In October 2025, my travel plans for the rest of the year changed. From that point on, it became possible to buy Miles&More status points through retroactive CO₂ compensation. This suddenly made it seem feasible to extend my Senator status by another year. However, that required a mileage/points run. One we had already promoted several times on our website: the Eurowings BIZClass offers to the Middle East.
Of the possible destinations, I chose the United Arab Emirates over Saudi Arabia. Entry is simpler and cheaper, as a trip to Jeddah would require a visa costing more than €100. In contrast, entering the UAE is straightforward. Anyone who has been to the UAE before can pass through border control at the airport using an automated gate. On your first visit, there is just a passport check, with no additional forms or visa fees.
On two aircraft of this type, Eurowings has installed spacious seats in a 2–2 layout. These have decent padding and power outlets, but they also come with a significant surcharge. Both aircraft operate exclusively from Berlin. They are not reviewed here.
Instead, this review focuses on the product you’ll find behind the recliner seats and on the remaining six Airbus A320neos, which you’ll encounter on medium-haul routes departing from Cologne, Hanover, or Stuttgart.
Because of its proximity to my hometown, I chose to depart from Cologne. This also had the advantage of being able to book two daytime flights. I didn’t want to spend a whole or even half a night in Eurowings BIZClass, and I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone else either. The round-trip tickets cost a total of €599.98. This route earns 400 Points, Qualifying Points, and HON Circle Points each way with Miles & More. Exactly the amount I still needed.
The pricing and marketing of the product make it difficult to assess in some areas. On the one hand, this is sold as a business class and should be evaluated as such. On the other hand, you ultimately don’t pay more than for a premium economy product.
Table of Contents
Numbers and Facts
In this report, I summarise my impressions from both the outbound and return flights:
- Flight 1: EW 1164 Cologne/Bonn (CGN) – Dubai (DWC)
- Time: 07:00 – 16:40
- Actual flight time: 6h 22min
- Aircraft: Airbus A320neo D-AENG (delivered August 2022)
- Seat: 6D
- Flight 2: EW 1165 Dubai (DWC) – Cologne/Bonn (CGN)
- Time: 18:05 – 22:35
- Actual flight time: 6h 46min
- Aircraft: Airbus A320neo D-AENC (delivered May 2022)
- Seat: 3D
- Travel date: December 2025
Check-In
Check-in for Dubai flights at Cologne Airport takes place directly next to the Eurowings group check-in in Terminal 1. Three counters are reserved for the Dubai flight, one of which is designated for status passengers and BIZClass passengers. We arrived at the terminal around 5:30 a.m. and were greeted by a long Economy Class queue. At the BizClass counter, there were only two groups ahead of us. One group consisted of two people, and the other of about ten, some of whom only emerged after a few minutes amidst the piles of their luggage.
Check-in would probably have taken a bit longer if a fourth counter hadn’t opened after ten minutes of waiting. First, the couple ahead of us, then us, were quickly directed there. Eurowings’ strong presence at Cologne Airport helps them react to congested counters. Also, four counters for an Airbus A320 are really generous, and something we also experienced in Dubai. 4 out of 5 points.
Lounge
Cologne: There are two lounges to choose from in Cologne. The first is the former Lufthansa Lounge in Terminal 1; the other is near the departure gates in the international section of Terminal 2. The two terminals are connected airside. The former Lufthansa Lounge is now called The Lounge and is hardly worth mentioning. The other lounge in Terminal 2 has the same creative name. I couldn’t review it, as Eurowings BIZClass passengers in Cologne apparently only get one lounge access on departure, regardless of status. When we tried to enter, we were turned away.
Dubai: From Hanover, Cologne, and partly Berlin, Eurowings does not fly to the larger Dubai International Airport (DXB), but to Al Maktoum Airport (DWC), located far southwest of the city. DWC stands for Dubai World Central, the modest ambition of a project intended to become the world’s largest airport once Emirates relocates its flights there.
