New York to Milan in Emirates Business Class Boeing 777

We’ve just completed our journey from New York to Milan in Emirates Business Class Boeing 777 as part of our annual round-the-world adventure, and I’m excited to share my insights from this fifth-freedom flight.

Having previously flown on the Emirates Boeing 777 during our honeymoon trip from Dubai to the Maldives in 2021, I felt quite comfortable with this aircraft. Therefore, I wasn’t overly concerned when Emirates replaced the Airbus A380 on the New York to Milan route. Travelling with my wife meant that privacy and seating arrangements next to strangers were not a concern for us.

Check-In / Baggage Dropoff:

We arrived at the airport approximately 4 hours prior to departure and were surprised to find more than 10 people ahead of us in line. The business class lane was moving slowly, and it took us 15 minutes to reach the front of the line, followed by another 10 minutes for check-in.

Once checked in, as business class passengers, we were warmly invited to the Emirates Lounge New York JFK where we enjoyed a delightful experience savoring their high-quality cuisine.

Booking:

I had some miles with Emirates that were about to expire, and although Milan wasn’t initially part of our travel plans, I decided to redeem these miles just to get rid of them. Fortunately, the miles proved to be sufficient to book flights for both Mrs. The Points Engineer and myself from New York to Milan. I redeemed 87,000 miles and paid $104.20 in taxes and fees for each of us, resulting in a total of 174,000 miles redeemed and $208.40 paid in taxes and fees for both of our tickets.

The Emirates flight from New York to Milan, or vice versa, operates as a fifth-freedom flight, allowing the airline to carry passengers between these two foreign countries as part of a route that originates or ends in its home country.

Boarding:

Upon hearing the boarding call in the lounge, we promptly proceeded to the gate. Once our boarding passes were scanned and we smiled at the camera for a quick photo, we made our way through the jet bridge and onto the aircraft. We were greeted by 1 of the 3 friendly flight attendants who directed us to our seats 7J and 7K.

The Business Class Cabin:

The Emirates Business Class Boeing 777 features a 2-3-2 seating configuration, which may lack privacy, but this wasn’t a concern for us as we were traveling as a couple. While we had initially booked the Airbus A380, Emirates later made an equipment swap on this route to its dreaded Boeing 777.

Located at our seats were blankets, pillows, headphones, a bag containing socks and eyeshades, and a bottle of water. As a notable point, consistent with Boeing 777 aircraft, my seat 7K was missing a window, making it a bit challenging to view the engine. Nonetheless, the other two windows provided a satisfactory view of the powerful GE engine, albeit requiring a bit of neck stretching.

The business class seat provided generous legroom and included amenities such as a power outlet, two USB ports, a personal reading light, a tablet, tray table, and a privacy divider between each seat.

Services & Amenities Onboard:

As we settled into our seats, we were promptly served pre-departure beverages, followed by hot towels and the distribution of both food and wine menus. In contrast to my experience on most Singapore Airlines Business Class flights, where amenity kits are only available upon request, the flight attendants on this EK206 flight distributed amenity kits while we were still getting comfortable.

As expected, the amenity kits provided on this New York to Milan in Emirates Business Class Boeing 777 flight feature Bulgari products which is exclusively made for Emirates, including the iconic fragrance BVLGARI OMNIA Amethyste Eau de Toilette.

Inflight Meal and Beverage:

Since this was a red-eye flight, the crew began preparing beds for passengers who preferred to skip dinner and rest immediately after takeoff. Recognizing that many passengers might not want a heavy meal before bedtime, Emirates offered “Light Bites” instead. Despite the name, the options on the light bites menu included Pan-Seared Sea Bass, Oxtail Ragout Rigatoni, Chicken Biryani, and Reuben Sandwich, ensuring a satisfying dining experience for some of us who chose to eat.

I chose the Chicken Biryani, which was served in a generous portion and perfectly flavored. For beverages, I ordered another glass of Apple Spritzer, a mocktail drink I fondly remembered enjoying during my second experience in Emirates First Class from Washington DC to Dubai.

Meanwhile, Mrs. The Points Engineer opted for the Pan-Seared Sea Bass, which she found to be equally delightful.

I decided to forgo dessert and instead ordered a cup of Moroccan Mint Tea to aid digestion, considering the substantial portion sizes of the meal.

Information, Communication, & Entertainment:

To pass the time after dinner, I explored ICE (Information, Communication, and Entertainment) on the seatback screen, which offered a wide range of options including Live TV, the Latest Movies, TV Shows, Documentaries, Podcasts, Music, and more.

Lie-flat Bed:

My least favorite aspect of this flight was the bed. Despite the plush mattress pad and blanket, the Boeing 777 seat didn’t offer a comfortable sleeping experience. While the angle lie-flat bed provided some comfort, it fell short of offering a fully flat sleeping surface, detracting from the overall restfulness of the experience.

There were two lavatories located at the galley behind row 7, where we were seated. These lavatories, typical of a Boeing 777, offered limited space but were stocked with Bulgari cologne and perfume, combs, dental kits, and VOYA bath products.

Still on the lie-flat bed:

With three hours into the flight and four more hours to go, we decided to try to get some sleep. However, after tossing and turning for about half an hour, I gave up and reclined my seat to watch a movie instead. Unfortunately, this proved to be one of the worst lie-flat beds I’ve experienced in the air, even worse than the one on the Japan Airlines Boeing 767 Business Class we took from Tokyo to Jakarta.

This was a significant drawback, particularly compared to the Airbus A380, which I remembered provided a restful sleep when I flew from Dubai to San Francisco in Emirates Business Class Airbus A380 a couple of years ago.

As I browsed through the entertainment options, I was impressed by the extensive selection of African movies available in the Africa section.

Pre-Arrival Breakfast:

After dozing off during the movie, I was awakened for breakfast about 2 hours before landing. I ordered the scrambled eggs option, while my wife chose the omelet. However, we both ended up receiving the omelets.

Despite the mix-up, the breakfast was delicious overall, and the service was excellent. The flight attendants were extremely attentive, polite, and very efficient.

Our Emirates Business Class Boeing 777 flight, EK206 from New York to Milan landed at 11:45 am, a full 10 minutes ahead of schedule. After landing, we taxied on the runway at Malpensa International Airport for about another 15 minutes before reaching our arrival gate.

Passing through Milano immigration was effortless, and after securing tickets for the Milano Express, we headed to the train platform. Our next destination was the Sheraton Milan San Siro hotel, where we eagerly anticipated the next phase of this round-the-world trip.

Verdict:

In summary, our experience aboard Emirates Business Class Boeing 777 flight EK206 from New York to Milan had its highs and lows. While the Emirates JFK lounge experience and onboard amenities, including the Bulgari amenity kits and food and beverage offerings, were commendable, there were notable drawbacks, particularly with the angle lie-flat beds failing to provide a comfortable sleeping experience.

Nevertheless, the exceptional service delivered by the attentive and courteous flight attendants and the staff at the lounge helped alleviate some of these concerns. Overall, while there is room for improvement, the flight was deemed satisfactory. However, considering the limitations of the older Emirates Boeing 777, I would rather opt for alternative airlines with better products and services in the future.