Emirates 777 business class: review of the old 2–3

The middle seat in business class. And I chose it of my own free will 😀

After a brilliant flight in the refurbished Emirates A380 business class from Tokyo to Dubai, we’re set to continue on to Prague. This time, however, in the older Boeing 777-300ER cabin with a 2–3–2 seating configuration.

The difference between the two flights on the same airline couldn’t have been greater. On the A380, I was thrilled with the seat. Here, I’m trying out the middle seat in a row of three and a bed that isn’t even horizontal when fully reclined.

The crew, however, are brilliant and the service is superb. How does one actually rate a flight like this?

Our flight	Details
Route	Dubai DXB – Prague PRG
Aircraft	Boeing 777-300ER with the old business class cabin
Seat configuration	2–3–2
My seat	Middle seat in the middle row of three
Flight duration	6 hours, daytime flight
Sleeping position	A reclining seat, not a flat bed

Emirates operate several versions of business class on the Boeing 777. This review describes the specific older cabin on our flight, not all of their 777s.

Pros and cons of this flight

This is how I’d sum up the flight quickly, without going into too much detail.

✅ brilliant, helpful crew
✅ A very good breakfast and an excellent starter for lunch (all in all, simply good service)
✅ The bed was fully made up, complete with bed linen, even on such a short daytime flight
✅ Generous legroom whilst seated.
❌ Narrow seat and an uncomfortable, reclining bed
❌ 2–3–2 seating configuration, middle seat and almost no privacy
❌ No proper amenity kit
❌ Outdated lounge in Dubai and a long wait on the coach whilst boarding

How much did the flight from Tokyo to Prague cost?

The flight to Prague is the second leg of our one-way Tokyo–Dubai–Prague ticket, which I booked through Aegean Miles+Bonus.

We paid the following per person for the entire journey:

65,000 Miles+Bonus miles
742 eur in taxes and charges

This is the price for both flights combined, not just for the leg from Dubai to Prague.

Details of the booking and why we returned from Hong Kong via Tokyo can be found in the previous review of the NRT–DXB flight.

How much do business class flights cost at standard fares? Check on emirates.com.

The stopover in Dubai and the huge Emirates lounge

After arriving from Tokyo, we head through security. I can’t see a fast-track lane for business class passengers here, but I might well have overlooked it.

There are only a few people ahead of us anyway, so I don’t worry about it.

I’m not a big fan of Dubai Airport for transfers. It’s huge, the different sections are far apart, and this time we’re also travelling by automated train.

We’re still in Terminal 3, though. You can find practical information in our guide to transferring at Dubai Airport.

The largest lounge I’ve ever been in

I’m really surprised by the size of the Emirates lounge. This is the largest lounge I’ve visited so far.

It takes up the entire top floor of that section of the terminal.

The quiet zones are a big plus. You can find a secluded spot here, which I really appreciate after a long night-time flight.

However, it’s also clear that the lounge has seen better days. The fittings look a bit dated, the sockets are worn out and some of them don’t work.

After nearly eleven hours in the air, I naturally want a shower. And the one I’m given is downright disgusting. After the lovely, clean showers in the Emirates lounge at Narita, this is quite an unpleasant surprise.

There’s plenty of food, but I was expecting more choice

You can easily get something to eat here. However, for such a huge lounge, I don’t find the selection particularly impressive.

I’ve certainly had a much better selection when it comes to hot meals. I’m certainly not going hungry here, but it doesn’t quite match the excitement I felt about the selection at Narita.

I also like the option of boarding the flight directly from the lounge. Emirates offer this at their lounges in Concourse A.

In my opinion, this lounge has huge potential. If it were given a new interior, better showers and a wider range of food, it would be a completely different experience.

Boarding by bus and first impressions of the cabin

This time we’re boarding by bus. That’s not exactly what I’d be hoping for right now, after many hours on the road and in July, when it’s 45 degrees outside in Dubai.

Business-class passengers have their own bus. That sounds nice, but we end up waiting in it for what feels like an eternity before we set off.

After a night-time flight and a connecting flight, I’d really much rather be sitting on the plane. This isn’t a good start to the next leg of the journey.

At first glance, however, the cabin itself is a more pleasant surprise. The 2–3–2 layout feels more spacious than I’d expected.

The second thing is the design. The golden colour strikes me as a bit too circus-like, but that’s really just a matter of personal taste.

So the first impression isn’t too bad. But then I sit down.

