I rank Emirates’ new first class as one of the world’s best first class products. Readers often have questions about whether a particular flight is scheduled to feature the new first class, so in this post I wanted to cover that in a bit more detail, and provide an update on which routes are currently scheduled to have the new product.
This coincides with the launch of the IATA summer 2024 schedule, which applies for flights between late March and late October.
What makes Emirates’ new first class special?
While Emirates first class has long been a world class product, the airline took it to the next level with its new first class, introduced in late 2017 (okay, I guess it’s not really that “new” anymore, but it is rare). The new first class is available exclusively on select Boeing 777-300ERs, and features just six seats. It’s simply an incredible product.
While there are lots of first class suites with doors nowadays, this one is actually fully enclosed, floor-to-ceiling. This suite also has an incredible number of gadgets, from temperature controls in your private suite, to lighting controls where you can choose the color and intensity of the lighting.
To get a sense of how awesome this product is, check out my full Emirates new first class trip report from a flight I took between Washington and Dubai. I’d say the only product that can compete with this nowadays is Japan Airlines’ Airbus A350-1000 first class.
Which planes feature Emirates’ new first class?
Even though Emirates has a fleet of over 250 aircraft (exclusively Airbus A380s and Boeing 777s), only nine planes feature the new first class seats. More specifically, the last nine Boeing 777-300ERs that Emirates ever took delivery of have this cabin. Emirates took delivery of these planes between 2017 and 2018, and they have the following registration codes:
The above links go to the Flightradar24 pages for each of the planes, so you can track where they’ve been flying.
Just to be perfectly clear, while Emirates’ A380s offer an incredible first class experience with onboard showers and a bar, no A380s feature the new first class seats.
How can you tell if your plane features Emirates’ new first class?
The best way to tell for sure if you’re scheduled to be on a plane with Emirates’ new first class is to look at the seat map. If the seat map shows eight seats in first class (two rows in a 1-2-1 configuration) then you’re scheduled to be on a 777 with the old first class.
Meanwhile if the seat map shows six seats in first class (two rows in a 1-1-1 configuration) then you’re scheduled to be on a 777 with the new first class.
Let me once again emphasize that aircraft assignments are subject to change, especially if you’re still a long time from departure.
Which routes feature Emirates’ new first class?
Let’s take a look at the routes on which Emirates has currently scheduled its Boeing 777s with the new first class cabins. For the summer season, you can expect to find the new 777s flying between Dubai and the following destinations:
- 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
Let me emphasize that this schedule is always subject to change, and there may be some variation with specific frequencies. So you’ll want to always check the seat map for a particular flight to ensure that it’s actually scheduled to be operated by one of these aircraft.
Emirates also tends to have some last minute aircraft swaps, so you may book a route scheduled to feature the new first class and not get it. Conversely, you may book a route scheduled to be operated by the old first class, and luck out with the new first class.
While Emirates has flown a 777 with the new first class between Washington and Dubai for the winter, unfortunately no routes to the United States have this product for the summer.
Will more planes get Emirates’ new first class?
Emirates introduced its new first class over six years ago, and still only nine planes have the new first class. When can we expect more planes to get this new first class product?
Unfortunately it sounds like we shouldn’t expect any more planes to feature the new first class until late 2025 at the earliest, and that’s probably highly optimistic, given all the challenges that Boeing is facing.
Hopefully Emirates management has a change of heart, and reconfigures some existing planes with these seats. It really is kind of embarrassing to roll out an amazing new product, and only have it on nine planes over six years later.
How do you redeem miles for Emirates first class?
The best way to redeem miles for Emirates first class is directly through the Skywards program. The good news is that Skywards is transfer partners with all major transferable points currencies, including Amex Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Capital One, Chase Ultimate Rewards, and Citi ThankYou, so there are lots of ways to earn Skywards miles.
First class award availability can be tough to come by on planes with the new first class, given how small the cabin is. That being said, we often see one seat released in advance, and then more seats released as the departure date approaches.
The real trick to scoring an Emirates first class award seat is to book a business class award, and then upgrade at the airport or on the plane using Skywards miles, as that generally gets you last seat availability.
Bottom line
Emirates’ new first class product is incredible, and I rank it as the best in the world. Unfortunately it’s only available on nine aircraft, so a vast majority of Emirates first class passengers won’t get to experience it.
Hopefully the above is a useful overview of what makes the product special, and what routes you can regularly find it on. Emirates pretty consistently offers its new first class to destinations like Brussels, Geneva, and London, and unfortunately no routes to the United States will have this product for summer.
If you’ve flown the new Emirates first class, what was your experience like?
