Last Update: April 12, 2025.
Emirates stands out as a prominent global airline, celebrated for its outstanding first-class suites and diverse cabin amenities. However, navigating this experience requires some insights. This guide aims to assist you in recognizing whether your flight operates on an Emirates’ game changer 777 aircraft.
In the event it doesn’t feature the Emirates game changer cabin, I’ll provide information on identifying alternative planes that have undergone recent retrofitting. That way you can ensure you enjoy a flying experience that reflects value for money.
There is nothing worse than paying good money or spending your hard earnt miles only to be dumped onto an aircraft that feels like the interior is going to fall apart.
So if you’ve arrived here, chances are you’ve heard about Emirates’ ground-breaking first class known as the game changer.
Here’s what we will cover:
- What is the Emirates First Class Game Changer?
- Emirates Game Changer Routes – Where does it fly?
- Aircraft Registration Codes
- How can you tell you are flying on the Game Changer?
- Why it’s important to know the aircraft you are flying on
- Alternatives if your route doesn’t fly the Game Changer
What is the Emirates First Class Suites Game Changer?
In late 2018, Emirates introduced its latest Boeing 777-300ER, featuring fully enclosed private suites inspired by Mercedes Benz.
These private suites provide 40 square feet of personal space, arranged in a 1-1-1 configuration with only 6 suites in the entire cabin. The fully flat bed adopts a zero gravity position inspired by NASA technology, and for the middle seats, there are virtual windows – a first in the airline industry. Using real-time camera technology, passengers can enjoy the view outside, similar to a regular window. Additional features include a video call function to communicate with cabin crew, and binoculars for those who want to maximize their sky experience. This is by far one of the coolest airline features I have ever seen.
Exploring the suite’s features can easily occupy hours. With options for mood lighting, floor lighting, suite lighting control, and the ability to choose the temperature of your suite, the experience is customizable. The seat offers various functions, and at the front of your suite, there’s a mini bar stocked with snacks and refreshments. Personal amenities, including a closet with hangers, and pyjama’s and amenity kits that come standard. There is also a luggage cabinet where you can store your onboard baggage. Just ensure you are aware of the Emirates carry-on baggage allowance.
What About The Rest of the Cabin?
For the rest of the cabin, these newly refurbished aircrafts feature newly-designed seats and upgraded in-flight entertainment. All of the 777’s game changers have now had a nose to tail cabin upgrade which includes the removal of the dreaded 2-3-2 business class and the addition of premium economy. The color palettes are soft, and the seats are ergonomically designed.
Business Class on the Emirates 777-300ER Game Changer
Premium Economy on the Emirates 777-300ER Game Changer
Emirates 777 game changer routes
Here’s the catch – these exclusive flights operate on specific routes, and securing a spot on this aircraft can be a stroke of luck. With only 10 of these special aircrafts in operation, they’re a rare treat in the skies.
We don’t know if Emirates will be adding more routes or if it will revamp more aircrafts with the game changer suites especially since its more focused on the multi billion dollar retrofitting project of all other aircrafts.
Where Does the Emirates 777 Game Changer Fly?
Updated, April 2025:
The following routes feature a full cabin upgrade, meaning that in addition to the First Class Game Changer suites, the entire aircraft has been retrofitted. This includes the introduction of Premium Economy and an improved Business Class, which now has a 1-2-1 configuration instead of the dreaded middle seat in the previous 2-3-2 setup.
Currently, the Boeing 777-300ER Game Changer operates non-stop on the following routes:
Emirates 777 Game Changer Routes 2025:
- Geneva – EK83/EK84 & EK89/EK90
- Tokyo Haneda – EK312 & EK313
- Brussels – EK183/EK184 & EK181/EK182
- Chicago – EK235 & EK236
- Kuwait – EK855 & EK856
- Riyadh – EK815 & EK816
- Melbourne – EK404 & EK405
I have seen additional routes that fly the game changer but not consistently.
At times, there can be last minute aircraft changes that could feature the game changer first class suites.
So how do you know if your aircraft is the one of these 10 Boeing 777’s that feature the game changer suites? We’ll get there. Let’s look at the registration codes to start with.
The aircraft registration codes are as follows:
The aircraft’s registration code, also referred to as the aircraft registration or tail number, is a unique alphanumeric code that aviation authorities assign to each aircraft. This code serves as the aircraft’s identifier and is prominently displayed on the fuselage, wings, or tail of the aircraft.
