Emirates has locked down exclusive rights to serve three of the world’s most renowned Champagne houses, giving the airline an edge for luxury travellers who can’t go without sipping a glass of champers at 40,000 feet.
At least until 2024, Emirates will be the only commercial airline in the world that is officially allowed to serve Moet & Chandon, Vevue Clicquot and Dom Perignon onboard, bringing a year-long Champagne lifestyle that literally no other airline in the world will be able to offer.
That means you won’t even find a glass of Dom Perignon somewhere like Singapore Airlines First Class, which has for years been a given until earlier this year when the airline had to pull the Champagne from its pointy end.
Emirates purchased the rights just recently and announced the coup late last week, prepping them for a full year of exclusivity.
According to an announcement from Emirates, global airline exclusive agreements were inked and remain in place “until 2024” so Dubai’s flag carrier can offer passengers a “taste of the stars.”
It’s a nice little win for Emirates amidst a global Champagne shortage, rounding up the remaining stock of some fine vintages so pointy-end passengers have another layer of luxury they can enjoy while flying either Business Class or First Class.
Dom Perignon will be served in First Class across all of Emirates global routes, while Veuve Clicquot is served on Business Class routes to the Americas, UK and Europe. Those flying Business Class on routes to Africa, the Middle East and Asia Pacific (including Australia) will instead get Moet & Chandon as the cabin’s signature serve. Economy passengers will also be able to purchase Moet & Chandon paired with vanilla cake or chocolate cake for US$43 (~AU$64).
Something like this was inevitable, I guess. It’s well-known in the aviation industry that Emirates purchases more Champagne than any other airline in the world. The carrier has always taken its decadent drops quite seriously, investing over $1 billion in its wine program over the past 16 years, primarily to procure wines and Champagnes early so they can mature just right.
Emirates also has its own wine cellar in France that reportedly houses up to 6.5 million bottles, currently maturing in optimal conditions. Some of these won’t be ready for tasting until 2035, although the airline is known for occasionally bringing out some very rare vintages for First Class guests. Just a few months ago, those in the pinnacle cabin of select Emirates routes were able to order the very rare Dom Pérignon Plenitude 2.
Not many passengers know this, but if you’re flying Emirates in Business or First then you can actually check out what your particular flight will be served ahead of take-off.
