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When you think of the best first class products in the world, Emirates is probably high on your list (if not at the top)! Without a doubt, Emirates offers one of the most luxurious seats in the sky, and flying first class on this airline is an experience you won’t want to miss.
From the amazing Emirates first class suite to the Champagne or the shower spa (yes — you read that right), you’ll be treated like royalty.
To top it all off, you’ll have access to an actual inflight bar where you can enjoy a drink or snack and chat with your fellow passengers.
Before we discuss how to book an Emirates first class flight, let’s take a look at exactly what you’ll be booking.
There’s nothing quite like enjoying the glamorous first class experience on Emirates.
Let’s start with your first class suite, complete with a minibar, bed, and a privacy door that closes with just the push of a button. You read correctly — individual motorized doors on an airplane —- and that’s only the beginning of the Emirates first class experience!
Emirates raises the stakes with its fine dining experience to keep you well-fed. From Champagne to spirits to fine wine, your flight attendant will ensure you always have a nice drink to go with your meal.
You might be wondering what kind of Champagne. Well, this is first class on Emirates, and it really spares no expense — you’ll be able to enjoy a glass of world-renowned Dom Perignon.
Is this the best first class experience? Perhaps, although that will depend on your personal tastes. It’s certainly up there!
Hot Tip: Want an in-depth review of this Emirates’ first class? Read our review of Emirates’ first class aboard the A380.
As we know, Emirates often sets the standard for a top-notch first class product. Emirates’ new first class suites on select 777-300ER aircraft have just set the bar even higher. Believe it or not, the Emirates A380 first class is no longer its best product.
These new first class suites, dubbed the Game Changer First Class Suites, are unbelievably lavish. On the aircraft, there are 2 rows of seats in a 1-1-1 configuration. The density of seats on this aircraft is therefore similar to Cathay Pacific first class. However, the differences are eye-opening.
The suites on this aircraft are around 30 inches wide, 78 inches in pitch, and 84 inches long in bed length. The suites have floor-to-ceiling doors, which means complete privacy. No one will be able to see you when you close your suite doors. You can enjoy the 32-inch HD LCD inflight monitor in total peace. For context, each suite is 40 square feet, while Etihad First Class Apartments measure 39 square feet.
The seat itself can recline into a zero-gravity position (inspired by NASA), and center seat passengers will be able to try out “virtual windows.” When you couple that with the binoculars provided to all first class passengers, those in a center seat have basically the same view as any window passenger.
You can also video/audio chat with the crew members and use the service window that allows you to be served drinks and snacks without being disturbed. This cutting-edge product cannot be ignored, though for now, the routes are pretty limited.
To find out which Emirates aircraft have these suites and where they fly to, you’ll need to track these tail numbers of the 777-300ERs that are equipped with the Game Changer First Class Suites:
Here are some of the frequent routes to help you get started:
Emirates has also operated rare flights on the following routes:
If you’re looking to book with points, you’re going to have to book very close to departure. The best chance of booking a first class suite with points is 1 to 2 days before your flight.
Now that you have a taste of Emirates first class, let’s discuss how to book this flight so that you can have some fun!
Note: Emirates no longer allows its first class awards to be booked with Alaska Airlines miles, Japan Airlines miles, or Korean Air miles. Qantas is still allowed indefinitely.
The best frequent flyer program to use for Emirates first class tickets is none other than Emirates’ own Skywards program.
Better yet, Emirates massively reduced the carrier-imposed surcharges on flights! Depending on your award ticket, you’ll also be able to leverage stopovers!
With this program, you’ll enjoy flexibility in earning Skywards miles, reasonable redemption rates, and most importantly, the single-best way to book Emirates first class using points.
You’ll have to pay for fuel surcharges, but these are much lower in a post-pandemic world.
Lastly, all Emirates first-class bookings allow a complimentary stopover, as well as complimentary changes and cancellations to the reservations.
