Insane! Emirates Game Changer First: World’s Best First Class?

Emirates Game Changer First Class revolutionized aviation when it debuted, instantly sparking debate: is this the world’s best First Class? At the time, flying it wasn’t easy—these ground-breaking Suites were exclusive to new 777 aircraft deliveries. And several years in, there are only 9 aircraft with this new product flying.

If you manage to catch one, you’ll step into your own Mercedes-Benz-inspired private Suite, complete with floor-to-ceiling walls, a fully-flat bed, personal mini bars, room service, customizable lighting and temperature, and indulgent amenities—including unlimited caviar!

So, does Emirates’ Game Changer truly set the gold standard for First Class? Let’s find out!

Flight Details

Route: Dubai – Brussels
Flight No: EK183
Date: 12.03.2022
Departure Time: 08:30
Aircraft: Boeing 777-300ER
Seats/Suite: 2F & 2A First Class

Check-in

Due to the early morning flight, I stayed the the Sofitel near the airport, which was delightful. I got to the airport at 6.30am.  There are separate check-in zones for First & Business class passengers in Dubai Terminal 3.

Check in areas were almost deserted and I got my boarding pass within a minute. Nothing quite like the excitement of holding an Emirates First Class boarding ticket!

I had just about 1 hour to have a light pre-breakfast in the First Class lounge

Boarding

Normally when you fly Emirates First from Dubai and also select airports around the world, you can board the aircraft directly from the lounge. In this case, my flight was departing from B gates and there was still a fair bit of walk from the lounge to my gate.

You have to go through many of these speedy escalators, but at least they were dressed by the very tropical feel of the palm trees!

Boarding was already in full swing by the time I reached the gate at 8:05, so could not comment on how well this was organised on this occasion.

Onboard Emirates Game Changer First

A sharply dressed gentleman greeted me at the door, setting the tone for a polished and luxurious experience.

He would be one of three crew members dedicated to serving just three First Class passengers today—a nearly 1:1 ratio that promised exceptional service.

Stepping through Door 1, I was immediately struck by the serene glow of the cabin, accentuated by the UAE’s national Ghaf tree elegantly emblazoned on the central Suites. Each Suite looked like a futuristic pod, floating within the plane.

This First Class cabin is incredibly exclusive, with just six Suites arranged in a spacious 1-1-1 configuration.

I had originally reserved Suite 2F, which features Emirates’ innovative virtual windows—screens that project a live feed of the view you’d have if seated by a real window. I was also drawn to the middle Suites for their extra headroom, thanks to the cabin’s lack of curvature.

As I settled into 2F, one of the two female crew members warmly welcomed me with a drink and a guided introduction to the Suite’s features.

She then pointed out that Suite 2A, with real windows, was available if I wanted to switch. A quick glance at the pixelated virtual windows sealed the deal—I decided to relax and dine in 2F but move to 2A for takeoff and sleeping.

But before diving into the finer details of this jaw-dropping cabin, let me show you some photos to whet your appetite!

The level of control you have for your seat is almost unparalleled, that it can take quite a while to figure out your most comfortable setting.

I did not take any pictures of the actual leather seat and personal in-suite wardrobe, but you are welcome to check my saved Instagram stories..

Now where to start with the features of this First Class Suite?! Each Suites comes with:

• A plush Mercedes Benz inspired & NASA designed leather armchair
• The seat also converts in a spacious flat bed with a Zero Gravity feature
• Armrest storage to put smaller items like reader glasses etc
• A 32″ crisp High Definition IFE Screen
• A 13″ controller pad to control the inflight entertainment
• “Room Service” feature within the control pad. So should you wish, you can be in bed with doors closed and order whatever you want which will then be delivered to your Suite via a hatch at the door!
• Double mini-bar cabinet (note they are not chilled)
• Pop up personal vanity unit with large mirror & amenities.
• A full size front cabinet able to comfortably fit a large carry on bag.
• A full height wardrobe with hangers to hang your coat. As well as storage space for additional bedding provided.
• Each Suite comes with full closing doors from floor to ceiling
• Curtains on top of full electric window blinds
• A temperature and lighting control panel to adjust everything to your preferred mood hearts content (you can easily spend hours playing with the colour schemes available!)

I don’t know about you but this is certainly an impressive feat that would certainly warrant contention for World’s Best First Class!

For reference, here is what Suite 2A looks like…

Being in First Class means service starts on the ground before you even depart. In the 20 minutes or so of being seated in the cabin before departure, I had a fresh orange juice, glass of champagne followed by Arabic coffee and dates

We departed on time. After about 15 minutes of taxing we were airborne. There was some incredible views of the Dubai skyline as we climbed..

Emirates First Class Amenities

In addition to the in-suite amenities here

I was handed the infamous Hydra active PJs set, which I only took pictures of when later went to change into them

and the amazing pair of super fluffy slippers.

I already had 2 sets of those at home that were still almost brand new.

Emirates also provided an additional leather amenity bag with further toiletries and fragrances. They do not proactively offer them in morning flights, but you can request one if in case they have them onboard. I didn’t however need another, as they had everything else I need in the restrooms.

