Just got 2 seats in F on JFK-DXB-BKK all on A380 for wife and I ~ maximize enjoyment
 

Hey all!

Okay I know there are a few threads out there on the A380 / seat map, etc, but I'm REALLY excited to say that I just used Alaska miles to get 2x first class tickets on JFK-DXB, 5 day stopover, and DXB-BKK... All on the A380! This is for my wife and I... I have some questions...

- Any general advice to maximize the experience?
- What is the lounge like at JFK? Is it nice enough that I should bother getting there pretty early?
- If you were me, would you skip the lounge food in order to enjoy more food on the plane
- Shower... must do, right? Like.. on both flights?
- Chauffeur service - we don't need this in JFK as we'll be staying at an airport hotel the night before, but what about in DXB to get picked up for our flight to BKK? Will they drop us off at our hotel in DXB? How do we coordinate this?
- For my wife and I to sit together, should we grab the two middle seats? That's what I did just a few minutes ago, but should I have gotten us two windows back to back? Or a window and an aisle? Do let me know!

I dunno - let me know if you have any other tips for maximizing our two experiences!!!

Chauffeur drives should be bookable in MMB on EK's website. For a couple, definitely go for the middle seats. As for the shower, sure why not, ask for a slot the moment you get escorted to your seat upon boarding to have better chances at snapping the most convenient slot.

Can't comment on lounge food in JFK, but for what's worth go for it in DXB if you're on the redeye EK384/374 services, or save it for onboard if it's the EK372 service.

As for 'maximizing' the experience in F, I got this comment from another website: do a dummy run in economy the week before.

The JFK lounge is nice for T4, but not worth getting there super early in my opinion. But my opinion may not be appropriate having spent time in a few EK lounges over time.

You should be able to dine as you wish in F, but I don't think there will be enough enticing food in the JFK lounge to dissuade you from the offerings onboard :-)

I flew JFK-DXB-SIN in March and showered on both flights just because I could :-)

Chauffeur service should be available for booking online. If not either call EK in advance or when you walk through the exit into the arrivals waiting area, turn right and you'll walk down to the chauffeur desks where you can inquire there.

I can't recall if the divider between the two middle seats drops but if it does then that's the way to go, otherwise window and an aisle would be best

Oh and as far a general tip, they will bring things like Dom Perignon, JW Blue etc from the F menu to the bar for you if you ask. Just in case you get bored of your suite and want to wander back to the bar for a few drinks

I strongly advise against this. You don't know who will be on the other side of the middle seat so the privacy will go down the drain even with the separator up. Also the window and aisle seats are staggered so you won't be able to see your wife at all. If there are no middle seats to select then two window is the way to go.

Fair call, I just figured at least that way with the doors opened you could have a yarn across the aisle.

I usually travel alone and don't always make those considerations so I guess this time my advice was ill advised :-)

Lounge in JFK is good, but no dedicated F lounge. No need to show up super early. You also board directly from the lounge, so might as well go have a pre-flight cocktail.

F lounge in DXB is worth a stop though.

Divider definitely drops down for the middle seats.

This is ok on the 777 not on the 380 where the suites are staggered.

:D^

I also recommend either the two middle seats, or two window seats if you want to look outside.

Would also recommend F lounge in DXB. Maybe get a massage.

Chauffeur drive: Book online. In DXB, you can just walk up to the chauffeur desk to the right of the exit and get a drop with your bp. You can also book a pickup from there.

Ask for pajamas and a toiletry bag, take a shower, and hit the bar.

Are you travelling on EK202 or EK204 - it sounds like you want to plan out your journey and so depending on the night or day flights, you may have to rearrange your schedule :p You know, with the bar and showers...! Similarly, DXB-BKK are you on the overnight service or morning day flights?

