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The Guide to Emirates Business Class

Ramsey is a freelance travel journalist covering business travel, loyalty programs and luxury travel. His work has appeared in Travel+Leisure, Condé Nast Traveler, Reader's Digest, AFAR, BBC Worldwide, USA Today, Frommers.com, Fodors.com, Business Traveler, Fortune, Airways, TravelAge West, MSN.com, Bustle.com and AAA magazines. As someone who flies more than 450,000 miles per year and has been to 173 countries, he is well-versed in the intricacies of credit cards and how to maximize the associated perks and services.

Aaron is a freelance contributor to the travel team at NerdWallet. He has been a credit card and travel rewards enthusiast since applying for his first credit card the day he turned 18. While a student at Iowa State University, Aaron combined his knowledge of credit card rewards with a resale business to help pay his way through college. After finishing a Master of Business Administration at the University of Michigan, Aaron used points and miles to travel for six months across five continents, including a month traveling overland through Russia, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and China on the Trans-Siberian Railway Network.

He has written hundreds of articles about miles, points, travel and credit card rewards for publications, including The Points Guy, Bankrate.com, Forbes, Rolling Stone and Robb Report. He is passionate about helping others leverage their wallets into increasing their financial security and fulfilling their travel dreams.

Aaron is based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, but his favorite airport is Amsterdam Schiphol.

Meghan Coyle started as a web producer and writer at NerdWallet in 2018. She covers travel rewards, including industry news, airline and hotel loyalty programs, and how to travel on points. She is based in Los Angeles.

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money .

Table of Contents

What to expect when flying business class with Emirates

How much does emirates business class cost, earn emirates miles quick, how to book emirates business class with miles or cash, how emirates business class compares with other emirates fare classes, is emirates business class worth the money.

If you’re looking to fly in business class, Emirates is likely on your radar.

Emirates, one of the most celebrated airlines for its in-flight premium products, is a force to be reckoned with in the airline industry. It has the world’s largest fleet of Airbus A380s and flies all around the world, connecting destinations with one of the most luxurious in-flight products.

In Emirates business class, the experience begins at your home or hotel, where you'll be picked up via the airline's own chauffeur service. From there, you'll be whisked to the airport, where you can relax in an exclusive airline lounge.

On board, you'll curl up in cozy seats that lie flat. But if you prefer to stay awake, you might order your own beverage from the stand-up lounge bar or watch a movie on a screen that's massive by airplane standards.

This guide will help you know which planes to seek out and which to avoid (if possible, given your routes), what amenities to look for when you fly business class on Emirates and how you might book a free Emirates business class seat using points.

Here’s our Emirates business class review, plus how to maximize your miles when you book.

Emirates business class. (Photo by Sally French)

Flying business class on Emirates is an experience far different from U.S.-based carriers. Many of the things you are familiar with for premium cabins are there, but the in-flight service and airport lounges are a step above Emirates’ North American competition.

Chauffeur service

If you're paying for business class (excluding mileage redemptions or the most discounted fares), Emirates will provide chauffeur service to the airport. The distance from the airport that Emirates will pick you up varies by city.

If you are departing from the United States, chauffeur service is typically offered within 50 miles of the airport, although you can circumvent the mileage restriction for a fee. Chauffeur service must be prearranged — you must book your chauffeur service at least 12 hours before your flight.

Emirates business class baggage allowance

Emirates allows passengers flying to or from the Americas up to two bags that each weigh 70 pounds (32 kilograms). You can also travel with two carry-ons — one standard carry-on and then either a briefcase or garment bag. Each carry-on can weigh a maximum of around 15 pounds (7 kilograms).

Here are the Emirates bag policies, by region, and compared across fare classes:

The Emirates checked baggage policy is especially unique when it comes to flights outside the Americas, Africa and Europe, as you can bring as many bags as you want — as long as you don't exceed the weight limit. In theory, you could check 20 bags that each weighed about 4.4 pounds (2 kilograms), which might offer some passengers more flexibility. Keep in mind that no one bag may weigh more than 70 pounds (32 kilograms).

Priority airport service

At the airport, you’ll enjoy priority check-in desks before heading to the lounge and priority baggage reclaim. From Dubai International Airport’s concourse A, business class passengers can board directly from the lounge.

Emirates business class lounges

A meal from the Emirates lounge at San Francisco International Airport. (Photo by Sally French)

There are more than two dozen Emirates lounges all over the world accessible to business and first class customers.

The airline’s Dubai base has the most impressive business class lounges (special perks include barista-made coffee and a new health and wellness buffet). In Dubai’s concourse B, you can even visit the Moët & Chandon Champagne lounge, where you can sample top-notch bubbly for free. At the Dubai airport, Emirates has three lounges in its flagship Terminal 3 exclusively for business class.

The Emirates lounge at San Francisco International Airport. (Photo by Sally French)

But you'll also find Emirates lounges at other major cities around the world, each of which carry the airline’s signature touches. For example, the San Francisco Emirates lounge still features that signature (albeit smaller) waterfall feature, plus a shower room to freshen up pre-flight.

No matter where in the world you are, these lavish lounges serve hot and cold buffets, impressive bar selections, including champagne, and sometimes a la carte meals. Beyond the food, lounge benefits include individual workstations, complimentary Wi-Fi, plasma screen TVs and quiet areas for sleeping with blankets and pillows.

Emirates business class lie-flat seats

(Photo courtesy of Emirates)

Lie-flat seat availability is one of the main reasons that people book an Emirates business class ticket, but the experience varies across Emirates planes — the airline has multiple business class configurations. It is important to know your aircraft type before understanding what seat you will find.

Emirates A380 business class

If you want the best experience in Emirates business class, the A380 is the plane you want to fly. On the Airbus A380, there is no need to worry about getting the dreaded middle seat, as every business class seat has direct aisle access thanks to the 1-2-1 configuration.

On the sides of the plane, seats alternate between being closer to the window or closer to the aisle. In the center section, seats vary between being closer to the aisle or tucked into the center section for more privacy from those moving in the aisle.

Seats are 18.5 inches wide, pitched up to 48 inches apart. They recline into fully flat beds and have a six-way adjustable headrest and electric footrest extension.

There are 76 seats available in the three- and four-class configured A380 and 58 seats in the two-class configured A380.

Other A380 benefits include the airline’s famous on-board lounge and bar, which is exclusive to the A380.

Emirates 777 business class

It’s on the Boeing 777 where things get tricky. Only the Boeing 777-200LR has a 2-2-2 configuration . Most other Boeing 777s guarantee that you will have a 2-3-2 setup where the person in the very middle will have to climb over their neighbors. Emirates is currently updating its 777 fleet to include fully flat beds. The business class updates are expected to be complete by April 2025.

There are also fewer people in this business class cabin, which makes it more exclusive, as most configurations of the Boeing 777 have just 42 business class seats.

The airline uses a lot of cream, hardwoods and gold finishes to create a luxurious cabin. While it may not appeal to everyone’s design tastes, it is certainly striking. While no one wants a middle seat in a premium cabin, the top-notch in-flight service remains the same.

Emirates business class food and drink

Emirates offers some of the finest menu options, such as locally inspired selections like the Japanese dining experience available on flights to Tokyo or Osaka. While menus change monthly with the season, there are always menus to support most diets, including a kids menu and a vegan menu.

Emirates publishes its menus for different flights on its website. Just enter the flight details online to discover what is being served on the food and beverage list.

Meals start with an aperitif and appetizer followed by the main course and then decadent desserts. All meals on Emirates are halal. In between the main meals, there is a light bites menu that passengers can order from at any time, including items like tofu poke bowls, vegetable noodles, and lamb and rosemary pie.

The drink menu includes labels like Hennessy X.O cognac and Chivas Regal 18-year-old Scotch whisky. There are cocktails, wines and welcome champagne. A 2013 Moët & Chandon is currently on offer on long-haul business class flights. If you're not drinking alcohol, you might sip on complimentary coffee, tea, soft drinks or juice.

Emirates serves its business class meals at set times but will honor dine-on-demand requests. That's in contrast to other competing airlines, including Qatar Airways, which always offers dine-on-demand for passengers in first or business class.

Though if you do prefer dining (or drinking) on your own schedule, Airbus A380 planes have in-flight lounges where passengers can gather for a drink, sandwich, snack, dessert or even a meal.

Passengers will dine on Royal Doulton fine bone china with custom-made Robert Welch cutlery.

In-flight entertainment

Emirates business class seats include personal charging ports if you'd rather remain entertained by your own (fully charged) device. (Photo by Sally French)

Dubbed "ice," Emirates’ in-flight entertainment programming is among the best in the industry. There are up to 6,500 channels of entertainment, with hundreds of movies, sitcoms, documentaries, music and games to keep passengers busy.

While, yes, the same programming is available to everyone (no matter what the cabin), business class passengers benefit from a larger screen than those seated in lower cabins of service.

Interested in what is available on your flight? You can preview the entertainment options on Emirates’ website by route or flight number.

In March 2024, we found the lowest priced fares from $4,314 for one-way trips from New York-John F. Kennedy to Dubai. This is a saver fare. A Business Flex fare on the same route was priced at $5,993.

Financing is available through Uplift .

Here are some other one-way Emirates business class fares we found:

Chicago to Dubai, $4,314.

Los Angeles to Dubai, $4,462.

Miami to Dubai, $4,314.

San Francisco to Dubai, $4,760.

Washington-Dulles to Dubai, $4,314.

One way to stave off the sticker shock is to book your business class ticket with points and miles rather than cash.

Your spending with other points programs could be a route to an affordable trip, as you can transfer those points to your Emirates Skywards account. You can transfer miles and points to Emirates Skywards from a variety of bank programs, such as:

Citi ThankYou points (1:1).

Chase Ultimate Rewards® (1:1).

American Express Membership Rewards (1:1).

Capital One Miles (1:1).

Based on our most recent analysis, NerdWallet values Emirates Skywards miles at 0.6 cent per mile. Use NerdWallet's Skywards miles calculator to understand how much your miles are worth in dollars based on our valuation:

Instead of a traditional award chart, Emirates relies on an award calculator that helps travelers know how many miles they need for a flight. The number of miles you need on a particular route is always the same (no dynamic pricing), but each route can vary.

For example, business class saver awards from New York-John F. Kennedy to Dubai cost at least 138,000 miles for a one-way trip. Expect to pay a hefty amount of taxes and fees on your award ticket.

Prices are slightly better if you can find award availability on both ways of your journey. Flying round-trip between New York-JFK and Dubai will cost 174,000 miles, a 37% discount off the price of booking two one-way tickets.

Also look out for Emirates’ fifth freedom flights between the U.S. and Europe, like Newark, New Jersey, to Athens. These cost only 87,500 miles in business class each way.

Taxes and fees on this route also come in at a reasonable $106.

Need to rack up more Emirates Skywards miles ? There are two Emirates Skywards credit cards that can help pile on the miles as well as the perks if you are a frequent Emirates flyer:

Earn 70,000 bonus Skywards Miles after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 90 days.

Earn 60,000 bonus Skywards Miles after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 90 days.

Those who are looking to make a one-time redemption only may prefer to stick with another credit card to accumulate valuable miles and points until they are ready for their big Emirates adventure.

» Learn more: The best airline credit cards right now

To book an Emirates ticket, navigate to the Emirates website and input your flight details to begin your search. If you're searching for flights priced in miles, you’ll need to first log in to your Skywards account. Once you’re logged in, you’ll see the option to search for "Classic rewards." Check this box to search for flights priced in miles.

Be sure to select “Business Class” from the drop-down menu and then search. Here's a one-way flight from Orlando, Florida, to Dubai.

Emirates business class ticket in cash

Emirates business class ticket with miles

Select your flight, input passenger data and follow the prompts to complete the booking.

The in-flight shower for passengers in Emirates first class. (Photo by Sally French)

Emirates makes headlines with its in-flight showers — though the shower in the sky is reserved solely for first class. Even still, Emirates business class is among the finest experiences when it comes to air travel, thanks to lavish features such as the stand-up lounge bars (available to first and business class).

Emirates has four classes of service: first , business, premium economy and economy . But the reality is that even within business class, there are superior and inferior products. While you experience the same benefits on the ground (luxe lounges and all), the seats can vary quite a bit once on the plane.

If you absolutely cannot risk a middle seat, you might splurge even more for first class.

Emirates premium economy. (Photo by Sally French)

Meanwhile, someone who is somewhat budget conscious might consider the lower fare class of Emirates premium economy, which the airline says costs about 65% less than business class fares.

While Emirates premium economy doesn't offer the full lie-flat service of business class, there are specially designed pillows and blankets, extra recline and a leg rest so you can arrive well rested at your destination.

Premium economy won't get you the ultra-bougie perks like chauffeur service or lounge access, but you might still be able to get into the airline lounge anyway by holding certain travel credit cards .

Emirates business class seats. (Photo by Sally French)

Emirates delivers an exceptional airport and onboard experience that is miles ahead of the competition. Whether you’re going to Europe, the United Arab Emirates or beyond, you’ll be pampered no matter where you sit in the business class cabin.

That said, Emirates business class has some hiccups that keep it from being absolutely perfect. The biggest issue: middle seats in business class on certain aircraft. Just be wise when booking to avoid that dreaded seat.

Meanwhile, you can maximize your experience by racking up Emirates Skywards miles from flying with the airline, transferring points from a credit card rewards program or applying for one of the airline’s credit cards. The next time you’re enjoying a cocktail in the lounge of an Airbus A380 at 36,000 feet over planet Earth, you’ll be glad you did.

(Top photo courtesy of Emirates)

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2024 :

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

On a similar note...

Simple Flying

What to expect in business class with emirates.

Emirates has one of the world's most exclusive business class services.

• Emirates offers lie-flat seats with ample amenities in its Airbus A380 business class cabin, including a personal minibar and access to an onboard lounge.
• In the Boeing 777 business class cabin, passengers enjoy angled, lie-flat seats with greater width and pitch, but each row has a middle seat.
• Business class on both types features gourmet meals, amenity kits from Bvlgari, access to airport lounges, and chauffeur-drive services.

Over the last few years, many airlines have moved away from first class, offering a more enhanced and comprehensive business class product. Depending on which airline you are flying, business class travel can mean being received at the airport, exclusive lounge access, and a glass of champagne when you get to your seat.

Emirates is known for having one of the best business class products in the world. Furthermore, it remains one of the few airlines offering first class flights . As an Emirates business class customer, you can expect a wide range of exclusive services from the moment you book your flight until you arrive at your destination. However, certain cabin features depend on the aircraft you are flying on.

Emirates Airbus A380 business class

Emirates is known for operating just two aircraft types, the Boeing 777 and the Airbus A380, the latter being the world's largest passenger jet. The Dubai-based carrier is set to introduce the Airbus A350 to its fleet later this year . Emirates offers up to four classes of travel: first, business, premium economy, and economy . However, many aircraft are still to be fitted with premium economy seats .

The specific layout you can expect depends on the route and aircraft you are flying on. Despite the different configurations, Emirates A380 business class offers lie-flat seats in a modern 1-2-1 staggered configuration. The two center seats have a divider between them, providing privacy for each passenger. As such, all business class travelers have aisle access.

The cabin has plush cream leather seats with a pitch of 48 inches and a width of 18.5 inches . The seat can be changed to a fully flat bed using the touchscreen controller. It also comes with various amenities, including luxury Bvlgari fragrances and amenity kits, a personal minibar with water and beverages, reading lights, storage consoles, power outlets, and charging ports.

Business class passengers also get access to the A380's onboard lounge , where a range of snacks, desserts, and beverages are available. The lounge has seating space for socializing with fellow passengers. Earlier this year, Emirates introduced its innovative, complimentary loungewear for business class passengers . While it is perfect for sleeping in, it is suitable to wear for a drink at the A380 onboard lounge.