That won’t happen for at least another ten years. Until then, the airport mainly serves as a cargo hub, handling barely more than 15 passenger aircraft per day. Accordingly, all areas of the passenger terminal are vast and empty. BIZClass passengers get access to the Merhaba Lounge, located above security. The lounge is small, but offers sufficient seating and a surprisingly good selection of food and drinks for its size. The chicken biryani on offer comes highly recommended. Flights are announced individually and without loudspeakers. All gates are reachable within a five-minute walk.
While The Lounge in Cologne meets the basic requirements (roof, walls, chairs, cold food, a decent drinks selection), it struggles with anything beyond that. The lounge in Dubai pleasantly surprised me, given its size and the (lack of) importance of the airport. Overall, 3 out of 5 points.
Boarding
In Cologne, our flight departed from Gate 60 at the far left end of the international section of Terminal 2. Boarding was conducted in groups and went smoothly. BIZClass passengers are allowed to board as part of Group 1, directly after families with children and passengers with disabilities. We didn’t make use of this privilege, as we didn’t want to spend more time than necessary on the aircraft and didn’t expect any other advantages from it.
In Dubai, there are only remote stands. No matter which gate you depart from, you’ll always be taken to the aircraft by bus. This nullifies all priority boarding advantages, if you wanted to use them at all. Boarding also doesn’t take place directly at the gate, but at the entrance to a waiting area, where the boarding pass and passport must be shown. You’re then led into a large room that offers nothing but seats and power outlets. No restrooms either (in the case of Gate A1). The only way out leads directly to the aircraft, so you should definitely take care of any needs before scanning your boarding pass.
Cologne has the upper hand here: boarding in Dubai is efficient, but highly impractical, and BIZClass passengers have no advantages whatsoever. 2 out of 5 points.
Seat & Cabin
For flights from Stuttgart, Hanover, Cologne, and partly Berlin, Eurowings uses its A320neo fleet, which operates short-haul flights in summer and also medium-haul routes in winter. There are 180 identical seats arranged in two sets of three per row. In the front section of the cabin up to the emergency exits, there is slightly more legroom than behind the overwing exits. The padding is what you’d expect from aircraft primarily used on short flights: designed to take up as little space and weight as possible.
The special feature of BIZClass is that the middle seat always remains empty. This creates a more pleasant sense of space and also improves privacy if you’re sharing a row with someone you know or a family member. Another bonus is that the overhead bins are less crowded and there’s always enough storage space, regardless of when you board.
That storage space is also necessary. Otherwise, you’re left with only the space under the seat in front (preferably the middle seat) and the seat cushion of the empty seat for storage. There are no seat pockets or other places to store personal items you want within easy reach. In addition, the seats have no power options whatsoever. No power outlets and no USB ports. The Airbus A320neo aircraft also lacks internet antennas, so there is no onboard internet. On the return flight to Cologne, there was an announcement after takeoff that “crossword booklets are available as entertainment upon request.”
The tray tables aren’t particularly large, but they’re sufficient for a small laptop. If necessary, the mouse can be used on the table of an empty seat. In addition to the cabin lighting, a reading light can be switched on and off at the touch of a button above the seat, just like on any other plane. On medium-haul flights, Eurowings also installs headrests in BIZClass that attach to the seat with Velcro. These are branded with the product and airline names and offer minimal comfort.
Apart from the empty middle seat, the headrest, and the slightly greater legroom, the hardware is identical to Economy Class. There is also no privacy curtain. The aircraft’s three lavatories are available to all passengers. However, in BIZClass, passengers are closer to the front lavatory, which is said to be somewhat larger than the two rear ones.
While the thin padding didn’t bother me much, I can imagine that taller or heavier people than me might experience back pain during the long flight. Sleeping comfortably would likely be almost impossible, which is why I wouldn’t recommend overnight flights with Eurowings to anyone.
Judging by the seat, selling this ticket as business class is a bad joke. Even if one focuses more on the price, which is more in line with premium economy, than on the label, it remains an uncomfortable short-haul seat without charging ports or screens. You know what you’re getting into, yet it still gets 0 out of 5 stars. However, the final rating compels me to award at least one star.
Entertainment
According to a flight attendant, 80 crossword puzzle books are loaded for each rotation on medium-haul flights (i.e., round-trip). To reiterate: This is necessary because there are no screens, charging ports, or internet access. 0 (1) out of 5 points.
