DXB Emirates First Class Lounge A

May 2022

Emirates First Class Lounge Dubai in the A Gate concourse

Our flight from Narita arrived DXB on time at 4:45am and we were at Gate B11 a few minutes later. As is now the norm, Emirates First Class representatives were waiting at the gate for First Class passengers.

Our rep escorted the three of us who were connecting by golf cart.

And then by foot through the vast DXB terminal.

To the A gate complex and the First Class Lounge.

This massive lounge spans the upper level of the entire mile long A Gate concourse.

Checking out today's wine offerings to see if there are any gems today. Meh, not so much.

Solid but no wows today.

Time to head for the Emirates First Class Lounge Fine Dining restaurant.

Although the menu was largely breakfast, Emirates recognizes that it's passengers are from all over the globe and to some of us, it's dinner time to our bodies.

The current Emirates First Class Lounge menu...

Since my body thinks it is dinner time, dinner it is... the Wagyu beef tenderloin with steak fries and hollandaise as they did not have bearnaise today.

OMG, this was fabulous.

At around T-60, I headed out to the far end of the lounge and Gate A7...

Instagram video of the Emirates First Class Lounge in the A gates.

February 2018

Once inside the terminal, you quickly realize that just after midnight is prime time at DXB as thousands of pax arrive and move to their connecting flights.

Our DXB-AMM was still more that 7 hours away and did not have a posted gate. We decided to take the train to the A concourse and the massive First Class Lounge.

I'd forgotten how massive the lounge is spanning the entire length of the concourse, perhaps a mile long with multiple lounge areas, restaurants, bars, work areas and retails outlets.

My office for the night.

Around 2am, we decided that it was time for dinner or lunch or whatever meal our body tells us it is, and headed for the nearest fine dining restaurant.

Loads of serve yourself options.

But we opted for proper sit down order from the menu service.

batmandds started with the Tuna Carpaccio.

I had the excellent Oriental Wrap.

We both had the Chicken Pahadi Kebab which was fabulous.

For dessert, my Sticky Date Pudding was delicious.

And even better with the creme anglaise.

Just over the railing by our table, a creative way to spend the night...

Back to the office at 3:30am or so and good news, our gate is posted and it is an A gate... although a bus gate, but still in the same concourse we're in.

October 2013

The Emirates First Class Lounge at DXB T3
Upon deplaning, a distinctly non First Class experience. There was no First Class meet and greet, no EK representative nor signs for much of anything. Also, precious few flight/gate monitors. And since our flight was not for 6 hours, there was no indication of what gate or what terminal. No EK representative. No signs to Terminal 3. No priority security. No clue where to go. It's OK if you know the layout. But having only been here one time before, arriving and departing from Terminal 3, not so much. I knew I wanted to go to Terminal 3 but our choices were A, B or C, not 1, 2 or 3. We eventually found the First Class lounge for the B gates, but it was clearly the old one. We did finally get the info I wanted... our JNB gate was A4 and the Terminal 3 is the A gates. Jeez, is it that difficult?? Back down to the train and finally to T3 and the largest First Class Lounge on the planet.

Since we both declined the on board shower, our first stop was to get a shower... yet another distinctly un-first class experience. I can put up with a small and cramped shower rooms, but no ventilation or air conditioning in the shower rooms not so much. And the shower temp setting are either hot or scalding hot. It was so hot that one needed a shower after you got done with the shower. When you have to open your shower room door to get some cool air, something is wrong. Not even close to LH or TG shower standards, or even AA for that matter.

It took 15 minutes after the shower to cool down and become comfortable again. Next on the agenda was food... breakfast, although lunch would have nicer. But is was only 9AM and we didn't want to wait until the lunch was served.

After breakfast, we headed for the Quiet room and set up camp for the next few hours, where we were the only customers today. With padded walls, this place is eerily quiet, with no announcements or interruptions save for the call to prayer.

While Mrs. SFO napped, I decided to head out and explore this amazing facility, turning left to go to one end.

The other side of the Fine Dining room.

And the adjacent game room.

To a huge lounge adjacent to a number of gates (including our A4) at one end of the terminal.

Our Gate A4, still four hours to go.

Looking down on main concourse shopping area

And walking down the other side and the long straightaway easily 1km to the other end of the lounge.

Even a room for the little rugrats...

More seating and the business centre.

Back towards the middle of the lounge and the FCL's own duty free store.

Now on the left side of the terminal which is pretty much a duplicate of the right side. Another business centre.

One of many bars in the lounge.

With a huge lounge at the other end, same size as the first one.

Turning the corner and heading back...

Another game room.

Another Fine Dining room.

Another set of showers, no doubt as AC-free as the one we used.

One of two Cigar Lounges, comfy seating and full food menu service.

Many of the gates have their own private lounge and prayer room, with elevator access to the jet bridge (for the A380) and the departure area for other flights.