Ways to Wellness with Emirates: Insider Tips to ‘Fly Better’ in 2024

As many people dedicate the first month of a new year to resolutions, new goals, travel plans and a renewed commitment to a healthier lifestyle, Emirates shares some top tips on how to ‘fly better’ in 2024, with wellness at the forefront.

Minimise stress using technology

Travelling can be stressful for some but it’s also easier than ever before, with technology offering customers more control over their journey. Download the Emirates app to have a range of information and services at your fingertips – you can book and change flights, check in online and choose seats, download a digital boarding pass for most destinations, get notifications about your flight, check what meals will be served, pre-order your hot meal in Business Class, book a chauffeur drive service and even pre-select and plan movies to watch via ice inflight entertainment.

Keep your hand luggage light

Emirates offers a generous luggage allowance for all customers dependent on route and fare type, ranging from 20kg to 50kg for checked baggage. However, if you overpack your hand luggage you risk suffering with neck or shoulder pain after travel from carrying a heavy bag through international airports.

Take care while lifting bags into the overhead luggage compartments onboard and take a tip from Emirates Cabin Crew who employ the manual handling skills of bending knees while lifting to keep their back protected from injury. Keep your hand luggage to a minimum for maximum comfort while travelling.

Tune into Happiness & Wellbeing content on ice

With customer wellbeing as a priority, Emirates ice provides a dedicated area for Happiness and Wellbeing content onboard. Nature relaxation series’ invite audiences to slow down on soothing, majestic journeys to natural paradises, while an array of explorative documentaries discover ways to live life to the fullest and fulfil your personal potential.

Emirates ice also offers guided meditations and specially curated relaxation playlists.

Stretch

Emirates is renowned for providing customers with generous leg room in all classes. Economy Class customers can relax on spacious reclining seats, while Premium Economy customers will experience seats that recline with a 6-way adjustable headrest, and calf and leg rests for personalised comfort.

Business Class seats recline to a lie flat bed with complimentary mattress on many flights and pillow, while First Class customers will sleep soundly in their own private suites. To stay refreshed during and after a long flight, performing simple in‑seat exercises every few hours can be beneficial for customers in all classes.

Emirates recommends specific exercises such as feet circling, knee presses, shoulder circles and neck stretches, which are explained in the in‑flight magazine and on the Emirates website. Even these small and regular exercises can help blood flow and mobility when on a long flight.

Enjoy Emirates nutritious, locally sourced food

Serving more than 110 million meals across the Emirates network each year, Emirates dishes are both nutritious and delicious across all classes. Multi-course menus are designed by Emirates’ master chefs to highlight seasonal products and celebrate locally sourced ingredients.

Emirates uses the freshest ingredients for authentic, regionally inspired meals, with many artisan suppliers providing high quality ingredients and produce, like Bateel dates from the UAE, Monte Vibiano olive oil from Italy, Yarra Valley feta cheese from Australia and fresh salads and herbs from Bustanica, the Emirates-owned world’s largest vertical farm.

Drink Dilmah tea to aid digestion

Emirates partners exclusively with Dilmah Tea, a renowned Sri Lankan tea company who explain that healthy, natural teas can aid digestion significantly after a meal. Black or green tea in particular aid digestion, reducing cholesterol and benefiting gut health.

Dilmah tea also contains powerful antioxidants which are rich in protective plant compounds and may reduce the risk of cancers and aid cardiovascular health.

Tea contains some caffeine but also the unique amino acid known as L-Theanine, which relaxes the mind while enhancing mental alertness, focus, and concentration. As there is less caffeine in tea than coffee, it provides a more moderate and sustained energy boost without causing jitteriness, ideal for passengers travelling through time zones.

Chamomile Herb Infusion contains a natural antioxidant which enhances quality of sleep, which can support passengers who need to sleep on long haul journeys.

Hydrate

Hydration is the key to comfort when flying and drinking water before, during, and after a flight is the best way to care for your body while travelling. The quality of the drinking water onboard Emirates is regularly monitored and safe and healthy to consume.

Water tanks, equipment used for transportation and supply lines provide perfectly potable water through regular disinfection, maintenance, and audits. Emirates Cabin Crew can provide cups of water to customers or you can refill your own water bottle onboard.

First and Business Class customers will be offered freshly pressed fruit and vegetable juice onboard too. Many of Emirates frequent flyers supplement their hydration with soluble oral rehydration tablets – an electrolyte mix recommended for travel, available to purchase onboard through EmiratesRed.

Replenish skin moisture

Flying is the perfect time to treat your skin to some extra hydration, whether with your own favourite product or some complimentary, world class products from Emirates like Swedish skincare range Byredo in First Class, Bulgari skincare and lip balm in First and Business Class, and additional organic skincare and hand creams from Voya in First and Business Class bathrooms and A380 Shower Spa– the acclaimed natural brand from Ireland.

In the Economy Class bathrooms, customers can experience a rich moisturiser from The White Company. If you forget to pack your own skincare, EmiratesRed offers a wide range of cult favourites from Kiehls, Clinique, Dr Levy, Clarins, Shiseido and La Mer to purchase onboard. You can even purchase a Payot Hydra 24+ Travel Set for just USD29, featuring a moisturiser and eye cream.

Breathe mindfully

Emirates’ modern aircraft fleet provide excellent levels of ventilation. The rate of air change in the aircraft cabin has been proven as better than office buildings and trains, comparable to that of hospital operating theatres. All Emirates flights are non‑smoking, so the level of airborne pollutants is far lower than on most city streets or buildings.

Fresh air is constantly added to recycled air through very fine HEPA filters that remove 99.997% of all dust, viruses, fungi and bacteria, so Emirates customers can breathe deeply knowing the air is clean and safe, as shown in this video. 

Popular deep breathing exercises like ‘box breathing’ where you inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, exhale for 4 seconds and hold for 4 seconds, can help customers induce a deeper state of relaxation.

Regular travellers will know that the air in all aircraft has low humidity, which can sometimes cause mild drying of the skin, nose, throat, or eyes. Some frequent travellers recommend using a nasal spray to hydrate the nasal passages before flying, as well as hydrating eye drops and removing contact lenses for additional comfort.

Maintain good hygiene

It is important to maintain good hygiene while travelling to stay healthy. Customers can rest assured that their journey with Emirates is of the highest hygiene standards as all Emirates aircraft are cleaned after each trip.

Complimentary comfort items like blankets, headphones, cutlery, and amenities are always presented to passengers in hygienically sealed packaging.

Each aircraft lavatory is equipped with sanitising soap and hand washing instructions, with disposable tissues for drying hands, and disposable toilet seat covers for extra hygiene.

First Class customers travelling on an A380 can also take advantage of the Onboard Shower Spa, and refresh with a temperature-controlled shower and spa area with a vanity unit, wash basin, changing area and toilet, a hairdryer, full-length mirror, heated flooring, leather seating and exotic flowers to create a relaxed ambience.

Treat yourself to a massage

One of the best ways to relax before or after travel is to enjoy a massage, which helps loosen stiff muscles, release toxins and rehydrate the skin.

The Timeless Spa is in the First and Business Class Lounges of Terminal 3, Dubai International Airport (DXB). It offers a range of treatments and beauty therapies, tailored to customer preferences using luxury Babor products. In the First Class Lounge, a selection of spa treatments are complimentary for customers.