Six hours’ uninterrupted sleep. For someone like me, who usually finds it quite difficult to fall asleep on a plane, that’s probably the highest praise I can give business class.

We flew the Emirates night flight from Tokyo to Dubai on an Airbus A380 with a refurbished cabin.

I was impressed by the light-coloured interior, the comfortable bed and the famous in-flight bar. Even so, I probably wouldn’t have bought this business class ticket at the standard price.

How did we book our tickets using miles, which seats would I choose, and what really stood out for me during the flight?

• Our flight: Tokyo Narita (NRT ) – Dubai (DXB)
• Aircraft: Airbus A380 with a refurbished business class cabin
• Flight duration: 10.5 hours

Pros and cons

I’ll start by saying what I liked best and, conversely, what I didn’t enjoy.

• ✅ a beautiful, light and elegant design
• ✅ On-board bar (it’s simply one of a kind!)
• ✅ good food (especially the Japanese breakfast)
• ✅ a very comfortable bed
• ✅ the best amenity kit of any airline
• ❌ little privacy (the seats don’t have closing doors)
• ❌ generally very high prices for Emirates Business Class

How much did Emirates Business Class cost in miles?

The flight from Tokyo to Dubai is part of a one-way Tokyo–Dubai–Prague ticket that I booked through the Aegean Miles+Bonus loyalty programme.

Emirates and Aegean collaborate, and in the summer of 2026 I found an unusually large number of available business class tickets for miles via Miles+Bonus. Such availability is not usually a given. Especially when you want two seats on the same flight and a date that really suits you.

That’s exactly what I managed to do. I found two seats from Tokyo via Dubai to Prague.

The price for the entire journey per person was:

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

In my opinion, that’s a very decent offer for the number of miles.

The need to pay the fees out of pocket was far less appealing to me. Emirates have high fees, which couldn’t be covered by miles for this booking, and that almost put me off making the purchase.

In the end, though, I’m going ahead with the purchase. Emirates Business Class is usually so expensive when paid for with cash that I’d probably never have tried it. This was an opportunity I didn’t want to miss.

You can search for available seats in the award tickets section on Aegean Miles+Bonus, and the best way to find out the business class fares without using miles is directly via emirates.com.

Why we flew back via Tokyo

Our journey ended in Hong Kong. So Tokyo isn’t exactly on the way home.

However, between our arrival from Hong Kong and our Emirates flight, we have over 30 hours in Tokyo. For me, that’s more of a bonus. I love Japan, and any excuse to return here, even for a short while, is always welcome.

If you’re planning a similar stopover, take a look at our tips on where to stay in Tokyo. For a short stay, I’d mainly choose a place based on transport links to the airport.

• 👉 Compare hotel prices in Tokyo
• 👉 What to do in Tokyo during a layover

Check-in and the Emirates lounge at Narita

Our flight from Narita doesn’t leave until 22:30. We arrive at the airport about three hours before departure.

There’s absolutely no one at the business class check-in. We’re done in two minutes. The fast-track security check and passport control take a further five minutes at most.

You can plan your journey from the city using our guide to transport to Tokyo Narita Airport.

A dedicated lounge and excellent Arabic mezze

Just as in Bangkok, from where we flew First Class with Emirates to Hong Kong, Emirates also has its own lounge at Narita.

It’s very quiet during our visit. There’s plenty of space and, overall, I feel very comfortable here.

What I appreciate most is the selection of Arabic mezze, salads and small, healthy snacks. I’d happily eat this sort of thing even outside the airport. There’s also a decent selection of hot meals.

Everything is constantly being replenished. There are no empty bowls where you have to wait for the food to be refilled.

Before departure, we make use of the showers. There’s no queue at all, and the bathrooms are lovely and clean. It’s a very pleasant start to a long night-time flight.

New cabin and seat selection

The flight is far from full, so boarding is very quick.

I’m a bit surprised to find that the refurbished business class cabin is already waiting for us. I hadn’t automatically expected it. All the better for the first impression.

