I splurged my miles to fly Emirates’ luxe business class. I ate a multi-course meal, lounged at the in-flight bar, and learned the seat upgrade is worth it.

I splurged my miles to fly Emirates’ luxe business class. I ate a multi-course meal, lounged at the in-flight bar, and learned the seat upgrade is worth it.

I've been racking up the miles over the last two years, and I decided to splurge on Emirates Airlines' illustrious business class cabin on a pre-wedding trip to the Maldives this spring. I figured a YOLO trip required a YOLO flying experience, but unfortunately I could only afford a one-way upgrade (I was flying weeks before my wedding, after all). Nonetheless, flying business class one way on a long-haul flight still has its merits, and there are noticeable differences. They begin as soon as you get to the airport. If you use the same airline family, you may be able to transfer miles from another airline to your . Also, certain credit cards allow you to use points towards mileage, which is an easy way that many upgrade — or at the very least, buy lounge access. You can also pay for an upgrade. As soon as check-in opens up online, a limited number of business-class seats are offered at a steep discount ($500 versus $4,500-plus). Some international flights don't let you check in in advance, especially in our post-COVID era of flying. The main benefit of mobile check-in is skipping the line, but when apps and forms need to