Flight Review: Emirates A380 Business Class Dubai To Mauritius

Emirates boeing 777 business class.

On widebodies manufactured on the other side of the pond, Emirates offers angled, lie-flat business class seats in a more dense 2-3-2 configuration. This means not all passengers get aisle access. Fortunately, the airline plans to reconfigure the 777 cabin to have seats in a 1-2-1 layout. Nonetheless, the plush cream leather seats on the Triple Seven are bigger, offering a width of 20.5 inches and a pitch of 60 inches . The soft, breathable leather fabric provides ultimate comfort for premium travelers.

Traveling in the middle seat, particularly on long flights, can be discomforting if the passenger wants to get up for any reason. Nonetheless, it still comes with comparable amenities, including a stocked personal minibar, a luxury Bvlgari amenity kit , a storage console, power outlets, and charging ports. Emirates offers unique amenity kits for men and women on long-haul flights. Another downside to the Boeing 777 is the lack of an onboard lounge.

Discover more aviation news about the passenger experience here.

Product consistency on all aircraft

Emirates business class meals.

While cabin features may differ by aircraft type, some Emirates products are consistent across its fleet, including the airline's business class meals . All meals are served on Royal Doulton fine bone china with Robert Welch cutlery exclusively made for Emirates.

Business class passengers can enjoy a wide variety of food, from sweet and savory snacks to gourmet meals and complimentary champagne. You can order your main courses up to 14 days and at least 24 hours before your flight. You can browse the menu and select your preferred dish before boarding the aircraft.

Emirates business class lounge

Like most major airlines worldwide , Emirates business passengers receive complimentary lounge access. The lounges offer free WiFi and a well-equipped business center, so you can continue working while waiting for a flight. Premium travelers can enjoy gourmet dining, snacks, beverages, quiet areas, and direct boarding. Below are some airports where you can find an Emirates lounge:

• Dubai International Airport (DXB)
• New York John F Kennedy (JFK)
• Johannesburg OR Tambo (JNB)
• Tokyo Narita International (NRT)
• London Heathrow Airport (LHR)
• Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (SYD)

If your airport does not have an Emirates lounge , you can still relax in one of the airline's partner lounges, which can be found across all six continents. In addition to business travelers, first class customers and Emirates Skywards Platinum and Gold members also have lounge access.

Chauffeur-drive service

One of the most unique features of flying on Emirates business class is the chauffeur-drive service . The airline will comfortably drive you to and from the airport. The service is available in over 70 cities and must be booked at least 12 hours before your flight. Vehicle models are subject to availability.

What do you think of the Emirates business class product? Perhaps you have flown business class on the A380 or 777. Please share your thoughts and experiences in the comments!

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Best Ways to Book Emirates Business Class Using Points [Step-by-Step]

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Table of Contents

A look inside emirates business class, how to fly emirates business class, great emirates business class redemptions, how to earn enough miles for emirates business class, when should you search for award space, what makes emirates business class great, final thoughts.

We may be compensated when you click on product links, such as credit cards, from one or more of our advertising partners. Terms apply to the offers below. See our  Advertising Policy for more about our partners, how we make money, and our rating methodology. Opinions and recommendations are ours alone.

Emirates has cultivated a reputation as one of the best airlines in the world, and it is well-deserved. Let’s be honest…you’re probably here right now because of the amazing things you’ve heard!

If you’d like to see what it’s all about, the Emirates business class cabin is a great way to go. Specifically, we’re going to talk about the experience on Emirates’ Airbus A380.

With lie-flat seats, direct aisle access, and an in-flight bar, your business class experience will be the trip of a lifetime!

From the moment you step into the Emirates business class cabin, you’ll be excited to fly. For solo travelers, the window seats provide great privacy, while couples, friends, and families can enjoy each other’s company by selecting 2 seats in the middle section.

Regardless of your seat choice, you are guaranteed direct aisle access on all A380s, so you don’t have to climb over anyone to visit the in-flight bar (we’ll get to that later). Additionally, all business class seats on Emirates’ A380 are lie-flat, so you can sleep comfortably.

When booking your flight, be sure to verify that you’re flying business class in the A380 . Otherwise, you might be surprised by a 2-3-2 configuration with angled flat seats and no direct aisle access!

Here are the flights that operate an A380 from North America:

While you’re relaxing in your seat, you’ll enjoy great meals throughout your flight as well as your choice of beer, wine, and spirits. In fact, your flight attendant will even offer you a glass of champagne when settled in your seat before takeoff.

If you’re ready to have some fun trying the business class cabin on Emirates , let’s dive into how you can book this flight.

It may sound counter-intuitive, but we don’t always recommend using Emirates Skywards miles — we’ll explain more below, but trust us when we say you have better options.

Japan Airlines Mileage Bank

Japan Airlines Mileage Bank is generally going to have the lowest miles price tag, but fuel surcharges on awards on Emirates in addition to the miles cost. For trips from the U.S. in Emirates business class, these can be as much as $1,716!

Learn more about these pesky fees in our ultimate guide to airline fuel surcharges (and how to avoid them) !

There are a few airports where you can start your trip and avoid these surcharges:

• Hong Kong (HKG)
• Tokyo (NRT)
• Sydney (SYD)
• Colombo (CMB)
• Auckland (AKL)

If you decide to book an Emirates award, then consult Japan Airlines’ distance-based chart (the longer the flight, the more Mileage Bank miles your flight will cost).

When booking, make sure you remember to calculate the distance of each segment of your itinerary and add them together. Once you have done that, you can check Japan Airlines’ partner award chart to see how many Mileage Bank miles are required.

There are some sweet spot award redemptions to be found in this chart, so play around with it and see what you can find.

You can now search for Emirates availability directly on the JAL website:

• Go to JAL’s  website
• Search for your desired route
• Select your desired flight
• Pay the necessary taxes/fees and complete your booking

A couple of key points to remember when booking with Japan Airlines Mileage Bank miles:

• You are allowed up to 6 segments, 2 stopovers (stays exceeding 24 hours), and 1 open jaw per itinerary
• One-way bookings are allowed
• Use Qantas to search for flights that are not to or from the U.S.

Hot Tip: Learn about how to maximize stopovers and open-jaws in our comprehensive guide so you can get extra flights for free!

Using Japan Airline Mileage Bank miles is generally your best bet to book Emirates business class for the fewest miles.

Make sure you check out some of the  other amazing redemption options provided by Japan Airlines .

Emirates Skywards

Emirates is a transfer partner with Chase Ultimate Rewards , American Express Membership Rewards , Citi ThankYou points , Capital One Miles , and Marriott Bonvoy , while JAL is only a transfer partner with Marriott.

So while JAL doesn’t have many ways to rack up miles fast, Chase Ultimate Rewards and American Express Membership Rewards will definitely help you boost your point balances to book first class!

Better yet, Emirates has recently massively reduced the carrier-imposed surcharges on flights! Depending on your award ticket, you’ll be able to leverage stopovers!

Here are a few great example of routes you can take:

• New York (JFK) – Milan (MXP) round-trip for 90,000 miles + ~$120 in taxes and fees
• New York (JFK) – Dubai (DXB) round-trip for 145,000 miles + ~$322 in taxes and fees
• Auckland (AKL) – Dubai (DXB) round-trip for 224,000 miles + ~$100 in taxes and fees

Here’s how you can book your award:

• Visit Emirates.
• Log in to your Skywards account.
• After you log in, search for flights. Be sure to check off the box that says  Classic Rewards.
• Select your flights.
• Pay with your miles and any additional taxes and fees.

Even with the new surcharges, Japan Airlines may provide the best opportunity to book Emirates business class, so let’s look at a few options available for booking:

• New York City (JFK) to Dubai (DXB) round-trip in business class for 85,000 miles
• New York City (JFK) to Perth (PER) one-way in business class for 85,000 miles
• New York City (JFK) to Milan (MXP) round-trip in business class for 63,000 miles
• This routing could include a stopover in Milan or Dubai on your way to Bangkok, and a stopover in the other location on your return to New York City

Remember, you’ll want to fly business class on Emirates’ Airbus A380 to ensure maximum comfort and fun! Plus, the A380 Dubai to Los Angeles route is one of the longest nonstop flights in the world , giving you tons of time to enjoy your luxury experience.

Emirates flies to several other U.S. airports with their Boeing 777. These routes do not have direct aisle access for all business class seats, nor do they include the lie-flat seats (which means sleeping will be less comfortable).

While Japan Airlines will require fewer miles, a round-trip business class award from the U.S. to Dubai will include up to about $1,716 in taxes and fees.

Hot Tip:  Check out our dedicated guide for more information on Emirates’ routing options to/from the U.S.

Amex Credit Cards

This is our preferred method of earning Emirates miles given how generous Amex credit cards are with their welcome offers and category bonuses. You can transfer Amex points at a rate of 1:1 to Emirates.

Recommended Amex Cards (Personal)

The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with  no credit score impact.

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

When it comes to cards that offer top-notch benefits, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better card out there than The Platinum Card ® from American Express.

Make no mistake — the Amex Platinum card  is a premium card with a premium price tag. With amazing benefits like best-in-class airport lounge access , hotel elite status, and tremendous value in annual statement credits, it can easily prove to be one of the most lucrative cards in your wallet year after year.

• The best airport lounge access out of any card (by far) — enjoy access to over 1,400 worldwide lounges, including the luxurious Amex Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges, Plaza Premium Lounges, and many more!
• 5x points per dollar spent on flights purchased directly with the airline or with AmexTravel.com (up to $500,000 per year)
• 5x points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels booked with AmexTravel.com
• $695 annual fee ( rates and fees )
• Airline credit does not cover airfare (only incidentals like checked bags)
• Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards ® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
• Earn 5X Membership Rewards ® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards ® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
• $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts ® or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card ® . The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
• $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card ® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
• The American Express Global Lounge Collection ® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market. As of 03/2023.
• $155 Walmart+ Credit: Save on eligible delivery fees, shipping, and more with a Walmart+ membership. Use your Platinum Card ® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership and get up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes back on one membership (excluding Plus Ups) each month.
• $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card ® .
• $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Terms Apply.
• $189 CLEAR ® Plus Credit: CLEAR ® Plus helps to get you to your gate faster at 50+ airports nationwide and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Card. CLEARLanes are available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues.
• Receive either a $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 year period for TSA PreCheck ® application fee for a 5-year plan only (through a TSA PreCheck ® official enrollment provider), when charged to your Platinum Card ® . Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
• Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card ® . That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
• Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card ® to your Resy profile.
• $695 annual fee.
• Terms Apply.
• APR: See Pay Over Time APR. Carrying a balance will incur interest. Eligible charges can be included in the Pay Over Time balance, up to the Pay Over Time Limit. Pay Over Time only applies to eligible charges meeting minimum transaction amounts.
• Foreign Transaction Fees:  None

American Express Membership Rewards

This is the best card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants (worldwide), order take-out and want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!

The American Express ® Gold Card  is a game-changer.

With this card, you can earn 4x Membership Rewards points at restaurants and you’ll also earn 4x Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1x.

There isn’t another card on the market that offers a 1-2 punch like this. Of course, there are several other benefits of the Gold Card as well, including extra monthly dining rewards and more.

• 4x points per dollar at restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
• 4x points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases; and 1x thereafter
• 3x points per dollar on flights purchased directly from airlines or at AmexTravel.com
• $250 annual fee (see rates and fees )
• No lounge access
• Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards ® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards ® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and earn 4X Membership Rewards ® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards ® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
• $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year.
• $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings and earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express ® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. Enrollment required.
• Get a $100 experience credit with a minimum two-night stay when you book The Hotel Collection through American Express Travel. Experience credit varies by property.
• Choose the color that suits your style. Gold or Rose Gold.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees.
• Annual Fee is $250.

Marriott Credit Cards

You can  earn Marriott points  and transfer those to Emirates at a rate of 3:1. Plus, for every 60,000 Marriott points that you transfer, you’ll receive a bonus of 5,000 Skywards miles. There are several Marriott credit cards available.

Emirates does not have a regular schedule for releasing business class award space to their partner airlines. However, don’t wait to search for space and book your business class award ticket.

These award tickets are popular, so start your search as soon as you know when you want to travel . As with all award searches, flexibility is your friend — the more flexible your travel dates, the easier it will be to find award space.

Also, remember to take into account the transfer time of your travel rewards cards points if you are transferring from flexible point programs. It would be a shame to miss an award because you hadn’t yet transferred your miles!

It’s probably already clear why Emirates business class should be on your list of flying experiences to try! But just in case you need some convincing, let’s dig into it a little more.

Emirates Business Class Lounge

You will have access to the Emirates Business Class Lounge in Dubai. When you are flying on the Emirates Airbus A380, you will be able to board directly from the lounge.

During your stay, you will be treated to a relaxing experience complete with champagne and a great selection of food.

Emirates has lounges in many airports across the world, so you’ll have somewhere to relax before your flight when flying business class.

World Class Catering

Right off the bat, your business class adventure will provide a buffet that includes plenty of meal options to satisfy any culinary desire. You will also have a variety of wine, beer, spirits, and champagne to pair with your meal before finishing it off with one of the many dessert options.

Of course, the fun only continues once you are in-flight. You will still have access to great food and your choice of beverages, not to mention an amazing in-flight bar.

Emirates Business Class In-Flight Bar

Enjoy a drink, a snack, and the company of your fellow passengers at Emirates’ in-flight bar on the Airbus A380.

Emirates is famous for the bar at the rear of the business class cabin on their Airbus A380. Anytime you feel the urge for a snack or a drink (they’ll make you cocktails too!), you can visit the bar and mingle with your premium cabin companions.

The Business Class Amenity Kit

No business class experience would be complete without an amenity kit, and Emirates excels with theirs, providing Bvlgari products to keep you refreshed throughout your flight.

Give Emirates a try; you won’t be disappointed! Using Japan Airlines miles or Emirates miles, you can book a great experience that would normally cost thousands of dollars.

Just because this is an exciting opportunity, don’t forget to make smart decisions when booking. Check for award availability before transferring points, and remember that flexibility is key to making business class on Emirates a reality for you.

This article should give you everything you need to get started, so get ready to go book your Emirates business class experience!

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The information regarding the Marriott Bonvoy Bold ® Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. The information regarding the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless ® Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express ® Card, click here . For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant ® American Express ® card, click here .

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best way to book emirates business class.

Use Japan Airlines’ Mileage Bank program if you want the lowest miles cost when booking, while Alaska Airlines’ Mileage Plan has higher mile costs but lower cash surcharges. You can also use Emirates miles, but those come with large surcharges too.

Emirates miles are much easier to earn, as they are transfer partners with Chase Ultimate Rewards , American Express Membership Rewards , and Marriott Bonvoy .

What do I get when flying Emirates business class?

When you fly on the Airbus A380, you’ll have access to an amazing inflight bar complete with snacks and cocktails.

Additionally, all business class seats on the A380 are lie-flat and have direct aisle access.

Before your flight, you’ll have access to the Emirates business class lounge.

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About Spencer Howard

Always a fan of flying, it was only natural that Spencer was drawn to finding a way to improve the travel experience.

Like many, he started this journey searching for cheap flights to take him around the world. This was fun for a while, but Spencer was intrigued by the idea of flying in business and first class!

Throwing himself into what became an extensive research project, Spencer spent 3-4 hours per night learning everything he could about frequent flyer miles over the course of several months (he thinks this is normal). He runs Straight to the Points, an award-seat alert platform.

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Emirates’ new multi-risk travel insurance coverage

UAE-based carrier Emirates has announced a new multi-risk travel insurance coverage on top of its Covid-19 cover. The new multi-risk travel insurance coverage will be applicable on Emirates tickets purchased from December 1, 2020. The coverage will also apply to Emirates’ codeshare flights operated by partner airlines.

