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Emirates announced this week that its uber-luxurious first-class seats will now offer more mouthwatering options than ever before. Passengers paying for the top-tier ticket with the Middle Eastern airline can now indulge in unlimited caviar served on a mother-of-pearl spoon and paired with Dom Perignon vintage Champagne.
The new perk is part of Emirates’ $2 billion investment to ‘enhance its inflight customer experience,’ with other added first-class offerings including a ‘cinema snack menu’ – in which passengers can order treats such as salted popcorn, lobster rolls, and sliders on demand while watching films – as well as more dishes like pan-fried salmon and roasted duck breast.
Emirates most expensive ticket costs $30,000 and it takes you from Los Angeles to Dubai. For 30-grand, your seat can transform into an actual bed, and comes with a sliding door you can close for privacy.
In addition, you also get your own minibar, an enormous basket of snacks and skincare products, and access to the on-board shower and spa.
Emirates announced this week that its uber-luxurious first-class seats will now offer more mouthwatering options than ever before, including unlimited caviar served on a mother-of-pearl spoon and paired with Dom Perignon vintage Champagne
The new perk is part of Emirates’ $2 billion investment to ‘enhance its inflight customer experience,’ with other added first-class offerings including snacks like salted popcorn and lobster rolls, as well as more dishes like pan-fried salmon
FEMAIL has rounded up the top 10 most expensive flights in the world, and showcased all the stunning perks that come with each one – from temperature-regulated duvets and complimentary massages to breakfast in bed and showers on-board
And while $30,000 for a flight may sound like a lot, it’s actually not the most costly flight in the world. That belongs to Etihad Airways, which offers a first-class ticket from New York to Abu Dhabi, coming in at a whopping $64,000.
Customers who purchase it will certainly be treated like royalty, starting from way before they even get on the plane; they will be driven to the airport by a private chauffer and have access to the Etihad lounge at JFK where a ‘private butler will assist you in any task you wish.’
On board, the lavish amenities certainly don’t come to a halt; you get your own 40-square-foot mini ‘apartment’ in the air – which features a seat that has a built-in massager and can recline to form a Queen-sized bed.
FEMAIL has rounded up the top 10 most expensive flights in the world, and showcased all the stunning perks that come with each one – from temperature-regulated duvets, cashmere blankets, and feather down comforters to breakfast in bed, complimentary massages, and free products like pajamas, slippers, eye masks, toothpaste, mouthwash, ear plugs, and even noise-cancelling headphones.
New York to Abu Dhabi on Etihad Airways: $64,000
The top notch ticket on Etihad Airways’ flight from New York to Abu Dhabi costs $64,000, but you will certainly be traveling in style. Etihad offers a step beyond first-class, known as ‘The Residency,’ and boy, does it make you feel like a king or queen
Described as a mini ‘apartment’ in the air, each seat stretches across 40-square-feet and takes up the full aisle
The seats can lay down flat to form a queen-sized bed, making it perfect to sleep through a long flight
The top notch ticket on Etihad Airways’ flight from New York to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, costs $64,000, but you will certainly be traveling in style.
You can control the firmness of your seat through a touch screen control system, and it even offers a massage function. Each seat also comes with an 18-inch entertainment system
Etihad offers a step beyond first-class, known as ‘The Residency,’ and boy, does it make you feel like a king or queen. According to TravalRadar.com, guests who purchase a Residency ticket will have the option of being picked up and driven to the airport by a private chauffeur.
You will, of course, have access to the Etihad lounge at John F. Kennedy Airport, which has a bar, showers, and dining area. Once you get on the plane, the royal treatment continues, with TravalRadar reporting, ‘All Etihad Residence passengers will have a private butler that will assist you in any task you wish.’
Described as a mini ‘apartment’ in the air, each seat stretches across 40-square-feet and takes up the full aisle. The seats can lay down flat to form a Queen-sized bed, making it perfect to sleep through a long flight.
‘I was immediately drawn to Etihad’s vibe the second I walked on the plane,’ one passenger, named Samantha Rosen, wrote in a review. ‘Overall it was very relaxed and understated. It didn’t feel over-the-top, but focused on detail instead.’
Food and drinks are provided by the well-renowned restaurant chain Cipriani
Each Residence passenger is given noise-cancelling headphones and an ‘amenity kit,’ which comes with a toothbrush, toothpaste, hand cream, and cologne. In addition, Etihad has a shower onboard, which is available for all Residence guests
She added: ‘When fully reclined, the seat feels spacious and comfortable.’
