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Thanks to an email from reader Michael D, it looks like Emirates is pulling the A380 on the 5th freedom JFK to Milan route starting this fall. It’s not forever though…it will be coming back next spring. As you can see below: starting October 29th and running until March 31st the 777 will be on the route.
Emirates 777 Old First Class vs A380
In case you were hoping that maybe it would be a new 777 equipped with the gamechanger…it’s not, it’s equipped with the still very cool Emirates classic gold encrusted suite.
There are only 8 seats in the cabin…so it’s much more intimate first class experience however no shower. I’ve flown both of these cabins and honestly…it is basically the same and in fact I almost prefer the smaller 777 cabin. This will impact award space no doubt, but JFK to MXP has been nearly impossible to lock down award seats with the 14 seat A380 cabin.
The 777 First Class Cabin – 8 seats
The A380 First Class Cabin 14 seats
The biggest difference is in business class
Unfortunately, the 777 that will operate this route has a 2-3-2 business class and pales in comparison to the A380 business class. The A380 has all aisle access, storage, and just look at it…pretty stunning whereas the 777 business class is on the lower scale of premium cabins.
The A380 also has a gorgeous bar.
Verdict – One less way to shower in the sky
Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Welcome Offer
60k Points after $4k spend in 3 months
Annual Fee
$95
Points Earned
Transferrable Chase Ultimate Rewards
- 60k points after $4k spend in 3 months
- Worth $750 in Chase Travel℠ and way more if you maximize transfer partners
- 5x on all travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 3x on dining, including eligible delivery services for takeout & dining out
- 3x on select streaming services
- 3x on online grocery purchases
- (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs)
- $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit via Chase Travel℠
- The begins immediately for new cardmembers and after your account anniversary for existing cardmembers
- 2x on all other travel
- 10% Anniversary Bonus
- Every year you keep the card, your total spend will yield a 10% points bonus. If you spend $10k in a year, you’ll get 1k bonus points
- Chase Sapphire Preferred continues to redeem at 1.25c in the Chase Travel℠ and the slew of other benefits remain in tact including Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver ( primary ), purchase protections, etc.
- Points are transferrable to 14 Ultimate Rewards partners
- Redeem in Chase Travel℠ for 1.25 cents per point
- No foreign transaction fees
- Suite of Travel and Purchase Coverage
- Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver is my favorite
- Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024
- $95 Annual Fee
We keep an up to date spreadsheet that lists the best ever offers: You can find that spreadsheet here.
Historically 80k is a very, very good offer and hit in both 2022 and 2023. In 2021, we saw the offer hit an all time high of 100k. Who knows if that will ever come back.
Main Cast:
Cards that earn flexible points and should be used on the bulk of your purchases.
Supporting Cast:
Cards that earn fixed points in the currency of the airline/hotel and can not be transferred at attractive rates. These cards yield benefits that make it worth keeping, but not necessarily worth putting a lot of your everyday spend on.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® is exceptional starter card and offers transferrable Ultimate Rewards, and pairs well with other Chase cards.
If you carry this card alongside Chase’s cashback cards like the Chase Freedom Flex℠and Chase Freedom Unlimited® or the business versions: Ink Business Cash® , Ink Business Unlimited® you can combine the points into Preferred account and transfer into hotel and airline partners
Annual fee is quite low at $95 a year + you get a 10% anniversary bonus on points + $50 hotel credit in Chase travel.
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