I’ve been wanting to do this for awhile now. Ever since I compared the two largest Taiwanese airlines EVA Royal Laurel vs. China Airlines Business Class, I have been itching to find time to compare two First Class products side by side. And of course, one of the most aspirational experiences everyone gravitates to are the two largest United Arab of Emirate’s “hotel in the sky” airlines.
Can you tell in the picture? The ridiculousness…. is unreal
Now before I compare, I feel like it is important to say that from my perspective, there is no such thing as “bad” First Class. So anything that comes off as douchey opinionated, please note that both of these experiences are AMAZING and I feel blessed to even try these products with Miki & Paul.
Alright now that we got that disclosure out of the way, I’ll be sharing our Etihad & Emirates behind the scenes photos in this article!
Since there’s so much content, I’ll just cover three topics (that I feel are the most fun) on both these flights: 1) Seat 2) Onboard Bar 3) Shower
Etihad Seat
You really have to be there to appreciate how monumental this selfie stick moment feels…
I thought the original Singapore Suites Class was already ridiculous enough in having a seat convert into a double bed…. Etihad’s apartment has a double bed AND a lounge chair in the back!
Baller is an understatement when you board this aircraft. The middle divider between the apartments is a little annoying though, but I don’t think Miki cares.
A good benefit to this annoyance is that I can sit on top of the divider and stalk what Paul is up to at night
Or have a choice to sleep by Miki and wish her sweet dreams.
To add on just how ridiculous the seat is, Miki even has her own vanity room to do her morning makeup.
While Paul has ample space to do his mile high club yoga.
Emirates Seat
To put into perspective, there are 14 suites (as opposed to Etihad’s nine apartments) in the cabin. Thus, it’s a lot less spacious square footage wise. Nevertheless, it’s over the top bling.
Think James Bond.
There are a lot of fun gadgets to play with. The automated beverage at a press of a button is one of my favorite features for seat entertainment.
In the seat, there’s even an illuminated mirror that gifts a facial moisturizer kit to each passenger. Wow, that’s not even an amenity kit too.
Since the square footage in the suite is a lot smaller, it’s not a true vanity room and more like a mini-fancy mirror.
If it’s an empty cabin though, this problem is no big deal.
Seat winner: Etihad Apartment
Etihad Onboard Bar
A little bit of a missed opportunity here. Honestly, I feel like the design is a little flawed in that the lounge ironically makes the bar more anti-social.
For instance, these three seats in the lounge forces the passengers to have their backs facing the bar, which makes it hard to socialize with flight attendants and other passengers if they want to mingle around the cabin.
Most importantly, I’ve seen better First Class alcohols…
All this “area of improvement” criticism disappears once we re-enter our apartment though.
Ahhhh yes, life is good again (especially with a cappuccino)
Emirates Onboard Bar
It’s been more than a year since this flight and I still think about the alcohol that was served on this plane. No lie.
The $1000 USD+ cognac….
The limitless Dom…
Affirmative I’ll have another please.
Onboard Bar winner: Emirates First Class (by a mile)
Etihad Shower
Let’s be real, everyone is a winner here. Just the fact that you get to shower 40,000ft in the air still blows my mind.
The shower is significantly smaller than Emirates, but still does the job. Running water is allowed for five minutes per passenger, which is more than enough to shampoo, soap, sing, and do some love/emoji/peace signs.
I still remember the airline allowed us to shower TWICE too because other (baller) passengers opt not to use this perk. So in total, Miki & Paul had 20 minutes of blissful running water to enjoy…… in the air!
Emirates Shower
If you’re lucky (or unfortunate) enough to see Paul’s full shower video on Emirates, you can see that this airline is just…. wow.
If that isn’t enough, heated floors too….
Oh, you can set the temperature on it too.
Unlike Etihad, the shower head is detachable, so you can go to town and spray the awesome water anywhere you want in the room.
Here’s a quick peek at what it is like showering in Emirates 😛
Shower in the Sky winner: Emirates
Overall Verdict
Which one is better? Do I have to choose….
If I was forced to pick just one to recommend, I say it depends on what you value the most and who you’re traveling with…
- If the suite size, space, privacy, and bed is what you’re after, then choose Etihad Apartment. With the exception of the new Singapore Suite Class, there is no other airline in the world that’ll beat this product.
2. If the insane alcohol, bar, shower, and all other luxe amenities is what you prioritize the most, then definitely pick Emirates. In my opinion, it’s one of the most entertaining flights in the world.
In the end, everyone is a winner 😉
Chai Bear World 