature the "new" First Class seats as aircraft designation is subject to change. According to OMAAT, the routes below have the "new" First Class seats available quite regularly.

• Brussels (BRU) on EK183/184 & EK181/182 — on an ongoing basis
• Geneva (GVA) on EK83/84 & EK89/90 — on an ongoing basis
• Kuwait City (KWI) on EK843/844 & EK855/856 — on an ongoing basis, but scheduling varies
• London Heathrow (LHR) on EK41/42 — on an ongoing basis
• Riyadh (RUH) on EK815/816 & EK819/920 — on an ongoing basis, but scheduling varies
• Tokyo (HND) on EK312/313 — on an ongoing basis
• Zurich (ZRH) on EK EK86/85 — as of June 1, 2024

Emirates First Class Shower (Only on Airbus A380s)

Another famous perk of Emirates First Class should definitely be the ability to shower on board, in-flight. Emirates offers showers for First Class passengers to freshen up before landing at their destination. All Airbus A380 flights operated by Emirates with a First Class cabin have showers, and are available to book on a first come, first serve basis. The water runs for 5 minutes, and you can shut the water on and off as many times as you want. Another cool feature is that the whole floor of the Emirates Shower is heated to your liking, and the temperature is controllable by a wall-mounted thermostat.

Bottom Line
 

Emirates First Class is definitely a treat for all travelers. While the shower suites on the Airbus A380 seem awesome, some might prefer the more intimate service of the Boeing 77W. Some might be waiting for their chance to experience the "Game-Changing" "new" First Class seat. Anyway, Emirates First Class would be one of the best ways to fly the skies for the time being.