Review: Emirates First Class – Dubai to Milan (A380)

The baggage claim area itself was a bit surreal, with a walkway flanked by palm trees on both sides.

Welcome to Dubai

I headed into the gulf’s most decadent city via the newly built Dubai metro.  At the platform, I instinctively waited at the front of the platform and got on the next train. After getting in, I realized I was sitting in the metro’s gold class, which costs more than the regular ticket. I quickly hopped off and went to cattle class.  I guess you can’t take the thriftiness out of me ;).

The metro was cheap, clean, and I was able to avoid the pesky Dubai traffic (yes they have traffic jams in Dubai). However, the trains can get quite crowded. If I had heavy luggage with me, I would have probably hailed a cab.

Dubai hotels are notoriously expensive, but Expedia was running a sale of $40 off for any four star hotel. I managed to book a hotel in Burj Dubai for a reasonable cost.

The hotel itself had a bit of Arabian charm, complete with the cigarette smell and Middle Eastern furniture.

At night, the rooftop bar upstairs turned into a nightlife hotspot, with a wide array of “interesting” characters. Quite a few Emirates flight attendants were also mingling.

My five days in Dubai passed by quickly, with just enough time to see all of the highlights.

Selfie on top of the world’s tallest building

Dhows in old Dubai

The highlight of my stay was the Holi festival, which as luck would have it, was happening during my brief stay in Dubai. If you’ve never gone to one before, just do it! The crowd was going nuts all night long.

Soon, it was time to head back home, and I headed back to the Dubai airport.

Unlike most airports, the Dubai airport has a completely separate check-in area for First and Business Class passengers. This included a separate immigration line and walkway.

The First Class check-in area was ridiculously huge, bigger than most check-in counters, with at least five agents to ensure no passenger waited.

What I found interesting was that the Business and First class passengers have their own separate immigration area. I headed to the Emirates First Class lounge, which is located on its own level in the terminal.

Since this was the “B” Lounge, I was expecting something a bit homey, but upon entering, I was struck by how big the lounge was. It spanned almost the entire terminal, with an open air ceiling, making it feel less like a lounge and more like a hotel.

The main entrance was grand, complete with mini water fountains. 

I quickly settled in for a nice lunch. The dining room was gorgeous.

The hostess mentioned that they would start serving lunch in fifteen minutes but I was welcome to grab some food in the buffet table while waiting.

After exactly fifteen minutes, a waiter came and took my order. The menu was exhaustive and everything looked mouth watering.

In the end I went for a four course meal.

First came the quail salad.

This was actually the first time I’ve tried quail, and the chef did a great job of tenderizing the meat.

Next was roasted squash soup, which was placed in this artistic bowl. Simply delicious.

Then came the highlight of my meal, an amazing USDA Angus steak.

The steak was flavorful and tender; the sauce was a perfect complement to the steak

I was stuffed, but I still ordered dessert anyway.

The overall quality of food in the lounge blew me away. The steak was on par with some of the best steakhouses I’ve been to.

After lunch, I decided to walk around the lounge. Even if it’s the B lounge, the place is huge, a complete overkill considering the small amount of First Class passengers.

I finally sat down on one of the sofas and decided to grab some Moet champagne.

After a bit of lounging, I decided to take advantage of the complimentary spa treatment given to First Class passengers. I chose a haircut, because where else can you get a free haircut inside an airport lounge?

Feeling fresh from my haircut, it was time to take care of my shoes, which is also complimentary for First Class passengers. They even had a place to put your glass of champagne.

No shoe shine should be without champagne

Soon it was time to board, and like Melbourne, I headed to the aircraft via a private elevator meant for First Class passengers.

This time though I was joined by four other passengers in the walkway. Oh the horror ;).

I was greeted warmly by the one of the flight attendants and was quickly shown to my seat.

Like my previous flights, service was impeccable. Without hesitation, a very attractive flight attendant helped me with my bags and then poured another glass of Dom Perignon.

We soon took off from the Dubai airport.

After takeoff, my meal orders were taken. I was offered some canapés and some more Dom Perignon.

My first appetizer was another tin of Iranian Caviar. The balls exploded with each bite; it really is a unique eating sensation, and it doesn’t go away. I could see why caviar is the preferred food of the rich.

It was followed by a lobster appetizer, which was surprisingly fresh, considering Dubai is not known as a seafood haven.

And then another appetizer, this time some beef carpaccio. While not the best, it still was miles better than any beef appetizer I’ve had on a plane before.

My main dish was Seafood Biryani paired with a 10-year old Chateau Palmer. The rice was a bit dry, but the seafood was juicy and tender.