The newly launched insurance coverage by Emirates has provisions similar to other travel insurance such as personal accidents during travel, winter sports cover, loss of personal belongings among others.

Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Emirates chairman and chief executive told the media, “Emirates was the first airline to offer complimentary global Covid-19 cover for travelers back in July, and the response from our customers has been tremendously encouraging. We’ve not rested on our laurels and instead continued to look at how we can offer our customers an even better proposition. We’re very pleased to be able to now provide this new multi-risk travel insurance and Covid-19 cover, which is another industry first, to all our customers.

“We see a strong appetite for travel around the world, especially heading into the winter holidays as people seek warmer climates and family destinations like Dubai. By launching this new multi-risk travel insurance and Covid-19 cover, we aim to give our customers even more confidence in making their travel plans this winter and moving into 2021.”

Last month, Emirates said that it is looking to expand its reach in the African continent. In order to do so, it has signed an interline agreement with South Africa-based carrier Airlink. The carrier said in a statement that the deal would allow the carrier to boost its connectivity through its gateways in Johannesburg and Cape Town to more than 25 domestic and regional destinations in South Africa.

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Emirates Offers Expanded, Multi-Risk Travel Insurance Coverage

Emirates expands its industry-first COVID-19 cover with additional multi-risk travel cover for all customers purchasing an Emirates ticket from December 1.

Emirates customers can now plan their travels and fly with even greater assurance and peace of mind, with the airline’s latest industry-first initiative to provide expanded, multi-risk travel cover on top of its current COVID-19 cover.

Provided by Emirates at no additional cost to its customers, and provided by AIG Travel, the cover is the first of its kind in the airline and travel insurance industry and is designed to provide all Emirates passengers with a stress-free and hassle-free travel experience.

This new multi-risk travel insurance and COVID-19 cover will automatically apply to all Emirates tickets purchased from December 1 and extends to Emirates codeshare flights operated by partner airlines, as long as the ticket number starts with 176.

READ: We Discover What All the Fuss is About at Singapore’s Ritz-Carlton Millenia

Emirates customers will be covered when they fly to any destination, in any class of travel, with coverage highlights including Out-of-Country Emergency Medical Expenses & Emergency Medical Evacuation (up to US$500,000), valid for COVID-19 (contracted during the trip) and other medical emergencies while traveling abroad; trip cancellation (up to US$7,500) for non-refundable costs if the traveller or a relative (as defined in the policy) is unable to travel because they are diagnosed with COVID-19 before the scheduled trip departure date, or for other named reasons – similar to other comprehensive travel cover products; and trip cancellation or curtailment (up to US$7,500) if the school year is extended due to COVID-19 beyond the departure date, and the traveller or a relative is a full-time teacher, full-time employee, or a student at a primary or secondary school.

Other coverage aspects include trip curtailment (up to US$7,500) for non-refundable trip costs and additional costs to return travellers to their country of residence if they or a relative falls critically ill, for instance, contracting COVID-19, while traveling abroad; travel abandonment (up to US$7,500) if the traveller fails a COVID-19-related test or medical screening at the airport and is required to abandon the trip; and US$150 per day per person, for up to 14 consecutive days if, while outside of their country of residence, the traveller tests positive for COVID-19, and are unexpectedly placed into a mandatory quarantine outside their country of residence by a governmental body.

“Emirates was the first airline to offer complimentary global COVID-19 cover for travellers back in July, and the response from our customers has been tremendously encouraging,” says Emirates Chairman and Chief Executive HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum. “We’ve not rested on our laurels and instead continued to look at how we can offer our customers an even better proposition. We’re very pleased to be able to now provide this new multi-risk travel insurance and COVID-19 cover, which is another industry first, to all our customers.”

READ: We Put American Airlines’ Flagship First Through its Paces

Similar to other multi-risk travel insurance products, Emirates’ generous cover also has provisions for personal accidents during travel, winter sports cover, loss of personal belongings, and trip disruptions due to unexpected air space closure, travel recommendations, or advisories.

Customers do not need to register or fill in any forms before they travel, and they are not obligated to utilize this cover provided by Emirates.

For more Airline & Airport   stories click here . 

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Is Emirates Business Class Worth It? I Flew to Dubai to Find Out

The journey really is the destination in Emirates' legendary business class.

I have a confession. I don't subscribe to that oft-repeated, supposedly sage bit of travel advice that "the journey is the destination." No, I have a destination in mind, and I'm ready to get there. Perhaps it's why I'm not fond of road trips and frequently fail to leave enough time for wandering in my itineraries. I like flying, but I wouldn't consider any flight the point of my trip.

That is, unless we're talking about an Emirates flight in business class or better. I'd take a 16-hour flight to nowhere and back for that. Luckily, I didn't have to — Emirates launched a nonstop Miami to Dubai route that was perfect for a trip I already had to take. I booked my ticket, my bank account mourned the loss of several thousand dollars, and I was on my way (in an Uber, unfortunately; West Palm Beach is just outside the 50-mile range of Emirates' chauffeur pick-up perk).

There's no dedicated Emirates lounge at Miami International Airport like there is in Dubai, but the Turkish Airlines lounge passengers can use instead sufficed; if you have to pick one leg or the other, however, spring for the upgrade on flights departing from Dubai to gain access to the massive, multi-level Emirates lounge in the Dubai airport. There are showers, hot and cold food at all hours of the day, an ice cream cart, and attentive service on par with a five-star hotel — not to mention the private boarding area that directly connects the lounge to the plane, sans lines.

Emirates' business and first-class flights are the stuff of legends, but not all upgrades are created equal. As I researched and deliberated (read: watched way too many reviews on YouTube), I quickly discovered there's a big difference between the two planes they fly, the Boeing 777 and the Airbus A380 — namely, the 2-3-2 seating configuration on the 777 that has the business-class community up in arms. No business-class bigwig should run the risk of getting stuck in a middle seat at the front of the plane, insisted one reviewer; another lamented the "outdated" lay-almost-flat-but-not-quite design. There are also four versions of the 777, some of which (like the 777-300ER I flew) have the flat-angle 2-3-2 seats.

I see their point — there's a marked difference in luxury level between the 777 and the A380, though you'll pay the same price for both (a discrepancy that's far from unique to this airline) and you don't really get to choose which plane Emirates flies on which route — but I have to say, seat 7K on the 777 was nothing to complain about. As I settled in, I sincerely wished for our flight to be delayed, allowing me to live in my airplane seat just a little longer — something I have, without a doubt, never wished for before.

Arguably the "least nice" of Emirates' first- and business-class options across its fleet of jets, my business class experience on the 777-300ER still checked every box: Freshly prepared in-flight meals selected from a menu that seems impossible to offer in the air, served with white tablecloths, heavy silverware, and any beverage from cappuccinos to cocktails, all included in the price; a killer selection of entertainment on a huge TV screen; so much leg room that there's even leftover storage space for anything you want to keep within easy reach; and a smartly dressed crew member ready to indulge your every in-flight whim.

As you board (and marvel at your spacious new home for the next 16 hours), you're greeted with passed trays of Champagne and juice. Sit down, and you're soon handed a toiletry kit stocked with Bulgari minis plus toothpaste, a toothbrush, hand cream, and more. Settle in, and it's not long before a crew member stops by to offer you a blanket, pillow, noise-canceling headphones, eye mask, and socks. The crew will also install your mattress pad and take your first three-course meal order.

Espresso martini, Aperol spritz, or an 18-year-old scotch? For your appetizer, Cajun prawns or a traditional Arabic mezze platter? Pan-seared sea bass or lamb kabsa for dinner? And for dessert, how about a coconut panna cotta with a side of seasonal fruit? If you somehow get hungry between meals — this same process and impressive selection repeat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner — there's also a menu of light bites like butter chicken, spinach-and-pumpkin empanadas, and poke. Not to mention sporadic arrivals of nuts fresh from the oven, the symbol of fine flying.

There's a lot to keep you awake and entertained, but don't forget that half the point of springing for business is the ability to lie back (way back) and arrive at your destination well-rested. When the lights dim and you glide your seat back to lie-almost-flat mode, look up: there's a ceiling full of stars twinkling above you in the darkness. Cozy and curled up (or not), it's easy to drift to sleep at 30,000 feet when you know a hot breakfast awaits upon waking.

Still, delightful as it is, remember that even business class can't shield you from crying babies. Bathrooms (unless you've got access to the Shower Spa in the A380 first class) are the same cramped situation they are on every flight — though it helps that these are stocked with full-size Bulgari cologne and perfume.

And you'll fly just as many hours to your destination as those in economy — even if you, unlike them, are wishing those hours would last just a little bit longer.

Related Articles

Slightly Less Than Solid Gold: Business Class on Emirates' A380 From JFK to Dubai

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here .

Emirates is widely regarded as one of the best airlines in the world. Its premium classes are known to offer some of the better products — both hard and soft — in the skies. I've flown with Emirates in business class before and was thoroughly satisfied with my experience.

On a recent trip to Dubai to AvGeek out and fly on the shortest A380 flight (in Emirates first class!) , I decided to get there via another experience with Emirates. Again, on an A380, and again, in business. Almost two years after my first time in the cabin, I was thrilled to experience the Emirates business-class experience one more time.

This one-way ticket was booked at the last minute — just three days before departure. At that point, Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan was showing no saver level availability for Emirates business class on the route for the date of departure I was looking for. I kept my eye on it though, hoping that availability would open up at some point.

Sure enough, the following day when I logged into my Mileage Plan account, the site was displaying business-class award availability just on the date I needed — score! I learned a few lessons here: 1. It never hurts to be patient; 2. It's true that sometimes the best availability opens at the last minute; and 3. Scenarios like this are when ExpertFlyer is incredibly valuable.

So, I ended up booking the one-way business-class ticket for 82,500 Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan miles + $20.

You can also book Emirates' famed first-class seats via Alaska's program . While Alaska miles can give you some great redemptions, they're on the harder side to earn. The best way to earn quickly is by signing up for the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature credit card, which comes with a sign-up bonus of 30,000 miles after spending $1,000 within the first 90 days.

Aside from using Alaska miles, you could book a similar flight through Emirates' own Skywards program, though rates are variable and can sometimes be absurdly high. That being said, if you're patient and can find a reasonably priced award flight, it's easy to gain Skywards points, since the program is a 1:1 transfer partner of American Express Membership Rewards .

Lounge and Boarding

The check-in process was smooth, and within a few minutes I was through security with my TSA PreCheck — thankfully Emirates is one of the participating international airlines in the PreCheck program.

Unfortunately, Emirates' lounge at JFK was under construction when I left on my trip, though it reopened soon after my flight — you can check out our first look at the new space here . So, instead of lounge access, I was given $40 to use toward dining at any restaurant in the terminal. And for first-class passengers, Emirates offered $55 for the same dining service.

I quickly found out that $40 at JFK doesn't get you far. I stopped at Le Grand Comptoir in Terminal 4 and ordered a glass of wine, which cost a mind-boggling $20. I didn't want to exceed the $40 I was given, so the high price of the wine quickly limited my options for a meal... priorities! I settled on the caprese appetizer — fresh mozzarella, tomato, basil and a balsamic drizzle. Even though it wasn't a ton of food, I ended up not too opposed to this voucher situation, as I was certainly less stuffed than I would have been had I gotten to visit a lounge. That being said, it would have obviously been more pleasant to relax in a more private and comfortable lounge before my flight. Now, though, all is back to normal — if you're flying Emirates in a premium cabin, you'll be able to take full advantage of the carrier's recently reopened lounge.

Shortly before boarding was set to begin, I headed to the gate where there were a number of passengers already lined up. But there was no signage. With masses of people waiting to board, it was near-impossible to find where premium passengers were supposed to board. Naturally, I headed toward the area closest to the boarding door, where I found a few other passengers with "Business" or "First" on the corner of their boarding passes.

Emirates Flight 202 had a scheduled departure time of 11:00pm, and boarding was set to begin around 10:20pm. That time came and went, and passengers were still congregated around the gate at 10:45pm with no word from the gate crew as to the cause of the delay. Passengers clearly grew frustrated — if nothing else, because of the lack of communication. Eventually, around 10:50pm, boarding began for those with children and those who required more time to board. Then, both first- and business-class passengers were allowed to board at the same time.

After making my way through the jet bridge to the upper deck of the enormous A380, I was greeted by a friendly Emirates flight attendant who welcomed me back to Emirates business class. Having flown the product on the A380 only once before in 2016 , I found it a nice touch that the airline recognized me for returning to the cabin.

Cabin and Seat

Our A380, registration A6-EDZ, was delivered to Emirates in 2012 and has been flying for the carrier ever since. It features a three-class configuration: first class (14 seats), business class (76 seats) or economy (399 seats). The lower deck of the aircraft is comprised only of economy seats, which are arranged in a 3-4-3 configuration. Each of the economy seats offers 32-34 inches of pitch and is 18 inches wide.

Because I was sitting in the business-class cabin, we boarded on the upper deck, which is where I stayed for the duration of the flight.

On this particular A380, the upper deck is comprised of 14 closed first-class suites arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration, which I later tried on a new version of the aircraft on the world's shortest A380 flight from Dubai (DXB) to Muscat (MCT) . Behind the first-class cabin, you'll find 76 lie-flat seats, also arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration. Each of the seats has 48 inches of pitch and is 18.5 inches wide, which seems narrow on paper, but I actually found it to be spacious enough since there was room to stretch out and I could place my belongings on the generously sized side table.

The business-class cabin is split into two mini cabins. The front one is the larger, with a total of 58 seats. Behind the barrier, you'll find a smaller cabin with just 18 seats. I find the rear mini-cabin to be more comfortable and offer more privacy. In part, it's because of the lavatory configuration. The barrier separating the two cabins doesn't include a lavatory so if you're sitting in the rear section, there isn't much foot traffic — unless passengers are going to use a lav at the rear of the aircraft or if they're heading to the bar. That being said, because of the location of the bar, the smaller mini-cabin could prove to be a bit noisy on some flights, particularly if you're sitting in the last row,

At each seat you'll find your own minibar, massive amounts of storage space and a side table on which you can put your small devices. While the bottom shelf of the minibar offers a small selection of soft drinks — soda, still water and sparking water — the top shelf contains a set of headphones and a small kit with socks and an eyeshade.

Not all seats in the business-class cabin are created equal. Some offer much more privacy than others — particularly those flush against the cabin wall — while others are better for passengers traveling as a couple. My seat, 24J, was a window seat that had its table and mini bar closer to the window, meaning my seat was closest to the aisle and subject to foot traffic and more chances for awkward eye contact with other passengers.

The last time I flew Emirates business class, I was seated in seat 23J. And while it was just one row in front, it was both a bulkhead seat and flush against the window, which made it much more private. If you're seated in the front mini cabin, even-numbered seats offer more privacy, while odd-numbered seats are facing the aisle. In the rear mini cabin, the reverse holds true — you'll want to select odd-numbered seats for maximum privacy. If you're traveling with a partner, you'll want to get an even-numbered seat in the front mini cabin or an odd-numbered seat in the rear.

The two seats in the center of the cabin do feature adjustable privacy screens. So, if you're traveling alone and sitting in one of the two seats, you can raise the partition to make your seat more private. Alternatively, you can choose to leave it down — likely the preferred choice for couples.

Opposite from the seat, you'll find a large footwell — it felt comfortable even with the seat in its fully flat position. Directly above the footwell is the in-flight entertainment screen, which is built into the seat-back in front.