Here’s how you can book your award:
At the moment, it’s still possible to redeem Qantas Frequent Flyer points for Emirates first class, but the redemption price using Qantas points isn’t attractive.
Bottom Line: To book Emirates first class at reasonable rates and be able to earn points easily, stick to the Emirates Skywards frequent flyer program. There are plenty of transfer partners available to book these incredible flights.
Let’s look at a few options available for booking:
If you want to experience a shower in the sky, find a route on which Emirates operates an Airbus A380. Currently, Emirates operates this aircraft between Dubai and these U.S. airports:
The Dubai to Los Angeles route is actually one of the longest flights in the world — plenty of time to enjoy the glamour of an A380 Emirates first experience!
Emirates flies to several other U.S. airports with its “older” Boeing 777. These routes still provide the first class suite (albeit slightly smaller) and perks, but you won’t get to experience the shower spa and inflight bar.
Hot Tip: Check out our in-depth guide for a full list of Emirates’ routes from the U.S., including plane types, cabins, and seating options.
Emirates is a transfer partner with all of the transferable points currencies: American Express Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Brex Rewards, Capital One Miles, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards, and Marriott Bonvoy.
Emirates Skywards transfer to Amex, Bilt, Brex, Capital One, Chase, and Citi at a 1:1 ratio almost instantly.
Marriott Bonvoy transfers at a 3:1 ratio with a bonus of 5,000 miles after transferring 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points to Emirates at once. Marriott Bonvoy takes 3 business days to transfer to Emirates.
Recommended American Express Cards (Personal)
Business Owner? Check out our article on the best Amex business cards that earn Membership Rewards.
Emirates first class is a highly sought-after award ticket, so you should start searching for space as soon as you have an idea about your travel dates.
The more flexibility you have with your travel dates, the easier it will be to find space and book your Emirates first class experience!
If you’re looking to book the Emirates 777-300ER Game Changer First Class Suites, your best shot is to book 1 to 2 days in advance. Emirates rarely releases award space on these flights until very close to departure.
If the pictures above weren’t enough to convince you that Emirates first class is an experience not to be missed, let’s dive into some more features you’ll get to enjoy:
When departing from or transiting through Dubai International Airport (DXB), you will have access to the Emirates First Class Lounge. If your flight is on the Emirates A380, you will be able to board your flight directly from the lounge.
You’ll find areas dedicated to entertainment, dining, and even families with children — there really is something for everyone in the Emirates First Class Lounge.
Emirates has amazing lounges in other airports around the world, too, including New York (JFK) where you can also board your flight from the lounge.
From start to finish, your first class experience will include fantastic food and beverage choices. In the Emirates First Class Lounge, you have the option to enjoy snacks from a buffet or order a meal in the dining area anytime you’re hungry.
You’ll also enjoy on-demand dining on your flight, so you can eat when you are ready. As we mentioned above, fine Champagne and other drinks are available as desired.
One of the most well-known features of Emirates first class on its Airbus A380 is the inflight bar. Located at the rear of the business class cabin, first class passengers are welcome to enjoy the company of fellow passengers and have a drink.
You can even bring your Dom Perignon Champagne with you! This is a fantastic way to stretch your legs and add a little fun to your flight.
Emirates first class passengers can also enjoy the first class shower spa. You will have access to the room for 30 minutes, with 5 minutes of hot water in the shower. During your spa experience, you might notice that your feet are warm… that’s because the floor is heated!
After a long flight, this can be just what you need to freshen up before an adventure.
To top off the first class experience, Emirates provides an amenity kit with high-end Bvlgari products and pajamas (to keep) so you can relax comfortably during your flight.
It’s clear that Emirates first class is an experience any traveler will enjoy. While these flights retail for tens of thousands of dollars, you can use Emirates Skywards miles to score an amazing award ticket.
Like with all award bookings, make sure you check for award availability before transferring points. Remember to start your search for award space as soon as you’ve narrowed down your possible travel dates to increase the likelihood of finding Emirates first class award space.
