Is Emirates A380 business class worth the upgrade from Cairo to Dubai? Our honest review uncovers the luxurious seats, delicious food, and any hiccups we encountered. Find out if the Emirates experience lives up to its reputation on this popular route.
Introduction
Why This Guide Matters
Ever wondered what it’s like to fly Emirates A380 Business Class from Cairo to Dubai? Well, you’re in luck! This guide is your ultimate companion, offering a detailed, first-hand account of the experience. Think of it as your travel buddy, but without the awkward small talk. Ready to dive in? 
Flying business class with Emirates is often seen as the pinnacle of luxury travel. With spacious lie-flat seats, fine dining and incredible in-flight entertainment, it’s easy to see why Emirates has won numerous awards for its business class product.
However, does the reality always live up to the hype? We recently flew business class with Emirates from Cairo to Dubai and wanted to provide an honest review of our end-to-end experience – from check-in to arrival.
There were certainly many highlights, including the comfort of the lie-flat seats and excellent in-flight meals. However, we also faced some frustrations with aspects of the Emirates ground experience, including lounge policies and staff communication.
Read on for our detailed account of the Emirates business class experience on this regional flight. We’ll provide tips, photos and our unfiltered perspective to help you make the most of your next Emirates business class journey.
Website: www.emirates.com
Before You Fly – Online Check-in & Seat Selection
First things first, you can check-in via the Emirates App or online. But hold your horses! You won’t get an electronic pass in Cairo. You’ll need to strut over to a check-in counter for a paper boarding pass. Why? Well, they’ve got to hand you a departure form for immigration. Good to know for future trips from Cairo!
Checking In at Cairo International Airport Terminal 2
Our Emirates business class experience started on arrival at Cairo International Airport Terminal 2.
Navigating Terminal 2
After entering Terminal 2, we headed straight for the business/first class/gold track security screening, bypassing the longer economy class queues. This is to your left as you enter the terminal building. This saved us considerable time.
TIP: You will NOT be required to remove your shoes and belt or to put away your mobile phone for this first screening which is more meant for your checked-in and hand luggage. They will be asking for your passport and ticket, so have these handy.
Once through this first screening, we proceeded directly to the Emirates business class check-in counters. The check-in process was quick and efficient.
Finding an ATM at Cairo Airport Terminal 2
Heads up – there’s only one ATM inside Cairo’s Terminal 2 departure hall that we could locate. This sole cash point is run by Bank Misr, located opposite counters 229-239. So, if you need to withdraw any last-minute Egyptian Pounds before flying out, be sure to find this ATM! Don’t rely on finding plentiful ATMs airside – from our experience, this Bank Misr machine was the only game in town.
We always recommend having some local currency before heading to the airport just in case. But if you do need a cash infusion before leaving, seek out this elusive one-of-a-kind ATM oasis tucked away in the depths of Terminal 2!
Departure Passport Control & Immigration
After checking our bags, we headed up to the first floor for immigration and passport control. There are no fast track lanes here for premium passengers, so be prepared to queue with everyone else.
Have your passport open on the page with your visa/entry stamp ready, as you’ll need to present this to the officer when exiting.
TIP: Keep a pen handy, you’ll need it to complete the departure forms.
TIP: No fast-track for premium passengers at passport control.
TIP: Check which page your passport gets stamped on, you’ll need to show it later.
Navigating Overstay Fines at Cairo Immigration
Now, this is an important tip for those who may have inadvertently overstayed their Egyptian visa by a few months:
At the time of writing, there is typically an expectation to pay a fine of around 1,800 LE (Egyptian Pounds) when exiting if you’ve overstayed your visa by less than 3 months.
However, here’s a potential hack – if you have a compelling reason for overstaying like medical issues, you can try your luck proceeding through normal immigration without paying. Some officers may take pity and waive the overstay fine if your excuses are persuasive enough!
So, if you find yourself accidentally overstayed, don’t fret. Head to immigration, be remorseful and explain your situation politely. With any luck, you may dodge the overstay penalty and continue your journey.
But tread carefully here – some officials may not sympathize and still enforce the fines. It’s a gamble either way. Our tip is simply to highlight that immigration officers can waive fees at their discretion. Play on their heartstrings and hope for the best!
Second Security Screening
Past immigration, all passengers go through a second security screening. Here you DO need to remove shoes, belts, empty pockets – just like the standard airport security routine.
Keep your boarding pass and passport handy, as you may need to show them again.