When it comes to storage, this particular seat is a mixed bag. Because my seat's table and minibar were flush against the cabin wall, the main storage compartment was difficult to reach. In order to get to it, you had to reach over the table and into a deep well. For smaller items, it was particularly hard to reach the bottom of the space. Instead, there's a small slot directly next to the seat, which is labeled as reserved for the in-flight literature. However, I chose to use it to store some of my smaller items that would have otherwise been difficult to reach in the main compartment — my phone, AirPods charging case and some light reading.

Emirates is the world's largest operator of A380s by a large margin. The carrier's known for its extravagant details in its cabins — think lots of burled wood and gold trim. And while the carrier's updating some of its newer A380s — including a fresh, new bar that's a bit less gaudy — some of its older aircraft are showing their age. A6-EDZ, the aircraft servicing this flight, is about six years old, and there was noticeable wear and tear at my seat. Of course, a little wear is expected on a plane, so this wasn't a big deal to me, but with some A380s getting a minor refresh, it could lead to some inconsistent experiences for passengers.

Overall, I found the cabin and seat to be comfortable. One thing Emirates does very well is the little touches. Because the cabin is open, not only does it feel airy, but you'll also be able to see the stars — not literally, but the roof of the interior features sparkling lights. (Think of a childhood bedroom, twinkling at night.) Additionally, I am a fan of the mood lighting that was employed on my flight. Warm colors were featured around dinnertime to prepare guests for bed and the same to wake you up in the morning. While one might argue that Emirates doesn't have the best business class in the sky — in fact, many would save that honor for Qatar's Qsuite — it does a great job at offering travelers a comfortable experience.

Food and Beverage

Meal service on board this flight included both dinner and breakfast. In addition, there were a number of snacks offered throughout the flight — particularly at the rear of the aircraft at the bar.

After leaving the gate around 11:45pm, dinner service started with a choice of beverages and Emirates' signature pre-meal warm nut mix. I opted for a glass of the Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc, a 2017 vintage from New Zealand, which is refreshing and aromatic. It retails for about $30 per bottle.

About an hour and a half after takeoff, crew came around the cabin to take orders. The ordering process took longer than I expected because the FAs started taking orders at the very front of the cabin, not just at the front of each mini cabin.

On this flight, appetizer choices included:

• Yellow pepper and lemongrass soup, served with red pepper and herb croutons
• Pan-fried prawns, served with wakame salad with pepper chèvre, dressed with wasabi and nigella seeds
• Smoked duck, served and chilled with carrot and celery kimchi and raspberry truffle vinaigrette

I opted for the lemongrass soup, which was light and tasty, though not the best in-flight soup I've been served.

For the main course, options on this flight included:

• Roasted beef fillet, served with thyme jus, gnocchi and grilled vegetables
• Miso-glazed cod, served with edamame beans and steamed kai-lan
• Bangalore chicken, a spicy chicken with mango, served with steamed basmati rice and green vegetable curry

I chose the miso-glazed cod, which was very dense and kind of tough for a typically flaky fish. The edamame and kai-lan didn't add much flavor, but the miso glaze — served on the side rather than on the fish itself — added some flavor. I enjoyed the dish overall, but it definitely wasn't a slam dunk.

To round out meal service, Emirates offered a selection of desserts, though at that point, I was too full to indulge. Choices included:

• Chocolate fudge brownie, topped with a salted caramel profiterole, served with caramel sauce
• Mango and raspberry torte, a vanilla mousse with raspberry center, topped with mango cremeux, served with raspberry compote
• Seasonal fruit
• Cheese board

Finally, flight attendants came around with a small box of two chocolates — one dark and one milk. I saved them for later in the flight.

During the flight, there was a light bite option, but I slept right through that. A little more than two hours before landing in Dubai, flight attendants woke passengers with soft, red mood lighting and took orders for breakfast.

Choices for breakfast included:

• Eggs florentine — poached eggs with sautéed spinach on English muffins, topped with hollandaise sauce
• Courgette and goat cheese frittata, served with sautéed mushrooms and red onion chutney
• Waffles, served with cherry compote and maple syrup
• Continental cold plate, served with sliced smoked turkey, beef pastrami, feta, Monterey Jack and goat's cheese with herbs

I chose the eggs florentine, which I really liked. The eggs were served over hard and weren't as runny as I'm used to with a dish like this. That being said, they were still tasty and didn't have a spongey texture. The fruit and pastry were also very fresh.

Overall, I found the food on this flight to be good, but not great. On my first Emirates A380 business class flight, I found the food to be amazing, so this was a step down. That being said, by no means was the food on this flight bad — it just didn't meet my expectations that I had from my last experience. Maybe it's because this flight was catered in New York, whereas my other flight was catered in Dubai.

In-Flight Entertainment and Amenities

Emirates takes its in-flight entertainment and amenities seriously. It's those parts of the soft product that help to set it apart from many of its competitors. Arguably the most famous amenity on board the Emirates A380 — aside from the onboard shower, which is reserved for first-class passengers — is the bar in the rear of the upper deck.

The bar actually feels more like a lounge. There's a swanky design, a staffed bar, snacks and seating areas. It's a great place not only to grab a drink, but also to mingle. During my flight — and especially toward the end — the bar area got a bit noisy. The national cricket team of Sri Lanka happened to be on my flight and hung out in the bar area for much of the end of the flight. Because it can get noisy back there, I'd recommend sitting a bit farther up in the mini cabin if you have a choice — especially if you're a light sleeper.

I found myself hanging in the bar/lounge area quite a bit during the flight (when I wasn't sleeping). After I finished dinner, I went back to grab an Aperol Spritz. Small finger foods of the sweet and savory variety were also on display and available to grab throughout the flight.

Aside from the premium bar, which is available to travelers in business and first class, Emirates offers several other notable amenities. Business-class passengers have access to a loaded in-flight entertainment system, complete with a 23-inch touchscreen. The screen itself is huge and can be controlled three ways — via the touchscreen, a small handset in the armrest or via a small tablet, which is also capable of displaying content of its own. I found myself using the small side tablet to display my flight info, and I watched movies on the main screen. ("Ladybird" was offered on the flight. If you've never seen it, I highly recommend!) Options included newly released films and TV shows, as well as some great exterior camera shots of the aircraft, perfect for AvGeeks.

Aside from the seatback screen, passengers also have access to a power outlet, which is located right below the screen, and a USB port.

At boarding, flight attendants distributed amenity kits for business-class passengers — women and men received different kits. Inside my kit was a brush, tissues, mirror, a set of lotions and perfume from Bulgari and a dental kit. I liked the bag itself, and kept it to reuse.

Aside from the major amenities, I also found some of the smaller touches to be especially noteworthy. Each business-class passenger got a set of three stickers, which you can place on your seat when sleeping: one alerting flight attendants to not wake you at all, one telling them to wake you up for meals, and one telling them to wake you up for duty free. It's a simple way to avoid the awkward interactions that can come with the sleeping patterns on a long-haul flight.

On every flight I've taken with Emirates, the service has been consistently excellent. Emirates takes the service aspect of its soft product very seriously — and that shows in the result. I'm a firm believer that the service on board can make or break an experience, and the friendly, welcoming crew here completely made this experience a memorable one — from offering to take pictures of me to going above and beyond in every aspect of the flight.

Part of the pre-flight announcement from the cockpit included the tidbit that the operating crew hailed from 19 countries and spoke 15 languages. For a global airline like Emirates, having such a wide range of crew who can communicate with a multitude of passengers is incredibly appealing.

Overall Impression

While there are definitely some cons to the Emirates A380 business-class experience, it's still worlds better than what you can expect flying with many other carriers — especially those based in the US. On this flight in particular, the meal service didn't quite meet my expectations, and the hard product looked a little worn in spots. However, the service and in-flight amenities really help to set it apart.

Is Emirates one of the best ways to get across the Atlantic in business class? Absolutely. (Plus, who can turn down an A380?) But, as the carrier has shown it's willing to do in the past with upgrades to the in-flight bar and lounge area, I hope it continues to improve on an already-impressive flying experience.

Dubai’s Emirates to offer free multi-risk travel insurance coverage

The cover, provided by AIG Travel, is offered to Emirates passengers at no additional cost

Dubai carrier Emirates will provide expanded, multi-risk travel cover to its passengers, in addition to its current Covid-19 coverage, it announced on November 23.

The multi-risk cover will be applicable to all Emirates tickets purchased from December 1, similar to the Covid-19 cover. It also extends to Emirates codeshare flights operated by partner airlines, as long as the ticket number starts with 176. The multi-risk travel cover is offered at no additional cost and is provided by AIG Travel.

Emirates offers expanded, multi-risk travel insurance coverage at no cost for all customers in addition to its current COVID-19 cover, in new industry-first initiative. https://t.co/TG9N5wtZDo #FlyEmiratesFlyBetter #FlySaferWithEmirates pic.twitter.com/BVlKHdg2CN — Emirates Airline (@emirates) November 23, 2020

“Emirates was the first airline to offer complimentary global Covid-19 cover for travelers back in July, and the response from our customers has been tremendously encouraging,” said Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Emirates chairman and chief executive.

“We see a strong appetite for travel around the world, especially heading into the winter holidays as people seek warmer climates and family destinations like Dubai. By launching this new multi-risk travel insurance and Covid-19 cover, we aim to give our customers even more confidence in making their travel plans this winter and moving into 2021.”

Read:  Dubai’s Emirates to be first airline to offer free cover for Covid-19 medical costs for passengers

Emirates customers will be covered when they fly to any destination, in any class of travel.

Features of travel insurance coverage:

• Out-of-country emergency medical expenses and emergency medical evacuation up to $500,000, valid for Covid-19 (contracted during the trip) and other medical emergencies while traveling abroad.
• Trip cancellation up to $7,500 for non-refundable costs if the traveler or a relative (as defined in the policy) is unable to travel because they are diagnosed with Covid-19 before the scheduled trip departure date, or for other named reasons – similar to other comprehensive travel cover products.
• Trip cancellation or curtailment up to $7,500 if the school year is extended due to Covid-19 beyond the departure date, and the traveler or a relative (as defined in the policy) is a full-time teacher, full-time employee, or a student at a primary or secondary school.
• Trip curtailment up to $7,500 for non-refundable trip costs and additional costs to return to their country of residence if the traveler or a relative (as defined in the policy) falls critically ill, for instance, contracts Covid-19 while traveling abroad.
• Travel Abandonment up to $7,500 if the traveler fails a Covid-19-related test or medical screening at the airport and is required to abandon the trip. $150 per day per person, for up to 14 consecutive days if, while outside of their country of residence, the traveler tests positive for Covid-19, and if they are unexpectedly placed into a mandatory quarantine outside their country of residence by a governmental body.

“We have enjoyed a long-standing relationship with Emirates and we are excited to work with them to tailor this product to meet the needs of Emirates customers worldwide,” said Jeff Rutledge, CEO, AIG Travel. “Our hope is to help alleviate some of the concerns travelers may have when planning travel during this time.”

Emirates’ cover also has provisions for personal accidents during travel, winter sports cover, loss of personal belongings, and trip disruptions due to unexpected air space closure, travel recommendations or advisories.

Customers need not register nor fill in any forms before they travel, neither are they obligated to utilise the cover extended by the airline.

Emirates has implemented a set of measures to ensure the safety of its customers and employees on the ground and in the air, including the distribution of complimentary hygiene kits containing masks, gloves, hand sanitiser and antibacterial wipes to all customers.

The airline’s COO  Adel al Redha, lended hope in August, when he asserted that Emirates  aims to serve 100 per cent of its network destinations, tantamount to 143 cities, by summer 2021.

Read more:  Dubai’s Emirates to serve 100% of network destinations by summer 2021 – COO

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Review: Emirates A380-800 Business Class (BKK-HKG)

Emirates' A380 Business Class does little to justify the hype, with an ageing seat and a service experience best described as "assembly line".

Emirates received its first Airbus A380 more than 15 years ago, and it’s safe to say the airline rather likes them. It’s now the largest operator of the type in the world, with more than 120 whalejets in its fleet. And while other airlines have started the process of sunsetting their A380s, Emirates is still investing in them, with plans to fly the aircraft “well into the next decade”.

In that sense, I’m awfully late to this party. Though I did try the A380’s First Class product last year (and what a crazy experience that is!) , it’s only now that I’ve been able to review Business Class, on a Bangkok to Hong Kong flight.

And granted, this was only a short-haul service, but I didn’t go away all that impressed. The seat hasn’t aged well, the service felt like an assembly line, and in a way it kind of highlights the halo effect Emirates gets from its (admittedly awesome) First Class.

Emirates A380-800 Business Class

Given how many Airbus A380-800s Emirates has in its fleet, it’s no surprise that they have multiple different configurations. AeroLOPA shows seven different seat maps, but you’ll generally find 76 Business Class seats on every A380 (except the two-cabin configuration used for less premium-focused markets which has just 58 Business Class and a whopping 557 Economy Class seats).

Also, Emirates has a few versions of its A380 Business Class seat, though the bones are the same. Some of the differences are cosmetic, such as the seat upholstery, but others go deeper, like the specs and controller for the IFE system, or the type of power outlets- not all A380s have universal ones! FlyerTalk has an excellent resource that tracks all of Emirates’ A380s and their cabin configurations.

Regardless of which A380 you get, Business Class will be in a 1-2-1 configuration, which gives every passenger direct aisle access. Mind you, that’s better than Emirates’ other long-haul aircraft, the B777-300ER, which still have middle seats in a 2-3-2 layout!

The 76 seats are split into a forward cabin of 58 passengers, and a rear cabin of 18. My advice? Avoid the rear cabin if possible. You’ll get a lot of disturbance because:

• There’s four lavatories in the rear of the aircraft, so foot traffic is guaranteed
• All Business Class service is conducted from the rear galley, so crew will constantly be walking back and forth with service carts and trays
• The bar is located at the rear, and boisterous patrons are not quiet patrons

That’s not to mention you’ll also be the last off the aircraft when disembarking. 

Solo travellers will prefer the A or K seats, as these are shielded from the aisle by the side console and have better views of the window.

In contrast, the B or J seats are closer to the aisle, and the window is partially blocked. 

Couples travelling together may prefer the E/F seats in the middle, as the privacy divider can be lowered for conversation and sharing a meal.

If you’re a solo traveller who can’t get the window seats, then the D/G seats will ensure you’re at least well separated from your seat mate. 

I chose seat 20K, which like all Emirates Business Class seats, had no shortage of walnut burl. It was on the table tops, the side storage bins, the walls, even the IFE tablet, almost as if someone on the Emirates’ design team got a bulk purchase discount. But you know what? That’s just Emirates for you. Getting upset with Emirates about their over-the-top bling is like getting angry at a cow for mooing. If you think this is tacky, you’re flying on the wrong airline.

Business Class passengers have a 23″ touch-sensitive screen, which doesn’t perform very well in bright light as the photo below shows. 

In terms of navigation, you can either lean forward to tap the screen, or you can use the corded remote located beneath it. There’s also a third option of a wireless tablet that allows you to browse and make selections. This is locked in its charging bay whenever the aircraft is on the ground, and during take-off and landing. 

The tablet charger is next to the mini-bar, which is another fun little Emirates gimmick. However, it’s not very useful because it doesn’t actually chill the drinks. I appreciate having extra bottles of water at hand, but unless you like room-temperature Pepsi and 7-Up, you’ll still need to ask the crew for a glass of ice.

Each seat has two Type-A USB ports. There’s also an in-seat power outlet, but bizarrely, it’s not universal. Given that Emirates carries passengers all over the globe, it’s hard to see why they would choose to do this. If you have a Singapore/UK/Hong Kong plug, you will need a power adapter (I should note that there’s an element of luck at play here, as Emirates’ newer A380s have universal power outlets).

Near your head is a reading light, plus seat controls for full flat, lounging and full upright.