I think it looks great. It’s bright, modern and doesn’t feel over the top. I feel really comfortable here.

Not long before that, we’d also flown in Air France’s new business class on an A350 from Paris to Mexico City.

Neither interior is old, but the condition of the cabin on our flights was incomparably better with Emirates. Here, everything looks well-maintained and as good as new.

Which seats offer the most privacy?

Business class is arranged in a 1–2–1 configuration. Everyone has direct aisle access, but individual seats vary significantly in terms of position and level of privacy.

The seats are offset from one another. Both window and middle seats alternate between two configurations:

Seat position	Who I’d recommend it for
By the window, further from the aisle	For solo travellers and maximum privacy
On the window side, closer to the aisle	If you don’t mind a more open space
The middle pair of seats next to each other	For a couple who want to sit next to each other
Middle seats further apart	For passengers who don’t know each other

I’m letting my partner have the seat closer to the window, whilst I’m sitting closer to the aisle in seat 15J.

If privacy is important to you, I’d choose your seat carefully based on the specific flight plan.

This refurbished business class cabin does not have closing doors for every seat, so the position of your seat makes a noticeable difference.

Incidentally, that’s the biggest drawback of the whole cabin: in new business class cabins, I’d expect lockable doors to be standard. But it’s fair to say that Emirates are by no means an exception.

The two middle seats right next to each other are also an attractive option for a couple. However, we prefer to have both seats on the window side.

What the seat and amenities offer for the night

The seat is spacious with plenty of legroom, but that’s sort of what you’d automatically expect from business class.

There’s plenty of storage space. Small items I want to use during the flight can easily be kept within easy reach.

There’s also a large lockable box between the window seat and the aisle seat. However, if I’m not mistaken, this is standard on all upper decks of the Airbus A380, regardless of the class you’re travelling in.

Next to my seat, I find:

• two USB-A ports; no USB-C
• one universal power socket
• a reading light
• seat and in-flight entertainment controls, including a separate tablet
• two bottles of Evian and one of Perrier
• three packets of assorted nuts

A pillow, a blanket and some very comfortable slippers are already waiting for us. Even before take-off, the cabin crew also hand out pyjamas.

It’s the pyjamas on a long night-time flight that I really appreciate. Changing into something comfortable is much nicer than sleeping in your everyday clothes. And in business class, that’s still not a given.

My best in-flight toiletries set so far

We’re also given the amenity kit before take-off. That’s handy, as I have everything I need straight away.

Emirates hand out different pouches for women and men. The pouches themselves are lovely, but I’m even more delighted by what’s inside.

My men’s set contains:

• Bvlgari toiletries, including a moisturiser and lip balm
• earplugs, socks and a wet wipe
• deodorant
• shaving foam and a razor

In particular, I’ve never been given deodorant, shaving foam or a razor on a flight before. For me, this is the best toiletries set I’ve ever taken home from a flight.

And this is what the ladies’ toiletry bag looks like:

Dinner and a Japanese breakfast

Before take-off, we’re given the menu and the crew ask when we’d like to eat.

At first glance, the selection seems a bit meagre for a 10.5-hour flight. But we’re taking off at 22:30 and will arrive in Dubai at 4:05 local time. I want to spend most of the flight sleeping.

According to Tokyo time, we land shortly after nine in the morning. So dinner, a sleep and breakfast make perfect sense to me. What’s more, light refreshments are available between meals. Personally, I wouldn’t appreciate a long night-time service.

Dinner straight after take-off

I have my first meal served straight after take-off. I choose something lighter, so I go for fish.

It’s good. Nothing I’ll remember for the rest of my life, but it works perfectly well as a dinner before bed.

A delicious Japanese breakfast

Breakfast is served just under two hours before landing. I go for the Japanese option, and this time it’s in a completely different league.

This is a phenomenal meal. Whilst dinner was rather average, breakfast stands out far more in my memory from the whole flight.

What’s more, at any time during the flight, we can pop into the bar for a few snacks. There are sandwiches, crisps and sweets available, for example.