I am not a sommelier so all I can say is that it was a smooth and excellent wine. Perhaps the fact it is a decade old added to its charm.

Finally, I finished with strawberry cheesecake paired with some Johnny Blue Whiskey.

After dinner, I decided to take a look at the First Class bar. Yes, Emirates has a fully stocked bar of top shelf liquor and fruit just for First Class passengers. I actually never saw another passenger at the bar.

Our flight to Milan involved flying through Iran, which is more mountainous than what most people would think.

Sunset view over the Zagros mountains

After dinner, I decided to watch Interstellar. The TV screens in the suites are huge, and it was like watching a movie at home. Add the fact that you are in an enclosed suite, and with the beautiful view outside, I felt that life began to imitate art.

As darkness approached, I decided to take another plane shower, my fifth one of the trip so far.

As usual the shower was wonderful, although the heated floor must have been put to the maximum level, as my feet were almost burning.

We shortly began to descend into Milan. Once again, First Class passengers were let out first. As we left the plane, I knew I would cherish this flight forever. Like the jet bridge itself, it was simply art.

Up Next: Emirates First Class: Milan to New York

Previous Post: Emirates First Class: Sydney to Dubai

Review: Emirates First Class – Sydney to Dubai – A380

I woke up at 4:00AM in my hotel room to a loud shrieking alarm. The Sydney to Dubai flight was scheduled to leave in two hours, and Emirates required its passengers to be checked in 90 minutes before departure. Exhausted from the night before, I hopped out of bed and quickly threw all my stuff in my carry-on.

I grabbed an Uber and arrived at the airport with a few minutes to spare. The check-in area was chaotic, filled with fellow sleep deprived passengers. After wearily grabbing my ticket, I headed straight to the gate.

An unpleasant long line at 5:30AM

Since this is the first flight out of the Sydney airport, the plane was ready for boarding. Once again, I was let in through a separate gate, and went from a horde of grumpy passengers, to walking alone.

I quickly boarded and sat in my now familiar 2K seat.

I was greeted by the flight purser, the person who is in charge of all the flight attendants on the plane, and was quickly offered a hotel towel, coffee and Arabic dates. I am usually not a big coffee guy, but the Arabic coffee really hit the spot. It tasted a bit like tea and jolted me awake.

Another flight attendant from India came over and offered me an Emirates tote bag that contained all the goodies for a First Class flight. There was a pair of pajamas, a luxury amenity kit in leather, slippers and an eye mask.

As the sun began to rise, we took off from Sydney and began our 13-hour journey to Dubai. I decided to get a quick breakfast before going to sleep. The purser happened to be from Australia, and provided first rate service throughout the flight.

The breakfast selection was surprisingly similar to the one I had for my short first class flight between Melbourne and Auckland.

Feeling like a zombie, I asked for which entrees were the fastest to make, and decided to get yogurt with granola and an egg omelet. In typical Emirates fashion, he listed five different types of yogurt to choose from. I decided to go with strawberry.

This meal was perhaps the first bland Emirates meal I’ve had, but since I was so sleepy and just wanted to fill up my stomach, it did the job.

After breakfast, I asked the purser if I could take an extra shower before sleeping, since in my rush to get the airport I skipped taking a shower at the hotel. I expected them to reject my request, because Emirates loads only enough water for one shower per passenger. After all each shower uses gallons of water, which could be very expensive for Emirates.

But surprisingly, he happily accommodated my request. Now I would be getting two showers on this flight. Score!

I quickly took my first shower. Even though I’m only half awake, I still crack a smile. After all, who can say they skipped their hotel shower to get one on the plane instead. I was done with my shower after twenty minutes, changed into my Emirates pajamas, and headed back to my seat.

Another amazing feature of the Emirates A380 is the automated blinds. To save the 1% from having to manually close the windows, all you have to do is press a button on your touchpad and all the blinds would go down.

Not only that, there are TWO blinds that go down on top of each other, to make sure that no light gets through to ruin your million dollar sleep. Overly excessive? You bet, but it’s a really cool feature nonetheless.

Note: Pictures were taken from another one of my flights, hence the flipped windows 😉

The lights were dimmed as most passengers were probably sleepy at this point.

A hallmark trademark of First Class is what is known as the turn down service. The flight attendant converts your seat into a flat bed complete with a mattress covering and real blankets like the one you would use at home. Of course, in true Emirates fashion, they give you not one but two full-sized pillows. I settled in quickly and closed the door.

As I laid there gazing at the ceiling, I felt like I was in a private room in the sky. Needless to say I quickly fell asleep. It was truly the most comfortable airplane “bed” I’ve ever slept in. After about six hours, I woke up and felt completely refreshed, as if I was waking up in my own apartment.

