My flight from Dubai to Los Angeles was departing at 3PM, so a friend dropped me off at Terminal 3 at around 11:30AM, so I'd have plenty of time to review the lounge. Emirates has a separate drop-off area for first and business class passengers, which lets you skip the main part of the check-in…
Continue reading: Review: Emirates Business Class Lounge Dubai
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
@Lucky, did you actually time how long it took to walk the whole length? It wouldn't surprise me given how thorough you are.
I've been in the lounge several times and somehow missed the chairs with ottomans, the partitioned areas, and the ice cream fridge. Obviously I'll have to walk round more next time!
Just wondering why you got someone to drop you to the airport rather than using the complimentary chauffeur drive?
@ Sean M. -- Alaska award passengers no longer get complimentary chauffeur service, unfortunately.
@ Malc -- Hah, I didn't, but the 12 minute number sounded about right. I'll time it next time -- good point!
Interesting. I flew through Dubai a couple months ago on my to Chicago from Delhi. My flights went in and out of concourse B, so I went to the business class lounge in that concourse for my overnight stay. It was nowhere near as large and impressive as this lounge. While happy to have a lounge to stay in for my long layover, I wasn't bowled over.
Did you run into a lot of the enemies, the Muslims? I hope you gathered a lot of Intel on these creatures. Heard they have three hands and four legs and eat little kids for breakfast.
The fuhrer wants to reward you with a medal.
Heil drumpf
How was it sitting with all dem burqas they make my yellow skin crawl and all those induans in the lounge.
Hey Ben, how did you use AS MP miles for this journey. I thought MP awards have to originate in the US. Your US flight started with air Canada in Tampa and I don't believe they are MP partners so how did that work out? Unless I am mistaken on this fact.
I have been Skywards blue, silver, gold and then again silver which is my present status. Given the fact that EK has changed the rule for free upgrades the premium memberships have little value now. But if there's something I still get excited with is the Business class lounge even when I fly coach on Emirates. It's the best that I have experienced so far. The free Costa coffee, the sumptuous meal and drink option can't be matched by anyone. Big isn't synonymous of good, but in this case it's big and definitely the best as per my knowledge.
@ RD -- Most Alaska awards have to originate or terminate in North America, but can go in either direction.
@ Francisco C -- Cathay Pacific allows awards between Australia and Hong Kong, or between Hong Kong and Europe, for example.
I've been traveling in and out of Dubai since 1988 and have experienced the changes EK have made in their Skywards frequent flyer programe mostly to their benefit. However their business lounges around the world are truly amazing. The complimentary Chauffeur service is reliable and well organized. I was last in the Delhi & Dubai lounges in December 2016 and will be traveling business class next month so look forward to that.
@ "ting tong":
if you harbor racist views, don't be a coward by hiding your racial background and instead pretend to be Asian
You should try using this lounge when it is busy (eg late at night / in the morning). It gets crowded. Every seat taken... it is a vastly different experience and not in a good way.
Lucky -
Long time reader needing some advice. I wasn't sure where to ask this, but this seems as good of a post as ever. Was on a EK flight from KHI to DBX and eventually on to LAX. The First leg of the flight was delayed four hours which caused us to miss our flight to LAX. EK provided a hotel and transportation, but we got into LAX 24 hours laters than anticipated causing me to miss an extra day of work. Do I have any basis for compensation with regards to the original delay and then subsequently the missed flight? The reason for delay wasn't weather related, all they said was that they couldn't get the required paperwork from Dubai to take off on time. Any advice from you or any other readers would be greatly appreciated.
Great lounge. When on the Syd to London run its makes a great place for a shower and bite to eat. Returning home it's landing in the morning in Dubai so shower and breakfast. It can be busy in the middle of the night but as a lounge it's right up there.
@Lucky,
Thanks for the review. Wife and I got to enjoy (perhaps for the first and only time) the Emirates First Class lounge last October on a Qantas LHR-DXB | DXB-SYD overnight layover. Was curious about the Business Class lounge one floor below. Don't remember seeing [Haagen-Dazs] ice cream freezers in the First lounge, I probably would have eaten three pints if I had seen them. Two things from your review made me giggle...
1. "While the first class lounge features a la carte dining, the business class lounge only has a self serve buffet." Woe to the man (or woman) who must suffer the self-serve buffet. 🙂
2. You posted the lounge's WiFi password (photo) online... gasp.
Anyway, enjoy your write-ups.
