Flight overview: Emirates Boeing 777 Economy Boston to Dubai (2023)

I'm not a frequent visitor, but I triedEmirati'economy product on previous long international flights, I decided to stick with it for this journey home. It also helped that I was getting a pretty decent deal when I used my remaining Skywards miles. Plus, I got a free upgrade to business class the last time I flew this Emirates carrier and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't hoping it would happen again (spoiler alert: it didn't ☹)

The whole trip was fromBoston Logan International Airport(BOS) in the United States at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (BOM). However, thisflight reviewwill only focus on the first leg of the journey toDubai International Airport(DXB). Emirates flies it to Boston once a dayBoeing 777-300ERthat same evening, the flight was to be made by a six-year-old aircraft registered as A6-EQA.

Photo: Devansh Mehta | Easy flight

Besides Emirates, there are other viable one-stop options on this routeAIRLINES katiAir France-KLMgroup using their cooperation withDelta Air Lines. While Qatar will stop atDoha Hamad International Airport(DOH), passengers traveling by AFKLM would stopAmsterdam Airport Schiphol(AMS) or onParis Charles de Gaulle(CDG), depending on the airline that performs the second leg of the trip.

Airport experience

Boston has a really beautiful airport with some amazing plane spotting locations. In addition, the airport is also quite accessible using the city's public transport. If you have plenty of time before your flight and don't mind leaving early, using the subway and bus network is a great way to get to the airport and save $50 on Uber.

Knowing the mass transit system in Massachusetts, I was extra careful with the timing and ended up arriving about an hour before the casket opened. But it was a long day at BOS so I decided to indulge in some light aircraft watching before I got in line.

Upon entering Terminal E (the international terminal) you are greeted by what seems like an endless line of baggage counters. I quickly looked at one of the screens and found that Emirates had opened a shop at counters 42 to 50. For my 11pm flight, baggage claim was scheduled to start at 7pm. However, the Swissport staff were about 10 minutes late in the queue of patient but slightly frustrated passengers with me leading the way.

Photo: Devansh Mehta | Easy flight

Once I started, dropping the bag was pretty smooth and only took about 5 minutes. Since I had plenty of time, I stopped by my company for a final hello and a few photos before going through security at 1945. Security took about 15 minutes total, not bad considering I don't have TSA PreCheck or Global Entry .

With almost two hours until boarding was scheduled to begin, I went to the Air France Lounge in Terminal E at Logan Airport for a quick pre-flight meal and to get some work done.

At the door and boarding

After a quick stop at the duty free, I headed to the designated exit E11 right after boarding was about to begin. There were many people at the gate waiting to board the Boeing 777 plane that was supposed to take us to Dubai that evening. There were only two lanes and both moved at a snail's pace probably because security was checking passports, boarding passes and taking pictures of every last passenger before letting them go.

Photo: Devansh Mehta | Easy flight

The crowd at the gate made me think that my 12-hour flight would be quite full, but I quickly realized that it was not. I may have forgotten how big the 777 was. Anyway, two agents standing at the plane's door welcomed me to the plane and directed me to take the first aisle on the right to my assigned seat 36D. The Emirates regulate itEconomy3-4-3 seating which means mine was an aisle seat on the left side of the middle pillar.

When I found my seat on the plane, I quickly shoved my carry-on bag into the bin and sat down with my backpack and Emirates paraphernalia on my lap so as not to disturb the other boarding passengers. I was at my seat at 22:25 local time, 20 minutes after boarding had started. Seats 36F & G were occupied by an elderly couple, which left me hoping that the empty seat next to me (36E) would remain so. My prayers were answered when one of the pilots announced that boarding was complete.

2 Such

Around 22:48, Emirates flight EK238 was pushed away from the gate. For the next three minutes, we could hear the GE90 engines breathing life, followed by the aircraft self-propelled to taxi. We were using Runway 15R that night, which meant there wasn't much taxiing from exit Terminal E. As a result, the plane was on the runway and taking off by 2258. As a true aviation buff, I realized I was watching all the action live via external cameras of the IFE system.

In-flight experience and meals

I was sleepy right after take off, but decided to stay awake and check out the ice, Emirates' in-flight entertainment system. Having flown with the airline before, I already knew why it was one of the best in the business. It didn't take me long to find something I liked.

Meal delivery started about an hour after take off. I had previously ordered an Asian vegetarian meal from a long list of options. Dinner was served first, and for the main course we had dum aloo (spicy potatoes) with sautéed spinach and vegetable pulao (rice cooked in a spicy broth). The traditional Indian Kachumber salad was served with hummus and Kalamata olives as an appetizer, while the dessert menu included chocolate salted caramel. The meal also included a bagel, sesame chips toasted with honey, cream cheese and a packet of croutons on the side.

Photo: Devansh Mehta | Easy flight

In terms of taste, this dish was worse. He felt that the fries were a little undercooked and the spinach was dry. Chocolate dessert and sesame chips were the only things I liked.

The cabin crew came with a drinks cart right after the meals were served, with many options on offer. I decided not to eat anything and quickly finished my meal. Soon after, I closed the IFE screen and pulled out the Emirates eco-blankets to get some shut-eye.

I was woken up by a few instances of mild turbulence somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean, but otherwise the flight was mostly calm. A member of the cabin crew woke me up when it was time for a snack. I wondered why he didn't just let me go, but I soon realized that we were only two and a half hours from Dubai and I had already missed my second meal.

Third and final meal on flight EK 238 cheddar and feta cheese with percussion as a starter, followed by a delicious main course of paneer bhurji (cottage cheese omelette) served with aloo paratha (Indian bread stuffed with potato filling) and potato pancakes. The dessert menu had fresh fruit, and as before, there was bread and jelly on the side.

Photo: Devansh Mehta | Easy flight

This dish really hit the spot. The paneer bhurji was perfectly seasoned and went well with the Indian bread. The fruit and cheese added a nice layer of fluffiness to the meal. This time I asked for a glass of apple juice from the beverage cart with my meal.

Landing and final thoughts

Immediately after cleaning the dishes, the cabin crew started preparing for landing. The 777 made a quick descent down runway 30L at DXB at 18:53 local time, 27 minutes ahead of schedule.

Overall, the flight was an extremely pleasant experience and there is not much to complain about. All my previous flights with the carrier ended with a similar feeling at the end. Maintaining a 12-hour flight with such finesse is no easy feat and Emirates has always managed it in my experience.

However, I would be happy to try a different carrier next time, specifically Qatar Airways, to see how the two giants of the Middle East compare. I've heard great things and it will be interesting to see the differences in customer service and overall flying experience between the two.

Have you flown on an Emirates long-haul flight in economy class before? Share your experience in the comments.