The tray table was large and sturdy, and didn’t have any bouncing or wobbling when I typed on my laptop. Unfortunately, the design does not allow you to easily exit your seat when you have the table deployed.

One nice thing about the A380 is that you have additional storage bins by the window that can easily accommodate a backpack (or three). The windows have electrically controlled shades, with day and night options.

No amenities kit was provided on this short-haul flight, but each Business Class passenger had a pair of slippers and eyeshade waiting at their seat. I appreciated that this eyeshade had an adjustable velcro strap, unlike the elastic band that Singapore Airlines and other carriers use, which puts pressure on your eyeballs (after using it for a few hours, your vision will be temporarily blurred when you remove it).

A smooth blanket was also provided, and there was bedding in the storage bins, which I assume the crew would have set up on request.

Food & Beverage

Pre-departure beverages were served on the ground in Bangkok, which consisted of freshly-squeezed orange juice or champagne, plus a hot towel.

The crew served mixed nuts after take-off, together with more drinks. I opted for a mojito, which showcases nicely the benefits of having an onboard bar. Freshly muddled mint beats pre-mix anytime.

Emirates allows you to check the menu for your flight in advance via this link. On this flight, the following menu was served.

For shorter flights, Emirates serves the entire meal on a tray in Business Class, which is meant to speed up proceedings. Still, my meal only reached me around the halfway point of the flight- probably because I was at the rear of the first cabin. 

I went with the prawn machbous, which is supposed to be something of a signature dish on Emirates. It consists of prawns marinated in a traditional Emirati spice blend, served on fragrant rice cooked in a broth of spices like cardamom, cinnamon, cumin and turmeric. I didn’t think it was great, to be honest, since the prawns were tiny and the dish was mostly rice. 

Much better was the salted caramel cheesecake served for dessert, and I had to stop myself from finishing the whole thing. 

Since I’m not a particularly big fan of the Moet & Chandon champagne that Emirates serves onboard (while it’s one of the best-known champagne brands, most of their money goes into marketing instead of the wine), I decided to try some of their other wines instead.

Emirates has an unrivaled wine programme (the airline has a cellar in France with 6.5 million bottles of fine wines, some of which won’t be ready for tasting until 2035), and on this flight the following options were available.

The crew went around the cabin with the wines in a metal basket, so they could pour you a flight if you wanted. I decided on the Pouilly-Fuisse Louis Latour, which for me was better than any Business Class wine I’ve had on Singapore Airlines.

Onboard bar

But why booze at your seat when you can booze at the bar? One of the signature touches of the Emirates A380 is its onboard bar, which opens shortly after take-off and runs all the way till last call about one hour before landing. 

This bar is open to both First and Business Class passengers, on flights of at least 2 hours 30 minutes. Bangkok to Hong Kong squeezes in just above the threshold with a 2 hour 45 minute flight time!

While there’s no stools at the bar, you can take a seat on one of the two crescent-shaped couches by the sides, each of which has seatbelts for three passengers. 

Help-yourself bar snacks can be found on a shelf beneath the bar’s TV, including fruit, potato chips, and pre-packaged sandwiches. 

The novelty of an onboard bar can’t be overstated. No one’s saying you need to be a social butterfly to enjoy it; even if you hate the idea of small talk, there’s a lot of utility in having a change of scenery, a place to walk around a bit, order a drink, and briefly forget you’re in a pressurised cabin. 

By the way, your bar may look very different from mine because the newer A380s have a refreshed design, which adds booth seating with tables. 

Inflight Entertainment

Emirates is a powerhouse when it comes to IFE, with its Information, Communications, Entertainment (ICE) system widely regarded as one of the best out there. 

This packs a bewildering 5,000 entertainment options, including full box sets, the latest Hollywood movies, classic movies, TV shows, music, and many options for the non-English speaking crowd.

The letdown is actually the display. These seats incorporate screen technology which is more than a decade old, and even though Emirates started a mid-cycle refresh in 2015, not all aircraft have been upgraded. My 23″ screen was full of reflections and glare, and was often washed out by cabin lights. 

Business Class passengers receive over-ear noise cancelling headsets, which were comfortable and performed well.

Emirates does offer  complimentary Wi-Fi, but not to all passengers. 

Whether or not you get free Wi-Fi depends on both:

• your cabin class, and
• whether or not you’re a member of Emirates Skywards

For example, an Emirates First Class passenger would not enjoy free Wi-Fi, unless they also happen to be a member of Skywards.

There’s no cost to join Skywards, but in order to get free Wi-Fi your membership number must be linked to your booking at least 24 hours before departure. Moreover, this means that if you wish to credit your Emirates flight to a different FFP, you won’t get free Wi-Fi.

If you forget to add your Skywards number in time, you’ll have to pay for access. This costs

• US$2.99-5.99 for a chat-only plan
• US$9.99 for 30 minutes (selected regions only)
• US$9.99-19.99 for full-flight Wi-Fi

As a Skywards Blue member flying in Business Class, I received a free chat-only package, which was only good enough for WhatsApp without media uploads (Telegram was not supported). 

I’m quite surprised that Emirates doesn’t just make Wi-Fi free for all First and Business Class passengers, period, like what Singapore Airlines has done.  

Sleep Experience

This flight was too short for a proper rest (especially given how long the meal service took), but I did put the seat all the way down to try it out. 

The seat padding is comfortable, though the bed is on the narrow side. Like many Business Class seats, you’ll find that the space for your feet is somewhat restricted, and it suits those who sleep on their side more than back sleepers.

I also found it difficult to access the aisle once the seat was fully reclined, as you need to manoeuvre through a very small corridor between the side table and seat back to do so.

The 76 Business Class passengers have a total of six lavatories; two at the front of the cabin, and four at the rear, behind the bar. 

The lavatories are also not free from Emirates’ love of walnut burl, though surprisingly for a Middle Eastern airline, there’s no bidet function. Taps are sensor operated, and Bvlgari toiletries are stocked.

Bathroom were kept reasonably clean on this short flight. 

My biggest issue with Emirates Business Class service is how impersonal it felt, much like an assembly line. You never got the feeling like you were more than just another cog in the machine (not helped by the fact that Emirates isn’t very consistent with addressing passengers by name), and it felt like the crew were more interested in checking off each item and moving on, rather than making passengers feel welcome or at home. 

There were times when the crew literally went around seat by seat with a clipboard in hand, asking a methodological list of questions (what drink do you want after takeoff/ do you want nuts/ what meal option do you want) without even making eye contact.

Maybe it’s because this was a short flight and they were pressed for time, but from what I’ve read online, this is a common issue even on long-haul services. Besides, SIA shows that it’s possible to offer excellent, personalised service even on short-haul flights, versus the whole “hurry up and relax” vibe I got with Emirates.

Emirates’ A380 Business Class clearly goes for wows. The first time you board, it’s hard not to be overstimulated: Wow, there’s a bar! Wow, look at the trim on these seats! Wow, there’s a mini-bar in my seat! 

But after you settle in and start actually using the seat, you’ll find that even though it isn’t bad by any means, few would call it market leading. It’s hard not to get the feeling that most of the buzz comes from the over-the-top experience in First Class, rather than the merits of the Business Class product itself.

Of course, there’s fun little touches like the onboard bar, as well as a wine and alcohol selection that’s second to none. But it’s counterbalanced by the fact that the seats have seen better days, not to mention there’s still a good number of A380s out there with non-upgraded screens and non-universal power outlets.

Fun to do as a bucket-list thing, but perhaps not warranting repeat patronage.

What do you make of Emirates Business Class?

• airline review
• trip reports

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Which travel insurance policies cover miles and points bookings, qatar airways selling avios with up to a 50% bonus.

The bar was fun as was the ability to take a polaroid photo, but the hard product felt old. Never mind that, the FAs got my wrong meal order too and there was an LED strip that turned itself on and off and was distracting. I brought the last two matters up in-flight and via email and customer service was so defensive.

i totally forgot about the polaroid photo. would have been a nice keepsake

I would take this experience anytime over shocking experience I have with SQ. You might have different experiences cause of PPS or gold member ? But I think for others, Sq experience would be likely same as what you had at this flight

While i would agree that SQ service is quite mechanical nowadays, I still managed to experience one or two flight recently (HKG-SIN, and LHR-SIN) with excellent service even though i am not like some ah pek with 30+ years of Solitaire. The crews were lively, attentive and excel in almost every aspects (maybe there was an auditor on-board lol).

While I also experienced bad flight with EVA 2weeks ago (KIX-TPE).

I think nowadays many things are not given… depends on luck. However most would agree that they are in general still much much better than United and Delta….

Finally some honesty in a EK review, the only premium aspect about them are the price, publicity materials and the brush walnut ascents. Not only is SQ better than them on average, I would rather fly MH or TG knowing that service would be more personal.

One of the very few EK reviews without using “ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!” “CRAZY!!!” or “ISNT THIS JUST AWESOME?!!”

Oh gosh. This Ah Pek is going on SQ SIN-HKG next month which I’m looking forward to as having not been on board SQ’s premium cabins in over a decade. I haven’t been on EK’s for even longer than that. I only remember there was too much gold colour for my liking.

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Emirates Travel Insurance - 2024 Review

Emirates travel insurance.

• Available at Check-Out
• Very Expensive
• Weak Benefits
• Insufficient Travel Insurance Cover

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Emirates is one of two flagship carries of the United Arab Emirates and is based in Dubai. It is a subsidiary of the Emirates Group, which is owned by the government of Dubai’s Investment Corporation of Dubai.

When booking a flight on Emirates from the US, travel insurance is offered at checkout. We’ll take a look at the insurance offered and then compare it to what is available on the open market. But first let’s book a trip on Emirates.

Our Sample Flight – San Francisco to Dubai

For our review, we booked a trip for two travelers from San Francisco to Dubai from December 12 – January 2.

To their credit, Emirates makes it very simple for a traveler to compare the benefits of different fare seats.

For each fare type, you have two choices: Flex or Flex Plus. The main differences (besides the price) are the fees charged for changing the ticket or for refunds.

Flex Plus does not charge penalty fees for changes or refunds for any fare class. However, with Flex fares there are various fees depending on the type of cancellation and fare class.

Economy Flex charges change fees of $400 if the traveler no shows before departure and $600 for no-shows after departure. They charge different fees if requesting a refund prior to departure or after departure. Prior to departure the fee is $400 but after departure is $800.

Business Flex charges a flat fee of $800 if the traveler no shows either before or after departure. They charge different fees if requesting a refund prior to departure or after departure. Prior to departure the fee is $800 but after departure it is $1,400.

Finally, First-Class Flex charges change fees of $400 if the traveler no shows before departure and $800 for no-shows after departure. They charge the same fees if requesting a refund prior to departure or after departure.

The least expensive fare was the Economy Flex at $2,526.40. The least expensive Business seat came in at $10,186.40, while the least expensive First-Class seat was $22,688.40. That’s a huge price difference!

After reviewing the various fares, we opted for the Economy Flex for our departure but had to upgrade to Economy Flex Plus for the return leg as Economy Flex was sold out.

Total cost before seat selections and any other options is $7,853.

When you choose trip details, Emirates shows you the total cost based on the fare type chosen but also allows you to upgrade if desired.

Later, we’ll show you how to turn the Non-Refundable ticket into a Refundable one and have maximum cancellation flexibility. If possible do NOT buy a Refundable ticket!

After choosing our seats at an additional $120 cost, our trip cost increased to $7973. But before we check out, we’re offered one final option – travel insurance.

Emirates Travel Insurance – AIG Air Ticket Plan

We are used to being offered travel insurance upon check-out whenever we buy a flight. Emirates is no different and offers the AIG Deluxe Airline Ticket Protection Plan for its US customers. Note that this is NOT travel insurance – it is air ticket protection. Travelers would be well advised to seek actual travel insurance in the open marketplace to fully protect their trip.

The policy is not available in Connecticut, Hawaii, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Washington. This is worrying. Almost every trip insurance policy that we see is available in all 50 states and DC.

Let’s look at the benefits.

The policy provides only $25k for Medical Expenses and only $50k for Emergency Medical Evacuation. These amounts are quite low and certainly would not be sufficient for most international travelers, in our opinion.

The cost of the insurance is $480.60, which is expensive considering the limited coverage provided.

Let’s see what we can find on the open marketplace.

TravelDefenders – Compare and Save

At TravelDefenders we are a travel insurance marketplace and get binding insurance quotes, anonymously, from all our major travel insurance carriers and present them in an easy-to-read format.

Inputting our trip details for a quote, we were presented with 27 options for travel insurance. How do we determine which one to choose?

For travel to Asia, Africa, and destinations far from US shores, TravelDefenders recommends having a minimum of $100,000 of medical coverage and a minimum of $500,000 for medical evacuation coverage.

The least expensive option that provides adequate coverage is the Trawick First Class . This policy provides $150k of medical coverage and $1 million of medical evacuation coverage as well as a waiver to cover pre-existing medical conditions if the policy is purchased within 14 days of the initial trip payment or deposit date.

Total cost for the Trawick policy is $442.54, about $40 less than the AIG policy and has significantly better coverage! The policy will also allow us to cancel for standard reasons such as illness or injury prior to departure and receive a 100% of our non-refundable trip costs. Unlike Emirates, Trawick doesn’t charge a penalty if we need to cancel the trip or change trip details.

Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) Policies

You may recall earlier we talked about not purchasing a refundable ticket. We can use travel insurance to buy a non-flexible ticket but enjoy flexible benefits.  Cancel for Any Reason  policies will give us this flexibility.

This is a super-powerful benefit that does exactly what it says. A traveler needs to have no reason at all to cancel and still receive a significant refund. The policies that we have can provide either a 50% or a 75% refund depending on the policy chosen.

Looking at our quote from TravelDefenders, the least expensive CFAR policy with adequate coverage is the John Hancock Silver (CFAR 75%). This policy provides $100k of medical benefits and $500k of medical evacuation benefits as well as a waiver to cover pre-existing medical conditions if the policy is purchased within 14 days of the initial trip payment or deposit date. Total cost for both travelers combined is $732.

If we cancel prior to departure for a reason listed in the policy, such as illness or injury, we will receive a 100% refund of our trip costs. However, if we decide to cancel for any reason NOT listed in the policy, such as simply deciding not to travel, we’ll receive a 75% refund of our trip costs.

The use of Cancel for Any Reason insurance to lower ticket prices has been described as the  Airline Ticket Hack . Refundable benefits, yet with Non-Refundable Ticket costs.

In this way, we can purchase a lower-priced ticket yet have maximum flexibility for cancellation without the penalty fees Emirates charges.

TravelDefenders – One Site – Many Carriers

We love Amazon and are fans of Expedia. Comparison-shopping is simple. Sites like  TravelDefenders  do the same for travel insurance. Would you like to visit each travel insurance carrier directly? Of course not. Take the Amazon-like travel insurance experience at TravelDefenders.

The beauty of insurance comparison through a marketplace like TravelDefenders is that you get to see all the best prices in the market and make an informed decision.

Does TravelDefenders Charge More?

You won’t find the same trip insurance plans available at a better price – price certainty is guaranteed because of anti-discriminatory insurance law in the US. Take a look at the article Travel Insurance Comparison  – Will I Pay More Buying Travel Insurance from a Comparison Website? This is powerful consumer protection.

A travel insurance marketplace like  TravelDefenders  will offer a multitude of different plans from some of the most respected travel insurance carriers in the country. You will only need a few minutes to check value for money, coverage, and insurance carrier ratings.

Enjoy your next trip Emirates and don’t forget your travel insurance.

Safe travels!

This article has been written for review purposes only and does not suggest sponsorship or endorsement of AARDY by the trademark owner.