The Emirates in-flight bar has its own charm

After dinner, we head over to the famous bar at the rear of the A380’s upper deck.

I have to say, I like it better than the bar on Etihad. The seating is more comfortable and, overall, it feels much more like I’m sitting in a proper bar.

We order a cocktail from the really extensive drinks menu. I wouldn’t compare it to drinks from good bars on the ground, but having a cocktail on a night flight has its own charm.

There’s also plenty of light snacks and cakes at the bar. The typical Emirates signature cake is there too.

We’re just having a little taste. We mainly want to get a good night’s sleep. But in the end, I let myself be persuaded to have a glass of champagne.

I really do enjoy that in-flight bar!

It’s precisely the chance to leave my seat for a moment and sit somewhere else that I love about the A380. I certainly wouldn’t miss the bar on this flight.

You can also help yourself to various crisps, sweets, fruit and other snacks at the bar at any time during the flight.

A comfortable bed and six hours’ sleep

Whilst I go to the toilet to change into my pyjamas, the cabin crew prepare my bed for me.

Incidentally, there are other useful items available in the toilet, such as a comb, a toothbrush and so on.

I could manage it on my own, but this way I come back to a made-up bed and can get straight into bed.

The seat folds out into a completely flat position and the bed is very comfortable. The result is almost six hours of uninterrupted sleep.

Even before the lights are fully dimmed, an imitation starry sky appears on the ceiling. Kitsch? Or a lovely little touch?

I definitely think it’s a lovely touch; I really like it.

For me, that’s a really good performance. I usually find it hard to fall asleep on a plane. Here, I sleep brilliantly.

If I had to pick one thing that makes business class worth it on this night flight, it’s definitely the bed and the chance to get a proper rest.

In-flight entertainment and Wi-Fi

I hardly explore the ice entertainment system this time. I sleep through most of the flight.

However, from previous flights with Emirates, I know that the selection is excellent. This time, sleep won out for me.

We’re using the free internet. However, the speed fluctuates quite a lot, and I wouldn’t rely on it working reliably during our flight.

With Emirates’ standard in-flight connection, free internet in Business Class is linked to Emirates Skywards membership. Before departure, therefore, please check that your booking includes your Skywards number. You can find the terms and conditions on the Emirates in-flight Wi-Fi page.

Was Emirates A380 Business Class worth it for me?

It was a brilliant experience for me. However, if I were paying the standard fare, I’d probably choose a different airline.

In my opinion, the refurbished Emirates cabin is absolutely top-class. The seat itself, the bed, the storage spaces and the condition of the interior were perhaps the best I’ve experienced in business class so far.

The on-board bar also offers the chance to sit somewhere else for a while. And the pyjamas and excellent toiletries kit pleased me more than any other decorative detail.

The service struck me as decent but average. The crew were friendly and professional, but personally, I find flying with Lufthansa crews an even better experience. Dinner was good, and the Japanese breakfast was excellent.

The portion sizes suited me fine, given it was a night flight. My main aim was to get some sleep, which I managed to do.

However, price is also a factor in the assessment. For 65,000 miles and a ‘ 742 eur ’ for the entire journey from Tokyo to Prague, I’m glad I bought the ticket.

Check business class fares: emirates.com

If I had to pay the standard Emirates business class fare, I’d rather look for a flight with Etihad or Qatar Airways. I often find significantly better prices with them.

Emirates will certainly find their clientele. I’m delighted with this flight, but I’d reconsider the price when making my next booking.

After landing in Dubai, we head for our connecting flight and straight into the lounge. But there’ll be another review covering that and the onward flight to Prague in the older business class cabin of the Boeing 777.

💬 On a night flight, do you prefer a long dinner or as much sleep as possible? Let us know in the comments.

What other flights have I been on?

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

In my opinion, these were my most interesting trips:

• Lufthansa’s old First Class (Frankfurt–Tokyo)
• Lufthansa Allegris First Class (Tokyo–Munich)
• Etihad Residence First Class (Singapore–Abu Dhabi)
• Air Arabia low-cost (Prague–Sharjah–Bangkok)