If you've been following my journey since my wilder 'clubland' days in London or kept up with my expat adventures in Sydney, you know that I am a stickler for detail. I’ve visited 55 countries now, and I’ve learned one massive lesson: a bad pair of shoes can absolutely ruin a perfectly good trip.

Managing a full-time career while squeezing in 15+ trips a year means I have zero patience for shopping fails. I don't have time to trawl through high street stores, and I certainly don't have time to deal with returns that take weeks to process.

That’s exactly why Zappos has been my secret weapon for years. It’s not just a website—it’s the ultimate travel companion for anyone who lives with 'itchy feet' like I do.

More Than Just Shoes: Why Zappos Gets It

I’m constantly torn between Perth and London, and my lifestyle is a blur of work events, airport lounges, and spontaneous weekend getaways. Zappos 'gets' that lifestyle. Here’s why I keep coming back:

1. The 365-Day Return Policy: This is a total game-changer. I often order my travel shoes months in advance. Knowing I can return them in their original condition within a year—for free—takes the pressure off when I'm planning my capsule wardrobe.

2. The Fit Predictor: We all know how frustrating it is when a size 7 feels like a 6. Zappos has this genius tool that looks at reviews and customer data to tell you if a shoe runs small, large, or true to size. I trust it more than I trust my own gut!

3. VIP Loyalty Benefits: If you shop as much as I do, you need to join their Zappos VIP program. You get perks like expedited shipping, which, let’s be honest, is a lifesaver when you realize you need a new pair of boots 48 hours before a flight to Paris.

Finding Your 'Travel Uniform'

Whether you're looking for luxury-adjacent aesthetics or pure, unadulterated comfort, the sheer variety is unmatched. I’ve found everything from designer heels that actually don't kill your feet, to sustainable activewear brands that I can comfortably wear on a 20-hour flight.

If you're wondering where to start, I always look at the 'Customer Reviews' section. It’s authentic, raw, and full of people who actually travel in the gear they buy. No filters, just honest feedback.

Human-Centric Service

In a world of bots and automated email replies, Zappos still believes in real, human service. I once had a mix-up with a shipping address (blame the jet lag!), and their support team handled it with such kindness and efficiency that I’ve been a loyal fan ever since. They treat their customers like human beings, not ticket numbers.

So, Is It Worth Adding to Your Bookmark Bar?

For me, the answer is a resounding yes. It has stripped away the stress of "what to wear" and replaced it with a seamless, enjoyable experience. My travel philosophy has always been about quality over quantity—I’d rather have one pair of incredible, comfortable boots that take me through the cobblestone streets of Rome than ten cheap pairs that fall apart after one wear.

When you have 20 days of annual leave, every second counts. Don’t spend them worrying about your luggage or your footwear. Let Zappos handle the logistics so you can focus on the memories.

Now, I’m off to look for my next pair of statement boots for my upcoming trip—any suggestions for where I should head next? Let me know in the comments!

It had been six years since I’d last flown on Emirates business class, as my most recent flights have been with Singapore Airlines and various other airlines, and Emirates First Class when I used up the last of my Emirates airmiles.

I’d unfortunately had a really poor experience when I last flew their business class back in 2016, so I wasn’t keen to repeat it.

However, when I was offered a very cheap last-minute upgrade on my recent Dubai to London red-eye flight, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to try it out in 2023 and see if the service had improved at all.

With a last-minute upgrade you don’t get a few of the key benefits of business class: there’s no extra baggage allowance, no lounge access, and no chauffeured taxi at the other end of the journey.

But, you of course do get a lay-flat bed and all the perks on board.

So, ready to find out how my Emirates A380 business class flight was? Let’s go!

London Gatwick Boarding Experience

The flight was EK010 from London Gatwick to Dubai, and boarding the flight was slightly chaotic – the staff never actually called for those in First and Business to board the plane, they first called families with children under the age of two, and then immediately started boarding economy.

It was a bit awkward as we all sat there in the separate First & Business boarding area looking at each other, unsure whether to start boarding or not.

Finally we all just started boarding without the staff calling us forward, but because we had all boarded so late it meant we weren’t really able to enjoy our glass of champagne on the plane before take-off (it was whisked away about 10mins after we were given our glasses).

I’m fully aware this is a very ‘first world problem’, but given this is what you pay extra for, it was disappointing to not get the full service and experience.

