Emirates Continues to Elevate First Class Comfort With Thoughtful New Enhancements
Emirates First Class remains one of the products we fly most often, and for us, it’s simply the best in the game. Despite its many accolades and cult following, Emirates is not resting on its laurels when it comes to keeping its product ahead of the rest. The airline has never relied on one standout feature alone, but instead continues to refine the experience through incremental improvements that genuinely enhance passenger comfort and deliver the ultimate in luxury in the sky. Its latest First Class updates follow that same approach, focusing on rest, calm, and the small rituals that matter on long haul flights.
From December 2025, Emirates is introducing new First Class loungewear on select long haul routes. Crafted from soft, breathable modal made from sustainably grown beech trees, the new sets are designed with sleep in mind, but without feeling purely functional. The relaxed two piece silhouette drapes easily, with a top design that is subtly reminiscent of the funnel neck style used in Emirates’ Business Class pyjamas, offering gentle warmth around the neckline without feeling restrictive. We have loved the current grey pyjamas, but we’re definitely excited to test out the new sets.
The women’s set comes in blush pink and light grey, while the men’s version is finished in a refined two tone grey. Matching slippers feature a cushioned inner sole (hurrah!), and the coordinating eye mask is lined with a silk feel fabric to encourage uninterrupted rest. Together, the set sounds delightfully comfortable, as suitable for social moments in the lounge as settling in for the night inside Emirates’ fully enclosed First Class suites.
Sleep itself continues to be a clear priority. From 2026 onwards, Emirates will introduce upgraded 300 thread count cotton bed linen across First Class, including new pillows, duvet covers, and mattress covers. Given the cloud-like softness of the current pillows and mattress covers, we’re more than excited to take the new sleep set for a test drive. The experience is complemented by a refined turndown service that feels closer to a hotel ritual than an inflight procedure. The bed is prepared by the cabin crew, a BYREDO Chamomile Pillow Mist is placed on the duvet fold, with luxury chocolates left as a final touch. Featured chocolatiers include Valrhona, Canonica, Coco Jalila, and Neuhaus, with selections rotating onboard.
The Emirates First Class A380 Shower Spa has also been subtly refreshed, with Irish skincare brand VOYA introducing two new fragrance collections. Tranquillity features calming lavender and eucalyptus, while Revitalise blends honeysuckle and neroli. The range includes shampoo, conditioner, body wash, body moisturiser, face wash, coconut and jasmine soap, as well as hand wash and hand cream. Individual VOYA hand creams are will continue to be available in First and Business Class washrooms.
Stepping outside the suite experience, Emirates has introduced new crystal cut glassware for First Class which will be used to serve premium cocktails, spirits, mocktails, and iced coffees. We’re particularly excited about the new brandy balloon glass that has also been added for the purpose of showcasing Emirates’ exclusive Hennessy Paradis Cognac and Tesseron brandy (Paradis is our personal pick of the two).
In early 2026, Emirates First Class will debut the latest Bowers & Wilkins headphones, the E2 model, custom tuned exclusively for Emirates. The new headphones offer improved noise cancellation, enhanced comfort for long haul listening, and seamless integration with the ice inflight entertainment system. A voice transparency mode allows passengers to briefly hear cabin crew without removing the headphones. We usually bring our own headphones on board for ease – but perhaps it’s time to leave them at home, given the new improved model on offer.
These updates sit alongside recent soft product enhancements we have appreciated, including improved movie snacks, a more polished caviar experience, and the introduction of large format wine menus that provide genuinely useful detail on each label rather than surface level tasting notes (our personal favourite upgrade).
We’ve been very impressed with Emirates’ recent dedication to continually levelling up their First Class soft product. The airline continues to invest in comfort driven upgrades that prioritise how passengers feel onboard, especially when it comes to rest. We cannot wait to experience the new Emirates First Class, first hand…