Now that you know how to book Emirates first class, what are you waiting for? Get out there and take flight in one of the most amazing first class products in the sky!
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Stephen is an established voice in the credit card space, with over 70 to his name. His work has been in publications like The Washington Post, and his Au Points and Awards Consulting Services is used by hundreds of clients.
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48 comments
Jenni
March 13, 2018
Hi! Love your site! I love booking with points. We have a ton of points with our Amex Platinum and we’re looking to book 3 seats in first class on Emirates to Milan next June. When I followed your link to Alaska Airlines, flying from JFK to Milan wasn’t an option. And on the Japan Air bank flying to Europe wasn’t an option either. Can you help? Thank so much!! Jenni 😊
Alex Miller
March 13, 2018
Hi Jenni! Booking Emirates First directly with Emirates by transferring from Amex will cost you a LOT of points (and taxes). For example, a one-way flight from JFK > MXP would be 85k miles & ~$548 (see here). If you login to Emirates.com you can find out how many miles it would cost for your journey which is what I’d recommend doing if you’re set on using Amex points. If not, definitely use JAL miles as it’s a lot cheaper, especially the further you travel.
Joe
April 07, 2018
Hi Alex, Nice post on this about Emirates. I loved my one time flying Emirates direct to Dubai. I was wondering the best option for a person like me to use points from Amex Gold Rewards to fly on Emirates first class. You say Japan Airlines would be best to transfer to and to use on Emirates. What would some good options for me to go on any destination considering I start off at O’Hare? You stated its not a good idea to fly to/from the US. Please help me with any ideas as I am new to using points and would like to take advantage of them to any destination. Thanks!
Alex Miller
April 09, 2018
Hey Joe! Yes, isn’t Emirates F just wonderful? 😀
Here are some points redemption rates using Amex MR points (one-way):
Chicago – Dubai 136,250
New York – Dubai 136,250
Dubai – Johannesburg 90,000
Dubai- Tokyo 117,500
Dubai – Mumbai 52,500
Dubai – Sydney 136,250
Dubai – Paris 85,000
Hope this helps.
PC
July 10, 2018
Hi Alex,
Do you still feel that Japan Airlines Mileage Bank is the best way to book award tickets on Emirates First Class Cabins? Are the showers available on all their planes?
Thanks 🙂
Alex Miller
July 12, 2018
Yes, Japan Airlines is still the best ways to book EK F! Only the A380 plane has showers on it, the 777 unfortunately doesn’t but the seats are a little larger on the 777 and the cabin is more private due to having fewer seats than the A380. For me, it’s A380 every time due to the bar and the showers!
Adele
December 28, 2018
Great article. Emirates F is a favourite of mine, and many of our Australian readers use Qantas points to book it, simply because Qantas points are so easy to earn and burn here.
While you’ve rightly pointed out that Qantas can be expensive for Emirates redemptions, there are some reasons why it makes sense to use Qantas points in this way:
1) Qantas is the only airline scheme other than Emirates Skywards that provides access to Chauffeur Drive on points bookings – a nice perk.
2) By commencing an Emirates journey in Hong Kong (even after the Nov 1 lift in restrictions around carrier surcharge) carrier surcharges can be avoided completely. As an example, I flew HKG-DXB-ATH-DXB-ADL last year, all in Emirates F, and paid around $80. Good times!
3) While long distance flights require lots of points, it is possible to get a taste up the pointy end on a short distance route at a reasonable price. For example, the fifth freedom route of SYD-CHC comes in at 54,000 points, which many will think is decent for a 4 hour jaunt (complete with 4 course meal, Dom, Hennessy Paradis and shower time).
Stephen Au
December 31, 2018
Hey Adele! Thanks for reading.
You bring up great points! We’re going to include your feedback in our comments so that Qantas-loyal readers can utilize your knowledge. Thanks for your comments!
Heather
July 13, 2019
Hi! Great article! I’m having trouble finding a place on the JAL website where I can search Emirates flights. It looks like JAL only has the option of booking flights through Japan airlines. We saved up a bunch of Amex points for flying from LA to Dubai but since they’ve switched to Marriott we can’t seem to figure out how to do this.