Emirates Game Changer First Class Service

As a morning flight, the focus was on breakfast and lunch. Emirates offers an impressively extensive food and drink menu, updated monthly and available online.

Breakfast, however, was underwhelming—even in First Class.

On shorter flights, Emirates only serves cold plates, so I stuck to the granola, fruit, and yogurt for sampling purposes. While adequate, it fell far short of what you’d expect from a top-tier First Class experience. Fresh eggs would’ve been a game-changer here too?

Knowing this, I treated breakfast as a warm-up for the real highlight: lunch.

After 2.5 hours of lounging (and a fair amount of Dom Pérignon), I was ready. Once I gave the go-ahead, the crew sprang into action, starting with another round of drinks and warm nuts…

This was followed by the canapes..

The canapes were just the perfect way to get your taste buds going. Then it was time for more champagne & caviar!

For context, the dining table slides out from beneath the console in front of you. It is probably bigger than the space you will have in most restaurants on the ground, especially if you were dining with other people.

I preferred the way Emirates used to plate the caviar, this seemed a tad bit all over the place, especially compared the the previous presentation. Still that did not take anything away from the meal itself.

As far as Caviar services go, this is up there. The egg whites, creme fraiche and garnishes were all super fresh. The cocktail blinis looked somewhat odd, but perfectly soft and tasty. In addition there was toast served in a separate small basket covered so it stayed warn and crispy.

Next up, I decided to try a starter, for which I chose one with yet more caviar, Salmon with Sevrugar caviar..

This was served in a bed of sliced courgette and was just delightful, for a starter, there was at least 60 grams of salmon there!

Then it was time for the main.

With a choice of 5 different mains, from veal, roast chicken and pumpkin ravioli. I was unable to make up my mind between the poached lobster and a lamb kuzi with hashwa when the order was taken, so the crew decided to prepared both for me!

I decided to go for lobster when they were ready to serve though..

This was great, however somewhat on the bland side. By the time, I was half way through the dish, I was literally stuffed. I wanted to try to lamb as well, but felt bad to waste an entire meal just for a couple of bites.

After about 20 minutes, I did opt for a dessert however, a lemon and almost cake. I forgot to take any pictures of it, but it was just delicious!

To finish off the meal I had some tea and pralines also.

Emirates Game Changer Restrooms

On this version of the 777 there are 2 First Class bathrooms for the maximum of 6 passengers, which is a great ratio!

They were both kitted out with fresh flowers, and some essential amenities including dental kits etc. If you are expecting the A380 style shower spa however you will be disappointed, there simply isn’t the space!

Throughout the whole flight, I found both the restrooms empty whenever I needed it.

Emirates Game Changer First Bed

After my lunch, I had a few hours to rest so asked the crew to make up the bed in Suite 2A while I went to change into the Pjs…

As you can see, the transformed bed is a very comfortable size and length enhanced by mattress padding and high quality bedding.

Here is a view when the doors are fully closed. In flat mode the bed moves slightly to the window side, leaving a good amount of room on the side to enter and exist the Suite or move around it.

Then there is the lighting controls which is impossible not to play around with!

The panel provides you with a whole colour chart where you can choose a spectrum to suit your mood. Alongside this, there are a few default levels of lighting to make adjustments easier, such as “dining” or “lounging” mode.

I spent about 2 and half hours in bed, and probably only about 40 minutes trying to actually nap. The bed did feel supremely comfortable.

The crew proactively checked in on me during this time to check if I wanted anything like water etc.

30 minutes to landing, I got up and moved back to 2F.

How To Book Emirates Game Changer First

To date, Emirates Game Changer First features in just 9 aircraft plying a handful of routes from Dubai to London, Brussels and occasionally Zurich/Geneva/Washington & Tokyo etc.

This unfortunately means it is still difficult to book this product. Cash tickets will cost you north of 5k. But you can book this with miles!

With the Alaska Airlines no longer being an option (perhaps due to them joining Oneworld? ) the best way to book this is with Emirates own Skywards miles. If just some random date checks for early next year..

This exact route would set you back 102000 Miles + 1620 AED, approx £344. London Stansted route is also available..

Overall Thoughts

A truly memorable experience always seems to fly by in a blur, and this flight was no exception. From the start, I knew it wouldn’t be long enough to fully explore every detail of Emirates’ Game Changer First Class. While a longer route like Tokyo would have offered more time, circumstances didn’t allow it—but this shorter journey still left a lasting impression.

The service was exceptional, with three crew members catering to just three passengers. Even with a full cabin of six, I doubt the attentiveness would have wavered. Emirates continues to deliver a top-tier soft product, both on the ground and in the air, rivalling only a select few airlines. While their focus on Arabic cuisine might not suit every palate, everything else hit the mark.

As for the hard product—wow. From the moment I stepped into my Suite to the moment I disembarked, it felt like the perfect private cocoon. The thoughtful design, elegant décor, and seamless functionality exceeded all expectations. While Singapore Airlines Suites may offer more space and the novelty of separate seating, Emirates Game Changer wins for me with its ingenious 2-in-1 design and flawless execution.

This is, without a doubt, my favourite First Class experience in the skies today.