I had the pleasure of using the First lounge at Dubai A380 terminal last year. It was very early (6am) so uncrowded. Yet the wait for a shower was 40 mins (showers are only available at the gate you arrive at/depart from) and the lounge was very humid. I know, first world problems, but it seems a little inadequate when has such a great reputation.
Was there early morning at both the A and B concourse lounges. I much preferred the B lounge at that hour as the B lounge was much less crowded. A was so crowded, it was hard to find a place to sit. Also, B seemed to have slightly more food selections and sodas were available from a refrigerator, rather than having to ask.
Hey Lucky,
I spend way too much time in the Dubai Lounges. Terminal A is much nicer than B, but B has the Moet Champaign bar hidden in the back of the lounge so thats not too bad 🙂 The lounges do get very crowded at night and it will get even worse now that Emirates is allowing anyone to buy access. Being Gold with them used to mean something. Not so much any more 🙁
"if you harbor racist views, don’t be a coward by hiding your racial background and instead pretend to be Asian"
You don't think Asians can be just as racist as anyone else? You racist.
----
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Pence: We're really squeezing those immigrants now.
Trump: As far as I'm concerned, the less immigrants the better.
Pence: The fewer.
Trump: Hey. Don't call me that in public. Not yet, anyway.
I'm not a great Emirates fan but they get the lounges just about right. Most of their Business lounges offer decent, simple food and a relatively comfortable environment in which to eat it.
Some of the a la carte F lounges have become rather too precious IMHO, believing their own PR hype but delivering indifferent food: QANTAS an obvious example; some try too hard, EG , QATAR.
Emirates has the best range of lounges.
While the staff are friendly and always helpful the business class lounge has a lot to answer for when it comes to the amenities.
simply put it is a disgrace and completely inadequate, it is unable to cope with demand for showers and toilets.
I travel through here a lot for business and being in the aviation game, it is by fair one of the worst compared to other airline lounges.
peek period just can not cope and Emirates has a lot to answer for and must make a change and install more many more of the shower and toilet facilities.
time periods in waiting are 15 to 25 mins for a shower and toilets can be 15 minutes or longer. completely unacceptable.
I'd taken a quick holiday to Germany in July and had a 6 hour layover in Dxb on the way back. Took your advice and got a foot/leg massage done which was DIVINE. It was so good I fell asleep for a few mins. I had a shower after and felt great. The total cost was about EUR82 if I remember correctly. I also had a light snack in the food area of the lounge but the food looked like it had been there for awhile and aside from the smoked salmon rolls I didn't find anything too appealing. Being Emirates, I somehow thought the food would be better or at least there'd be more options. The staff were very nice and helpful.
Do you need to book the spa treatments prior to arriving or is there enough available therapists for you to just turn up and walk into one?
Used the Business Class lounge this time last year ( Jan 2017 ) Disappointed would be an understatement !! Not sure what time of day/night you took those photos Lucky but we had difficulty in even finding a seat ...massively busy. The queues for the toilets and food were incredibly long. I expected so much more and came away feeling short changed.Did not come any way close to what I expected from an Emirates experience seeing this was their Flagship Lounge.On a more positive note other Emirates BC lounges (smaller) at other airports we used were a delight.
How much earlier do they allow to enter in the business class lounge?
For example if i have transit visa for 2 days in dubai, will they let me sleep there for 2 days?(if i have business class ticket?
I visited the Business Lounge in terminal A on my way to Heathrow. The whole thing was just a bit underwhelming - especially after the experience of the Emirates lounge at Heathrow.
It's dated, hard to find your way around and the food options are pretty sub-par. One food station simply ran out of most breakfast items (at 9am) and the selection at the other was pretty overwhelming (and that station had no juice).
It wasn't awful & and I didn't have the issues with seating that others mentioned, but I was pretty underwhelmed.
During this trip we visited Business lounges at Manchester, Sydney, Delhi and Dubai (twice). I was amazed to find the Dubai lounges much less welcoming (turnstile entry) and attractive than each of the others. The lounge in Dubai was dark, noisy, crowded in places and the food and beverages were poorly restocked. Depending on the time of day, you might need plenty of time to register and queue for a shower. Mostly, it was difficult to believe we were in the right place. Not very relaxing at all. We will avoid Dubai in future as we do have a choice.