Emirates Adds First Class Home Check-In: Cool Or Silly?

If you are traveling in first class, you will be checked in at no extra cost. That sounds like an April fools' joke.

Emirates home check-in service for first class travelers

It is now possible for first class passengers to be checked in without leaving their home or hotel room.

An agent will come to your home or hotel room in the middle of the night and complete all the check-in procedures. Attestation, checking in baggage, and issuing boarding passes are included. The formality can take up to six hours prior to your flight's departure if you book at least 24 hours in advance.

You can use your complimentary chauffeur service to get to the airport at your convenience at least 90 minutes before your departure. You can head to the lounge at the airport if you go directly to passport control and security. Extra baggage can be checked in at a dedicated counter.

Home check-in was introduced a few years ago as a paid service for all passengers. First class passengers will now be able to use this service for free.

This is a great concept, but very niche

The addition of another feature for first class passengers is awesome. I think of the circumstances under which this would be useful.

• Emirates already offers a chauffeur service, and the chauffeur drops you off at a dedicated premium check-in area with porters, so it’s not like you have to carry your luggage yourself at all
• Most people are pretty last minute packers, and may not want their bags taken away six or more hours prior to departure; for that matter, they may be scrambling last minute to get ready for travel, so may not want to commit to being around at a certain time
• With the existence of online check-in, and travel restrictions largely being eased, it’s not like document verification is a huge hurdle anymore, at least for most

It won't fit in a chauffeur drive car if you're travelling with a large family or have a lot of luggage. I don't know what problem this is supposed to solve.

I think it's important to acknowledge that the local crowd in the U.S. appreciates services that the rest of us wouldn't think of. Just about every automated feature or machine in the U.S. is staffed by a human in case someone needs help.

Bottom line

First class passengers can check-in from their home or hotel room in either of the two countries for free. The check-in counter can be used to have your boarding pass printed, to have your documents verified, or to check your luggage.

The circumstances where this is useful are limited.

Is it possible that you could use the home check-in?