This code is essential for air traffic control, aviation authorities, and airline operations to track and identify individual aircraft. It is also used for various administrative and safety purposes in the aviation industry.
Here are the currently known registration codes for the Emirates aircrafts that are fitted with the Game Changer First Class Suites:
A6-EQH
A6-EQI
A6-EQJ
A6-EQK
A6-EQL
A6-EQM
A6-EQN
A6-EQO
A6-EQP
If you want to find out specific details about the aircraft you’ll be flying on, including its registration code, you can check this information on the airline’s website or through aircraft tracking platforms like Flightradar or FlightAware. These websites provide insights into the aircraft’s history and its previous flights.
For instance, if you visit FlightAware and input the registration code A6-EQO, the platform will provide information about the airline and, most importantly, the current location and route of the aircraft.
By scrolling down to the flight history or past flights section, you can view the various routes it has taken over the last few weeks. In the current instance, you can see that it is currently en route to Dubai from Brussels, with its next flight heading to Haneda. Looking at the past week, you’ll find that it has flown to Washington, Geneva, London Heathrow, and Riyadh.
How else can you know if your plane features the new game changer first class?
Simple. It only has 6 seats in the cabin, configured to 1-1-1.
Here’s two ways to check.
- Through Emirates: Simply click on ‘select your seats’ when booking through Emirates and take note of the seat map. Here is what it looks like:
Seat Map First Class 777-300ER Standard Configuration
Seat Map First Class 777-300ER Game Changer – 6 SEATS
2. Through ExpertFlyer: This is a fantastic platform for anyone who loves to hunt out details about their travel details. There is a subscription of $9.99 per month, but its worth every penny. Once you are done, simply cancel and reinstate it when you need. I have gifted a one month subscription to friends in the past. It makes a great and unique gift for travellers.
Go to Flight Availability – Enter your flight details – Click on the little Seat – Select First Class in the Cabin Field – opens new window with the seat configuration. Here is what that looks like:
a)Select the flight you want information on & click on the little seat.
b)Select the first class cabin.
c)Look at the seat map. The Game changer first class suites has only 6 seats.
Why is it important to know what aircraft you are flying?
Understanding the aircraft you’ll be flying on is crucial for maximizing the value of your investment. Differences in business class and first class experiences can significantly impact your travel comfort and amenities. I vividly recall a 2007 trip to Europe on a first-class ticket with Emirates, where I assumed the showcased features on their website matched the actual experience. However, after spending $14,500, I found myself on an outdated A340-500 layout with a mere recliner instead of a flat bed.
To my surprise, my business partner, who managed to book a reward ticket by doing an amex points transfer to emirates, secured the new first-class suite, a revolutionary and magnificent upgrade at that time. This experience served as a lesson, prompting me to never book a flight without knowing the specific aircraft. When facing a minimum travel time of around 21 hours from Australia to Europe, and almost 15K in tickets getting this detail right becomes paramount.
This significance becomes evident through instances like a passenger from New Zealand who successfully sought compensation from Emirates. The passenger, who had purchased a business class seat that did not meet expected standards, highlighted the importance of ensuring that advertised features align with the actual onboard conditions. Emirates awarded the passenger just over $13,000 in compensation.
What if your route does not have this specific aircraft?
If your chosen route doesn’t feature the Emirates game changer aircraft you were hoping for, there’s no need to panic. Keep an eye out for newly retrofitted aircraft. These planes have undergone significant upgrades and provide an equally enjoyable experience, including in first class.
There are quite a few 777 configurations so try to avoid flying on their older aircraft, which may visibly show signs of wear and tear, giving a less pleasant experience. If you need a hand telling the 777-300’s apart, i have a comprehensive write up on Emirates 777-300ER seat map.
The goal is to consistently retrofit four Emirates aircraft every month, maintaining this pace for over two years. The initial focus involves refreshing 110 designated A380s. A total of 29 A380’s have been retrofitted and 20 Boeing 777s as of March 2025.
Recognizing this, Emirates deserves commendation for their substantial multi-billion dollar investment in retrofitting their fleet.
Upon finishing this extensive project in April 2025, the airline will install nearly 4,000 state-of-the-art Premium Economy seats. Furthermore, they will refurbish 728 First Class suites and upgrade over 5,000 Business Class seats to a new style and design, ensuring a complete transformation of the fleet. This is in addition to their new A350-900 which has started its service in 2025.
This is a much-needed upgrade. Well done, Emirates.
