Emirates Is Now Offering Free Lounge Access To Select Economy Passengers

Marhaba Lounge is already a Priority Pass lounge so this wont be adding a significant load in there. It does get crowded around peak times but not uncomfortably so, and definitely not at the time this promo is running for.

@TheAirlineKid - Have you actually been to A or B concourse Marhaba lounge during the morning or evening peaks? You will be stuck on the waiting list for an hour at least if you show up too late. And even then, you will probably have to sit on the floor.

For a hundred/two hundred dollars, I think you can eat quite well in an airport restaurant, Why bother?

@Louis Depends on how long your layover is. For a 2-3 hour layover, eat in a restaurant, shop a little, board. For a 4-7 hour layover, which can totally happen in on some Emirates routings, $100-$200 is a small price to pay to have not only food and drink, but a space to be that's not in the main terminal. Of course, get an even longer layover (not unheard of) and you're better off exploring Dubai or getting a hotel room.

@Sean.M yes, I have. Dubai is my home airport so I have visited many times. I do agree that it gets crowded but I have never personally faced a wait, even during the morning rush between 6am-8am. Ofcourse, because of the crowds I try to visit the "Lounge at B" over Marhaba if I am departing via B.

Most of the time though, its straight to the gate.

As of this offer, the inbounds arrive at non-peak hours so it shouldn't matter a lot

@mallthus Totally agree, $200 if have a 5hr layover is a reasonable deal. I'll have to try that.

For another one hundred US Dollars, they will knight you as a honored amabassador of the kingdom, so forth and so on.

I would've paid the $100 for business if I was departing from BOS back to SIN when I go to the US this summer, as from BOS there was a 7h layover, but IAD had a more convenient 1h20m layover.

I am on EK377 from Bangkok to Dubai and onto Barcelona in business class thankfully on the 9th May 2017 and it is operated by one of their 2 class A380's which has a massive 557 economy class seats on it. Now usually with economy class bookings they tend to book well ahead so a lot of seats will already have been booked and won't qualify for this promotion which I think is a nice perk for economy class travellers. But given Emirates is on a cost cutting or revenue increasing promotion you would think they would use their own lounge which wouldn't cost them anything as a set fee assuming they pay the contract lounge a certain fee per entry just an increase in the amount of food and beverage consumed in their own lounge. Also their own lounge which is huge would be much more able to deal with the increase in numbers. Maybe they should bump business class on those flights to the first class lounge to reduce the number in the business class lounge which I personally would have no problem with.

@JOHN BUCCI - Marhaba is a brand of DNATA which is part of the Emirates Group. It's not like they are paying a third party for anything! 🙂

thanks for that interesting to know

I have used the fantastic First lounge in Dubai's Terminal A many times. And most of these occurrences, the lounge has been pretty empty of passengers. After a 14 hour flight, nothing better than a meal, a nightcap and head off into the quiet area for some sleep. Keep your alarm on so that you have time for a shower before the connecting flight and everything is great.
Not sure if the experience will be the same, if there are Y and or J people wandering about the place, after spending their $100/$200. I understand Emirates trying to raise revenue, but sort of cheapens the lounge. The J lounges are very crowded and noisy compared to the F lounges. I suppose this is due each A380 carrying many J pax, compared to F.

Maybe in future, we may travel J and from the F ticket savings, buy F lounge passes.