Stephen Au
July 16, 2019
Hi Heather,
Generally speaking, you’ll want to search for availability elsewhere such as on Alaska Airlines or directly on Emirates Skywards. Japan Airlines’ interface is somewhat clunky. Thanks for reading!
lindsay
August 22, 2019
I went to the JAL website to look at using points to book First Class for an Emirates flight MXP-NYC, but Europe is not an option in the From/To drop-down menu. Am I missing something?
Andrew Kunesh
August 22, 2019
Hi Lindsay, looks like that’s a glitch on JAL’s website. Unfortunately, this means you will have to call JAL to book this award ticket.
Norman M
October 27, 2019
Hi,
Thanks for your very informative post.
I’m trying to book Emirates from JAL’s website. Here is what I did: log in to JMB, clicked Award Ticket, then International Award Ticket, then JMB Partner Airlines Awards, then Roundtrip. I selected Emirates and clicked 1 Ticket First Class from SFO to BOM. Whatever dates I select it says there no seats available or this flight may be fully booked. Even 1 year out, weekdays/weekends doesn’t matter. Am I doing something wrong ?
Thanks,
Norm
Stephen Au
October 28, 2019
Hi Norman,
Thanks for reading.
Japan Airlines can be clunky if you are looking for connecting flights sometimes. You can search each segment separately and then call Japan Airlines to book the award if the online search engine isn’t working very well.
Norman M
November 23, 2019
Hi Stephen,
I tried again with only one flight/sector and tried all kinds of dates with the same result.
If you have some time, can you please confirm you can still do this ?
Thanks,
Norm
Stephen Au
November 26, 2019
Hi Norman,
If you require an ongoing service that helps you book award travel and earn tons of points based on customized inputs and travel goals you have, we can provide that. Please reach out to me via e-mail at stephen@upgradedpoints.com
Jackie Jacobs
November 30, 2019
A380 flies out of IAH as well. That’s not on your list. I just booked it.
Jarrod West
November 30, 2019
Hi Jackie,
Thank you for letting us know. We will get that adjusted!
Emirates
March 04, 2020
Where would be the best economic place to book with miles at this point for Emirates business class, I got miles all over the place , flight going from Sydney to the UK? (Is these any possible way to book with Alaska?)
Jarrod West
March 04, 2020
Hi Emirates,
The most economic option to book Emirates Business class is to book via Alaska. Alaska requires a bit more miles than Japan Airlines but charges significantly less in taxes and fees. Check out our full write up for more information.
Jay
March 30, 2020
Thanks for your help. I have two follow up questions. First, am I correct in understanding that between the 777-300ER and the A380, only the A380 has the bar and shower, correct?
And second, I am trying to book my first class ticket thru either DFW or IAH using Emirates Skywards points (thru my platinum AmEx). You mention booking some airlines rewards tickets only 1 or 2 days prior to travel, but does that also apply to Emirates points directly? I am booking flights to Africa a year in advance and have nearly 2M AmEx points to transfer into Emirates points, but I can’t run the risk of waiting until the day before to get travel booked. Any thoughts?
Have a great day,
Jay
Stephen Au
March 31, 2020
Hi Jay,
The A380 is the only aircraft with a shower. Furthermore, the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) service only includes the 777-300ER. If you’re looking for a Texas departure, Houston is your only shot at the A380 flight.
Figuring out when airlines definitively release these seats for booking is challenging, which is why if you feel like you’d get value from a service that will help you search for and book your first class travel, in addition to optimizing your credit card rewards to make sure you’re earning the most valuable points, then please feel free to contact me directly at stephen@upgradedpoints.com to inquire about a monthly subscription service.
Bob
May 19, 2020
Hi Jay,
I love your website.