Food & Drinks
The flight from Cologne began – somewhat surprisingly – with a welcome drink before takeoff. There was a choice of still water or orange juice in paper cups. After takeoff, breakfast was served, with a choice between sweet (semolina pudding with poffertjes and berries) or savoury (omelette with spinach and rösti). Both options were warm and average, although the semolina pudding, without any accompaniments, was unpalatable to me due to its artificial sweetness.
On the return flight, paper cups with water and orange juice were served as the first drink round after takeoff. This was followed by dinner, with a choice between chicken with rice and ravioli pasta with spinach and mushrooms. The chicken and rice were delicious. The best meal I’ve had on a Eurowings flight. The mushroom sauce for the pasta smelled good, the spinach was present, but the pasta itself was a tasteless mass of dough. For dessert, there was a choice between chocolate-cherry mousse and vanilla mousse. Both were fluffy and tasty.
The only entertainment system Eurowings offers is the WINGSbistro menu, from which you can order items free of charge as you like. We therefore tried all the hot dishes and several other items. Quality ranged from “surprisingly average” (the currywurst), to “predictably bad” (aeroplane fries), to “grotesque” (the pasta, where noodles and vegetables were indistinguishable in both taste and texture). The snack selection (cookies, mixed nuts, banana bread, savoury pastries with or without sausage, as well as hot and cold sandwiches) is quite comparable to other business-class offerings.
Drinks include water, tea, coffee, soft drinks, gin and tonic, and various wines, which would normally cost €10 if ordered. Aside from gin, no other spirits were available, and beer was limited to canned Krombacher.
With the option to order hot food at any time during the flight, Eurowings outshines the competition from many major airlines. Unfortunately, the quality and presentation don’t live up to the breadth of the offering. A wide selection with low food quality and a modest drinks selection result in 2.5 out of 5 points overall.
Service
In all the reviews I read before the flight, the crews were especially praised. I can only agree: without exception, all flight attendants were eager, friendly, and approachable. The cabin crew is well aware that passengers expecting a great seat (or at least a power outlet) will be disappointed, and they make up for it with commendable effort.
There are multiple drink rounds, and the availability of complimentary food and drinks is actively pointed out. Warm towels were also distributed after takeoff and before landing. A nice touch that somehow belongs in business class. While Eurowings crews lack the choreographed perfection of competitors like Etihad or Singapore Airlines, they also come across as less distant. Compared to the rest of the onboard product, the service stands out positively. 4 out of 5 points.
Conclusion
- Check-in
- Boarding
- Lounge
- Seat & Cabin2×
- Entertainment System2×
- Catering
- Service
Am I unhappy with my Eurowings BIZClass flights? No. Expectation management is key here. Eurowings only disappointed me when it came to power outlets (Aerolopa incorrectly lists USB ports in the A320neo fleet). Everything else was more or less what I expected. I found both flights surprisingly pleasant and arrived at my destination satisfied and without back pain.
The airline combines an average business-class soft product with the economy-class cabin of a low-cost carrier and offers the result at relatively affordable premium economy prices. All in all, it’s a workable deal if you can live with the limitations. Those who want more padding and entertainment, and are willing to forgo lounge access and some baggage allowance, should look at economy tickets from Emirates or Etihad, which are available at roughly the same price.
Would I do it again as a points run? Without hesitation. Would I book these flights again if I didn’t need the points? Maybe. Would I recommend Eurowings BIZClass on medium-haul routes to others? Hesitantly.
Comments (2)
Thanks a lot for your professional, very accurate, and helpful review (and conclusion(s)).
I have done this as a BER-DXB back to back trip with the aircraft that have the hideously expensive throne seats taking up rows 1 and 2. I don’t think those are worth the extra €399 yet they were sold out! I agree there is no charging, no entertainment. Crews on both legs were superb and, as you say, actively offer drinks, snacks, etc. Sadly the LH lounge at DXB is closed at the time of arrival and I didn’t think to try another. I would do the trip again for the 400 P/QP as it was very efficient time wise and decent value per point.