Emirates
has unveiled a “sleigh-full of Christmas cheer” in the form of new menus, drinks and treats across its lounges and flights this month. The Middle Eastern carrier’s seasonal offerings include wines, chocolates, pastries and classic Christmas dinners, along with new in-flight entertainment (IFE) options.
Emirates Christmas treats this month
The airline will serve up a wealth of Christmas-inspired food and drink across its operations this festive season. With more than a million passengers expected to fly with Emirates in December, customers across all four cabins can tuck into a variety of hot and cold dishes and snacks, as well as alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
Photo: Emirates
In-flight menu and drinks
Offerings will vary depending on routes and departure airports. For example, first class passengers on routes to the US and UK will be served a rare vintage of champagne, Dom Pérignon Plenitude 2, 2004, while first class passengers on Dubai-UK flights can enjoy a taste of Château Mouton Rothschild 2003 from the Emirates Vintage Collection.
Economy
Passengers in the main cabin can tuck into a main course of roasted turkey, chestnut and turkey bacon roulade, and maple-roasted parsnips. Dessert offerings will include fruit cake in orange sauce, or a mousse cake featuring one of Santa’s reindeer (ideal for kids). From 24-26 December, the airline will also serve dark chocolate truffles in economy.
Photo: Emirates
First, business and premium economy
Emirates’ premium passengers will have a more extensive range of starters and mains to look forward to. While options will vary depending on routes, starter dishes include salmon gravadlax with beetroot and orange-marinated salmon, pickled herring with potato and quail egg salad, and smoked salmon with crab mayonnaise and salmon roe. As for main courses, offerings will include:
- Turkey with jus, chestnut and turkey bacon stuffing, truffle potato gratin, caramelized chestnuts, and roasted brussels sprouts
- Herb-crusted lamb shank with jus, butternut squash and braised cabbage
- Duck confit drizzled in cranberry jus lié, with truffle potato gratin and caramelised chestnuts
- Seared venison soaked in sage butter and blackberry sauce with potato gratin and braised red cabbage with apple
Desserts will include gingerbread cookies in premium economy and business, or a raspberry Paris-Brest pastry in first class.
Photo: Emirates
All cabins
From 14-26 December, all cabin classes can enjoy a cup of hot chocolate featuring various toppings, such as meringue, marshmallows or chocolate pellets.
Orthodox Christmas
From 24 December to 8 January, passengers on flights between Russia, Cyprus, Ethiopia and Dubai can enjoy a varied menu in celebration of Orthodox Christmas. First and Business Class can dine on starters like Olivier salad or lobster tail with celeriac purée and Sevruga caviar, pickled herring, or smoked salmon with crab mayonnaise.
Photo: Emirates
Main courses will consist of duck confit with cranberry jus lié, truffle potato gratin, and caramelised chestnuts, or herb-crusted lamb shank drizzled with jus and served with roasted potatoes, butternut squash and braised cabbage. As for desserts, options include white chocolate and peppermint mousse cake with cranberry compote, pistachio sponge and a candy cane or chocolate gingerbread cake served with cranberry jelly.
For economy passengers, the starter will be a Russian potato salad and Waldorf salad, with a main course of barbecued chicken, chestnut and turkey bacon roulade and maple-roasted parsnip, or a cream beef stroganoff. Dessert will be a peppermint mousse with popping candy and a candy cane, or traditional fruit cake in orange sauce.
In-flight entertainment and shopping
Emirates’ award-winning ICE system will show over 40 Christmas-themed movies to get passengers in the spirit. Recently released movies include Candy Cane Lane with Eddie Murphy, EXmas starring Leighton Meester, and A Christmas Frequency starring Denise Richards. Passengers can also enjoy all-time classics like Last Christmas, The Holiday, Elf, and The Polar Express.
Photo: Emirates
There will also be a dozen TV shows and holiday specials, including Lighting Up Christmas, Royal Carols: Together at Christmas 2023 and Tom and Jerry: Snowman’s Land, along with Christmas music from the likes of Sam Smith, the Vince Guaraldi Trio, Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley and Ella Fitzgerald.
New lounge offerings
Emirates’ first and business class lounges in Dubai will offer classic Christmas mains, including traditional roasted turkey with jus and cranberry sauce, glazed chestnuts, root vegetables, brussels sprouts and new potatoes.
In first class lounges, desserts on offer will include traditional stollen, mince pies, red currant cheesecake, cinnamon profiteroles and spicy gingerbread chocolate cake. Business lounge desserts will include cherry pistachio tart, Christmas fruit cake, chocolate yule log, and lime macarons with peppermint ganache.
Photo: First Class Photography | Shutterstock
In the US, lounges in San Francisco and Los Angeles will serve up lobster bisque and roasted rib-eye beef, while other foreign lounge offerings will include grilled Norwegian salmon with citrus velouté in Cape Town, roasted duck with red cabbage and caramelized apple wedges in Hamburg, and ballotine of guinea fowl with date and forest sauce in Paris.
