Emirates Business Class: JFK-MXP A380

Flying from the U.S. to Europe on Emirates is a unique experience, thanks to its rare Fifth Freedom route between New York (JFK) and Milan (MXP). What makes it even more special is that this is the only Emirates route between the U.S. and Europe operated by the iconic Airbus A380 double-decker jet. This particular flight was ideal for our trip, as we were headed to Lake Como, Italy. I booked a one-way Business Class seat about eight months in advance using 87,000 Emirates Skywards miles and paid $105.30 in taxes. I had transferred the miles from American Express Membership Rewards at a 1:1 ratio. It’s worth noting that, starting September 16, 2025, the transfer ratio from AMEX to Emirates will change to 5:4—making future redemptions slightly less favorable. While this isn’t the absolute cheapest way to book Business Class between the U.S. and Europe, flying the Emirates A380 is an experience in itself. From the spacious cabin to the onboard bar, it’s a flight that turns travel into something truly memorable.

We arrived at JFK about six hours before our flight since checkout at the Hyatt Regency JFK was at 4 PM, thanks to my Hyatt Globalist status. The original plan was to spend time exploring the TWA Hotel museum exhibits until Emirates check-in opened, typically four hours before departure. To my surprise, the check-in counters were already open when we arrived. We headed straight to check-in and asked about the possibility of upgrading to First Class using miles. For the two weeks leading up to the flight, I had been checking availability daily through the Emirates app and monitoring the seat maps. Unfortunately, no upgrade space was showing in the app. However, according to Seats.aero, four First Class seats were unassigned 26 hours before departure, while ExpertFlyer showed only three seats for sale, indicating that one was blocked. At the counter, the agent confirmed that there were two guaranteed First Class upgrades available and two additional seats that could be waitlisted. For the waitlist, miles had to be in your Emirates account at the time of request, and upgrades would be cleared one hour before departure. I didn’t want to risk transferring miles only to remain stuck on the waitlist, especially since Emirates elite members would have priority over me. Instead, I secured the two available upgrades for my parents at 39,000 miles each. Since I had already experienced Emirates First Class, I was happy to try Business Class for the first time. While Economy on Emirates is certainly manageable for long-haul flights, I’ll always choose a premium cabin when possible. While the agent processed the upgrade, I quickly transferred AMEX Membership Rewards points to my Emirates account. The transfer was instant, and within two minutes, the miles appeared in my balance. I signed the necessary paperwork, as the upgrade required a manual mileage deduction, and with boarding passes in hand, we made our way to the terminal.

The Emirates Lounge opens four hours prior to departure, so to pass the time, we wandered through the duty free shops and explored JFK Terminal 4. A few other passengers were also waiting for the lounge to open, but once the doors did, the staff efficiently checked everyone in. The lounge itself was spacious and well appointed, featuring plenty of seating, a dining area, multiple bars, and shower facilities. We grabbed a light bite and a drink but held back from indulging too much, knowing that the true highlight would be the onboard service, where Emirates really shines. About 90 minutes before the flight, I took a shower to freshen up.

Boarding began one hour before departure, though unfortunately our gate (A7) did not offer in-lounge boarding. It appears that feature is mostly reserved for Emirates’ JFK to Dubai route, which makes sense given its a premium long haul. Once onboard, I settled into my Business Class seat, 9A, while my parents got comfortable in First Class seats 2E and 2F. Shortly after getting settled, the crew came by with champagne, an amenity kit, pajamas, and menus. The seat even had a minibar with some waters. We pushed back from the gate about 15 minutes behind schedule, but due to congestion on the runway, we ended up waiting another 35 minutes to take off. Air traffic control had us yield to several other flights, and nearly 50 minutes after our scheduled departure time, we were finally airborne en route to Milan.

Once in the air, the cabin crew efficiently took meal and drink orders using mobile devices, allowing the galley and bar staff to begin preparing in real time. I chose the lamb ouzi, which turned out to be delicious. Mid meal, I got an inflight call from seat 2E. My parents were ready to head to the onboard bar. The in-seat phone was a bit hard to hear over the ambient noise, but the message came through. After finishing my meal, I made my way to the bar at the back of the plane to join them.

The onboard bar on the Emirates A380 is available to both Business and First Class passengers, though First Class guests enjoy access to elevated drink options like Hennessy Paradis. I started off with a mojito crafted by the bartender, while small bites like baklava were available at the bar—perfect for a light dessert after the main meal. My parents, seated in First Class, ordered the Hennessy Paradis and generously let me sample it. It is an incredible cognac, no doubt, though I personally still prefer a good whisky or bourbon. One of Emirates’ signature touches is the Polaroid photo experience behind the bar. The cabin crew took several pictures of us as keepsakes, a fun and thoughtful way to remember the experience of flying on the A380 and enjoying a drink at 40,000 feet. We relaxed on the bar’s lounge style sofas, sipping our drinks and soaking in the moment before calling it a night.

My Business Class seat converted into a fully flat bed, which was quite comfortable and reminded me of the Apex Suites on JAL’s 787-8, though a bit narrower. I managed to get around three and a half hours of solid sleep before the crew began the breakfast service ahead of our arrival into Milan. Since the flight is only seven hours, it is hard to balance sleep with fully enjoying all the onboard amenities. For breakfast, I chose the chocolate hazelnut pancakes topped with apricot compote. They were excellent. During the inflight duty free service, I picked up a deck of Emirates playing cards and one of the limited edition Emirates aircraft skin tags, made from A6 EDA, the airline’s first A380 that entered service in 2008.

Inflight WiFi was complimentary with no data caps, which was a nice perk. While the OnAir system is not particularly fast, it was more than adequate for checking email and messaging. Still, Emirates would benefit from upgrading to a faster satellite provider like Viasat or Starlink to improve the experience on par with other top carriers.

As we descended into Milan, we were treated to stunning views of the Alps and the lakes dotting southern Switzerland and northern Italy. The tail camera view on the Emirates A380 is another unique feature, offering a bird’s eye perspective of takeoff and landing. Upon arrival, our gate was situated near aircraft from El Al, La Compagnie, ANA, and American Airlines. La Compagnie in particular caught my eye. It is an all business class airline operating A321neo aircraft with just 76 seats, offering a unique and boutique way to fly between the US and Europe.

 

Conclusion: Flying the Emirates A380 is an incredible experience that everyone should try at least once in their lifetime. I am grateful I had the chance to bring my parents onboard and even upgrade them to First Class, giving them the best inflight experience they have had to date. While the service on this route wasn’t flawless, likely due to it being a fifth freedom flight staffed by a more junior crew, it still far surpasses anything offered by US airlines. I would highly recommend the Emirates A380 as a truly unique and memorable way to travel from the US to Europe.