The seat felt like a real bed

Upon waking up, I was a bit thirsty and headed over to the famous Emirates A380 bar, which serves both First and Business Class passengers.

When I first saw the bar, I was amazed. It looked exactly like the commercials I have seen on TV, and dare I say, even classier than most bars on the ground. The A380 bar was fully stocked with your standard selection of mid-range alcohol.

The attendant manning the bar was a gorgeous blonde; she looked like she was straight out of a model casting. The bar was almost empty because everyone was still sleeping, even if the sun was out in its midday force.

There were benches on each side so that passengers could relax and socialize.

The Australian flight attendant, noticing that I was taking pictures, asked if I wanted to take a photo behind the bar, and I graciously accepted her offer.

Pouring some Hennesy

Since it would be my first time in Dubai, I asked her where the nightlife hotspots are. She quickly started listing them off by heart. It seems like the flight crew here like to party!

She also asked me what I did, and I meekly said I run a small business. She interjected and said it’s not small if I was flying in First Class. I laughed a bit. Little did she know I was pulling off this crazy trip for a mere $300.

After a few drinks, I began to get hungry again and headed back to my seat to grab dinner.

Unlike breakfast, this was a true five course meal. During the time when I was in the bar, the crew’s shift had changed, and a new flight attendant from Kenya took my order. She looked a bit familiar; turns out she’s on a couple of Emirates advertisements. You don’t get that every day.

For my appetizer, I started with caviar.

After I finished my caviar, the flight attendant I was talking to earlier at the bar stopped by with my shrimp appetizer. Then, she handed me a list of all the happening places in Dubai. The list contained ten to fifteen bars and clubs, and she proceeded to tell me which places  are best to grab a drink. Now that’s what I call perfect service!

The shrimp appetizer was excellent.

The pumpkin soup was creamy and you could still see the butter used to flavor the soup.

The beef and mashed potatoes were a bit dry, but perfectly fine for a meal onboard a plane. However, it definitely was a bit of letdown, considering how great the appetizers were.

I finally finished with dessert, a bit undercooked and cold, but still was delightful.

At this point, I was truly stuffed, and felt like I gained ten pounds. To help digest I decided to grab a drink. I asked for a glass of Hennessey Paradis, the most expensive bottle of alcohol served by any airline, with an average retail cost of $700.

I decided to sip on my Hennessy while enjoying the gorgeous live view from the A380 tail cam.

A very cool feature of the A380 is the iPad-like controller. This allows you to browse through entertainment, select your seat position, and ask for a refill of champagne.

The entertainment system was extensive. With so many movies to choose from, it was like having your own personal movie theater.

After watching a movie and a couple of TV episodes, coupled with a few more glasses of Hennessy Paradis, I asked the flight attendant to prepare the shower again.

Fully awake and buzzed, this was my best Emirates shower experience ever. It was so good I even decided to dance for the camera 😉

The shower had the perfect temperature. I noticed there was rose placed in middle, another nice touch.

Afterwards, I headed back to my seat and found a fruit platter waiting for me.

I decided to continue my gluttonous binge and ordered even more food along with a refreshing mojito.

The beef was very dry, and was the first real bland piece of meat I had. However, the seafood was delicious. It seems like Emirates really does shine with seafood.

The red wine, however, made the beef much more palatable. Good wine always saves the day :).

We were soon close to arriving in Dubai. I decided to watch part of Interstellar, and ordered one last glass of Hennessy Paradis.

As we were descending, I got a glimpse of the amazing Middle Eastern scenery.

As usual, First Class passengers were let out first, and I bid the awesome crew goodbye. This was by far the best long flight I’ve ever taken. Not to mention I was able to score two showers, and a great insider’s list to all the Dubai hot spots. The entire crew was great from the purser to the flight attendants, who took amazing care of me.

I then headed off to Dubai, where my next adventures awaited.

Up Next: Emirates First Class: Dubai to Milan

Previous Post: Emirates First Class: Auckland to Sydney

Review: Emirates First Class – Auckland to Sydney (A380)

As First Class passengers, we were the first ones to get out of the plane.

The first thing that greeted me was this New Zealand themed woodwork. Nothing like a couple of scary faces to welcome you to New Zealand!

At immigration, the officer asked me why my stay in Auckland was so short. I told him that I was trying out the First Class Suites on Emirates. His eyes lit up and started asking how it was and how much I paid for it. When I told him I only paid $300, he gave me a cheeky grin and said welcome to New Zealand.

