The feeling that you are about to embark on an otherworldly flying experience begins from the moment you step onboard flight EK 204 from JFK to Dubai and make your way up the grand staircase that leads to the upper deck — home of the Airbus A380’s
first- and business-class cabins.

My seat, 16K, is like a private compartment, with a well-planned living space surrounding the seat. There are three large storage compartments between the seat and the window, each large enough to fit a laptop bag, as well as a shoe storage area under the footrest. Next to the seat is a side desk with its own minibar stocked with sparking water, soda, fruit juice and posh Voss water.

The large brown Bvlgari branded in-flight comfort kit on my seat contains a box of Bvlgari amenities (body lotion, aftershave emulsion and cologne), as well as high-quality shaving razor, Gillette shaving foam and Rexona antiperspirant. There’s also toothpaste and a brush, tissues and a comb.

There is no better way to start this experience than enjoying the Veuve Clicquot Gold Label 2004, which is offered as soon as I’m seated. As well as the bubbly, the in-flight wine list includes whites from Galicia and Napa, reds from Médoc and Mendoza and a 20-year-old Tawny Port.

There are three food services during the flight; lunch, afternoon snack and breakfast. The time difference between New York and Dubai and the direction of the flight means that the sun disappears behind you shortly after take-off and night falls fast, effectively turning lunch into dinner.

One drawback of having 76 Business Class seats in the upper deck is the time it takes to serve meals. It’s well over an hour after the impeccably pressed white tablecloths are laid that they are cleared away at the end of the meal. Fortunately there is plenty to keep you occupied during that time.

Much has been said about Emirates’ ICE in-flight entertainment system, which was awarded the number-one spot for ‘World’s Best Inflight Entertainment’ in the Skytrax World Airline Awards this year. You can navigate the 1,500 channels of entertainment via a wireless control unit that slots nicely into the desk area, or via the in-seat controls.

The movie selection is current and vast, but it is the encyclopaedic music selection that really impresses me. There is no better accompaniment to those moments of reflection when you take a break from work or movie-watching to gaze out of the window than one of the catalogue of albums available, which span the 1950s until today.

When the nostalgia gets too much, the Onboard Lounge provides suitable diversion. As well as the novelty of being able to spend time at a real bar during your 12-and-a-half-hour flight, the selection of premium wines and spirits and gourmet snacks makes it a real luxury treat.

If you’re not sat next to your travelling companion, it’s great fun to arrange to meet up in the lounge at a certain point during the flight, and if you’re travelling alone, other passengers or a smiling crew-member are always around to chat with.

All in all, the experience is similar to being part of a private members’ club; you feel at home in your own private space when you’re sat down, but you can also mingle and network with other passengers when you want to.

The onboard WiFi (from US $7.50 for tablets and laptops) means you’re never far from the office, and there was a welcome absence of crying children in the upper deck during this flight.

I always think that the sign of a good flight is when you feel a pang of disappointment when you wake up and the captain announces that you have started your descent. This was definitely the case on this flight.

Fortunately a good cup of coffee was enough to rouse me from my melancholy and I arrived in Dubai right on time, well-rested and ready for a day in the office, but immediately looking forward to my next Emirates Business Class flight.

FLIGHT INFORMATION

Airline: Emirates
Flight: EK 204 
Seat: 16K
Aircraft: Airbus A380-800
From: New York (JFK)
To: Dubai (DXB)
Departs: 11.20*
Arrives: 07.50**
Total flight time: 12hrs 30 mins
Cost: from AED 24,405 (US $6,644) return

*Times shown are those in the respective destination.
**Next day.