I have a question. I am thinking of booking an EK flight from Nice to Dubai to San Fransisco. First Class is available DXB to SFO but only Business Class NCE to DXB. Am I able to NCE upgrade the flight to First Class after ticket issuance if there’s space available? Thanks
Stephen Au
May 19, 2020
Yes, you can. But the most nuanced answer is it depends on the customer service representative you get.
Some will tell you that you need to cancel the ticket and try to re-issue the new ticket. However, others will be able to do it for you without canceling your ticket.
Alex
January 13, 2021
Hi! I notice in the article you mention that there is no set schedule for when Emirates releases 1st class availability to partner airlines. Do you know if there is a set schedule for when they release 1st class availability for their own SkyRewards program? When I check, 1st class does not seem to be released with economy and business
Stephen Au
January 19, 2021
Hi Alex,
Sadly, there isn’t a golden rule here. I’d recommend checking back frequently for the date you wish to travel as well as some dates around the date you want to travel. It’s also heavily route-dependent.
Thanks for reading!
LuisFTL
May 02, 2021
I want to go around the world with points. There are some airlines that offer this with a set number of points and allow for a few stopovers! Do you know anything about this?
Jarrod West
May 03, 2021
Hi Luis,
Yes, ANA offers a great round-the-world booking option. You can read more about it here: /travel/airlines/how-to-redeem-ana-miles/#17-Book-an-Around-the-World-Trip
tina
June 13, 2021
How many first class award seats are typically available on say LAX to Dubai flight?
Jarrod West
June 16, 2021
Hi Tina,
Typically 1 or 2 seats and they release 328 days in advance.
Roger
October 31, 2021
Hi I am looking to use some AMEX points to get from MIA – CPT . Would like to try emirates first class. Do you suggest going Mia – DXB – CPT on the 777 or MIA – NYC – DXB – CPT on the A380?
Also whats the best way to book as its for next year in Sept?
Stephen Au
November 11, 2021
Hi Rogere,
The 777 is more private with fewer first class seats but lacks the shower suites, in-flight bar, and the “wow” factor of flying on the A380.
Unfortunately, there’s no way to pinpoint the best time to book. Airlines have very complicated algorithms that determine this based on the exact route, current occupancy of paying customers, and more.
Good luck!
Julian
February 04, 2022
I have some Emirates miles expiring in 2 months time and have found it impossible to book a first class return from LON (any airport) to CPT for November this year. Your info that Emirates rarely releases first class rewards seats until a day or two before the flight was invaluable. I’m now wondering what other options might be available to get at least some cost saving from my rewards before they expire. I’m thinking either book a business class rewards ticket and then buy a paid upgrade to first or just use the Cash+Miles option to get at least some value from my points before they expire. I have 2 concerns about option 1. First, I want to be pretty certain that I could upgrade because I don’t want to get stuck flying Emirates business when I consider Qatar QSuites and BA Club Suites to be superior (both should be on the Cape Town route by the end of 2022; QSuites already is) so I’m worried about availability of paid-for upgrades about 8 months before the flight. Is that pretty much guaranteed or are paid-for upgrades rationed and held back? Second, I don’t know if the pricing of an upgrade from business to first might be ridiculous, almost as much as buying a fresh first class ticket, or if that would give me a decent saving. Is there any way I can explore upgrade pricing online since I don’t relish sitting on a telephone hold queue for an hour unless I need to?
Thanks for a great article by the way.
Stephen Au
February 08, 2022
Hi Julian,
Unfortunately, there’s no clear way to guarantee an upgrade in advance, as it is subject to availability. If you are seeing availability on Qsuites, we would recommend confirming that ticket.
The best authority to give you the best information is Emirates or any airline operating your flights.
Kevin
February 21, 2022
Hi there, thanks for the article.
I‘m in the process of planning my honeymoon halfway around the world trip. The first leg I‘d like to fly is Emirates First MXP-JFK. We‘d like to fly mid October 2022. I‘m pretty set on that route and I would fly Emirate Biz as a worse cased scenario.
I have an ExpertFlyer alert going for First award space. Biz award space is wide open.
