First Class on World’s Most Luxurious Flight

Today, I'm flying for the next 24 hours in the world's best first class, starting in the residence, a three-room suite with a living room, private bathroom, and bedroom. After a layover in the world's only seven-star hotel, I'll transfer by Rolls-Royce to my next flight, featuring a lounge, shower spa, and comfy bed. Let's see what it's really like and pick up our story in Canada. Well, hello there, and welcome back to the channel. You join me here at the Four Seasons Toronto, where we begin our epic first class adventure. Without any more to say, let's head right over to the airport. Toronto Pearson Airport is located around 20 miles from my hotel, with the drive taking 30 minutes. Let's head straight into the terminal and check in for our flight. The airport is a hive of activity, being at the peak of summer travel. Thankfully, the Etihad check-in desks are quiet, and I'm able to proceed with formalities immediately. I wish more airlines presented their tickets like this. I know it's a small touch, but this does make it feel even more special. Anyway, time to head through security. Etihad provide fast track, but this doesn't mitigate the busyness of the airport today, with procedures taking around half an hour. Finally through, I have a brief moment to check out the Plaza Premium Lounge. Given Etihad doesn't have a lounge presence here, this is far from what you can expect at their home base in Abu Dhabi, but I guess does the job for my short stay. I think it's time to make our way over to our gate then. This is where the real indulgence begins. Introducing our eight-year-old Airbus A380, which hosts the world's best plane seat. A member of staff is waiting for me here, who leads me personally over to scan my boarding pass, and then onto the jet bridge. I'm met by a single aisle of multiple first-class suites, and at the very end, our new home, the three-room residence. I'll stow my bag under the bed in my private bedroom, more on that shortly, and settle into my living room. I'm presented with some sparkling water, a cool towel, and some Arabic dates, shortly followed by an Arabic coffee to keep that jet lag at bay. It's not all too long before I'm asked to put my seatbelt on, and the safety video is run. Fasten the strap around your waist and pull to tighten. Inflate your life jacket only as you leave the aircraft door. So where exactly are we going? Well, we'll travel over the next 14 hours, some 7,000 miles, all the way to Abu Dhabi. We've just about reached our cruising altitude of 38,000 feet, so let's get my seatbelt off and take a look around. Our A380 plays host to 497 passengers, spread out over two decks, but there's just one residence located upstairs at the very front of the aircraft. It's the world's only three-room suite on a plane at a mind-blowing 125 square foot of private space. We'll start in the living room, featuring a two-seat reclining leather sofa. Both seats provide individual tray tables, IFV remotes, and charging facilities, jointly sharing a 32-inch HD television. There's ample storage in the ottoman, and even a chilled minibar, alas, no DC. In terms of connectivity, there is Wi-Fi provided free to the residents, and the speed has greatly improved since I last flew Etihad's A380. We'll take a proper look at the bedroom and private bathroom in just a minute, but let's first focus on dinner service. The menu is extensive, and you can dine whenever you like. I think we'll start with champagne, the delicious 2013 Charles Heinsick. Whilst brilliant, I'm surprised to not see a slightly more special champagne, like last time I was on board, given the level at which the residence is. No complaints, just an observation. Within moments, the wonderful flight attendant begins to set my table. Naturally, I've opted to start with the caviar, which comes complete with traditional garnish of finely chopped onion, shaved egg, bellinis, and sour cream. Moving on to appetizers, I've chosen the poached lobster, along with avocado, wasabi cream, and a teriyaki sauce. Prior to my main, I'm served a raspberry sorbet palate cleanser, along with a Coke Zero. Now for my main, where I've ordered the mouth-watering Emirati lamb shank biryani. To close off proceedings, I've gone for the rather fitting Canadian maple syrup sugar pie. With dinner out of the way, my lovely flight attendant has offered to prepare my shower and turn down my bedroom, ready for some sleep. As this is happening, should we check out the onboard lounge, located between business and first. It's a cozy, welcoming space with room for about six passengers, though it's quite a contrast to the likes of the Emirates onboard bar, which we'll be trying out later