You can control the firmness of your seat through a touch screen control system, and it even offers a massage function, which Samantha called her ‘favorite’ part of the whole experience.
Each seat also comes with an 18-inch entertainment system. Samantha wrote, ‘While it didn’t feature nearly as many movies and TV shows as its main competitor, Emirates, it did have every single Harry Potter movie lined up. Pick your battles, people.’
Each Residence passenger is given noise-cancelling headphones and an ‘amenity kit,’ which comes with a toothbrush, toothpaste, compression socks, an eye mask, hand cream, and cologne. You’re also offered a hot towel upon entering the plane.
Food and drinks on-board are provided by the well-renowned restaurant chain Cipriani. In addition, Etihad is one of the only airlines to have a shower on its aircraft, which is available for all Residence guests.
New York to Hong Kong on Lufthansa: $43,000
When flying from New York to Hong Kong you can book a ticket through Lufthansa for $43,000, and as expected, the pricey ticket comes with a lot of things to make your travel experience luxurious. The bathroom in the first-class area is seen
The seats can transform into a 78-inch long bed, which comes with a ‘temperature-regulating duvet’ as well as in-flight humidifiers
Michelin-starred food and a Markus Del Monego-selected wine list is offered to passengers, which can be served at your seat or that the bar and seating area near the back of the cabin
When flying from New York to Hong Kong you can book a ticket through Lufthansa for $43,000, and as expected, the pricey ticket comes with a lot of things to make your travel experience as smooth as possible.
Starting at the airport, Lufthansa offers all of its first-class passengers with valet parking service and your very own personal assistant, so you don’t have to worry about ‘watching the time.’
‘A personal assistant will be waiting for you when you arrive at the First Class Terminal or at the First Class Lounges to take care of all your travel formalities swiftly and discreetly,’ the website states. ‘The assistant will then accompany you through security and check you in for your flight.’
The seats can transform into a 78-inch long bed, which comes with a ‘temperature-regulating duvet’ as well as in-flight humidifiers.
Michelin-starred food and a Markus Del Monego-selected wine list is offered to passengers, which can be served at your seat or that the bar and seating area near the back of the cabin.
While there is ‘ample storage space’ at each seat, every passenger also gets a lockable cubby at the rear of the cabin – which they can put more of their stuff in if need be.
Los Angeles to Dubai on Emirates Airlines: $30,000
The flight from Los Angeles to Dubai is nearly 16 hours long, but it will most likely speed by if you book one of Emirates Airlines’ $30,000 first-class tickets – which includes seats that can lie flat and come with an enclosed door
Dom Pérignon 2008 continues to flow throughout the flight, and customers can eat ‘whenever they want,’ with one passenger, named Nick, explaining: ‘All I needed to do was alert one of the [staff members] and they would prepare it’
Some options include caviar, a cheese platter, and filet mignon for dinner, and for breakfast, you could choose between things like omelets, oatmeal, and waffles
The flight from Los Angeles, California, to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, is nearly 16 hours long, but it will most likely speed by if you book one of Emirates Airlines’ $30,000 first-class tickets.
Passengers will have access to the Emirates lounge at LAX, which offers an ‘expansive’ selection of food, ‘ample amount’ of plugins, and plenty of space to relax, according to one passenger, named Nick Serati.
On-board the double-decker aircraft, Nick wrote on ThrifyTraveler.com that he was greeted by a flight attendant who was ‘genuinely excited to welcome him and make sure his experience was top notch.’
The seats, which Nick described as ‘incredibly comfortable,’ can lie flat and come with an enclosed door.
‘When you are sitting in the seat – even with the doors open – I found it to be very private,’ he gushed. ‘There was plenty of legroom and space for my carry-on suitcase.
Like Etihad, Emirates is one of the rare few airlines to have a shower on its aircraft, and Nick described the area as ‘the biggest bathroom you’ll find on a plane.’ He said that the spa – which boasts heated floors – feels like an ‘oasis at 36,000 feet’
‘In fact, there is so much room in the Emirates First Class suites that there is no need for overhead bins. The lack of bins overhead really opens up the space and makes it feel larger than it is.’
On its website, Emirates claims the experience is ‘as close as it comes to your own private jet.’
Passengers are offered a notebook and pen, as well as a basket of snacks and skincare products – and as a special touch, fresh cut flowers hang from the wall. Next to each seat there is also a minibar.