Recent AARDY Travel Insurance Customer Reviews

Janet was super helpful

Easy and quick

• Best Overall
• Best for No-Annual-Fee

Best for Independent Hotel Purchases

• Best for Beginners
• Best for Everyday Spending
• Best for Students
• Best Premium Travel Card for Affordability
• Best for Dining and Groceries
• Best for Travel Insurance
• Best for Luxury Travel Benefits
• Why You Should Trust Us

Best Travel Credit Cards of June 2024

Affiliate links for the products on this page are from partners that compensate us and terms apply to offers listed (see our advertiser disclosure with our list of partners for more details). However, our opinions are our own. See how we rate credit cards to write unbiased product reviews .

The information for the following product(s) has been collected independently by Business Insider: Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Visa® Card, Citi Strata Premier℠ Card, Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card for Students. The details for these products have not been reviewed or provided by the issuer.

• Best overall travel credit card : Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
• Best travel credit card for beginners : Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
• Best no-annual-fee travel credit card : Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card ( rates and fees )
• Best for spending at hotels : Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Visa® Card
• Best for travel rewards on everyday spending : Citi Strata Premier℠ Card
• Best travel card for students : Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card for Students
• Most affordable premium travel credit card : Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
• Best travel credit card for earning travel credit on dining and groceries : American Express® Gold Card
• Best premium card for travel bonus categories : Chase Sapphire Reserve®
• Best for luxury travel benefits and airport lounge access : The Platinum Card® from American Express

Introduction to Travel Credit Cards

Whether you're just dipping your toe into the world of rewards credit cards or you've already flown thousands of miles on points alone, we can tell you: There's a travel credit card for everyone. There's a card if you're looking for free flights, if you're hoping for free hotel stays, or if you're just doing whatever it takes to realize your dream of an overwater bungalow. There are even no-annual-fee travel credit cards that won't cost you anything to keep.

Compare the Top Travel Credit Cards

Earn 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠. Earn 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries. Earn 2x on all other travel purchases. Earn 1x on all other purchases.

21.49% - 28.49% Variable

Earn 60,000 bonus points

Good to Excellent

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. High intro bonus offer starts you off with lots of points
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Strong travel coverage
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Doesn't offer a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck application fee credit

If you're new to travel rewards credit cards or just don't want to pay hundreds in annual fees, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a smart choice. It earns bonus points on a wide variety of travel and dining purchases and offers strong travel and purchase coverage, including primary car rental insurance.

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
• Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
• Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
• Member FDIC

Earn 5 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. Earn unlimited 1.25X miles on every purchase.

0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months (intro fee of 3% for the first 15 months, then 4% of the amount of each balance transfer at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer you at any other time)

19.99% - 29.99% Variable

Earn 20,000 miles

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. No annual fee or foreign transaction fees
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Versatile rewards
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Earn 1.25 miles per dollar on all purchases with no bonus categories to track
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Lower earning rate than some other no-annual-fee rewards cards
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Limited benefits

The VentureOne Rewards Card is a slimmed-down version of the popular Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card. It's one of the few no-annual-fee cards on the market that gives you the option to redeem miles for cash back or transfer them to travel partners.

• $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
• Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel
• Earn unlimited 1.25X miles on every purchase, every day
• Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
• Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
• Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase-or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
• Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
• Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 19.99% - 29.99% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies

Earn unlimited 5x points per dollar on hotels. Earn 4x points on airlines. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining. Earn 1x on other purchases.

21.24%, 26.24%, or 29.99% Variable

Earn 60,000 bonus rewards points

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Trip cancellation and lost baggage protection
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Airline and hotel transfer partners available
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Welcome bonus
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Generous cellphone protection
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Low annual fee
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Transfer partner network not as diverse or robust as competitors

The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Visa® Card is a true travel credit card, with benefits that rival many of the best travel rewards credit cards currently on the market. This card has a low annual fee on par with that of popular competing credit cards and Wells Fargo's newly announced Points Transfer program allows cardholders to juice maximum value from every point they earn.

Earn 5x miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. Earn unlimited 2x miles on every purchase.

19.99% - 29.99% variable

Earn 75,000 miles

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. No bonus categories to keep track of
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Includes up to a $100 statement credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Other credit cards offer higher rewards in certain categories of spending

If you want an easy, no-fuss travel rewards credit card, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is a great fit. For a moderate annual fee, it offers plenty of value, useful benefits, and a substantial welcome bonus.

• Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
• Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
• Enrich every hotel stay from the Lifestyle Collection with a suite of cardholder benefits, like a $50 experience credit, room upgrades, and more

Earn a total of 10 ThankYou® Points per $1 spent on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked through CitiTravel.com. Earn 3X points per $1 on air travel and other hotel purchases, at restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations and EV charging stations. Earn 1X point per $1 on all other purchases.

21.24% - 29.24% variable

Earn 75,000 bonus points

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Earn 3x points on most travel, restaurants, gas/EV charging, and supermarkets
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Earn 10x points on hotels, rental cars, and attractions booked via Citi Travel
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. $100 annual hotel credit on a single stay of $500 or more
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. No foreign transaction fees
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Trip delay/interruption benefits and lost/damaged baggage coverage
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Has an annual fee
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Citi Travel rates often are higher than retail cost of travel

Earn unlimited 1.5 points per dollar on purchases.

• 0% intro APR for your first 18 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made within the first 60 days of opening your account

17.99% - 27.99% Variable

25,000 online bonus points

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Generous welcome bonus for a student credit card
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Earns flexible points you can use toward a wide variety of travel purchases
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Other travel rewards cards have higher earning rates
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Few travel-related benefits compared to other travel cards

A good student credit card should offer rewards and useful benefits to those with limited credit history and the Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card for Students hits several of those notes. However, while the card is marketed to students, those without established credit may have difficulty getting approved.

• The information related to the Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card for Students has been collected by Business Insider and has not been reviewed by the issuer.
• 25,000 online bonus points after spending $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days from account opening (redeemed as a $250 statement credit toward travel and dining purchases)
• Unlimited 1.5 points for every $1 spent on all purchases everywhere, no expiration on points
• No annual fee or foreign transaction fees

Earn unlimited 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. Earn 5 miles per dollar on flights booked through Capital One Travel. Earn unlimited 2 miles on all other purchases.

Earn 75,000 bonus miles

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Excellent welcome bonus and miles earning
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Premium perks including airport lounge access and credits for certain purchases
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Visa Infinite benefits including travel and shopping protections
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. High annual fee
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Annual travel credits only apply to Capital One Travel purchases

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is one of the best credit cards for frequent travelers, with top-notch benefits and a wide range of built-in protections. It comes with a generous welcome bonus and credits that can help offset the annual fee — which is much lower than similar premium cards.

• Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
• Receive a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
• Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
• Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
• Unlimited complimentary access for you and two guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and the Partner Lounge Network
• Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
• Elevate every hotel stay from the Premier or Lifestyle Collections with a suite of cardholder benefits, like an experience credit, room upgrades, and more

Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S. Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X). Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com. Earn 1X Membership Rewards® points on all other purchases.

See Pay Over Time APR

Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Great rewards for dining and for shopping at US supermarkets
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Monthly statement credit for eligible dining purchases recoups some of the annual fee
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Underwhelming welcome bonus

Foodies and travelers alike will appreciate the American Express Gold's generous welcome bonus and Membership Rewards points earning. Its Uber Cash credits are useful for rides and Uber Eats, and monthly dining credits with participating merchants like GrubHub and Seamless are easy to use.

• Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
• $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year.
• $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings and earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. Enrollment required.
• Get a $100 experience credit with a minimum two-night stay when you book The Hotel Collection through American Express Travel. Experience credit varies by property.
• Choose the color that suits your style. Gold or Rose Gold.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees.
• Annual Fee is $250.
• Terms Apply.

Earn 5x points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1x point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

22.49% - 29.49% Variable

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Annual travel credit can effectively shave $300 off the annual fee if you use it
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Strong travel insurance
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Strong bonus rewards on travel and dining
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Very high annual fee

If you're new to rewards credit cards you may want to start elsewhere, but if you know you want to earn Chase points and you spend a lot on travel and dining, the Sapphire Reserve is one of the most rewarding options.

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
• $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
• Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
• Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
• 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
• Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®

Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel (on up to $500,000 per calendar year) and on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. Earn 1X Points on other purchases.

Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® points

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Long list of travel benefits, including airport lounge access and complimentary elite status with Hilton and Marriott (enrollment required)
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Annual statement credits with Saks and Uber
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Bonus categories leave something to be desired
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. One of the highest annual fees among premium travel cards

If you want as many premium travel perks as possible, The Platinum Card® from American Express could be the right card for you. The annual fee is high, but you get a long list of benefits such as airport lounge access, travel statement credits, complimentary hotel elite status, and more.

• Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
• Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
• $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
• $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
• The American Express Global Lounge Collection® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market. As of 03/2023.
• $155 Walmart+ Credit: Save on eligible delivery fees, shipping, and more with a Walmart+ membership. Use your Platinum Card® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership and get up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes back on one membership (excluding Plus Ups) each month.
• $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card®.
• $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Terms Apply.
• $189 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps to get you to your gate faster at 50+ airports nationwide and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Card. CLEARLanes are available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues.
• Receive either a $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 year period for TSA PreCheck® application fee for a 5-year plan only (through a TSA PreCheck® official enrollment provider), when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
• Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card®. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
• Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile.
• $695 annual fee.

Best Travel Credit Card Recommendations

The best travel rewards credit cards offer valuable rewards, easy-to-use benefits, and helpful features like travel coverage. Our team of credit card experts at Business Insider chose the best options available on the market in 2024, and reviewed each one below.

Best Travel Credit Card Overall

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is our top pick for a well-rounded travel rewards credit card. Even infrequent travelers can benefit from the slew of premium perks on this card, typically found on cards with far higher annual fees. 

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card stands out for its travel protection benefits. When you pay for travel expenses with this card and meet certain requirements, you can request reimbursement for unexpected expenses that may arise when your flight is delayed or if your baggage is delayed or lost.

You'll also have primary rental car insurance, meaning you won't have to file claims through your personal car insurance plan or pay for coverage from the rental car company. This card also offers a 10% anniversary points bonus, and up to $50 in annual statement credits for hotel purchases made through the Chase Travel℠ Portal. 

The rewards rate on the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card isn't shabby either. You'll earn 5 points on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards; 2 points on all other travel purchases; and 3 points on dining, online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs), and select streaming services. You'll earn 1 point per dollar on everything else.

Chase Ultimate Rewards® points are some of the easiest points to use in various ways. You can redeem them for travel directly through the Chase Travel Portal for a 25% boost in value, where 1 point will be worth 1.25 cents apiece. You can also transfer your points to Chase's airline and hotel transfer partners , which include United Airlines, Hyatt, Marriott, and many other airlines and hotel chains around the world. Cardholders can also use points for statement credits, gift cards, merchandise, and more.  

What the experts love: High welcome bonus offer, earns bonus points on travel, dining, and online grocery purchases, you can redeem points for 1.25 cents apiece for travel or through Chase for 25% value bonus

What the experts don't love: Doesn't offer some of the travel perks you'll get with competing cards, such as airport lounge access and a statement credit for Global Entry

Read more: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card card review

Best No-Annual-Fee Card for Earning Travel Miles

The Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card is our top choice for a no-annual-fee travel card ( rates and fees ), and it's got many of the same perks as its bigger sibling, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card.

New cardholders can earn a respectable 20,000 miles after spending $500 on purchases within three months from account opening (worth at least $340 in travel according to Business Insider's valuations). While the card only earns 1.25 miles per dollar on most purchases (plus 5x on hotels and car rentals booked through Capital One Travel), it's still a compelling choice if an annual fee isn't for you ( rates and fees ).

You'll get the same access to Capital One's airline and hotel partners as you would with annual-fee cards, and a handful of benefits including car rental insurance***, travel accident insurance***, and purchase assurance***. This is also a solid pick if you're looking for a zero-interest credit card  with a 0% introductory APR offer, because new cardholders receive a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months (intro fee of 3% for the first 15 months, then 4% of the amount of each balance transfer at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer you at any other time), then a 19.99% - 29.99% Variable APR ( rates and fees ).

What the experts love: No annual fee, access to transfer partners, generous intro 0% APR offer

What the experts don't love: Few travel benefits, lower earning rate

Read more: Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card review

The newly announced Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Visa® Card earns one of the highest rates of return on hotel bookings for a credit card that isn't co-branded with a specific hotel chain. 

This card has a $95 annual fee, inviting direct comparisons to two other cards on this list: The Sapphire Preferred Card , and the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card . In exchange, cardholders earn at least 3x on dining and travel purchases. Airline purchases earn 4x, and hotel purchases earn 5x.

Wells Fargo simultaneously announced brand-new airline and hotel partners: Choice Privileges, Aer Lingus AerClub, Air France-KLM Flying Blue, avianca lifemiles, and British Airways Executive Club. Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Visa® Card cardholders can redeem rewards at the standard redemption rate of 1 cent per point for cash back, or transfer their rewards to any of the travel partners above for additional value.

The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Visa® Card will be available for in-person applications at select Wells Fargo bank locations on March 9, 2024. Nationwide applications open online and in person on March 20, 2024. 

Read more: Wells Fargo Autograph Journey credit card review

Best Travel Credit Card for Beginners

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is a great "set it and forget it" card, in the sense that you don't have to worry about various bonus categories for earning rewards. You'll earn 5 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 2x miles on all other purchases.

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card also offers one of the most straightforward ways to redeem rewards for travel: you're able to use your miles to cover recent travel purchases from your card statement, at a rate of 1 cent per mile. 

You also have the option to transfer Capital One miles *** to more than a dozen frequent flyer and hotel loyalty programs, including Air Canada Aeroplan, Etihad Guest, and Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer. Capital One also added new partners including British Airways and Turkish Airlines, and improved the transfer ratio to 1:1 for most partners. 

The selection of transfer partners is best suited to someone who wants to travel internationally and who doesn't mind spending some time researching the best ways to redeem miles with the different frequent flyer program options. But the upside is that you can always use your miles to cover your travel purchases. You also get up to a $100 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck application fee credit.

What the experts love:  The ability to use your miles to cover your recent travel expenses; it earns at least 2 miles per dollar on every purchase.

What the experts don't love: Other cards offer higher rewards on certain spending categories such as travel and dining.

Read more: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card review

Best Travel Rewards on Everyday Spending

The Citi Strata Premier℠ Card isn't as flashy or well-known as some other travel cards, but that doesn't mean you should overlook it, especially if you spend a lot on its bonus categories. Cardholders earn an impressive 3x points on air travel, gas stations, restaurants, supermarkets, and hotels, and 1 point per dollar on everything else.

Along with a solid welcome bonus offer of 75,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first three months of account opening (worth $1,200 based on Business Insider's valuations), you'll receive $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) booked through thankyou.com once per calendar year.

While it isn't the best for travel protections, the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card is the only card currently available to new applicants that unlocks the ability to transfer your ThankYou points to Citi's full list of airline and hotel partners , including JetBlue, Singapore Airlines, and Wyndham.

What the experts love:  Strong rewards earning in useful everyday categories, access to Citi's transfer partners

What the experts don't love: Lack of travel protections like car rental insurance, few travel perks compared to similar rewards cards

Read more: Citi Strata Premier℠ Card review

Best Travel Card for Students

The Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card for Students is a fairly unique offering, as there aren't many student credit cards specifically geared toward travel. New cardholders can earn 25,000 online bonus points after spending $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days from account opening (redeemed as a $250 statement credit toward travel and dining purchases). That's a decent offer for a no-annual-fee card, and the earning structure is simple, too — 1.5x points per dollar on every purchase, with no bonus categories to keep track of.

There's also a 0% intro APR for your first 18 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made within the first 60 days of opening your account (then a 17.99% - 27.99% Variable APR) which can be handy if you have big purchases (like textbooks or supplies) you want to pay for over time. 

The Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card for Students is a good choice if you prefer a straightforward card without having to worry about award charts or transfer partners. It's also a safe bet if you want to use it while traveling internationally — it doesn't charge pesky foreign transaction fees, so you won't be on the hook for extra charges if you use it overseas.

However, you won't find many extras — like travel benefits or purchase protections — with this card. If you're looking for better benefits, be sure to check out our guide to the best student credit cards for all the top options.

What the experts love: Impressive welcome bonus offer for a student credit card, good flat-rate rewards earning

What the experts don't love: No flashy extra perks or shopping benefits

Read more: Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card for Students review

Most Affordable Premium Travel Credit Card

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card was unveiled in late 2021 and offers a massive welcome bonus of 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening — worth at least $1,275 in travel, based on Business Insider's valuation of Capital One miles .

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is loaded with premium benefits that can more than offset the $395 annual fee ( rates and fees ). For context, the Venture X's annual fee, while high, is significantly lower than other premium travel card competitors.

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card cardholders receive $300 per year in credits toward travel booked through Capital One, Priority Pass, Plaza Premium, and Capital One airport lounge access (even for authorized users), a 10,000-mile bonus on each account anniversary (worth $100 in travel), and Visa Infinite travel and purchase benefits.

As with other cards that earn Capital One miles , you can transfer rewards to over a dozen airline and hotel partners to book award travel, or use miles to book through the Capital One Travel Portal .

What the experts love:  Between $300 a year in travel credit and a 10,000-mile bonus on each account anniversary, you can offset the annual fee entirely — and that's not even considering other benefits like lounge access.

What the experts don't love:  The $300 travel credit is more restrictive than other cards' — it only applies to travel booked through Capital One.

Read more: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card review

Best for Earning Travel Credit from Dining and Groceries

The American Express® Gold Card is an ideal travel card for anyone who frequently eats out and/or shops at U.S. supermarkets. You'll earn 4x Amex Membership Rewards points on these purchases (though note the $25,000 calendar year annual cap for U.S. supermarkets; after that, you'll earn just 1 point per dollar, but that's a pretty high cap). The card also earns 3x points on flights booked directly with the airlines or through AmexTravel.com, and 1 point per dollar on everything else.

While the $250 annual fee is on the high side, you can offset it thanks to an annual statement credit. You can get up to $120 in annual dining credits**, but it's divided into up to $10 in credits each month, and the credit only applies at select restaurants and delivery services, including Grubhub, Seamless, Milk Bar, Wine.com, and Goldbelly, and participating Shake Shack locations.

You'll also get up to $120 Uber Cash ($10 per month) credit each calendar year (this is only applicable to U.S. Eats orders and rides, and the Gold Card needs to be added to the Uber app to receive the Uber Cash benefit).

What the experts love: "4x points on restaurants and at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per year, then 1x) is great — usually, a card favors one or the other," says Rathner. Plus, the card offers monthly dining credits.

What the experts don't love: Wilson notes that other cards offer similar benefits for a lower annual fee, and Rathner notes that the card's travel and dining credits come with some important limitations — so read the fine print. 

Read more: American Express® Gold Card review

Best Premium Card for Travel Insurance and Bonus Categories

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® has a $550 annual fee, which means it's not for everybody, but if you're serious about maximizing your rewards and you travel frequently, it could be worth it. It offers a bonus of 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. 

Not only do you get up to $300 in statement credits toward travel each year (and Chase has a very generous definition of travel — including everything from airfare to highway tolls), but you also earn 5x total points on air travel and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards (excluding the $300 travel credit) and 3x points on all other travel and dining. You also get airport lounge access through the Priority Pass network , which has more than 1,300 locations worldwide.

New benefits also include access to Chase Sapphire lounges in JFK , LaGuardia , Boston , and Hong Kong, as well as the Chase Sapphire Terrace at Austin Airport . You'll also receive benefits with DoorDash  and Instacart that can save you money on delivery (activation required).

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is currently offering cardholders two years of complimentary Lyft Pink All Access membership (valued at $199 per year) for member-exclusive pricing, priority pickup, and more (activation required). 

When it comes to redeeming points, you can book travel through Chase and get 1.5 cents per point (a 50% bonus over the standard 1-cent-per-point rate), or you can transfer your Chase Ultimate Rewards to travel partners like Hyatt, British Airways, and United.

Plus, like the less-expensive Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® offers some of the best credit card travel insurance around. This includes primary car rental insurance, trip delay insurance, trip cancellation protection, and lost baggage insurance.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® card was previously our pick for the best travel card overall, before the annual fee increased from $450 to $550. While the Reserve did add some additional benefits, the Reserve no longer makes as much sense for casual travelers. As a result, we now recommend the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card as the best travel credit card for most people. 

What the experts love:  Earns 3x points on travel and dining purchases made outside of Chase Travel Portal, annual $300 travel credit, points are worth 1.5 cents apiece for travel booked through Chase

What the experts don't love: You have to squeeze every drop of value out of this card to make that jaw-dropping $550 annual fee worth your while.

Read more: Chase Sapphire Reserve® review

Best for Luxury Travel Benefits and Airport Lounge Access

The Platinum Card® from American Express has one of the highest rewards card annual fees —  $695 — but it can still be well worth it if you can put all of its statement credits and generous welcome bonus offer to use.

You'll earn 5x points on flights when you book directly through the airline or through American Express Travel (on up to $500,000 per calendar year), which makes the card a great choice for purchasing airfare. The card offers trip cancellation and interruption insurance, plus some of the best purchase protection, so it's a good option for buying expensive items (and don't forget to see if you can take advantage of an Amex Offer ** for bonus points or cash back).

The Platinum Card® from American Express offers more airport lounge access than any other personal travel card — in addition to Priority Pass membership**, you get access to Amex Centurion Lounges , Delta Sky Clubs (when you're flying Delta), and more. 

The card's annual statement credits can go a long way toward offsetting the high annual fee. You get up to $200 in statement credits toward airline incidental fees** like checked bags and inflight purchases; up to $100 each year in credit toward Saks Fifth Avenue purchases**; and up to $200 in annual Uber credits (including Uber Eats)**. 

Just keep in mind that you're limited to one designated airline you choose each year in your Amex account for the airline incidental fee credit, and both the Saks and Uber credits are divided into portions. You'll get up to $50 in statement credits toward Saks purchases from January to June, and another credit of up to $50 for Saks purchases from July to December.

With the Uber credit, you get up to $15 each month, and a $20 bonus in December for a total of $35 that month.

What the experts love:  Lots of luxury benefits, including airport lounge access and statement credits with Uber and Saks

What the experts don't love: This card's $695 annual fee, and minimal bonus categories

Read more: The Platinum Card® from American Express review

How to Choose the Best Travel Credit Card

While it takes more effort to redeem points or miles compared to cash back, the upside is that you can get much more value for your points compared to simply cashing in your rewards for a statement credit or check at a rate of 1 cent per point.

In fact, it's possible to receive double, triple, or even more than that amount when you're strategic about how you redeem your rewards, particularly if you book expensive luxury hotels or first-class flights. 

In this guide, we've focused mostly on the best travel credit cards that earn transferable points. Transferable points include popular currencies such as:

• Amex Membership Rewards
• Chase Ultimate Rewards
• Citi ThankYou Rewards
• Capital One miles

You can transfer these points to both airline and hotel partner loyalty programs. You can even redeem your points to offset the cash price of your travel at a flat rate.

Travel Credit Card Frequently Asked Questions

If you want a single credit card that does it all and don't mind paying a generous annual fee, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® is a great choice. It comes with the best travel insurance available on the market, as well as a $300 travel credit each year that can be used on most types of travel.

The best travel credit card overall is the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, but the best card for your particular situation will depend on what benefits you care about the most, as well as how you feel about paying a high annual fee. 

We'd recommend opening a travel card that earns Amex or Chase points, because these are among the easiest rewards to redeem and you have various travel partners to utilize. But if you've investigated your options and are confident that you can get value out of their rewards, credit cards that earn Capital One miles or Citi ThankYou points can make sense as well.

There are two main types of travel credit cards: Cards that earn transferable points, and airline/hotel co-branded credit cards. Transferable points currencies include Amex Membership Rewards points, Capital One miles, and Chase Ultimate Rewards points.

Airline credit cards and hotel credit cards earn points or miles within a respective hotel or airline program; you don't have the option to redeem your rewards with a wide variety of travel partners (or if you do, the transfer ratio usually isn't great).

To pick the right travel credit card for you, you'll want to evaluate its welcome bonus offer, ease of use, benefits, and annual fee. The best one for you will ideally have a combination of an attractive sign-up bonus , lots of options for earning and redeeming rewards, benefits that save you money, and a low or no annual fee.

Travel credit cards with annual fees are worth it if you're able to get significant value out of their benefits and rewards. Before you apply for a card , make sure you'll actually use all the features that contribute to the card's annual fee. For example, if a card offers an annual statement credit of up to $200 toward travel but you can't use it, you're probably not getting what you pay for.

Travel credit cards work by earning you points (or miles) on every purchase you make, with the goal of helping you earn enough rewards to book free travel . The best travel cards earn points that you can transfer to various airline and hotel partners — like Amex, Chase, or Citi points. 

A great way to work toward getting a free flight is by applying for a travel credit card and earning its welcome bonus offer. Domestic award flights in economy class typically require about 25,000 points, so depending on the welcome bonus offer, you could have enough rewards for a flight right out of the gate. 

Why You Should Trust Us: How We Chose the Best Travel Credit Cards

Business Insider evaluated dozens of travel credit cards currently available to new applicants and narrowed down the list to the best options based on the following factors:

• Welcome bonus offer — Do new cardholders get a valuable incentive to sign up and meet a minimum spending requirement?
• Ongoing rewards — How many points or miles do you earn on your purchases?
• Benefits — Beyond rewards, does the card offer valuable perks such as statement credits for travel, primary car rental insurance, and airport lounge access?
• Annual fee — Is there an annual fee, and if so, is it affordable or easy to offset with card perks?
• Overall value — Does the card justify its annual fee by offering useful benefits and valuable rewards, and is it worth it?

Read our guide to how we rate credit cards for a closer look at our methodology.

Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews, or recommendations expressed in this article are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer. Read our editorial standards .

Please note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they're subject to change at any time and may have changed, or may no longer be available.

**Enrollment required.

Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Trip Delay Insurance, Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance, and Cell Phone Protection Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company. Global Assist Hotline Card Members are responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers. If approved and coordinated by Premium Global Assist Hotline, emergency medical transportation assistance may be provided at no cost. In any other circumstance, Card Members may be responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers. Extended Warranty, Purchase Protection, and Baggage Insurance Plan Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss & Damage Insurance Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.

***Terms, conditions, and exclusions apply. Refer to your Guide to Benefits for more details. Travel Accident Insurance is not guaranteed, it depends on the level of benefits you get at application.

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, please click here.

For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, please click here.

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Please Note - If you are cruising around Australia you need to select Pacific. With Regions, variances can apply for Bali, Indonesia, Japan and Middle East. You are not required to enter stop-over countries if your stop-over is less than 48 hours.

If you don’t know where you’re traveling to within the next 12 months, choose Worldwide to ensure you’re covered no matter where you go. If you’re travelling to multiple countries choose the region that you are visiting that is furthest away (excluding stopovers less than 48 hours). In most cases you will be covered for the closer regions as well. For example, if you choose Europe, you will also be covered in the Middle East, Asia and Pacific.

Worldwide means anywhere in the world

Americas means USA, Canada, South America, Latin America, Hawaii and the Caribbean

Europe means all European countries, including UK

Middle East refers to the area from Syria to Yemen; Egypt to Iran

Asia generally means Asia and the Indian subcontinent. For some insurers this excludes Japan*

Pacific means the South West Pacific, Australia and Indonesia/Bali*. Select Pacific for domestic cruises in New Zealand waters

New Zealand means domestic travel within New Zealand only

*Note: Variances apply for Bali, Indonesia, Japan and Middle East. Check that your destination is covered once directed to your chosen insurer’s site.

Business travel insurance | Cover for corporates

Are you covered by your company when you travel abroad on a business trip? Perhaps you need to organise travel insurance for an employee going oversea? Or maybe you’ve got a group trip and you need a professional policy for lots of staff? If that's you, you've come to the right place!

Corporate travel insurance for professionals covers companies from financial losses occurred by employees during  international and domestic business trips.

Why buy business travel insurance?

Convenience:  Just one policy and you can cover multiple employees in one go

It's tax deductable:  The premium paid by your practice or business may be a legitimate tax deductible expense for business travel

Annual cover: Don't buy cover for every business trip individually. Buy one policy for year-round worldwide travel Cost savings:  The prices on our site are the same and buying direct. We compare insurer’s quotes to help you find a great deal on your corporate travel insurance

Who should buy it?

Small businesses:   Small business owners, shareholders and directors Self-managed super funds: Trustees and fund managers Professional practices:  Principal practice partners, shareholders and directors

Individuals: Staff members who often travel domestically and internationally for meetings

Get a professional travel insurance quote

Looking for cover from the experts? Get business class cover with Professionals Travel Cover .  Your family members are included for free. Both business and leisure travel is allowed. 

What policy should I buy for my business?

Individual business insurance If you’ve just got one employee to arrange cover for, this is the policy you’ll need. You don't need to do anything different to select a business trip on our comparison. You can either chose to buy a single trip policy, or if you know the individual will be going overseas on a regular basis it’s best to buy an annual multi trip policy to cover for unlimited trips over the year. For business trips each journey throughout the year cannot exceed a maximum number of days - usually 90 days is the longest duration. These limits apply to both leisure and business travel. 

Group policy If you’ve got a group of employees to cover, instead of each person buying individual cover, simply buy one policy to cover all travellers. It very important to make sure you know everyone’s medical history as the   group organiser is responsible for answering all the questions on behalf of the whole group.  Before you buy, make sure you know everyone’s name, date of birth and all pre-existing medical conditions . If an employee does have a pre-existing medical condition they might be required to complete a medical questionnaire before the policy can be purchased, depending on what the condition is.

Domestic trips only If business travel is just within Australia you might consider a basic policy or cancellation only policy to cover transport delays and cancellation.

What typically covered?

Medical and hospital expenses Cover in case you are injured or sick while overseas. Includes hospital stays, surgery, dental and prescription drugs.

Luggage and personal effects If your baggage and personal items are lost, stolen, or damaged you would be reimbursed or the items replaced.

Cancellation cover Cover for prepaid travel & accommodation if you need to cancel because of illness, accident, natural disaster or unforeseen circumstance.

Personal liability Provides protection for you being legally liable for injuring other people or causing damage to their property.

Travel delay expenses In the event your transport is delayed due to an unforeseen reason, your accommodation, meals, and transport costs will be covered.

Rental vehicle excess If you hire a car and have an accident, you won't have to pay the excess (this could be as much as $8k!)

Alternative transport If your transport is cancelled on your way to a pre-booked event alternative transportation will be provided.

And much more!

What's usually not?

Older travellers Age restrictions may apply to business travel insurance policies.

Long trips If purchasing annual cover, just like standard frequent traveller insurance, each individual trip may have trip duration limits to pay attention to.

Cancellations Business travel insurance typically does not cover cancellation or shortened trips due to any work-related issues, such as annual leave being cancelled. However, if you, or your travelling companion are made redundant and you were not aware before you purchased your policy you might be eligible for cancellation cover.

Read the small print

We can't stress enough how each insurer's terms and conditions vary dramatically. It's essential that you always read the PDS in full before you purchase your corporate cover to ensure that it is right for your trip. 

Protect your biggest investment - you!

