Emirates Economy Review: Boeing 777 (Singapore to Dubai, EK315)

As one of the world’s most recognisable airlines, Emirates has long been on my aviation bucket list. Whether flying in their ultra-luxe First Class or back in Economy, I’ve always been curious: does the airline live up to the hype? On this trip, I finally got my chance to find out. Flying Emirates Economy on both a Boeing 777 and an Airbus A380 as part of our journey home from Singapore, with a short layover in Dubai, this is the first part of that review.

Our Emirates plane sunbathing in the heat of Singapore

Emirates Economy Review: Boeing 777 (Singapore to Dubai)

How Did We Book?

Points are always front of our mind when booking trips. This holiday was booked about a month in advance, and while looking at our options for getting back to London, we found an absolute steal of a deal, paying only £297 each. This fare included a bag, but no seat selection. As we booked one way departing Singapore, we paid for this ticket in Singapore Dollars. To get the best exchange rate and points for our money, we used a Hilton Honors Plus debit card, getting us 3 Hilton Honors point per £1 spent, thus netting us 1,782 Hilton Honors points.

Apply for the Hilton Honors Plus debit card before 14th August to get an uplifted bonus of 30,000 Hilton Honors points instead of the usual 10,000. Click here to find out more.

First Impressions and Boarding

Flying out of Singapore Changi Airport, the pre-boarding process was mostly smooth, but not without quirks. One detail worth noting is that, like many airports in Asia, Changi places its security screening at the gate itself. This means you aren’t screened when entering the terminal, but rather just before boarding the aircraft. In many ways, this is quite convenient - you can carry liquids purchased after immigration, including duty-free items. However, there’s a catch: any drinks you’re carrying (like a water bottle you just paid for) must be empty by the time you reach the gate. This caught us out previously in Kuala Lumpur, where there were no water fountains beyond the checkpoint. Thankfully, Changi did offer a fountain at the gate, so we could refill our bottles before getting on board.

Once onboard it was extremely hot

Once we boarded, we were immediately hit with an overwhelming wave of heat. I don’t think I’ve ever stepped onto a plane that felt so hot. Thankfully, the overhead air vents kicked in around ten minutes later, and by the time we pushed back, the cabin was comfortably cool. The crew were clearly aware of the heat issue and came around offering cups of water to help passengers stay hydrated, an appreciated touch.

Thankfully the plane started to cool down a little once the air con was on

With departure scheduled for 10:35, boarding was conducted efficiently, and we were all on board by 10:20, with the safety videos played at 10:20 (Arabic) and then 10:25 (English). We pushed back at 10:34 and were soaring up in to the air as we took off at 10:47. 

Cabin Design and Seating

Settling into our seats, the first thing that stood out was how dated the cabin felt. The carpets, upholstery, and seat hardware looked like they hadn’t had a refresh in well over a decade. It wasn’t exactly falling apart, but it definitely lacked the polished look I expected from this airline. I’ve never been a massive fan of how the Emirates cabins look, but assumed that was just down to the fact that I was looking at them on a screen, and that they weren’t translating well in that format.

The product was dated, but comfortable and clean

Despite the retro interior, the seating was of an ok size for me at 5ft2. We had a row of three seats to ourselves, which made a big difference to our comfort. Legroom was ok for me but pretty tight for Sam. I chose the aisle seat (being someone who always needs to nip to the loo), while Sam took the window for filming purposes. Each seat came equipped with a USB port, and curiously, the middle seat even had an ethernet port, though what anyone would do with that in 2025, I’m not sure! Most important of all is the fact that whilst the cabin is certainly dated, it was very clean throughout Economy, as well as the bathrooms.

Tray table was solid and a good size

One feature I really appreciated was the design of the foldable tray table. It could be used at half-size, which is great if you only want to place a drink or snack on it without having the full table down in front of you. However, this comfort vanished once the passenger in front reclined their seat fully. Although the seat pitch is generous when upright, once reclined, there’s barely any room to move. Using a laptop becomes more of a balancing act than a practical experience.

In-Flight Entertainment (ICE)

Emirates’ entertainment system, known as ICE, is widely advertised as one of the best in the skies. The content was good, but weirdly there was way less on offer film and TV wise than on the A380 which had the full Lord of the Rings trilogy … I was delighted! The hardware on the other hand was really quite poor. I know I complained about the hand held device on British Airways being less touch screen and more punch screen, but this one?

The IFE left a lot to be desired

Well the screen on this one was so unresponsive you basically had to kick the screen to get it to work! The screen was also pretty small by today’s standards and had ineffective brightness and clarity. There was a handheld remote controller as well, which worked slightly better, but it too felt like something from another era.

I watched Lee, which was fantastic, although the screen’s poor brightness meant I’ll probably rewatch it at home to fully appreciate the visuals.

Wi-Fi Options for All

Wi-Fi on a plane is always rather nice, whether it's for keeping up to date with news, working away on your laptop or messaging your loved ones. When it's free, its a great asset.

Emirates offered three levels of Wi-Fi package:

Text Only Chat For App Messaging: This was free for Emirates Skywards members. Sam used this for messaging and said that it worked perfectly well. As it says on the tin, this is text only. He did try sending an image which naturally didn't get through to the recipient until we landed in Dubai.