There really is not much you can do for 12 hours on the plane JFK-DXB, although this is your first time and you seem to be very excited, so giggling to yourselves is a must - especially your first experience of a shower at FL390. With a handy little screen that tells you your current position for added convenience as you recount your story! If it's the day flight, I would just eat in the JFK T4 lounge for breakfast, but then I can't recall the last time I had a decent on board breakfast on any flight in any class - I guess I'm not a breakfast person... You will be able to dine on demand with about 30 minutes notice, so don't worry about that. Make sure you get all the amenities in a cloth bag.

ex-DXB, go to the F lounge and order some food from the kitchens. Take advantage of the spa or peruse Le Clos for wine if in A concourse, if that's your thing.

Here's another question. Is there an arrivals lounge in DXB when we land? For example, when I land, can we go grab a hot shower and lunch as part of a lounge experience when we land?
Yup - I just didn't notice it the first time around. Very cool!
Good advice.
We have 2 E / 2 F on both flights now!
We are on EK204 out of JFK, and we're on the day time flight to Bangkok, EK372. I sorta figured that EK204 would be a standard international flight where we spend a majority of it sleeping, etc... but because EK372 is pure daylight, i feel like that will be our play time flight of having plenty to drink, watching movies, surfing the internet, hanging out in the bar, etc.
Possible to enjoy the lounge after landing in DXB as well? Or will we basically be guided out of the airport?

How to maximise enjoyment
 

Brag on social media, email, at work, to friends, to family.

Never pass up an opportunity to tell anyone your future travel plans.

Take photos of everything and swamp the internet with your travel experiences when the time comes to travel.

Then sit back and enjoy :D

DXB - BKK is a relatively short flight so not a lot of time to enjoy all the offerings in F. I'd be making the most of the JFK - DXB if it were me.

No arrival lounge unfortunately.

Actually, EK202 is that kind of flight (most people asleep for most of the flight). On EK204 most folks will be awake for the first 6-7 hours of the flight and then go to sleep for the remainder, which is actually a nice thing if you want to enjoy F....

Just did this a few days ago, my longest flight in F on the A380 to date. Of course it was great. Twelve hours is long enough to sleep pretty much as much as you want, plus have time to enjoy the shower and the bar at the back and the smaller self-serve bar at the front.

I don't have too much else to add. The food was terrific. It's not too lavish (aside from the caviar, Dom, and Sauternes), but all of the dishes were of excellent quality and served quickly. The wines on my flight were not as good as they sometimes are in EK premium classes; YMMV. They had a nice cognac.

F lounge in DXB is definitely worthwhile; the one at JFK is like other EK lounges, I didn't find the food or booze anything special.

The shower is worth experiencing once, but I wouldn't go out of my way beyond this unless you must (I was headed straight to work so it was worthwhile).

I find it's nice to take a shower before changing into the PJs and going to sleep.

How far in advance did you book your tickets? And did you do so online or by calling AS?

About 4 months. My initial ticket was done online, but the subsequent bookings were done over the phone. I'm finding that advance notice doesn't matter that much - it's just random in sporadic when the EK availability opens up.

Have a great time. I did LAX-DXB-JED return a couple of months ago on EK F 380s. The hard product on EK is quite nice (although the ICE system is frustrating) but the soft produce (i.e., the service) is somewhat hit-and-miss. I definitely recommend the shower service a couple of hours before landing - be advised that the showers are 'closed' an hour prior to landing and each seat has a 30 minute allotment to shower. If you don't book the shower early, you could find yourself needing to shower 3 1/2 hours prior to landing -- that happened to me on my return to LAX because I wasn't paying attention. On a full-fare ticket, no less! Oh well.

DXB F lounge is quite nice - lots of food and drink, but eerily quiet. It's a nice place to spend a few hours but, unfortunately, I was there for 8 hours! I should have booked a hotel room - for some reason, I thought the airport would have cabanas like BA (where I always have no problem booking 8 hours of privacy, rather than the 4 hour 'limit'), but nope. If you have more than 3-4 hours, book a room in the hotel!

Again, have a great trip! You'll enjoy Emirates F - do explore the aircraft (I was 'escorted' by staff) as it is quite the plane. Strolling downstairs makes one appreciate the amenities upstairs.