Weirdly, the business class cabin was at the very back of the plane on the A380, so we all trudged through economy to the small business cabin at the back.

Emirates A380 Business Class In-flight Experience

Settled in my window seat (7B), we didn’t have very long before it was time to take off.

Quickly downing the glass of champagne as they had to take it away, we then sat on the run-way for a bit and eventually took off around 22:15.

The plane was half-empty, which is likely why I got such a good deal on my upgrade, and as a result the flight was nice and quiet.

Emirates Business class features

The seat had the usual business class features: plug sockets, USB points, the little personal mini bar with soft drinks, tablet for controlling the entertainment system, and a good amount of storage.

We were also given the standard Emirates Bvlgari Amenity Kit.

Emirates have been providing Bvlgari kits for as long as I’ve flown with them (since 2009/2010), and it’s never really changed much over the years. However, they are *very* good amenity kits and have everything you could need in them!

The Lay-flat bed

The only downside to the red-eye flight from London to Dubai, is that it’s slightly too short for a solid sleep.

We had about an hour from take-off to when they started serving dinner, and then it took them about 2-hours to complete dinner service.

So by the time dinner had finished and we could go to sleep, we only had about 4 hours of the flight left.

I set-up the lay-flat bed myself using the buttons and mattress, and managed to get about 3-hours sleep before waking up an hour before landing.

One thing I will say, is that the pillows and blanket they provide in business class are perfection.

I LOVE them so much – they’re so soft and cosy!

Feeling a little peckish, I wandered down to the bar area at the back…but I’ll tell you more about that below!

Food & Drink Experience

I’ve always been a huuuge fan of the food on Emirates and rave about it to everyone, but I was slightly disappointed this time around – to the point I only had two out of the three courses at dinner.

The menu looked really good, but perhaps I just chose the wrong dishes…

Dinner onboard

I started with the Arabic Mezze, which was nice but a bit meh.

Then I chose the ‘Bzar chicken’, which was Chicken in a traditional Arabic spice marinade, served on aromatic rice.

It…wasn’t the best I’ve had.

I love Arabic food but this tasted more like an economy meal and 100% was not the standard you would expect in business class.

Disappointed, I declined dessert and instead chose to sleep.

However, waking up an hour before landing, I went to explore the bar at the very back of the cabin (and plane)…

Emirates Business Class bar

I loved the bar! I sipped on a ginger beer and nibbled on a few delicious little cakes and baklava.

They also had a few sandwiches and other food bits on offer, but I was happy with the tasty little cakes.

The design of the bar was so much more subtle and more contemporary than the older-style orange-brown wood in the cabin itself – I don’t really understand why the cabin isn’t designed in the same style as the bar area (although I think their new first class is).

It was just really nice being able to walk around and sit on a different chair that wasn’t your plane seat!

I had a lovely chat with the friendly stewardess behind the bar as I ate my sweet treats and then walked back to my seat to finish watching a documentary before landing.

Emirates Onboard Service

To be fair, the service onboard was much better than I’d experienced back in 2016, and all of the onboard staff I encountered were very friendly and accommodating.

Was it Worth it?

I’d been having muscular issues the week before the flight, with a nasty compressed nerve in my elbow that was causing me a huge amount of pain, as well as ongoing back pain from when I fell down the stairs in January and damaged my lower back.

So for me it was absolutely worth it just for the extra comfort and having the lay-flat seat so I could keep my arm propped up and straight.

However, the flight is so short (well to me, anyway – I’m used to 24+ hour long haul flights) that by the time you’re in the air, have eaten dinner and had a nap, it’s time to land again. I sort of wish I’d been on a daytime flight rather than a red eye, so I could have at least enjoyed the few hours rather than sleeping.

Still, it’s always nice to experience it at a drastically reduced price (or free, if you have the miles available!)

Take a look at my reviews of Etihad A350’s sleek new business class product that I flew in 2022, and Singapore Airlines business class!

Catherine Lux

Catherine Lux is a veteran travel blogger by night and the Head of Content Marketing at Amazon by day. Originally from Surrey, she spent four years living in Australia (2007-2009, and 2016-2018), and now lives in London. An ex-party girl sometimes prone to relapses, she loves nothing more than sharing her fine dining and luxury travel experiences with her loyal readers.

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