FIRST IMPRESSIONS I arrived three hours early for my 11 p.m. flight, but there was already a long line at the check-in counter. Fortunately, I reached the front quickly in the shorter business-class lane. Once my bags were checked and my ticket was issued, I enjoyed the same benefit of bypassing the much longer line at security through its dedicated premium-class lane.

I was happy to see that the Emirates lounge was upstairs and directly across from my departing gate. The host looked up my reservation after greeting me and acknowledged that it included two additional passengers, but that we weren't sitting next to each other. He offered to seat us together, but I declined in the interest of working on the flight. He also let me know that I would have an aisle seat and asked if I preferred an aisle on the other side of the plane. This was the first time any airline had given me that option at the airport, and while I appreciated it, I didn't think it would be necessary.

The host then offered to give me a tour of the lounge, which he kept short and sweet. The bathrooms and shower facilities were equipped with linen hand towels, a full vanity with seating, and a basket of sealed toothbrushes and toothpaste. The dining area, business lounge and bar were further in, with a cozy seating area dotted with newspaper and magazine racks.

I put my belongings down and helped myself to the chilled Veuve Clicquot. Although the bar was self-serve, a staff member graciously removed the stopper for me and carefully poured a glass. I then made up a plate of baba ghanoush, some carrots and a plate of smoked salmon, working on the free Wi-Fi with one eye on one of the many flat-screen televisions in the lounge. There were plenty of hot options as well, but I wanted to save room to sample the inflight meal.

BOARDING Even though my ticket said to board at 10 p.m., it sounded a little early to me, so I meandered down at 10:30 p.m. The boarding line was incredibly long, but once again, I breezed through in the business- and first-class lane, picking up my duty-free purchase halfway down the ramp. I found a blanket on my seat, and a pair of noise-canceling headphones and a bottle of water were already placed in the front pocket below my personal video monitor. As we waited for takeoff, an attendant offered Champagne, juice or water.

SEAT COMFORT I was surprised to see that this B777-300 was arranged in a 2-3-2 configuration and was a little disgruntled at having the middle seat on my return flight. But at 20.5 inches wide and with a pitch of 72 inches, it was anything but uncomfortable. The seat also reclined to a fully-flat bed, with privacy partitions and adjustable reading lights. There were a multitude of cubbyholes and compartments that kept my personal belongings within reach and an outlet conveniently located at the seat's hip. My only complaint was that the angle kept me from charging my camera battery.

THE FLIGHT We departed shortly after the scheduled time and were given hot scented towels and gender-specific Bulgari amenity kits once we reached cruising altitude. Before the meal service began, I received a mattress for my seat and was asked if I wanted to be awakened for breakfast. Although I said I did, when the time came, I was sleeping so comfortably that I changed my mind and asked them to pass me. Fortunately, I had had more than enough at dinner, which included thinly-sliced octopus carpaccio with marinated shrimp and eggplant salad, followed by mushroom ravioli in cream sauce.

I used the AVOD system to watch "Avatar" and nodded off shortly afterwards. I woke sometime in the middle of the flight to use the restroom, and when I came out, I chatted for a minute with a pair of the friendly crew members, who convinced me to try one of the petits fours laid out on a tray in the galley. I caved to peer pressure and indulged in a white chocolate-covered banana slice. If I somehow managed not to be full at this point, the inflight menu offered a selection of sandwiches and hot plates that I could order as I liked.

ARRIVAL Toward the end of the 12-hour flight, an attendant gave me a card for access to a fast-track lane at customs. I was quickly cleared and waited for my luggage, which took no more than 10 minutes to arrive on the belt.

VERDICT After sampling its business-class service, I realized why Emirates is an industry leader. No detail had been overlooked, and the crew seemed to enjoy themselves as much as the passengers, which is no easy feat. Although some may balk at a 2-3-2 configuration for fear of occupying the middle seat, I was pleasantly surprised by my experience on the return flight.