on. All turned down, what's the rest of the residence like then? This is a true game changer, your own private bathroom on board a commercial aircraft. Complete with Espar amenities, a hair dryer, bathrobe, and of course the shower, with approximately 10 minutes of run time. I've also been provided with Armani pyjamas and slippers, as well as a well-stocked amenity kit. Something I love is that you can totally close off the bedroom for a restful sleep away from the rest of the cabin. It truly feels like a hotel room in the sky, but what is the bed actually like? Well, it's around 48 inches in width, so a small double, but it's possible for two to sleep snugly side by side, and I say this from experience because I've tried this with Millie before. Anyway, night all. Well, I slept wonderfully, but with not too long before landing, I'm offered breakfast in bed. Aside from the obligatory caffeine hit, I've ordered the bakery selection, then a cheese and tomato omelet. Right, as we're about to make final descent, I guess I should probably get changed out of my PJs. Let's get the Tims back on, along with my seatbelt, as we approach the UAE capital, Abu Dhabi. I'm met right off the jet bridge by an Etihad representative who assists with my luggage and takes me over to passport control. Now, whilst we've landed in Abu Dhabi, our adventure is far from over. We'll be comparing another incredible first-class experience but this departs from Dubai. Thankfully, Etihad includes a chauffeur service within the ticket price, and the transfer to the neighboring Emirate should take about an hour. Oh, and did I mention I've booked a rather special hotel for this layover? None other than the world's only seven-star hotel, the Burj Al Arab, in one of their very best suites. But just before I check into this Arabian palace and we try out another out-of-this-world first-class flight, you may be wondering how I've kept connected in Canada and now Dubai, all with one eSIM. Well, that's thanks to Airilo, a convenient eSIM technology provider. Airilo makes travel seamless because I no longer have to get a physical SIM when I land in a new country. Instead, I've simply bought one of their Discover Plus eSIMs, allowing me to connect in 137 countries with just one eSIM. Install once and you're done. Call, text, and data, all from one number. There's no more managing multiple eSIMs. I can use one eSIM for 365 days of worry-free travel. Stay connected wherever you travel, cheaper and hassle-free by downloading Airilo now via the link in my description or by scanning the QR code right here. Airilo has made my life so much easier and cheaper, and I can't wait for you to try it too. So I've booked one of the largest, most opulent duplex club suites, which occupies a mind-blowing 3,500 square foot of space. Well, I guess it's welcome to my palace. This is absolutely ridiculous. I don't think I've ever been in a hotel room this big. Should we take a look around? Upon entry, you're met with a double-height living space complete with not one, but two living rooms, a bar with inclusive champagne. There's a dining room, a joining kitchen, and oh yes, a billiards room. Moving up a level, we get to our third living room, an office, and through this doorway, the bedroom. Yes, that is a mirror above the bed. To finish off, we reach the bathroom, which is about the size of a usual hotel room. I'll break down the cost of this in just a moment. Good morning. It's another pretty early start with just enough time for a quick coffee and shower before heading downstairs to the awaiting Burj Al Arab Rolls-Royce. This will be whisking me over to the airport. Welcome to Dubai International Airport, specifically the Emirates first-class wing, which has incidentally just reopened last week. Inside, you can choose to check in while seated comfortably by means of a member of staff armed with a tablet, or if you prefer the more traditional approach, just head to one of the desks. Within moments, I'm heading towards security. We have access today to Emirates largest first-class lounge, located upper level. Shall we? Welcome to the Concourse A lounge, which covers a staggering 100,000 square foot of space. Aside from waiting for your flight in a comfy seat, you can shop to your heart's content in a dedicated duty-free store, relax in the cigar lounge, indulge in a complimentary massage, or what I've chosen to do, head to the restaurant. Here, you can choose from an extensive buffet, or enjoy a la carte table service. Here's the breakfast menu for you. Given the food I'm about to enjoy on board, I think I'll just go for the pastry basket and a double shot cappuccino. I'm notified our flight is ready to board, but here's the great part