With three different options there were Wi-Fi Packages for everyone

Quick Connect for 30 Minutes: This can be purchased by any at $9.99 (USD). This does not cover streaming services such as Netflix or YouTube, as well as other high bandwidth services due to the limited aircraft bandwidth.

Stay Connected Until We Land: This could be purchased at $19.99 (USD). Ideal for web browsing, email and social media apps, this package ends once landed and cannot be used on a connecting flight.

Meal Service - A Mixed Bag

I had pre-ordered a vegan meal for this flight, and overall, it was a mixed bag. The meal began with a chickpea and sweet potato salad, which unfortunately was quite bland and needed a decent amount of salt to come to life. The main course, however, was a delicious surprise: a cauliflower dish sitting atop a rich, flavourful mushroom base. This was the standout dish of the entire meal and one I’d gladly eat again. Dessert, on the other hand, was the usual disappointment I’ve come to expect from vegan options on planes. It was some sort of jelly, tasty in flavour but texturally awful. It had a grainy consistency that made it pretty unpleasant to eat, which was a shame.

My meal was a mixed bag, with a great main dish but a slightly gross dessert

Sam’s standard meal offered a mixed experience with some great elements and others that fell short. The potato and chicken salad was pleasant and moist, simple, but satisfying. The lamb satay had a nice, well-balanced flavour, though the rice served alongside was a little dry. A more generous serving of sauce would have enhanced the dish and brought it all together. The chocolate mousse was acceptable, but the flavour was quite basic, and didn’t leave a lasting impression.

Sam's meal consisted mostly of chocolate!

And as if that wasn't enough chocolate for one meal, they also gave Sam a KitKat, a chocolate cookie and an Emirates chocolate... naturally I didn't get any of this with my Vegan meal!

Apparently the only way to get yourself through an Emirates flight is with chocolate and E Numbers

One touch that really elevated the experience was the printed menu distributed to every passenger. While those who ordered special meals didn’t receive the same menu items, it was still a lovely gesture and added a bit of occasion to the meal service.

A paper menu, even in Economy, is such a lovely touch

Service timing was efficient, if a little staggered. Kids received their meals first, followed by special meals like mine, and finally, the general cabin. Drink rounds were also spaced throughout the flight, with a final snack and juice service before descent.

The crew were often coming around with drinks and top ups ... as you can see from the tray table on the right who went through 6 mini bottles of whisky (with no mixers) during the flight

Our pre-arrival snack were these kid of savoury hot pockets. I had a vegan one which was delicious, and for the purpose of research and thanks to me having stuffed my face with the vegan one we also ordered the two options on the menu which were a Butter Chicken Puff and a Spinach and Mushroom Puff. The butter chicken, encased in pastry, was reminiscent of an empanada, with a mildly spiced filling, whilst the spinach one evoked the feel of a Greek spanakopita, though it lacked the distinctive tanginess of feta cheese, which might have given it more character. Both were really rather delicious. It also came with a chocolate muffin, lucky Sam! For science, he decided he must eat them all... Although it was dense and stodgy, missing the lightness and moisture expected from a good baked treat. There was a not a sweet alternative for me which would have been nice.

The two "Puff" options on the menu

Helena's vegan puff

The Butter Chicken Puff

Additional Cabin Service and Atmosphere

Throughout the flight, the cabin crew were polite and efficient. There wasn’t much small talk or warmth, but they completed their tasks quickly and professionally. I especially appreciated how they catered to children on board, handing out toys and even taking Polaroid-style photos of them as a keepsake. It was a sweet touch that clearly delighted the younger passengers and their parents.

The crew were also flexible when it came to seat changes. Several passengers were able to move into free rows, creating a more comfortable and relaxed environment for everyone.

One oddity was that the crew began collecting blankets and headphones around 25 minutes before landing. While I understand the need to tidy up the cabin, it felt abrupt - particularly taking away headphones while the entertainment system was still running.

Cabin announcements were made first in Arabic and then in English, as is standard for Emirates. The safety video made a point of saying they don’t use celebrities or comedians, preferring to focus on clear and serious messaging. Ironically, despite their no-frills approach, I noticed very few people actually watching the video. Without wanting to brag or sound obnoxious, it is something that both Sam and I always stop and watch whether it is a video or a crew demonstration. Even with all the flying that we have done you never know when there might be an emergency and forewarned is forearmed. Each plane is different, and each airline is different too. So regardless of how much you may want to keep reading your book or listening to your music, always watch the safety demonstration.

Final Thoughts – Does Emirates Economy Live Up to the Hype?

So, is Emirates Economy all it’s cracked up to be? Honestly, not entirely, especially not on the Boeing 777. The experience had some strong positives: spacious seating, decent legroom, a thoughtful kids’ programme, a good food selection, and an average library of in-flight entertainment options.

Landing in Dubai to glorious blue skies

However, the overall product feels like it’s in dire need of a refresh. The cabin interiors are dated, the entertainment hardware is frustratingly poor, and the service, while competent, lacked the warmth and finesse that sets world-class carriers apart. 

That said, I would fly Emirates Economy again. It’s a solid long-haul product, especially when you’re lucky enough to have a row to yourself. Just don’t go in expecting magic. 

Helena