I read, that it‘s possible to upgrade an award biz ticket to first with miles in total it would cost 92500 miles one way per person. I have the miles to pay that extra charge, and would be willing to pay that price.
My question now is, what is the best game plan? I need to secure the flight, no way I‘m simply waiting until 2 days before my honeymoon should start, with many other reservations on the line.
Should I a) Book biz flex award and hope for an upgrade?
or b) Book biz flex award and then if first availability comes up, cancel that booking and rebook the first flights? Would that be even possible?
If I book biz award flex now, can I cancel this flight for free and how fast would I get my miles back?
Stephen Au
February 21, 2022
Hi Kevin,
The cancellation fee for Flex tickets is $50 per ticket, while Flex Plus tickets have no cancellation fees. After you cancel your ticket over the phone, you will generally get the miles back the same day. However, this is not the case if you submit an online refund form, which may take a much longer time of 2-4 weeks.
I would recommend booking the business flex reward and looking for award availability for first class. Check back regularly, and if/when the first class seats become available, call Skywards to redeem extra miles and change that business class ticket to a first class ticket. The reps are competent enough and can help you perform this request over the phone.
Kevin
February 22, 2022
Hi Stephen,
Thank you so much for your quick reply! Sounds like a plan.
I called Emirates today (before reading your answer) and the rep told me, that all flights can be canceled for free at the moment. But he also initially told me, that I can upgrade a flight I booked with miles. I challenged him, he had another look, and told me I was right 😉
Stephen Au
February 22, 2022
Great job!
Just remember that if you upgrade a flight booked with miles to first, you will end up paying more miles overall versus finding a first class flight from the get-go.
Kevin
February 23, 2022
I realized I misspelled, the rep said I can‘t upgrade an award booking with miles.
I‘m fine with spending more miles as long as it gets me in that on board shower 😉
But did I understand correctly, that your suggestion of calling when First Class award space becomes available, means I would only pay the 85k per Person? So in essence I wouldn‘t be upgrading, they would more or less cancel my biz booking and rebook to first correct?
Thanks again!
Stephen Au
February 23, 2022
Yes, this is correct! The ticket can be cancelled and rebooked freely so long as there is availability.
Tom
March 02, 2022
Hello, and thank you for this informative article!
I have a question about transferring points to Emirates Skywards to book award tickets. What happens if I find the flights and dates I want, I need to transfer points from credit cards to Emirates to book, and the award space goes away during the transfer time?
I’ve heard that Emirates reportedly would hold award tickets for a couple days, but that was awhile ago. Do they still do that? If so, is there a cost? We’ll likely be transferring points from Citi and Amex. How long does it typically take to transfer points from these two credit card companies to Skywards?
Stephen Au
March 03, 2022
Hi Tom,
Emirates should still be able to do this, but some reps might not be willing to or they may not know how to. In that case, I’d call back again.
Sam
November 17, 2022
Hi great article once again. Question: if flying first class, any way to reserve a seating in the a380 lounge bar area? Since it gets pretty crowded I’m sure? Just wondering fyi. Thanks in a advance!
Jarrod West
November 18, 2022
Hi Sam,
There is no way to reserve a seat in the bar area. It is first come, first serve.
Paul Horne
January 19, 2023
I’ve given up – never seen a first class flight available for points anywhere – regardless of how flexible my dates are. I must be missing something.
Eric Olsen
February 27, 2023
I’m in the same boat. I missed out on a chance with incredible redemption (something insane like 60K first class each way) before Covid on a whim. Waited a day and it was gone. I’ve spent a few hours this evening looking and I’ve been unable to find any.
Sam
June 16, 2023
Hi, another question. So I can see on a random search engine that you can book USA to DXB in first and onwards to EUROPE. But when I try on the emirates site, it doesn’t let me do that. Is it because you have to call and book this route? Thanks in advance!
Jarrod West
June 19, 2023
Hi Sam,
Yes, if you call the customer service team they should be able to assist you with this.
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