‘Since the suites are so spacious and it isn’t actually possible to touch the screen while you are sitting in your seat, each seat comes equipped with touchpad tablet that you can use to control everything from the position of your seat, calling the flight attendant, the volume for your noise-canceling headphones, and everything on screen,’ Nick wrote.
Dom Pérignon 2008 continues to flow throughout the flight, and customers can eat ‘whenever they want,’ with him adding: ‘All I needed to do was alert one of the [staff members] and they would prepare it.’
Some options include caviar, a cheese platter, and filet mignon for dinner, and for breakfast, you could choose between things like omelets, oatmeal, and waffles.
Other amenities include ambient lighting that makes it feel like ‘your own private cinema,’ as well as on-board shower and spa.
Like Etihad, Emirates is one of the rare few airlines to have a shower on its aircraft, and Nick described the area as ‘the biggest bathroom you’ll find on a plane.’ He said that the spa – which boasts heated floors – feels like an ‘oasis at 36,000 feet.’
San Francisco to Abu Dhabi on Etihad Airways: $28,000
Much like the flight from New York to Abu Dhabi on Etihad, the one from San Francisco, California, comes with numerous perks – including leather seats that can open up to transform into a bed
One person who took the flight wrote on MightyTravels.com that they slept ‘well’ on it. They explained, ‘I found the extended seat long enough so that I could stretch out comfortably and sleep in all positions’
As for the food and drink, FlightHopper reported that passengers can choose from a ‘Middle Eastern infused al a carte menu.’ One of the on-flight meals is pictured
Much like the flight from New York to Abu Dhabi on Etihad, the one from San Francisco, California, comes with numerous perks.
It’s a little cheaper in price – costing $28,000 – and this one comes with many of the same amenities, including leather seats that can transform into a bed.
It also boasts a private mini-bar and a 23-inch entertainment system (rather than the slightly smaller 18-inch one that the New York flight has).
One person who took the flight wrote on MightyTravels.com that they slept ‘well’ on the flight. The explained, ‘I fell asleep right away and not wake up for 10 hours. I found the extended seat long enough so that I could stretch out comfortably and sleep in all positions.’
As for the food and drink, FlightHopper reported that passengers can choose from a ‘Middle Eastern infused al a carte menu.’
New York to Beijing on Korean Air: $27,000
Korean Air offers flights from New York to Beijing, China, and its first-class tickets, known as ‘Prestige Suites’ cost $27,000. The seats fully recline, and when laying down, the bed measures 79 inches long and 26 inches wide
As for your meals, ‘top quality dishes cater to all tastes while still maintaining the taste and authenticity of traditional Korean meals,’ the airline’s website explains
Korean Air offers flights from New York to Beijing, China, and its first-class tickets, known as ‘Prestige Suites’ cost $27,000.
According to the airline’s website, Korean Air makes flying ‘an unforgettable experience like no other.’ You can check-in comfortably at the first-class check-in lounge, and will be escorted by staff members all the way to your boarding gate.
On-board, your 23-inch touch-screen seat controls practically every aspect of your flight. The seats fully recline, and a partition can close to ensure top-notch privacy. When laying down, the bed measures 79 inches long and 26 inches wide.
As for your meals, ‘quality dishes cater to all tastes while still maintaining the taste and authenticity of traditional Korean meals.’
And the glamour doesn’t end when you land. Prestige Suite passengers can freshen themselves up in with the KAL Premium Arrival Shower Service, which provides a shuttle to a nearby hotel so you can take a shower.
New York to Hong Kong on Cathay Pacific: $20,000
Customers who purchase the $20,000 ticket from New York to Hong Kong, China, get 36-inch wide seats that can fully recline
AirportSpotting.com wrote, ‘These cabins are some of the most spacious you can get, and will convert into an extremely comfortable bed to sleep in’
Dinner and breakfast are offered, which includes an array of Chinese cuisine including wok-fried chicken and shrimp, roasted duck with lai fun noodles, or sliced pork with garlic sauce. One of the meals is seen above
While Cathay Pacific doesn’t have its own lounge at JFK, customers who purchase the $20,000 ticket from New York to Hong Kong, China, will get access to the American Airlines’ lounge instead.
On the plane, each seat in the first-class area is 36 inches wide, with AirportSpotting.com writing, ‘These cabins are some of the most spacious you can get, and will convert into an extremely comfortable bed to sleep in.’
