Sam Chui

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What is it really like to travel and fly out of Dubai during this moment? Join me on a 16-hour transpolar journey from Dubai to San Francisco in Emirates First Class on the Airbus A380.

I begin my trip inside the Emirates First Class Lounge at Dubai Airport, where the food selection is incredible. Taking the airside train to Concourse A, I was surprised to see more travelers returning than expected, although the airport was still quieter than usual.

Today’s Emirates flight to San Francisco was operated by the A380, with Economy Class around 50% full, while Business and First Class were nearly full. Emirates First Class has been featured many times, yet somehow, it never gets old. The original suite debuted over 20 years ago on the Airbus A340-500, and the product has continued to evolve with larger screens, updated interiors, and refined finishes.

Because of current regional airspace restrictions, our route to San Francisco took a major detour, adding nearly an extra hour of flying time. Instead of flying through the Strait of Hormuz and Iranian airspace, we headed east over the Gulf of Oman, Pakistan, and Central Asia before entering Russian airspace and crossing over the North Pole.

The scenery along the way was absolutely breathtaking — endless snow-covered mountains, frozen lakes, and untouched wilderness. The entire 16-hour flight is during the daytime. The sun didn’t go down for one second.

And of course, the Emirates First Class experience itself was exceptional: unlimited caviar, smoked trout, sea bass, vintage 2011 Château Lafite, and the famous onboard shower spa before landing in San Francisco.

During the flight, I also shared the latest scenes from Dubai, including the atmosphere in hotels, malls, and tourist areas, along with my thoughts on when tourism may recover and a different perception of the conflict.

This report is based on my personal travel experience on April 27. The UAE has since announced the full resumption of air traffic operations.

Aviation has always been about bringing people together — and hopefully, the skies ahead will remain peaceful and open. Thanks for watching!