With formalities completed, we now had time to explore the terminal and visit the lounge before boarding our flight.
Terminal 2 and The Emirates Lounge Experience
Terminal 2 was rather uninspiring, with many parts still under construction. The duty free shops were almost empty.
Emirates has its own premium lounge located past security in Terminal 2. However, it was not well signposted – we found it tucked away next to the McDonald’s outlet.
Access and Ambiance
Access to the lounge was straightforward with our business class boarding passes. The space was clean and comfortable, if not particularly memorable.
The food selection was limited for this morning flight – mainly pastries, cereals and eggs cooked-to-order. It sufficed, but we expected more variety from Emirates.
The bathrooms were clean and functioning properly. But otherwise, nothing about this lounge stood out as exceptional. It was certainly acceptable, but not impressive for Emirates’ stature.
However, Emirates’ business lounge vastly exceeds EgyptAir’s flagship lounge at Terminal 3. EgyptAir’s lounge is shockingly subpar for a national carrier’s premium space. Meanwhile, Saudia’s lounge in Terminal 2 appeared elegant from a glimpse through the entrance. Though we didn’t experience it directly.
By Cairo lounge standards, Emirates’ offering is above average for sure. But it pales in comparison to Emirates’ own stellar lounges globally.
Strange Photo Policy
Here’s where we encountered a frustration – the lounge staff abruptly informed us that no photography was allowed, apart from selfies. This seemed a strange policy, with no posted signs about photo restrictions. And the lounge was totally empty besides the two of us! If you check their reviews on google, you will see numerous photos of the lounge. So, it is a baffling policy that Emirates staff seems to enforce on guests they ‘pick on’. Very disappointing indeed.
Here was another real head-scratcher – when we contacted Emirates customer service to inquire about the no photo policy, the agent had zero knowledge of this rule.
They also claimed it was impossible to file a complaint over the phone pre-travel, though Emirates’ own website indicates otherwise.
This glaring contradiction was incredibly confusing. It seemed to expose inconsistencies in Emirates’ internal communication channels.
How can an airline’s service agent not have readily available information about lounge policies that they enforce on passengers? And why does their website promise the ability to complain by phone if that’s not allowed in practice?
While we respect any airline policies, these glaring mismatches are concerning from a customer experience perspective. Emirates must align staff protocols and public guidance to avoid utterly perplexing clients like us!
Overall, the Emirates Cairo lounge was underwhelming and the photo policy episode frustrating. We managed to take a few photos before being abruptly told off.
Has anyone else faced conflicting information from Emirates on lounge rules or complaint filing? Let’s discuss in the comments.
Boarding the A380 Flight to Dubai
When it was time to board, we navigated to our assigned departure gate – Gate E11.
However, there was an important tip we wish we’d known beforehand – upper deck business class passengers should proceed to Gate E9C, not E11!
This was frustrating, as we first queued at Gate 11 unnecessarily before a staff member redirected us upstairs to E9C. For premium passengers, this really should have been clearly communicated by Emirates staff or signage or on our boarding passes!
Despite the minor gate hiccup, priority boarding was swift once we arrived at E9C. The cabin crew warmly welcomed us aboard and addressed us by name, nicely done.
We settled into our business class seats eagerly anticipating the flight ahead. Time to experience Emirates’ renowned inflight service!
The Emirates A380 Business Class Cabin
Emirates’ A380 business class cabin is arranged in a 1-2-1 seat configuration, giving every passenger direct aisle access. This is much better than Emirates’ business class seats on their Boeings 777 with its 2-3-2 seat configuration.
Business Class Seats on Emirates A380
We chose seats 14K and 15J for this flight on the upper deck of the A380. The leather-clad seats were comfortable and spacious, measuring roughly 48″ in upright mode and 70″ when fully flat. Every business class seat had aisle access.
For added privacy, pick an ‘A’ or ‘K’ seat – these face away from the aisle towards the windows.
The spacious cabin felt refined yet modern. While not necessarily unique, Emirates business class seats provided a pleasant environment to relax in for this regional flight.
Emirates allows you to have a 3D tour of your seat online.
Inflight Entertainment System
Every seat has a large personal screen loaded with Emirates’ extensive inflight entertainment content.
We were thoroughly impressed by the selection – over 5,000 channels of movies, TV, music, and more. The picture quality was excellent as well. Emirates’ renowned IFE did not disappoint.
The provided noise-cancelling headphones were decent quality too – one less thing to pack.
