"Booths" just sounds too plebeian to describe the displays that most travel providers have erected at the National Business Travelers Association (NBTA) convention going on at the George R. Brown. There are floating, rotating signage; to-scale models of the innards of airplanes; and mini offices complete with office-y foliage to entertain potential clients.

Two of these swanky suites are vying against one another for visitors.

In one corner (or rather, on one side of the aisle) is Continental/United's model of the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner interior. On the opposite side, Emirates is promoting itself with a multi-level display that features a sliver of the Airbus A380, most-recognized from its Sex and the City 2 doppelganger.

The Dreamliner model wasn't particularly remarkable (the feature I find most intriguing — a button that changes the window tinting in place of the usual pull-down shade — wasn't functional) but it's easy to see how much more spacious the new fleet will be, at least from your head to the ceiling. The lone pair of flat-bed reclining business-first seats probably did much to increase the illusion of space, but the ceilings are certainly far higher, as well as LED-illuminated.

I swung by Emirates' section to chat with divisional senior vice president Richard Vaughan, who said the A380 improved spaciousness in all three classes. (First class is still comfiest, but there's minimal crunching in back). Fourteen first-class suites come equipped with showers and closing doors (a feature Vaughan said he enjoyed himself on his last flight) as well as a lounge in the rear.

Vaughan also confirmed that the crescent-shaped lounge (one of the more iconic images from the Sex and the City girls' voyage to Abu Dhabi) was indeed "inspired" by the A380. Emirates will have 15 of the planes in its fleet by November, with 75 more on order.

I'm going to need to find myself an excuse to get to the Middle East.