The middle seat in business class

When booking, I deliberately choose the middle seat in the middle row of three. I want to see what it’s like to sit in the ‘middle’ seat in business class.

An interesting experience. But definitely not something I’d recommend for a future trip.

The seat is narrow and the space around me is uncomfortable. For an airline that presents itself as premium as Emirates does, this strikes me as a disgrace. In this day and age. Sure, this cabin used to be among the very best, but that ‘back then’ is long gone.

I wouldn’t even expect a seat like this on a reserve aircraft.

According to the seat map, it looked like the cabin would be full before take-off. In the end, though, I’m in luck: my partner is sitting on one side, and the seat on the other remains empty.

Quite simply, the seat occupancy chart doesn’t necessarily reflect how many people will actually be flying. In my case, the empty seat next to me really saves the day.

Almost no privacy

I can pull up a small partition between the seats. At least that way, my neighbour and I aren’t staring directly into each other’s faces.

Compared to modern business class cabins, however, privacy is practically non-existent.

What’s more, from the middle seat I don’t have direct access to the aisle. The window seats have the same problem in the 2–3–2 configuration. When getting up, you always have to step over your neighbour.

For a solo traveller, I would therefore definitely choose an aisle seat. I wouldn’t voluntarily choose the middle seat again next time.

Legroom and storage space

There’s one thing I can’t fault about the seat: when seated, the legroom is generous.

I’ve got plenty of room to move in front of me. But that doesn’t mean the seat is wide or that it’s comfortable to sleep in.

Storage is also a bit of a let-down. Fortunately, there’s plenty of space in the overhead compartments, but right by the seat I mainly just put my mobile and headphones.

Beneath the screens in our row of seats, there are six smaller compartments, which are handy for shoes or slippers, for example.

As usual, we’re given a blanket, a pillow, slippers and headphones. It’s just that I’ve nowhere to put them comfortably, so some of these items end up on the floor for now.

Sockets and controls

Next to my seat, I have:

one universal power socket
two USB-A ports
a reading light
a remote control for the in-flight entertainment system and a separate tablet
an adjustable headrest

I’m not really convinced by the headrest, and I find the lamp rather in the way.

The screen on the ICE infotainment system is nice, but it’s so far away that I can’t reach it from my seat. I have to use the remote control or the tablet, though I don’t find the remote’s response particularly snappy.

This time, I’m mainly just looking at the flight map anyway. I watch videos from my own collection downloaded onto my mobile, so I hardly ever browse the selection of films and TV series.

Before take-off from Dubai, I notice the very latest aircraft in the Emirates fleet, featuring the newest business class – the Airbus A350 – staring provocatively at us from the opposite side.

A brilliant crew, service without an amenity kit

The crew are excellent. Friendly, professional and helpful. In my view, Emirates are doing a very good job here.

Before take-off, we’re served champagne and are also given a little bag containing slippers and an eye mask.

However, there’s no full amenity kit this time.

Of course, it’s only a day flight of about six hours. But after the lovely Bvlgari bag from the previous leg, I’m really quite disappointed.

Fortunately, we can find practical items in the toilets. There are toothbrushes, toothpaste, combs and creams, so we’re sorted for basic hygiene.

We don’t get pyjamas this time. But on this flight, that’s perfectly understandable, of course.

What’s it like sleeping in a reclining seat?

Even on a daytime flight, I naturally want to try out the seat in the sleeping position.

And for me, this is a disaster.

The seat doesn’t fold out into a flat bed. It remains at an angle. So the label ‘reclining seat’ alone doesn’t necessarily mean a comfortable night’s sleep.

What’s more, the legroom is very narrow once it’s unfolded. This is where the difference from sitting becomes apparent: there was plenty of space in front of the seat, but the area where I rest my legs whilst sleeping is cramped.

At least there’s a small stop at the end to prevent you from sliding down. But that doesn’t make it a comfortable bed.

What I do rate very highly, on the other hand, is the cabin crew’s service. Even on this daytime flight, they fully prepare and make up the bed for me on request.

That sort of service is much appreciated. It doesn’t, however, solve the problem with the seat itself.

It’s perfectly manageable on a six-hour daytime flight. I wouldn’t want to fly in this particular seat on a long night-time flight, though.

After nearly six hours of uninterrupted sleep on the previous A380, the difference is huge.

Breakfast and lunch on the flight to Prague

I’m pleasantly surprised by the amount of food this time. The selection is more varied than on the previous, considerably longer overnight flight.

But on a daytime flight, that makes sense to me. I don’t want to spend most of my time asleep on this one.