of the Emirates lounge. You board directly from here, so there's no need to go back into the main terminal. There seems to be only one other passenger boarding from here, and after a quick scan of my passport, we head over to the elevator and down to the upper deck jet bridge. Introducing our 12-year-old Airbus A380, delivered new to the airline back in 2013. So our aircraft has space for a total of 560 passengers, spread over three classes of travel. We're on the upper deck, which boasts 14 first-class suites in a one-to-one configuration. I've selected suite three kilo for today's flight. Let's stow my bags and take a proper look around. Of course, we no longer have a three-room suite, but this is still very roomy and a fantastic space to be. There's a non-refrigerated pop-up minibar, 32-inch television, backlit vanity mirror, writing kit, and a snack basket. It's an opulent over-the-top space and certainly compliments last night's hotel very well. The white glove service begins with some dates and Arabic coffee, a tradition I'm quite getting used to. It's time to get my seatbelt fastened as the safety video begins to screen. If there's a change in cabin pressure, oxygen masks will appear from above you. Pull the mask towards you like this to start the flow of oxygen. So where are we heading today? Over the next eight hours, we'll fly 3,500 miles all the way to London. As we reach our cruising altitude, it's time to get my seatbelt off and head over to the shower spa. I may not have my own private one, but the Emirates shower facilities are significantly larger than onboard Etihad. Emirates were the first to introduce showers onboard commercial airlines back in 2008. And despite trying this a few times before, the novelty is not lost on me at all. In terms of amenities, I'm provided with moisturizing pajamas, slippers, and Bulgari toiletries. Anyway, despite having a shower already this morning, why not have another at 38,000 feet? Of course, now I can get my PJs on and yes, I brought my own NASA tee. Back at my seat, the FAA has left some fresh fruit to enjoy post-shower. Though I think it's probably about time we take a look at what's on today's menu for lunch. With my order placed, it's time for champagne in form of Dom Perignon, which trumps Etihad's Charles Heinsick offering. Let's get that trade table out, which is released at the touch of a button, and commence dinner service. Now for research and comparison purposes, we must first sample the signature caviar service. Fun fact, Emirates now offer unlimited caviar, but given the size of this portion, I really don't think I'll be needing any more. Next up, I've opted for the creamy green pea soup with creme fraiche. Now for my main, I've ordered the veal cheek cannelloni served with a four cheese sauce and seared courgette. Finally, we move on to dessert and my word, there's a lot to choose from, but due to having quite the sweet tooth, the chocolate truffle cake just jumped out at me. Oh, and just in case I wasn't totally full, I'm offered some Emirati chocolates to close off this feast. As my suite is being turned down into a bed, should we go and check out the onboard lounge? It's positioned to the rear of the aircraft on the upper deck behind the business class cabin. I prefer this to Etihad's lounge as this is full of natural light and a variety of seating. Back at my suite, the bed has been turned down for me and for a converted seat, it's among the very best in the sky. Coming complete with thick mattress, duvet and pillow. For privacy, the suite has fully closing doors which close at the touch of a button. I'm not really ready for sleep, so instead I feel it's time to watch a movie. The same tablet that controls your seat also grants you access to the in-flight entertainment known as ICE, and it's well regarded as the best IFE in the sky. Well, Anchorman is an absolute classic. Now though, it's not long before our final descent. To get changed, I've gone for the rear first class lavatory. Oh, and it's a loo with a view. Back at my seat, let's get the Tims on and of course my seatbelt before we glide majestically over the city of London. Worry not, when we get on the ground, I'll break down the total cost of this trip. Well, first up, my Etihad residence flight which ordinarily would cost $9,400 but through booking a connection onto Muscat which I'll use later in the year, this reduced the price by nearly $3,000. Next up, the Burj Al Arab, including a room service dinner and the roller transfer, this came to $2,600. And finally, Emirates first class. For this, I redeemed 102,000 Skywards plus $460, making the total of this trip some $9,551. Thank you all so much for watching and I'll catch you again next time.