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Emirates likely won't have first class on new Boeing 787s or Airbus A350s

Dec. 14, 2019
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3 min read
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Emirates likely won't have first class on new Boeing 787s or Airbus A350s
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Last month at the Dubai Airshow, Emirates announced it would be ordering 50 Airbus A350-900s. Those aircraft will start to enter the fleet in 2023 alongside 30 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners.

The question on many TPG readers' minds was: Would Emirates put its famed first class suite on those new aircraft?

Unfortunately for ultraluxury travel fans, the airline will likely not install first class on the 80 aircraft, Emirates CEO Tim Clark told Executive Traveler.

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Clark said that the aircraft would "probably not" have first class and would instead feature business, premium economy and economy seating. The CEO added that the 787s would “be used on a variety of medium to long-haul operations that don't . . . support a first class cabin.”

However, Clark did reveal some good news. Business class cabins on the new aircraft will mirror what's currently on Emirates' Airbus A380, which features a fully flat bed in 1-2-1 configuration, meaning all seats have direct aisle access. On many Emirates aircraft, business class seats are laid out in 2-3-2 configuration and some even feature angle-flat seats.

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“We're standardizing the fleet: the Boeing 777-9X, the A350, the 787 and A380 will all be the same type of (business class) suite,” Clark told Executive Traveler.

Business class on Emirates A380. Image by Emily McNutt / The Points Guy.

Emirates still plans on installing first class on its incoming Boeing 777X aircraft, although full details have not been revealed for that part of Emirates' fleet. The airline has over 100 777Xs on order, so travelers should still have a good shot of booking the famed travel experience.

In 2017, Emirates revealed a brand-new, fully enclosed suite that improved upon its older, but still highly regarded, first class product.

If you want to learn more about booking Emirates first class with miles, you'll want to check out our Ultimate Guide to Emirates First Class and our story on how to find routes with the new first class suite. You can book Emirates awards through a number of programs — Emirates Skywards is a transfer partner with Chase Ultimate Rewards, Amex Membership Rewards and Capital One.

Emirates unveiled a new first class suite in 2017 that's been installed on select Boeing 777 aircraft. Image by Nicky Kelvin / The Points Guy.

Emirates also plans on rolling out premium economy on the A380 by the end of next year. It will be the first time Emirates has put a premium economy product on its aircraft, however the seat design has yet to be revealed for that.

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Apply for American Express® Gold Card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees
Best for dining at restaurants

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TPG Editor‘s Rating
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  • Intro Offer

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  • Annual Fee

    $325

  • Recommended Credit

    Excellent to Good

Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.