We’re given the menu before take-off and asked whether we’d like the full meal service or would like to skip any of the courses.

This is another example of the crew doing a good job: many passengers have already been on a very long journey and, even on a daytime flight, often prefer to sleep rather than be disturbed by the service.

A light and very tasty breakfast

Breakfast is brilliant. I’m served cheese and ham, fruit, yoghurt, pastries and juice.

After a long journey, a lighter breakfast like this suits me just fine. I don’t feel the need to start another flight with a heavy meal.

During the flight, we can also pop over to a small self-service counter by the toilets for fruit, water or sweets.

Delicious salmon tataki

About an hour and a half before landing, there’s another round of drinks and nuts. Lunch follows straight afterwards.

For my starter, I choose the salmon tataki. And it’s absolutely brilliant. Definitely the best part of my lunch.

The chicken and rice for the main course is a bit more run-of-the-mill. It’s perfectly fine, but nothing that will stick in my memory.

My partner has the Arabic mezze, which is, as usual, excellent. She also chooses chicken for her main course.

I’ve got no room left for dessert. My partner just has a fruit platter brought over.

Just before landing, we’re given two chocolate sweets as a farewell gift. A lovely little touch to round things off.

An old Boeing 777 versus a refurbished A380

We flew on two Emirates business class flights as part of a single ticket. The difference, however, was striking.

Our experience	Refurbished A380 NRT–DXB	The old 777-300ER DXB–PRG
Seating layout	1–2–1	2–3–2
Direct aisle access	From every seat	Only from aisle seats
Bed	Horizontal and very comfortable	At an angle, uncomfortable for me
Privacy	Significantly better, depending on the seat’s position	Very limited
Bar	Separate bar with seating	Small counter with refreshments by the toilets

That’s why, when booking with Emirates, I’d prioritise the specific cabin and seat map, and only then consider the aircraft type.

Even the Boeing 777 can have the new 1–2–1 business class layout. And not all 2–3–2 cabins have exactly the same seat configuration.

You can compare the different variants on Emirates’ official seat maps.

However, the seating plan for the specific flight in your booking is what counts.

How many aircraft do not yet have the new cabin?

To give an idea of just how widespread this problem still was: on 14 July 2026, Emirates announced that it had completed the refurbishment of 53 Boeing 777s.

At that time, the airline had 117 Boeing 777-300ERs.

Based on these summer figures, there were approximately 64 Boeing 777-300ERs without the new 1–2–1 cabin layout.

This corresponds to approximately 55 per cent of the 777-300ER fleet and 24 per cent of Emirates’ entire passenger fleet.

This is a calculated estimate based on data as at the dates stated, not a current inventory. Crucially, it does not refer to the exact number of this oldest reclining seat type: there are also different versions even amongst the 2–3–2 cabin configurations.

The refurbishments are ongoing, but when booking, I wouldn’t count on the old cabin layout having definitely been phased out just yet.

I’d pay for this business class again

I certainly wouldn’t spend any money on this particular seat. Nor would I spend my air miles, if the entire journey were to be on this type of aircraft.

By today’s standards, it’s without a doubt the worst seat and bed I’ve ever experienced in business class.

No other experience of mine comes even close to this one in that respect.

The middle seat, minimal privacy and the sloping bed just don’t work for me on Emirates. I can get through a six-hour daytime flight without too much fuss. But for me, a good business class experience means much more than that.

The crew and service, on the other hand, leave a very good impression. I enjoy the breakfast, the salmon tataki is excellent, and their willingness to make up the bed even during the day deserves praise.

The lounge in Dubai has enormous potential in terms of size and facilities. During our visit, however, it was let down by outdated fittings, the condition of the shower and the food on offer, from which I’d expected more.

Nevertheless, I’ve come away with a positive impression of the whole journey from Tokyo. The refurbished A380 was brilliant, and on this flight too, Emirates showed that they know how to provide good service.

In my view, Emirates remains a very high-quality airline. You just need to choose flights with newer aircraft types and configurations.

If you’re considering buying a ticket, compare the price and cabin class with other options.

Check prices – emirates.com

💬 How much would a middle seat in Business Class bother you? Would you opt for this older cabin at a significantly lower price, or is a flat bed a must-have for you?

What other flights have I experienced?

Flying is my biggest hobby, and I write articles based on many other flights.

In my opinion, these were my most interesting trips:

Emirates 777 business class from Dubai to Prague: the worst seat I’ve ever experienced

Skiing in Armenia from Bratislava and Prague