Review: Emirates A380 Business Class Bangkok to Dubai

After spending some time in South East Asia, I began my return journey to North America by flying in Emirates A380 business class from Bangkok to Dubai.

While I’m certainly no stranger to Emirates First Class, this would be my first time flying with Emirates in business class, and I was looking forward to once again indulging in the onboard bar in the sky on the Airbus A380.

Emirates A380 Business Class – Booking

Emirates is one of the newest partner airlines to join the ranks of the Aeroplan loyalty program. I booked my entire journey from Bangkok to Seattle via Dubai in Emirates business class for 87,500 Aeroplan points, with this Bangkok–Dubai flight on the Airbus A380 followed by Dubai–Seattle on the Boeing 777. 

I took advantage of the limited-time opportunity in late 2022 to book Emirates at the same rate as other Aeroplan partners. Emirates is unique airline partner  in that it will eventually be subject to its own pricing structure, and the new pricing is set to take effect in early 2023.

Since the Bangkok–Dubai–Seattle routing measures under 11,000 miles in distance, I was able to leverage the “Asia 3” sweet spot on the Aeroplan Flight Reward Chart, which gives you the option of choosing to fly across either the Pacific or Atlantic to get between North America and Asia. 

Emirates A380 Business Class – Ground Experience

Passengers flying in business class with Emirates out of Bangkok have access to the Emirates Lounge.

Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to visit the lounge, as I had a tight connection from a domestic Thai AirAsia flight from Phuket. Due to this relatively tight transfer on a separate ticket, I needed to head to my gate immediately.

Emirates A380 Business Class – Cabin

The Airbus A380 is the largest commercial plane in the world and features two levels. On the Emirates A380, the lower deck is designated for economy passengers, and the upper deck is equipped with both business class and First Class seating.

The business class cabin is laid out in a 1-2-1 configuration, with 72 business class seats, all with direct aisle access. It’s situated towards the back of the upper deck, behind First Class, and is divided into a larger main cabin and a smaller mini-cabin.

As I stepped into the business class cabin, I was once again amidst Emirates’s timeless aesthetic. The cabin interiors were…