Onboard Wi-Fi & Connectivity
Emirates offers inflight Wi-Fi on its A380 fleet. However, the service tiers are complex, depending on your Skywards status and class of travel.
In short, Skywards Platinum members get free Wi-Fi regardless of cabin class. For Silver/Gold members, it’s free in business/first class only. And other passengers can purchase Wi-Fi time or chat-only access.
Make sure to link your Skywards account to your booking ahead of time to take advantage of any free Wi-Fi offers.
We wish Emirates would simplify the Wi-Fi policies though – the intricacies are frustrating as a passenger. Overall, connectivity was perfectly functional, but could be streamlined.
Emirates’ A380 Business Class: Meal Service
Soon after take-off, it was time for Emirates’ famous inflight dining service. With lunch service on this mid-day flight, we were eager to experience the cuisine. You can view their on-board menu here.
Presentation and Service Style
The presentation was ok, with premium cutlery laid out. Our server introduced themselves and reviewed the menu choices politely.
However, the service still felt somewhat impersonal – there was little banter or warmth from the crew beyond the required formalities.
Appetizers and Drinks
To start, we enjoyed chilled glasses of Moet & Chandon champagne – a nice touch. They were accompanied by warm mixed nuts – basic but tasty.
Our appetizers soon followed – we each chose the Arabic mezze, which made a flavourful starter.
The drinks list was extensive – we sampled the onboard mojitos, which were perfectly balanced and delicious.
Main Courses
For my main course, I opted for the lamb bukhari, served with a refreshing cucumber raita. The lamb was melt-in-your-mouth tender – a wonderful dish!
Meanwhile, my partner chose the seafood tagine, which featured prawns, scallops and grouper in an aromatic Moroccan-style stew. The tagine’s depth of flavour impressed us both.
Dessert
To end the meal on a sweet note, milk tart was served. A simple dessert but satisfying.
A box of chocolates also came around – a nice extra touch.
Overall Dining Impressions
The Lamb Bukhari was a true highlight – flawlessly cooked, tender lamb in an incredible masala sauce. Without a doubt, the food was the standout part of this Emirates business class flight.
The menu was diverse, drinks top-notch and service efficient. While the crew’s warmth could improve, they fulfilled all requests promptly.
If you fly Emirates for the food alone – it’s worth it. Their inflight dining has a genuinely business-class feel on long and short hauls alike.
Other Features of Emirates’ A380 Business Class
Beyond the marquee seats and dining, there are a few other features worth mentioning from our flight.
Lavatories
The business class lavatories on this particular aircraft unfortunately felt neglected and dirty. For such a premium experience, we expect lavatories to be pristine and frequently serviced. This was a disappointingly grubby aspect of our Emirates flight.
Amenities
Business class passengers are typically offered amenity kits on longer flights. However, even on this shorter route, refreshed amenities like toothbrushes or moisturizer would have been appreciated.
While average for a day flight, the lack of amenity replenishment did make the experience feel slightly more budget airline than luxury.
Business Class Bar
On the A380, business class passengers can stretch their legs any time at the self-serve lounge bar in the back galley.
This was a nice spot to chat over cappuccinos and snacks mid-flight without bothering cabin crew – a thoughtful feature.
Evaluating the Service on Emirates
A business class experience ultimately comes down to the crew’s service standards and overall hospitality. Here is our assessment of the Emirates team on our Cairo-Dubai flight:
Professionalism
The crew were diligent and professional in their duties – serving meals, responding to requests and managing cabin needs. No major missteps occurred.
However, unlike Emirates crews on other routes, they did not go above and beyond in a memorable way. It met expectations but did not exceed them.
Friendliness
While polite at all times, the crew seemed rather detached. There was little warmth, humour or conversation displayed from the team.
For example, they did not proactively introduce themselves or engage passengers besides the required service transactions. The service therefore felt somewhat robotic and impersonal.
Knowledge and Communication
Furthermore, some crew members appeared inexperienced, such as being unsure of dish ingredients and preparation styles.
Clarity of communication was also hit-or-miss during announcements and information delivery. Minor training gaps showed at times.
Overall Service Impression
On the whole, the inflight service on this flight felt proficient but generic – almost business-like. Emirates crews on other routes have felt far more personable, charismatic and engaged with guests.
While still elevated from economy class, the soft product did not have the charm or flair we expected of a best-in-class Emirates business class experience. They have set a high bar – but this crew fell slightly short.