RETROFITTED EMIRATES AIRCRAFTS
Which Emirates planes have been retrofitted / upgraded?
In my quest to identify retrofitted planes featuring premium economy as part of the overhaul, I routinely check for flights departing from Melbourne with premium economy seating. Both the Emirates Airbus A380-800 and the Emirates Boeing 777-300 ER are retrofitted. In fact the 777 flying out of Melbourne is a game changer – Bonus!
As of April 2025 , the following flights from Melbourne to Dubai have been retrofitted:
EK 407 (A380-800)
EK 409 (A380-800)
EK 405 (777-300ER – Game Changer)
(I flew onboard EK409 last year – coupled with the exquisite Emirates lounge at Melbourne airport I was pretty chuffed!😊)
Note: When booking through the official Qantas site either through a revenue ticket or a qantas reward ticket, EK 409 may appear as QF8409. Ensure you look for the Emirates logo and the statement indicating, “Flight QF8409 is operated by Emirates.”
Yes, it is possible to use Qantas Points on Emirates!
For flights from Sydney to Dubai, the retrofitted aircraft are:
EK414/EK415
EK412/EK413
Upgraded / Retrofitted Emirates A380-800
In other cities, the upgraded A380 Emirates planes are assigned to the following routes:
DUBAI To:
New York (JFK)
Los Angeles
San Fransisco
Houston
London (Heathrow)
Manchester
Milan
Sydney
Auckland
Christchurch
Singapore
Mumbai
Bangalore
Sao Paolo
Tokyo (Narita)
Osaka
Upgraded / Retrofitted Emirates B777
The following cities have been added as part of the 777 refurbishment which feature the new Business Class seats in a 1-2-1 arrangement as well as premium economy:
(They do not feature the game changer first class suites)
Boston EK 237 / EK 238
Dallas EK 221 / EK 222
Seattle EK 229 / EK 230
Newark/Athens EK 209 / EK 210
Miami/Bogota EK 213 / EK 214
Lisbon EK 191/EK 192, and EK 193/EK 194 (from 1/6/2025)
Dublin EK 161 / EK 162 (from 25/6/2025)
Hong Kong EK 382 / EK 383 (from 15/7/2025)
Maldives EK 658/EK 659 and EK 656/EK 657 and EK 660/EK 661 (from 1/6 – 15/7 2025)
Kolkata EK 572 / EK 573 (from 10/8/2025)
Colombo EK 650 / EK 651 (from 10/8/2025)
Johannesburg EK 765/EK 766 and EK 761/EK 762 (from 1/9-25/9 2025)
Cape Town EK 770/ EK 771(from 20/9/2025)
London Stansted EK 67 / EK 68 (from 1/6/2025)
Seoul EK324/325 (Mon-Wed-Fri)
Athens EK 209/ EK 210
💡 Did You Know Emirates Operates Fifth Freedom Flights?
Emirates flies between select cities outside its Dubai hub, offering a unique opportunity to experience its world-class service on unexpected routes. These flights can often be a cost-effective alternative while still providing the luxury and comfort Emirates is known for. Want to learn more about these special routes and how to book them? Check out my article on Emirates Fifth Freedom Flights.
Summing Up
I have a deep admiration for Emirates and consider it to be one of the premier airlines globally and probably the best airline to travel business or first class. My journey with them dates back to the late 90s, and witnessing their remarkable transformation has been truly awe-inspiring. The evolution extends beyond their aircraft to encompass their service, the Dubai airport, and the city itself.
I have manage to master travelling free in business and first class in most cases through miles.
While I acknowledge the exceptional experience they offer, I must say that the steep fees associated with securing a reward ticket is a factor that I find unappealing. If travelling on points you should always use a miles redemption calculator to ensure you are getting bang for your buck. This drawback often serves as a deterrent when comparing Emirates to other carriers such as Singapore Airlines.
Nevertheless, if you ever get the chance to travel with them, use the above information to secure yourself the very best that Emirates has to offer. And while you’re planning that long-haul trip, don’t forget to check out my ultimate travel packing list to make sure you’re fully prepared.
Don’t overlook a free stopover in Dubai with Emirates. It’s an unforgettable experience.
Finally, if you are flying to Europe or the UK, it would be prudent to check the new visa waiver requirements for both the UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) and the European ETIAS. Most countries are now required to apply online for permission to enter the UK and European countries. This includes Australian & USA passport holders. In addition to these, Europe is set to implement a new entry/exit system (EES) that will affect all non EU Nationals.