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Our comparison is a free service that allows users to compare quotes in a few simple steps based on limited personal criteria. Comparisons supplied are not a recommendation or opinion about the suitability of a policy for a user. Comparisons are default ranked according to price and users have the ability to sort by popular cover levels. Whilst we compare a vast range of policies, we do not compare all providers in the market. This site compares the following brands: 1Cover, AllClear, Budget Direct, Downunder, Fast Cover Travel Insurance, Insure4Less, InsureandGo, iTrek, Simply Travel Insurance, Ski-Insurance, Travel Insurance Saver, Travel Insuranz, Wise Traveller, Zoom Travel Insurance . The directors and shareholders are common with companies i-Trek Pty Ltd, Zoom Travel Insurance and 1Cover Pty Ltd including it’s subsidiary brand Ski-insurance. CoverDirect takes all reasonable care when preparing this information but does not warrant its accuracy. Pricing information is supplied by the providers who participate on this site and should be verified with the insurer before you purchase. This site links users to the website of the provider to verify quotes and access the relevant PDS to understand what is, and is not, covered by a policy prior to purchase.

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Money blog: Smoke machines deployed in Tesco; big inflation moment forecast for tomorrow

The Money blog brings you personal finance and consumer news, plus all the latest on the economy. Let us know your thoughts on any of the stories we're covering in the comments box below.

Tuesday 18 June 2024 15:13, UK

• Big inflation moment forecast for tomorrow
• Fury as tickets for rock band halved due to poor sales - after many had already paid hundreds
• Smoke machines deployed in Tesco to fight break-ins
• London overtakes Paris to become Europe's largest stock exchange

Essential reads

• 'One guy wanted to rent my room for a few hours to meet a friend...' What I learnt from putting my home on Airbnb
• Women in Business : 'How I went from mum with no qualifications to owner of big law firm'
• Money Problem : 'My fence is damaged due to weeds on my neighbour's side - but they're not interested'
• Holiday money - where to buy it, how to avoid fees, and one thing you must not do
• Best of the Money blog - an archive

Ask a question or make a comment

An electric vehicle company looking to rival Tesla has filed for bankruptcy amid a wider sales slump in the industry. 

Fisker filed a bankruptcy petition in Delaware yesterday after after failing to secure investment, announcing weaker-than-expected earnings and plans to cut 15% of its workforce.

The company, started by James Bond car designer Henrik Fisker, announced plans in March to cut prices by as much as 39%, while its share price has plummeted by 99% in recent days.

This comes as electric vehicle sales in the US and Europe continue to drop. 

Smoke machines are the latest gadgets being introduced into supermarket shops to fight crime.

Tesco has deployed them in some stores to stop thieves breaking in after-hours, Sky News understands.

The 4ft security machines - arranged on the shop floor after closing -  fill the room with a dense fog if motion detectors are tripped.

"Warning: You're being watched. Smoke screen security fog in operation," reads a message on the front of the device, which is fitted with a CCTV camera.

Sky News understands the unit pictured above was not plugged in and has been removed after being mistakenly left out during opening times.

While the deterrent has been rolled out in some high-risk branches, they are not part of a universal policy.

Tesco has declined to comment.

Basically... it's a little "what it says on the tin", but an interest-only mortgage is an agreement where you pay only the interest owed on your loan each month.

Popular in the 1980s and 90s, and peaking just before the 2008 financial crisis, interest-only mortgages benefit those who are trying to keep their monthly payments down in the short term.

How does an interest-only mortgage work?

You only pay off the interest on the amount you borrow - not the loan itself.

This differs from more common repayment mortgages which see you pay off the interest and some of the capital on your home each month, eventually leading to the mortgage being paid off at the end of the term.

With interest-only, you'll have to pay off the total amount borrowed in full at the end of your mortgage term using savings, investments or other assets.

You can also find temporary arrangements if you are struggling financially.

Example:  You're looking at a house which requires you to borrow £100,000 over 25 years with a fixed interest rate of 3.5%.

Imagining this interest rate stays the same for the whole term, on a repayment mortgage plan your monthly cost would be  £501 , while on interest-only it would be significantly lower at  £292 .

The interest-only option is great for those who want to keep their outgoings in check - but it does mean that, as the capital isn't being paid down, the amount of interest ends up being higher than on the full repayment plan.

Therefore someone on an interest-only deal would owe  £187,579  (£87,579 interest plus £100,000 loan capital outstanding), while a repayment deal would see them pay back  £150,238  (£100,000 loan capital fully paid off plus £50,238 interest).

How easy are they to come by? 

As we touched on earlier, prior to the 2008 financial crisis interest-only mortgages were much easier to get hold of - some 40% of all mortgages taken out were interest-only around this time.

But the crash revealed that many loans were at risk with customers who would struggle to pay off the full loan later down the line.

Affordability criteria were introduced as a result, which caused their popularity to sharply decline. It's now quite difficult to borrow on an interest-only basis, with not all lenders offering them as an option.

Those that do will have strict terms, such as a high deposit and an approved plan to pay the loan back at the end of the term.

Research by the Financial Conduct Authority in August last year revealed that the number of interest-only and part-interest-only mortgages had halved since 2015.

What are the benefits? 

The biggie with interest-only mortgages is the reduced monthly payments, which can provide you with a financial safety net if you go through times when you're earning less.

There's also a chance that if you're in your property for a long time, you could sell it for more than you paid for it, meaning you've built up equity to help you pay off the lump sump.

What about the downsides?

You're not paying off any of the loan as you go, meaning you're not building up that equity that you would do with a repayment mortgage. You'll also end up paying more interest due to not making a dent in the capital.

Interest-only also means you need a solid plan for paying it off at the end of the term - this may include constant monitoring of investments and being strict with yourself to ensure you're putting money aside. With a repayment plan you don't need to think about this element.

Read other entries in our Basically series...

An invitation-only "Diamond" Deliveroo subscription has launched, offering priority delivery, dedicated customer care teams and access to restaurants unavailable to other consumers.

For £19.99 per month, users get 10% credit back on orders of £30 or more and an on-time promise - meaning if an order arrives more than 15 minutes late, customers get their money back.

Only the very top users of the app will be invited to subscribe - with members estimated to spend three times as much as regular customers and twice as likely to try a restaurant that was new to the platform.

"The enhanced loyalty programme will play an important role in driving growth for Deliveroo," the company said.

By James Sillars , business reporter

We're entering what could be the most crucial 48 hours of the election campaign for the economy.

There are two closely watched events ahead: the inflation figures for May (released early tomorrow morning), followed the next day by the Bank of England's last interest rate decision before polling day.

The latter hinges on the former, in terms of potential excitement.

The consensus view is that the rate of inflation will ease back to the Bank of England's target of 2% for the first time since spring 2021.

That should be enough for the Bank of England to act the following day, you may well think. Job done?

Borrowers across the country are crying out for a rate cut after several false dawns in the fixed-rate mortgage market since we first really started talking about the prospects for rate cuts at the start of the year.

A reduction from 5.25% to 5% by the independent central bank would also be welcome for the Conservatives.

But here's where, from the view of economists and financial markets, the fairy tale for voters and the government hangs in the balance.

Even if the inflation rate hits the Bank of England's target this week, just 9% of the market currently expects the Bank of England to cut on Thursday.

That figure could change if the inflation number comes in lower than expected but the prediction is based on the future path for inflation rather than the present number.

Bank policymakers have repeatedly voiced worries over indicators showing a pick-up in the pace of price increases during the second half of the year.

They are concerned too that wage growth, running stubbornly at 6% annually at the moment, risks stoking demand in the economy and therefore inflation further.

Without these factors falling out of consideration, the majority on the rate-setting committee will likely continue to say it's too early to release the chokehold on inflation.

There is also a school of thought that the Bank would be reluctant to act during an election campaign.

So, these two events ahead are unlikely to rock the boat politically, or light up your finances to the extent the Bank of England has seen enough to fire the starting gun.

There is certainly the chance of a surprise on Thursday but it would take a pretty big shift for that pistol to light up the race for Number 10.

A London fish and chip shop has been named in the top 100 best cheap eats in Europe.

The Mayfair Chippy comes in at 87 in the respected  Opinionated About Dining list - which is widely shared by top chefs and which draws conclusions based on tens of thousands of reviews from foodies.

As far as chippies go, Mayfair isn't actually that cheap - a cod and chips will set you back over £19...

The top UK entry is bakery Fabrique at 25 - and most things in its central London branches cost less than a fiver.

Pollen Bakery in Manchester, where you can easily eat for less than £10, is at 54 - with St John's Bakery (Neals Yard), in London, famous for its donuts, is at 57.

Jolene bakery in Newington Green, London, which has a daily changing menu, is at 59 - ahead of ramen joint Kanada-Ya, which has branches in Angel, Soho and Covent Garden.

Lots of other London eateries make the lower end of the top 100 - which is topped by Oslo coffee bar Tim Wendelboe.

What's your favourite cheap eat across the UK? Tell us in the comments box and we may follow this up later

By Daniel Binns, business reporter

The stock market in London has crept up slightly this morning as investors wait for tomorrow's inflation data - followed by Thursday's interest rate decision by the Bank of England.

The figures will be the last major economic indicators to be released ahead of July's general election.

Commentators expect inflation to fall to the Bank's target of 2% on Wednesday, according to a poll of economists by Reuters.

While an interest rate cut is not expected this week, the forecast drop in inflation will help pave the way for a rate cut in August, experts say.

Fiona Cincotta, a senior market analyst at City Index, said investors were keenly waiting for tomorrow's data - but said there was a "sense of optimism".

Overall, the FTSE 100 is up almost 0.4% this morning, while the FTSE 250 has increased by just over 0.5%.

Among the top gainers is Whitbread, which owns brands such as Premier Inn. The hospitality firm is up nearly 4% after reporting its results for the first quarter.

Whitbread said sales rose 1% to £739m and that its performance was in line with expectations.

At the other end of the scale, industrial equipment rental company Ashtead Group has slipped nearly 4% after the firm downgraded its growth forecast.

On the currency markets, £1 buys $1.27 US or €1.18, similar to Monday.

The cost of oil is up this morning, with a barrel of Brent Crude priced at almost $84 (£66).

Just 18% of companies in the UK are led by women, and while data suggests female entrepreneurs are on the rise, men still receive more funding and are entrusted with higher average loans to get them started.

In an eight-part series every Tuesday, Money blog reporter Jess Sharp speaks to women who are bossing it in their respective fields - hearing their stories, struggles and advice for those who want to follow in their footsteps.

This week, she has spoken to Teresa Payne, the managing partner of law firm Parfitt Cresswell...

Teresa Payne's route to success was far from traditional.

Now the owner of the successful Parfitt and Cresswell, with offices in London, Berkshire, Surrey, Sussex and Kent, Teresa's journey started in a small mining town in south Wales.

Growing up in a working class family, she left school at 16 with no qualifications, and "low expectations" for her future. 

A few years later, in 1987, while in her early 20s, she gave birth to her son and got married.

It wasn't until around six years later that she got the idea to train as a lawyer - an idea that came from her own divorce. 

"It was because of the really poor experience with my solicitor that I started looking into how I could do it myself and that triggered my interest in law", the 57-year-old said.

'The life-changing moment'

But, obviously, she faced the "big barrier" of having no qualifications.

For her, the answer came in 1996 when she found an access to law course.

"That was a real life change because it opened up the door of possibilities for me," she said. 

"When you leave school without any qualifications, and come from a more working class background, it's very hard to be what you can't see," she added. 

Eventually, she made it to Cardiff University, her young son in tow, and "pushed through" as a mature student. It was here she came up against another challenge...

'You'd be better in hospitality'

After getting her degree, she was required to take another course - called the Legal Practice Course, and she sought help from her male tutor, who told her she was too old to take the next step. 

Recalling the conversation, Teresa said she was told: "You're a mature student, you're older, you're a single mum and you haven't got much chance.

"Instead, he suggested that hospitality would be a good alternative and I would do well there. 

"He said it in such a caring way. Now we would call it unconscious bias," she said. 

Undefeated and determined to stay on the path she wanted, Teresa eventually qualified as a lawyer in 2004. 

Three years later, she had her own firm. 

'There was a major panic'

"I really wanted to do my own thing, sort of create my own world," she said as she retold the story of how she came across Parfitt Cresswell in Fulham Broadway, discovered the managing partner was retiring and offered to buy the business from him.

She didn't have a lot of money saved, so she borrowed from a "couple of lenders". 

"At the time, it was such a big deal because you are borrowing a substantial amount of money in a personal capacity. It became very tricky in the major economic downturn of 2008," she said. 

"There was this major panic of 'oh my goodness, what have I done'. When I look back, though, I'm glad I did it."

When the financial crash hit, Parfitt Cresswell was more than 50% property focused and work "dried out practically overnight", she said. 

"It made me realise that actually work diversity was so important," Teresa said, adding that she eventually expanded the company's family law sector, and introduced private client work. 

The challenges

One of the first challenges, in the early days of her career, was childcare, but Teresa said she was very lucky to have supportive and helpful parents.

"It is a tough balance, particularly when you're running your own business because it's not 9am to 5pm," she said.

"For me, I would try to carve out time for us to have together. When I just couldn't do that, my parents were there, so he has a tremendous relationship with them." 

Without support, she said childcare can be "prohibitive" for anyone working or studying. 

In the later stages of her career, dealing with conflict became another obstacle. 

She said "societal expectations" left women with a natural reaction to just "keep the peace" when an argument occurs, but that isn't an option in business.  

"I learnt early on that doesn't work, because it flares up and then there is a tendency to let our emotions get in the way," she said. 

'We are worthy to be there' - Teresa's top tips 

One of Teresa's top tips is to deal with any issues that come up head on and figuring out a way to move on. 

"In some cases it is difficult to get past it, but in others you can and then you have actually set the bar for what is acceptable," she said. 

"We teach people how to treat us. So when you walk in a room, bring your presence, expect people to treat you well and don't apologise for being there as if you are not worthy. 

"We are worthy to be there, you've got to own that spot." 

Practically, she said women who want to get into law should start by getting some work experience. 

For those studying, she advised doing some pro bono work, saying she volunteered for Citizens Advice. 

Not only does it look good to employers in terms of soft skills and understanding the business, but it helps people to work out if it is actually a profession they will enjoy. 

Getting a mentor is also helpful, Teresa added - a "huge asset". 

Despite some preconceptions about lawyers, Teresa stressed that a person's background doesn't matter- as long as they "bring something to the table". 

"You may hit a wall in some places, there are many places that will welcome you. There will be people who want to help you get in and get qualified." 

Pearl Jam fans have been left upset after paying for tickets to see the band - only for the price to be cut in half less than two weeks before the show. 

The '90s grunge group will stop off at Tottenham Hotspur's ground as part of their Dark Matter World Tour on 29 June. 

When the tickets first went on sale, seated tickets reportedly started at an eyewatering £125, but in recent weeks these have been reduced to £49.20. 

LiveNation adverts have been appearing on social media encouraging fans to get tickets now they have been cut in price. 

For those who weren't willing to splash out to see the group, the more than 50% price cut will be welcome news. 

But for those who did, the move has been seen as "unfair". 

Some took to the comments of a LiveNation Facebook post to vent their frustrations. 

"Happy to see this show being poorly attended given the ridiculous prices that were being charged," one user said. 

"Pricing has come back to bite you big time on this disaster," added another. 

One asked if LiveNation was going to refund the difference to "all the mugs" who bought tickets at full price. 

Another person was upset because they were no longer able to make the gig, and were having their sell their tickets at a loss. 

"The most unfair move from Ticketmaster- especially for people like me who bought them full price and cannot go any more," Gianluca Rossato said. 

"Now I will need to sell the tickets at a huge loss. Very nice move, Ticketmaster United Kingdom! Customer-centric as usual." 

Sky News has contacted LiveNation and Ticketmaster for comment. 

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