My heart was pounding but I tried to keep a straight face. The check-in agent typed something into his computer and picked up the phone. In my head I kept on thinking, “This is it. I’m not going to pull this off.” All of a sudden he put the phone down and smiled. A few seconds later, my ticket to Melbourne was issued and handed to me.
I finally got my golden ticket, and was about to begin the greatest flying experience of my life.
True Arabian Decadence
Unlimited Dom Perignon, wild caviar, and a shower spa while flying 40,000 feet in the air – it’s no wonder the Emirates First Class Suite is consistently named one of the best airline seats in the world.
Tickets can reach up to $20,000 round trip – an astronomical amount that I wouldn’t even dream of paying for a flight.
But in the spring of 2015, the aviation gods have smiled upon me and granted me the most insane round-the-world ticket ever: a $60,000 ticket in Emirates First Class that would take me to 11 cities, 7 countries and 5 continents… all for $300!
Singapore to New York – 7 Cities – 21,136 Miles
Houston to Singapore – 6 Cities – 33,975 Miles
How did I manage to book such a trip?
The answer is a bit complicated. Through various loopholes, I was able to book an Emirates First Class ticket using miles, which would take me from Singapore to Australia, Asia, Europe, North America, Africa, and back. Let’s just say it was a crazy miles redemption that had never been done before.
Click here to learn how to fly Emirates First class for almost nothing
Update: As of March 31, 2016 Alaska Airlines has significantly increased the amount of miles to fly Emirates first class.
The Emirates First Class Suite Experience
I’ve flown on other airlines’ First Class seats before, but there’s something about the Emirates First Class Suites that just scream decadence. Over the next three weeks, I was able to live the life of a true jet setter.
It would be impossible to share with you all the crazy things that I experienced in one article. So let me first show you what it’s like to fly like a high roller.
The VIP treatment started the moment I stepped into the Melbourne airport. I headed straight to the Emirates First Class check-in counter, which was completely empty. Meanwhile, there was a sea of people in the Economy counter.
I then proceeded to the First Class lounge, which is operated by Qantas, an Emirates airline partner.
I walked into the Qantas First Class lounge. The agent scanned my ticket, looked at me, and said “Welcome, Mr. Huang” with a big Australian smile.
The first thing I noticed was the decadent marble entrance, plastered with greenery to give an illusion that you’re not in an airport, but a sanctuary.
Marble Everywhere
I walked in and headed to the dining tables, passing what seemed to be an endless amount of seating room, with no one sitting in it. Clearly space isn’t an issue here.
Privacy is a premium for the 1%
I sat down on one of the dining tables with a view of the runway. A server wearing a suit and tie came up to me, handed me a menu, and asked if I would like a glass of champagne. It was a Wednesday, but weekday drinking is not a problem when you’re flying in First Class .
The breakfast menu is extensive to say the least. There were over fifteen entrees, ranging from fruit salad to organic poach eggs. Emirates makes sure that the menus are changed seasonally, so that its jet setting clientele are never bored.
A Rather Long List for Breakfast
Knowing that I would soon be having a feast in my upcoming flight, I opted to order simple muesli. It was by far the best muesli I’ve ever had.
As I sat sipping champagne, I was struck by the silence and emptiness of the lounge. There were at most ten people using this lounge. Within the chaotic confines of the airport, the lounge provided a place where you could truly relax and feel like you’re not in an airport.
After a quick breakfast, I decided to get a refill of champagne and sit on one of the many spacious couches lying around the lounge. As I made myself comfortable, the lounge assistant came over with my carry-on and put it next to me, without me even asking.
Marveling at the View
Soon, it was time to board.
I thanked the lounge attendants for their wonderful service and headed to the “king of all planes”, the Airbus A380.
I left the lounge and went down the escalator into main gate area. It was packed with passengers getting reading to board. Welcome back to the real world, or so I thought.
I asked an Emirates employee if the flight was boarding yet. She took a quick look at my boarding pass and told me that since I was in First Class, I should go to lounge. I replied that I thought it was already time to board, and that I just left the lounge. She then told me to come with her, escorted me down a side elevator, and dropped me off in a private waiting area.
Moments later, another gentleman came and pointed me toward a separate plane entrance.
Another gentleman took a quick look at my boarding pass and waved me through.
I strolled down the walkway alone. No people, no crowds, no one behind me. It felt like I was boarding my own private jet.
I was greeted and escorted to my seat by a flight attendant.
She asked if it was my first time in the Suites. In my most nonchalant voice, I answered that it was indeed my first time. She gave me a quick overview and immediately offered me a glass of champagne.
My first impression of the First Class Suite was WOW. You see the pictures online, but only when you actually sit down do you realize how over the top the Suite really is.
There is bling everywhere; gold trimmings line pretty much everything from the table to the LCD screen to the adjustable air duct.
Would you like some gold dusted air, sir?
Everything is designed to wow you. There is even an automated bar, because they can.
