Trip Report: Emirates EK202 Business Class A380-800 - JFK to DXB (New York to Dubai)
Airline: Emirates | Aircraft: A380-800 | Class: Business Class | Flight: EK202 (JFK-DXB)
After traveling from Orlando to New York, I connected in John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and made my way from Terminal 2 to Terminal 4. My previous flight was on Delta Air Lines First Class but since the airline does not have any interline agreement with Emirates, I had to collect my luggage in Terminal 2 before lugging my bags to Terminal 4 to check-in for my Emirates flight from New York to Dubai. Getting from Terminal 2 to Terminal 4 requires a little bit of a walk (outside of the terminal) so even if you are transiting, make sure you have the right clothes for that walk since it can get quite cold in New York (especially during winter).
Delta Air Lines First Class
DL44 (MCO-JFK)
During my time of visit back in April 2018, The Emirates Lounge in JFK was closed for refurbishment and since I was traveling in Business Class, I was given a USD 40 voucher at check-in to use at a restaurant of my choice in Terminal 4. Most of the restaurants here in Terminal 4 will accept the voucher but any remaining value will not be refunded back to you. In case you are wondering whether gift shops and other non-F&B related establishments will take your Emirates voucher, the answer is no - the only exception was Hudson News where you can get little souvenirs and snacks at a highly-inflated price. No dramas, I spent my voucher at the Shake Shack anyway and the USD 40 value is good for 2-3 adults.
Seat 11K
Emirates Business Class EK202 A380-800 - JFK to DXB
When I finally got on the flight which was scheduled to depart JFK at 11:00PM, i was exhausted and slowly dozing off. While I was not particularly excited about a 13-hour flight to Dubai, I was looking forward to some shut-eye. I need to confess that most parts of these flight was spent in darkness and I was actually asleep (which some may argue that the very purpose of a Business Class seat is to get some rest) so therefore, I do not actually have too many photos of the cabin or cabin product this time. If you are interested in the A380-800 Business Class product on Emirates, I would highly recommend reading my review from Dubai to New York instead since that covers a lot more of the hard product.
Business Class Amenity KIt (Male)
Emirates Business Class EK202 A380-800 - JFK to DXB
There are a total of 76 Business Class seats on Emirates' A380-800 Business Class cabin so even boarding the aircraft can be a little daunting when you are traveling in a premium cabin. On my previous flight from Dubai to New York, I sat in Seat 14K but there are perks with sitting in 11K since you do get your meals faster (as compared to 14K) and it is far away enough from the First Class galley so you get enough peace and quiet for the whole flight. Shortly after most Business Class passengers have settled down, the flight attendants made their way through the cabin to distribute the Business Class amenity kits (both male and female) to passengers. It is definitely worth noting that even though the contents of this amenity kit are the same as the one that I got from Dubai to New York, the bag itself was different but just as recap, these are the contents of the amenity kit:
Bulgari Body Lotion
Bulgari After Shave Balm
5ml Bulgari Eau de Parfum
Shaver and 50g Gillette Foam
Toothbrush (with Case) and Toothpaste
25ml Rexona Men Deodorant
Hair Brush
Pack of Tissue Paper
Pan-fried Prawns on Wakame Salad
Emirates Business Class EK202 A380-800 - JFK to DXB
Since I was still pretty full from my dinner at Shake Shack in the airport, I decided to go for the light option which is basically a combination of two items from the appetiser or dessert menu. The roasted beef fillet as well as the miso-glazed cod looked really good but unfortunately there just wasn't enough space in my stomach for that. Therefore, I opted for the Pan-fried Prawns that is served on wakame salad with pepper chèvre as well as some fresh fruits. Food on Emirates Business Class was delicious as always and I particularly enjoyed those prawns where were cooked and seasoned beautifully.
Window Shade Controls
Emirates Business Class EK202 A380-800 - JFK to DXB
The lights in the cabin were turned off shortly after meal service and as you would expect, plenty of Business Class passengers chose to forgo this meal for some much-needed rest instead. As I have mentioned in my previous trip report, the Business Class seats on Emirates A380-800 are really comfortable (especially after the mattress topper has been given out) and I have had the most sleep ever (in the air) on this flight. I closed the window shades before sleeping since I did not want the morning light to come in to wake me (and the entire cabin) up but I am certain that the cabin crew would have closed it (even if I did not) anyway.
USB Charging Port and Power Outlet
Emirates Business Class EK202 A380-800 - JFK to DXB
I ended up sleeping for close to 7 hours on the flight (which is a new record for me) and woke up only because I thought I got a whiff of freshly-brewed coffee. I reckon that 7 hours was pretty good so I did not try to get back to sleep afterwards. Instead, I started to browse through the in-flight entertainment system to find a movie to watch. I tried to charge my iPhone X during the flight but somehow it kept connecting and disconnecting even after fiddling with the USB a little so I decided to avoid any potential drama after a while. It was also then that I noticed that this flight did not have a HDMI Port (I had one on the flight from Dubai to New York).
Breakfast
Emirates Business Class EK202 A380-800 - JFK to DXB
Breakfast was served approximately 2 hours prior to landing and I opted for the Eggs Florentine alongside some fresh pastries, fresh fruits and yoghurt. The poached eggs were overdone (honestly the only airline that I have been on that managed to get it right is Japan Airlines but I have not written that trip report so unfortunately I do not have any photo evidence at the moment) and disappointing but it was alright taste-wise. Other main courses for breakfast included the Courgette and Goat's Cheese Frittata (no thank you), Waffles as well as the Continental Cold Plate.
Business Class Cabin
Emirates Business Class EK202 A380-800 - JFK to DXB
Once again, I have found the onboard bar on Emirates to be slightly redundant as I did not use it at all during my flight. I did get a drink or two throughout the 13-hour flight but all of which are ordered from my seat. The hard product on Emirates' A380-800 is solid and I really enjoy sitting (and sleeping!) in it and the food served on the flights have been quite good. Keeping all these in mind, I have already booked my next flight to Melbourne on Emirates once again and I can't wait for my next experience!
Business Class passengers now enjoy complimentary inflight Wi-Fi when traveling on Cathay Pacific.