Finally in Milan you can choose which First Class to fly in: this winter there will be 3 options
From one to three. So many will come to be in next fall-winter the First Classes offered at Milan Malpensa by the airlines of the [...]
Etihad Airways
Emirates
MXP
United Arab Emirates
From one to three. So many will come to be in next fall-winter the First Classes offered at Milan Malpensa by the Gulf airlines. A Emirates, in fact, the following will be added Etihad e Kuwait Airways. The Dubai carrier's top class is the only fixed presence, in its category, at the Lombard airport.
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Le 14 suites positioned at the front of the upper deck of Emirates' Airbus A380s connecting Milan with Dubai twice a day and Milan with New York JFK once a day are now an icon of air travel, with their wood finishes, sliding doors, and most importantly, the two toilets equipped with showers.
Configured 1-2-1, they offer an 86-inch (218cm) pitch, a 22-inch (56cm) seat width, a 75-inch (190cm) bed length, and a 27-inch IFE screen.
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Instead, it is a brand new First that will be available from November 4 on board the Airbus A321LR with which Etihad will operate some weekly frequencies of its 17 weekly flights between Milan and Abu Dhabi. The 321LR, in particular, will be used by the Emirates carrier on the flight operating in the morning from Abu Dhabi to Milan and in the late afternoon/evening between Milan and the UAE capital (EY87 and EY88).
Etihad's is the first First Class mounted on a narrow-body aircraft and consists of two private suites located at the frontmost part of the passenger cabin equipped with sliding doors for maximum privacy, fully reclining bed, 22.5-inch (58cm) wide seat, leather ottoman and cocktail table, and 20-inch IFE screen.
Frequencies of the route operated with the 321LR will grow from the initial three to five weekly in February and March, then drop to four with the start of Summer 2026.
On the other two daily connections between Milan and Abu Dhabi, operated in Winter 2025-2026 by Boeing 787-9, the top class is Business.
The third First available during the winter between Milan and the Gulf will be Kuwait Airways. Between December 10 and January 15. (say during the 'extended' Christmas season, which draws so many from the Gulf to shop in Milan), the Kuwait City-based company will replace A330-800s and -900s that he usually uses on the route (alongside some rarer A320neo) with Boeing 777-300ERs from 334 seats in four classes, which include 8 seats in First, 36 in Business, 54 in Premium Economy and 201 in Economy.
The 8 suites of First front, referred to as Royal Class, are in 1-2-1 configuration with a 22-inch (56cm) seat, with an ottoman that allows dining with a companion/partner.
As readers of The Flight Club know, thanks in part to the review of the 'Barbone' Matteo Rainisio, Kuwait Airways Is a 'dry' company, meaning it does not serve alcohol on board, factor that definitely penalizes the flying experience in a premium class. As of January 17, 2026, a mix of A330-800s and -900s with three classes (Business, Premium Economy and Economy) will return to service on the route.
During the first two weeks of February, when the three Firsts will go on sale simultaneously from Milan, Emirates will provide 198 weekly seats to the Middle East, compared to Kuwait Airways' 40 and Etihad's 10.
