This article reviews our flight on Emirates A380 in Business Class Dubai to Düsseldorf. This was the second leg of an insane mileage run. You can read about the first leg from Düsseldorf to Dubai, along with our other reviews of Emirates in Business Class and Emirates First Class (the latter is rather good, but the Emirates Business Class product falls short with seats that are too narrow for a good nights sleep. Traveling through the Emirates hub in Dubai Airport will give you access to their Business Class lounge.
Emirates Business Class Cabin Review
Emirates operates two versions of its A380 aircraft. The most common A380 version offers 489 seats in a three-class cabin configuration with 14 private suites in First Class, 76 flatbed seats in Business Class, and 399 spacious seats in Economy Class. This plane was arranged in this more common design.
All of Emirates’ Business Class seats are located in two cabins on the upper deck of the Airbus A380, behind the First Class cabin. The Business Class seats are arranged in a staggered 1–2–1 layout, providing each passenger direct aisle access and privacy. The first cabin contains the bulk of the seats (58 in total, spread over 14 rows), while the cabin located at the rear of the plane feels more intimate as it only comprises 18 seats in 4 rows.
The Emirates Business Class cabin features lots of burled walnut veneer, gold trim, and pearlized plastic that frames the seats, windows, and entertainment screens. Slightly gaudy but not unpleasant.
Emirates Business Class Seats
All Business Class seats onboard the Emirates A380 are 18,5 inches (47 cm) wide. This is only slightly wider than the Emirates A380 Economy Class seats, which have a width of 17,5 inches (45 cm). This means that the Emirates A380 Business Class seats are too narrow, especially in the lie-flat position.
The pitch and bed length varies from seat to seat: aisle seats (B, D, G, J) are slightly shorter when fully flat, extending to 70 inches (178 cm) as compared to 79 inches (200 cm) for window and central seats (A, E, F, K). Seat pitch varies from 48 to 39 inches (122 to 99 cm), with the center and window seats again offering more space than aisle seats.
Each seat comes with a touchscreen tablet (for the seat position & lighting controls, as well as the controls for the inflight entertainment) and a console on the side. The latter holds a personal minibar stocked with soft drinks and juices, a universal power supply, a USB port, a reading light, and another handset for in-flight entertainment on the side. The fold-out tray table is hidden in the armrest below the console. In front of each seat is a large 17-inch entertainment touchscreen with a generously sized ottoman below.
What are the best Business Class seats on Emirates’ A380?
Solo travelers should choose one of the window seats A or K since these are more private than the aisle seats (B, D, G, J) as they are sheltered from the aisle by the seat’s minibar cabinet and the enclosed footrest of the person behind.
The center seats E and F also feature their consoles on the aisle side, and when you don’t deploy the privacy screens, these seats can be transformed into an intimate mini-suite accommodating two passengers.
Seats A and K on row 23 are the best Business Class seats on the A380 since they offer more legroom (a larger ottoman and longer flatbed) than other window seats.
What are the worst Business Class seats on Emirates’ A380?
The window seats B and J and the center seats D and G have their console on the opposite side of the aisle and can feel quite exposed.
Seats 7A & 7K look to be the worst seats. Even though they have extra legroom (similar to seats 23A & 23K), they are totally exposed to the aisle and do not offer any privacy.
Emirates Business Class Amenity Kit
Business Class passengers get an amenity kit during night flights (not day flights). The Emirates Business Class amenity kit is one of the best in the skies, with a different kit for men and women. The men’s amenity kit is presented as a toiletry bag, with toothbrush and toothpaste, and so forth, Gilette shaving foam and a razor, as well as moisturizers and aftershaves by Bvlgari.
The women’s amenity kit is presented as a stylish Faux suede beige by Bulgari labeled washbag, containing flight socks, eyeshades, and earplugs, and lady’s bits.
You also get a light blanket, a nice pillow, a duvet, and noise-canceling headphones (you can’t keep these).
You don’t get pajamas in Emirates Business Class.
Emirates Business Class Food
On this Dubai to Düsseldorf, one meal was served shortly after takeoff. My choice was:
- Starter
- Creamy tomato soup
- Main
- Vegetable Biryani
- Dessert
- Chocolate tart with strawberries
All meals were ok (I never expect fine dining in the skies anyway), except for the vegetable Biryani, which was too dry and tasteless.
Emirates Business Entertainment
Emirates’ entertainment package is excellent. You can choose from up to 1,800 channels of the latest and greatest movies and must-see TV shows, on-demand and in multiple languages. You can also listen to music or play a range of games. The cameras installed in the tail, nose, and belly of the mega plane also offer some fun moments, especially at takeoff and landing.
The in-flight entertainment is displayed on a 17-inch touchscreen.
Emirates also offers 10MB of free Wi-Fi to each passenger during one of its flights (regardless of the class you are seated in). An additional 600MB can be purchased for $1 USD. If you exceeded that limit, you could purchase another 600MB for $1 USD. The quality of the Wi-Fi connection during the flight was variable.
Emirates Bar
At the rear of the upper cabin, you find the A380 onboard lounge, which is a bar exclusive to First Class and Business Class customers. Here, you can choose from premium spirits, exclusive wines, champagne, cocktails, and beers alongside hot and cold beverages served by a dedicated bartender.
Chauffeur
If you fly Business (or First) class with Emirates, you get complimentary chauffeur-driven airport transfers. Chauffeur-drive must be requested online up to 48 hours before your flight.
If you are inspired to fly away, you should always check with our Luxury Travel Concierge before booking to get further discounts and free upgrades on luxury hotels and Business Class flights.
Review by our friends at Luxury Travel Expert
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