One couple, named Bertaut and Alexis, who recently went on the flight with their two kids, described the seats as ‘comfortable’ on WorldTravelAdeventures.com, adding, ‘The table tray pulled out from the left and the inflight entertainment screen popped out from the console at the touch of a button when you were ready to watch something.’
Alexis wrote that while the seats were ‘more than long enough’ for herself and for her kids, her six-foot-six-inch husband said they ‘felt a bit too short for him.’
On its website, the airline boasts about using ‘600-thread-count bedlinen’ and a ‘soft’ pillow with a ‘calming mist.’
Like many of the other flights, Cathay Pacific provides guests with socks, an eye mask, toothpaste, mouthwash, ear plugs, lip balm, hand cream, slippers, and BOSE noise-cancelling headphones.
Dinner and breakfast are offered, which includes an array of Chinese cuisine including wok-fried chicken and shrimp, roasted duck with lai fun noodles, or sliced pork with garlic sauce.
New York to Singapore on Virgin Atlantic: $20,000
For $20,000, Virgin Atlantic will fly you from New York to Singapore on its ‘upper-class.’ The seats, which can transform into a bed, come with ‘loads of leg room, oodles of entertainment,’ and alcohol ‘delivered on demand’
AirportSpotting.com described the cabins as ‘swanky,’ adding that they boast ‘great levels of privacy.’ FlightHopper wrote that they’re ‘dimly lit, swish, and stylish’ and that the upper-class ‘really does live up to its name.’ The minibar is seen
Guests are offered a welcome glass of bubbly, as well as complimentary drinks and snacks throughout the flight. A four course meal is then provided, as well as breakfast in bed for overnight flights. Some of the food offered is pictured
For $20,000, Virgin Atlantic will fly you from New York to Singapore on its ‘upper-class.’ For that price, passengers get access to Virgin’s Clubhouse and an exclusive lounge and bar area on the plane.
‘Emerge from the privacy of your seat to go lounge in the The Loft or kick back at the bar,’ its website states. ‘It’s quality time with an acquaintance or a chance to meet new people.’
The seats, which can transform into a bed, come with ‘loads of leg room, oodles of entertainment,’ and alcohol ‘delivered on demand.’
Guests are offered a welcome glass of bubbly, as well as complimentary drinks and snacks throughout the flight. A four course meal is then provided, as well as breakfast in bed for overnight flights.
300 plus hours of TV shows and movies are offered on their touch-screen entertainment system, as well as in-seat charging ports and WiFi (for an addition $3).
AirportSpotting.com described the cabins as ‘swanky,’ adding that they boast ‘great levels of privacy.’ FlightHopper wrote that they’re ‘dimly lit, swish, and stylish’ and that the upper-class ‘really does live up to its name.’
Los Angeles to Melbourne on Qantas Airways: $15,000
A first-class ticket from Los Angeles to Melbourne, Australia, on the airline Qantas will cost you $15,000 – but it certainly comes with a lot of perks
You’re treated like royalty even before you get onto the plane, since the ticket comes with access to Qantas’ International First Lounge at LAX airport (pictured)
And the lavish amenities don’t end there. Once on board, you’ll spend the flight on a fully reclining six-foot bed with a sheepskin mattress, according to Flight Hopper
A first-class ticket from Los Angeles to Melbourne, Australia, on the airline Qantas will cost you $15,000 – but it certainly comes with a lot of perks.
You’re treated like royalty even before you get onto the plane, since the ticket comes with access to Qantas’ International First Lounge at LAX airport.
Inside the exclusive area, guests will find a restaurant and bar, private suites, showers with spa amenities, and WiFi, as well as ‘service equal to the world’s best five-star hotels to ensure a seamless airport experience.’ If needed, you can get your shirts pressed or your shoes shined.
One passenger who took the flight in 2019, named Nick Ellis, revealed on the website ThePointsGuy.com that he was offered a ‘complimentary 20-minute massage’ while in the lounge.
The seat also comes with a ‘massive touch-screen entertainment system,’ air vents, storage shelves, cup holders, power outlets, and an ‘endless array of bubbling champagnes.’ Passengers are offered pillows, a duvet, pajamas, and slippers
The plane is two stories high, and a staircase from the first-class area leads up to a bar and lounge
The area, seen above, is dedicated to first-class and business-class passengers only
As for food options, customers are offered various choices from top-chef Neil Perry, including seared tuna with Moroccan eggplant, Calvisius caviar, and snapper poached in garam masala, among other things. One of the meals is pictured
And the lavish amenities don’t end there. Once on board, you’ll spend the flight on a fully reclining six-foot bed with a sheepskin mattress, according to Flight Hopper.