I dropped my carry-on luggage at the airport storage and proceeded to the Emirates check-in counter to get my ticket for the next flight. The check-in counter usually opens around 3.5 hours before the flight, but since I was a First Class passenger, my ticket was promptly issued. I then took the bus to downtown Auckland.

After walking around downtown Auckland, I settled into the Auckland harbor, which was simply gorgeous.

The afternoon went by quickly and I took the bus back to the airport.

Since I was running late, I had no time to check out the First Class lounge. Since Emirates First Class passengers can board using the lounge, I was the only one boarding via the lower level. Just like in Melbourne, there was a calm silence as I strolled down the jet bridge area.

A Sneak Peak Inside the A380 Cockpit

The flight attendant greeted me and said “Mr. Huang, welcome back with us!”. She asked a petite shower attendant to help me with my carry-on.

She looked at me a bit weird when I declined and decided to lug my carry-on up the airplane staircase. I guess they aren’t used to First Class passengers carrying their own luggage.

I was shown to my seat, the same one from my previous flight (2K), and was given another glass of Dom Perignon.

Since it was my second flight, I began to notice a few things that I missed in the excitement of my first flight. There was a snack basket that contained various types of chocolates and crackers.

Emirates designed each First Class Suite to feel like a personal living space.

The crew also changed completely. Apparently, they change the crew for each flight, no matter how long it is! This crew seemed quite happy to work such a short flight. I had two flight attendants serving me. One was friendly gentleman from Egypt and the other a lady from the Philippines.

We took off in the late afternoon. I enjoyed the live view of the take off from the A380 tail camera.

I was starving. The menu was again an extreme overdose of selection, especially for this short flight.

Since I was hungry from exploring Auckland, I decided to order a five course meal: a starter salad, smoked salmon for my appetizer, a beef fillet steak, chocolate cake, and a cheese platter.

A couple of glasses of champagne and a few articles later, food was served. The flight attendant lifted my tray and set up my dining table.

One thing that really impressed me with Emirates is the plating and attention to detail.

First up was the regular salad.

The salmon appetizer was one of the best I’ve had in a long time. Fresh and light, just like how salmon should be.

The beef fillet was also amazing. I was surprised on how tender it was, especially for airplane food. It really hit the spot. The vegetables were also sautéed properly, but the mashed potatoes were a bit dry. Then again, that’s really nitpicking it considering we were up in the air.

I asked the flight attendant which wine to pair with my steak. She suggested the 2001 Chateau Gruaud Larose. It was an excellent pairing, as it complemented the steak perfectly. Most of all, it left no bitter aftertaste, so I was able to thoroughly enjoy my wine.

At this point I was already stuffed, but who can refuse a nice plate of cheese and chocolate cake? The presentation was excellent, and I was a bit surprised by the vast selection. Instead of making you choose which kind of cheese you want, Emirates just gives you everything.

I have a couple more bites until I was completely stuffed. I then asked the attendant if I could take a shower. Within ten minutes, the shower was ready, and I headed over to take my second shower on a plane in a of couple hours.

This time, I managed to pace my shower better so I didn’t have to rush at the very end.

Since it was my second shower in the same day, I noticed a few more details.

Emirates provides all the shower amenities you could possibly want. There were eight different bottles ranging from body wash to conditioner.

In addition, there is a “bench” in the shower that you can use when there is turbulence in the air, and in the case of an airplane malfunction, oxygen masks would fall down from the ceiling.

Of course it’s not the most ideal place to be if there is a problem with the aircraft. There also seems to be a limit of two people for the shower, although only one person is allowed in the shower at a time.

After my shower, the flight attendants were starting to prepare for landing and I buckled in for our landing into Sydney.

Once again, immigration was a breeze and I was out of the airport in just fifteen minutes.

With a nice buzz from the alcohol I’d been drinking, I took the airport train to the Sydney Harbor. Nothing could have prepared me for what I was about to see.

As I approached the harbor, I noticed an enormous ship dominating the harbor. Turns out it was the world’s only ocean liner, the Queen Mary 2.

Seeing the Titanic-like ship leaving the Sydney harbor after landing on the world’s largest commercial airline just gave me the shivers.

With the bell horn honking, steam coming out of its funnel, and the crowds cheering them on, it seemed like a scene straight out of Hollywood.

The harbor front was simply breathtaking and lives up to the hype.

I headed back to my hotel, which was walking distance from the domestic airport. I promptly fell asleep, exhausted but at the same delighted by one of the most eventful travel days of my life.

Up Next: Emirates First Class: Sydney – Dubai

Previous Post: Introduction: My $60,000 Trip on Emirates First Class for $300

My $60,000 Trip Around the World in Emirates First Class for $300

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.

Next Up: Emirates First Class – Auckland to Sydney