The flight attendant noticed me playing around with the seat and asked if I would like a picture.
The flight attendant then offered me coffee and dates, followed by a refreshing hot towel.
We talked for a bit and she told me she is from Thailand. The crew is very international; each flight had attendants and pursers from different countries. I never once met a single Emirati flight attendant. Emirates is truly an international airline.
We proceeded to take off. Since the A380 is the world’s largest commercial aircraft, I expected its four engines to make a large roar, but the engines barely made a murmur. It was the smoothest take off I’ve ever experienced.
After takeoff, I was offered the first of many glasses of Dom Perignon 2004 and some warm mixed nuts. Speaking as a non champagne expert, all I can say is that you could immediately tell the difference between a Moet and a Dom. It was like sipping on the nectar of the gods. I could start to see why the retail price is $200 per bottle.
I was quickly handed my menu. Let’s just say for a 3-hour flight, it was complete overkill. There were over three starters and six entrees to choose from. Since I was starting to feel hungry again, I ordered the Spanish Omelette with fruit as a starter.
The flight attendant set up my seat into a mini-dining area, complete with table cloth and fine china. Even though I did not order bread, butter and all the essential condiments were provided. My fruit plate arrived along with some more muesli.
The first thing that struck me was how beautiful the plating was, even if it was just fruit. The fruit was very fresh and it wet my appetite for the omelet.
The Spanish omelet was amazing, it was almost like you headed to some hip brunch place and ordered one fresh off the stove.
After breakfast, I continued to play around with my suite.
The best part of the Emirates Suite is the automated doors. To open or close your suite doors, you simply push a button and the door will slide open or shut.
Since I knew that I have plenty of Emirates flights left to explore every aspect of the seat, I decided to just enjoy the moment and drink more Dom Perignon. After finishing a couple of flutes, I decided to have an early morning drink of Hennessy Paradis cognac, the most expensive drink in the sky. A standard bottle retails for over $700.
It was nine in the morning, but who can pass up a chance to drink that? I took one sip and was overcome with multiple sensations. The burn was smooth and the aftertaste was delicious. Again, I am not a liquor connoisseur but it was by far the best alcohol I’ve ever had in my life. It put the Dom I just had to shame. I felt like I was in pure heaven.
After a quick sip, I asked the flight attendant if I could partake in the highlight of any Emirates A380 First Class experience: the onboard shower.
When it first launched, it was the cooler talk for everyone around the world. And now I was finally about to experience it. My ears were filled with joy when the flight attendant came over and said, “Mr. Huang, your shower is ready.”
As I followed the attendant to the front, she asked me if I had showered on a plane before. I gave a big grin and said that it was my first time. She then took me into the shower and showed me all the features.
The first thing you notice about the shower spa, is that it’s big. Very big. I’d say you could fit at least three if not four regular sized bathrooms in there.
The wallpaper is of the entire Dubai skyline, and because this is Emirates, the spa has a heated floor to ensure your million dollar feet are nice and cozy.
The spa also has a huge LCD screen that shows you where you are, while taking a shower.
The shower itself has a 2-minute water timer limit, which you can see by the bars on the shower light, but you could stay in the shower spa as long as you wanted to.
So how was it? It was like unlocking a new treasure that you never knew existed. I couldn’t stop laughing at how insane it was. Three years ago, I was stuck in coach hating flying, and now I was taking a shower in the sky at 40,000 feet for almost nothing.
Since I was a complete mile high shower newbie, I vastly underestimated the time I would take to shower. Before I knew it, the shower stopped (the shower stops spraying water at 25% so you know you are running low on water), and I had to quickly finish rinsing off before the water ran out!
I decided to just enjoy my first time using the showers and save the pictures for later. But of course, I had to take my first post-shower selfie, courtesy of a huge mirror on the wall.
Once I changed back into my clothes and headed out, the shower attendant (yes they have an actual shower attendant to keep watch over the shower), asked how my shower was. I told her I felt like I was on cloud nine.
I was offered a box of Godiva chocolates, and I asked for another glass of Hennessy Paradis to celebrate my first shower.
We shortly began to descend into Auckland. I was provided with a “fast track pass” that allows First and Business Class passengers to go through a separate line for immigration.
We landed in Auckland and I thanked the crew for a wonderful flight. When a crew member asked me how long I was going to stay, I said I would be back in a couple of hours heading to Sydney. She laughed and bid me farewell. Little did she know I was being 100% serious.
Overall Impressions:
They say every person’s first experience of something is usually the best. This was no exception. The VIP treatment I received from all the staff, from the ground agents to the flight attendants, was truly first class. The first shower was eye opening, and definitely not a gimmick. You feel refreshed and ready to go.
The bling is in your face. Some may find it nouveau riche, but I loved every bit of it.
This was by far the best flight I’ve ever taken, and it set a high bar for the rest of my Emirates First Class flights.
