Emirates Dubai Connect
Of course it would be awesome to be able to stick with one airline and rack up the miles, but our travels just aren’t working out that way. I honestly don’t think we’ve repeated an airline in the last 2 years but I’m not complaining - I’m constantly researching airlines to figure out which one I want to travel with next.
Last year I started looking in to layover tours but traveling with kids is already an exhausting adventure so Brandon hasn’t been keen to try any. Since it was just the two of us on this trip, I really wanted to take advantage.
Headed home from The Maldives on the Emirates 777 in business class.
The Emirates A380 we took from Incheon to Dubai
While researching flights to The Maldives I noticed most of my options had a layover in Dubai or Abu Dhabi, so I narrowed it down and decided we’d give Emirates Airlines a try this time. I’ve read rave reviews for Emirates AND we’d have the chance to fly on an A380 aka the two story airplane. That is a bucket list item of mine so I was sold. Economy flies on the lower deck, business and first class are on the upper deck. I booked economy tickets and hoped to find a business class upgrade within my budget so I could get the full experience. (Did you catch that in my cover photo - I did manage to snag an under-my-budget business class upgrade for our return flights and got to hang out in the business class lounge on board the airplane!)
Once you book a flight with Emirates, if you have a layover between 10-24 hours, they have a free program called “Dubai Connect.” The great thing about this program is that it’s available to all travel classes - economy, business and first class travelers. This program allows you a free hotel stay, hotel/airport transportation and meal vouchers for your time in Dubai. They’ll also take care of your visa, if one is needed. There are a few stipulations: you must be over 18 or traveling with someone over 18, there must not be a better connection time between your flights, and bookings of 9+ people do not qualify. After you’ve booked your flight, log in to “manage” your account and follow the instructions for Dubai Connect. It was a quick and simple process for us and we didn’t require visas. When you check in for your first flight, you’ll be handed your “Dubai Connect” vouchers which look like airplane tickets - don’t lose them! You’ll need to show these later on.
The hotel you’re assigned to is based on the class you flew. We flew economy class on our way there and we were bussed to the Copthorne Airport Hotel. From the time we landed (04:10am), walked almost the entire length of the aiport, found the Dubai Connect desk, and were bussed to our hotel, and checked into our room, it was just under an hour and a half. There are only a few differences between the economy version and business/first class versions. If you fly business or first class, you will be assigned a chauffeur driven vehicle, so no need to wait for the bus, and you’ll be set up at Le Meridian Airport Hotel Dubai or JW Marriott Marquis. The hotel is based on availability as well.
At check-in they confirm your on-going flight, your check-out time, and your wake up call. Our flight leaving Dubai was at 04:30am so we’d have a 01:00am check out time. When we headed to the hotel at 05:30am, we were 2 of 3 people on the bus. When we headed back to the airport at 01:00 - it was JAM PACKED. The driver had to tell 2 people to wait for the next bus.
The Copthorne Airport Hotel is actually rated a 4 star hotel. While it wasn’t over the top, the room had all the basics you could need. We had two full size beds, a couch, a chair, a desk and a spacious bathroom. Our one complaint was how long it took the shower water to get hot but that’s it. One great thing about this program is that your luggage will be checked in to your final location, so no need to stop and grab it on your way through the airport, so make sure you pack your carry-on accordingly. Oh - and don’t forget your toothbrush and toothpaste in your carry on! It was the one thing I noticed missing in the bathroom. I’ve read in the past that the WiFi wasn’t free, but it is now.
At breakfast, we showed our plane tickets and room key and were shown into a buffet breakfast. I thought the breakfast had a pretty good spread - a mix of European and Western breakfast options, a cereal bar, breads, and a fruit and vegetable bar. There were also a variety of coffees, sodas and juices to choose from. We weren’t around during the day for the other meals as I chose tours that included food throughout the day.
I would definitely recommend taking advantage of this program anytime you’ll have the chance to have a long layover in Dubai. I would also recommend coming with a plan of what you want to see or do, otherwise you may feel like your time here was wasted. Since I book everything ahead of time, Brandon and I were able to do 2 tours through the day, but the hotel also offered Dubai City Tours from the hotel lobby. The hotel itself was only a 10 minute drive to Old Town Dubai, a 15 minute drive to the Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall area, and 30 minutes to The Palms/Dubai Marina area.
If you don’t fill your schedule (like we did) this would be a totally doable experience with kids in tow. I’d say to pick one thing for the middle of the day and be flexible. Honestly, it’s also a great way to kill a layover because airports can get boring and expensive.
Be sure to check out my posts on our Dubai Old Town and Dubai Desert Safari tours!