Arriving at Dubai International Airport
Our A380 smoothly touched down in Dubai right on schedule. Disembarking was quick thanks to our business class seating near the front.
Breezing Through Immigration
As UAE residents, we were able to use the automated Smart Gates for arrival immigration. This smoothed the entry process significantly.
If for any reason the Smart Gates don’t accept your passport, there are always staffed kiosks available to assist.
Luggage Pickup and Exit
The baggage carousels were a bit congested. Luggage from our flight arrived promptly, though it took time to actually exit the hall due to queues at the customs X-ray machines. Patience required here – but our bags emerged quickly.
Onward Transfer
As one final business class perk, we pre-booked free Emirates chauffeur service to our Dubai accommodation. Pickup areas are located near customs.
Despite reconfirming ahead, there was initially confusion locating our booking. But staff swiftly resolved it and we were on our way. A glitch, but rectified pleasantly.
Final Verdict: Should you fly Emirates for regional business class?
To summarise our candid experience flying Emirates business class from Cairo to Dubai:
– The A380 seats, dining, drinks and entertainment were truly first-rate – these elements exemplified Emirates’ luxury ethos.
– However, aspects like dirty lavatories, average lounges and inconsistent staff service let down the experience somewhat.
– Complex Wi-Fi policies, lounge photography rules and poor signage caused unnecessary passenger frustration at times.
– While acceptable overall, this Emirates flight did not feel like a 5-star experience which we had hoped for and previously experienced.
For future travellers considering Emirates business class, we recommend:
– Have realistic expectations – it may not be perfect luxury end-to-end.
– Use onboard amenities like the lounge bar to the fullest.
– Be prepared for the vagaries of ground staff and policies – at Cairo Airport, we felt that staff at the lounge behaved strangely when all we wanted to do was to take photos of our food and the empty lounge! The negative lounge encounter soured the start of our otherwise enjoyable Emirates business class trip.
– Contacting their call centre was an atrocious experience – shocking for an airline such as Emirates
– Focus on enjoying the premier cabin comfort and unmatched dining.
Despite a few disappointments, we would still recommend Emirates business class as a refined way to travel. But don’t expect perfection – and savour the parts Emirates really excels at like seat comfort and cuisine.
On balance, this Cairo to Dubai business class flight met our core needs but lacked the aura of magic and hospitality conveyed by Emirates’ exemplary crews. We hope Emirates addresses those service gaps – but still found the journey worthwhile overall.
Check in (Priority)
Lounge
Boarding (Priority)
Seat Comfort
Food
In-Flight Entertainment
Service (on-board)
Arrival (Priority)
Punctuality
Value for Money
OVERALL
Final Word
This first-hand review aims to provide a detailed account of our recent Emirates business class experience from Cairo to Dubai. We highlighted the highs like the exceptional A380 seats and dining, but also the shortcomings we faced during certain aspects of this journey. Our goal is to set realistic expectations while emphasizing that Emirates still offers a best-in-class experience aboard their aircraft.
Have you flown Emirates business class recently? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
What did you love about your Emirates experience? Where did they fall short? Did you have a phenomenal crew or face frustrations?
Let’s have an open discussion about the real Emirates business class experience from different travellers’ perspectives. Your insights will help fellow flyers know what to expect.
So, chime in with your Emirates business class review and let’s chat in the comments!
FAQs
How much extra time should I allow for at Cairo airport when flying business class?
Allow at least 2 hours to navigate check-in, security, immigration and the Emirates lounge. Cairo formalities do take time – but the business class lane at check-in speeds the process. However, there is no fast track at Immigration, something to bear in mind if travelling during peak times.
What COVID-related protocols apply when flying from Cairo to Dubai?
At the time of writing, there were no specific Covid-related protocols. Rules continue to evolve, so verify requirements.
What is the dress code for the Emirates business class lounge in Cairo?
The lounge does not have a formal dress code, but smart casual attire is recommended out of respect for other guests. Avoid clothing with offensive language/images or revealing outfits.
What amenities do business class passengers get on a daytime Cairo-Dubai Emirates flight?
Don’t expect a full amenity kit on this short day flight. But drinks, refreshments and meal service are still provided. Noise-cancelling headphones and lounge access are also included.
How can I pre-select my meals in Emirates business class?
Meal pre-orders can be made starting 24 hours before departure by managing your booking online. Otherwise, the cabin crew will present the menu and take orders after boarding.