The seat also comes with a ‘massive touch-screen entertainment system,’ air vents, storage shelves, cup holders, power outlets, and an ‘endless array of bubbling champagnes.’ Passengers are offered pillows, a duvet, pajamas, slippers, and a pair of headphones.
‘The touchscreen controlled everything from the seat’s position to the lighting in the suite to the window blinds,’ Nick wrote in his review.
He added that he found the bedding to be ‘excellent’ and that he was ‘supremely comfortable’ on the ‘wide and spacious’ bed.
The plane is two stories high, and a staircase from the first-class area leads up to a bar and lounge, which is dedicated to first-class and business-class passengers only.
As for food options, customers are offered various choices from top-chef Neil Perry, including seared tuna with Moroccan eggplant, Calvisius caviar, and snapper poached in garam masala, among other things.
New York to Tokyo on All Nippon Airways: $15,000
All Nippon Airways (ANA) boasts about giving its passengers ‘world-class treatment,’ which includes ‘elevated service from the moment you arrive at the departure airport, continuing with luxurious and attentive in-flight services’
That’s why it’s no surprise that its first-class ticket from New York to Tokyo, Japan, comes with its fair share of lavish amenities. For $15,000, the first-class seats offer ‘extraordinary comfort and functionality’
The most expensive seat, known as ‘The Suite,’ features a door you can close for privacy, a seat that can lay down fully flat, a 43-inch 4K monitor, and closets for storage
All Nippon Airways (ANA) boasts about giving its passengers ‘world-class treatment,’ which includes ‘elevated service from the moment you arrive at the departure airport, continuing with luxurious and attentive in-flight services, then sending you on your way after arrival.’
That’s why it’s no surprise that its first-class ticket from New York to Tokyo, Japan, comes with its fair share of lavish amenities.
For $15,000, the ticket comes with priority baggage and boarding, fast track security, and access to disembarking the plane first. You can also use the ANA lounge at the Tokyo airport, however, there isn’t one in New York’s JFK airport.
According to the airline’s website, its first-class seats offer ‘extraordinary comfort and functionality.’ The most expensive seat, known as ‘The Suite,’ features a door you can close for privacy, a seat that can lay down fully flat, a 43-inch 4K monitor, and closets for storage.
One person who took the flight, named Ricky Zhang, detailed his experience on the plane on PrinceOfTravel.com, and he said it was ‘one of the most modern first-class cabins’ he’s ever encountered.
‘I was awestruck by my surroundings as I navigated to my seat,’ he wrote. ‘What’s more, I was struck by the sheer size of the first-class suite – it was certainly one of the widest and most spacious that I’ve had the pleasure of calling home.
‘I spent quite a few minutes simply soaking in my surroundings as I settled into Seat 2A in the lower-left corner of the cabin.’
To ensure you’re comfortable, the airline provides feather down comforters, ‘airy and fluffy’ pillows, and a ‘soft and light’ cashmere blanket.
Of course, WiFi and in-flight entertainment are available, and a set of pajamas, slippers, and Sony, noise-canceling headphones are provided for all first-class guests.
Ricky added that he was also offered a ‘socks, warming pads, a dental kit, ear plugs, and an eye mask,’ as well as an ‘amenity kit’ stocked with a skincare set, men’s face wash, and day and night cream – all for free.
New York to Singapore on Singapore Airlines: $14,000
People looking to fly from New York to Singapore can book a $14,000 first-class ticket on Singapore Airlines
The seats – made out of ‘hand-stitches, luxurious leather’ – come with a headrest ‘sculpted for comfort’ and ‘back cushions that cradle your body,’ its website explains
‘These babies are the real deal, with sliding cabin doors that enclose travelers in their own room, complete with a standalone bed, dining table and 23-inch LCD entertainment system,’ FlightHopper added about the seats
People looking to fly from New York to Singapore can book a $14,000 first-class ticket on Singapore Airlines.
The seats – made out of ‘hand-stitches, luxurious leather’ – come with a headrest ‘sculpted for comfort’ and ‘back cushions that cradle your body,’ its website explains.
‘Forget those old reclining booth chairs, because these babies are the real deal, with sliding cabin doors that enclose travelers in their own room, complete with a standalone bed, dining table and 23-inch LCD entertainment system,’ FlightHopper added about the seats.
The entertainment system has 1,800 titles. Other amenities include complimentary internet, noise-canceling headphones, and mood lighting.